About Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother · Toronto, Ohio
The Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R. of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother are a Roman Catholic contemplative-active religious congregation of women based at Our Lady of Sorrows Monastery in Toronto, Ohio. Founded on August 15, 1988 by Bishop Albert Henry Ottenweller in the Diocese of Steubenville, the community was established to renew the contemplative dimension of the early Franciscan penitents. The sisters live a rhythm of prayer, work, and ministry centered on the Eucharist and on standing with the Sorrowful Mother at the foot of the Cross, and they make known God's merciful love through works of mercy, retreats, catechesis, campus ministry, and service to the poor. The motherhouse chapel — Father of Mercy Chapel — is open to the public for daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, and the Liturgy of the Hours, drawing visitors for prayer, vocational discernment, and retreats.
- Established
- 1988
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (the Sorrowful Mother)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Steubenville
Why belong here
Visitors are warmly welcomed at Our Lady of Sorrows Monastery in Toronto, Ohio to join the sisters for daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, the Liturgy of the Hours, and evening prayer. The community offers hospitality for retreatants, day-of-reflection guests, and women discerning a religious vocation, as well as periodic parish missions, conferences, and talks. Whether one comes for a silent hour in Father of Mercy Chapel, a Lenten retreat, a vocational discernment weekend, or simply to share in the rhythm of a Franciscan contemplative-active day, guests encounter a community whose life is centered on the Eucharist and on making known God's merciful love through prayer and works of mercy.
Mass times at Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Silent holy hour (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament) precedes Morning Prayer, Monday–Saturday (except Wednesday)
- Wednesdays: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament begins after Mass and continues through the morning; sisters sign up for holy hours throughout the morning
- Holy Hour with Evening Prayer & the Chaplet of Divine Mercy — 5:00 pm, Monday–Friday and Sunday
Our Lady of Sorrows Monastery & Father of Mercy Chapel
The motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R. sits on a country property at 369 Little Church Road in Toronto, Ohio, in the Diocese of Steubenville. The community gathers for Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours in Father of Mercy Chapel, completed in 2010 alongside the Our Lady of Sorrows Professed House. The grounds also include the Our Lady of Sorrows Formation House (begun 1995) and four hermitages used for days of silence and solitude. Visitors are welcomed for Mass, adoration, retreats, days of reflection, and vocational discernment visits.
- Address: 369 Little Church Road, Toronto, OH 43964
- Father of Mercy Chapel (completed 2010)
- Our Lady of Sorrows Formation House (begun 1995)
- Our Lady of Sorrows Professed House (completed 2010)
- Four hermitages on the motherhouse property
History & Founding
The community was established as a Public Association of the Faithful on August 15, 1988, by Bishop Albert Henry Ottenweller in the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio. Its seven founding members included two Franciscan sisters and five lay women from the Secular Franciscan Order; Fr. Angelus Migliore, T.O.R., helped the group discern their shared call. In May 1988 the women began living and praying together in a Franciscan University of Steubenville dormitory, moved to an empty convent on August 1, and relocated again as the community grew. They purchased the Toronto, Ohio property in 1994, broke ground on the Formation House in 1995, and completed the Father of Mercy Chapel and Professed House in 2010. By 2020 the community had celebrated five General Chapters.
- Founded August 15, 1988 by Bishop Albert Henry Ottenweller
- Seven founding members — two Franciscan sisters and five Secular Franciscan laywomen
- Fr. Angelus Migliore, T.O.R., assisted the founding discernment
- Sr. Katherine Caldwell, T.O.R. — founding sister who has remained with the community
- Toronto, Ohio property purchased June 1994
- Fifth General Chapter held in the community's 32nd year
Spirituality & Charisms
The community's stated charisms are Crucified Love, Mercy, Poverty, and Contemplation. Under the patronage of Our Lady of Sorrows, the sisters embrace the Third Order Regular Franciscan charism of penance through a life of evangelical conversion lived in prayer, poverty, and humility. Centered in the Eucharist, they stand with Mary at the foot of the Cross, offering their lives as a holocaust of love for the salvation of souls and giving to others the mercy they themselves have received.
- Charisms: Crucified Love, Mercy, Poverty, Contemplation
- Patronage: Our Lady of Sorrows
- Eucharist as the center of daily life
- Third Order Regular Franciscan charism of penance
Life of Prayer — Daily & Weekly Schedule
The community follows a contemplative-active rhythm of prayer, work, and ministry. A silent holy hour of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament precedes Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours on most days, and on Wednesdays adoration continues through the morning after Mass. Evening Prayer with the Chaplet of Divine Mercy is prayed at 5:00 pm on most days, and communal prayer at noon on Monday, Thursday, and Friday includes Praise & Worship, intercession, and the Rosary, with Stations of the Cross on Fridays. Wednesdays are reserved for greater silence and solitude.
- 5:30–6:00 am: Silent Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (most days)
- 7:00 am: Morning Prayer (Mon–Sat, except Wed); 7:30 am Sunday
- 7:45 am: Holy Mass (Mon–Sat)
- 12:00 noon: Communal Prayer Mon/Thurs/Fri — Praise & Worship, Intercession & Rosary (Mon, Thurs); Stations of the Cross (Fri)
- Wednesdays: Adoration continues through the morning; day of silence and solitude
- 5:00 pm: Evening Prayer & Chaplet of Divine Mercy (Mon–Fri and Sun)
Mass & Chapel Schedule
All are welcome to join the sisters for daily Mass at the motherhouse. The community's normal schedule is daily Mass Monday through Saturday at 7:45 am; the chapel is closed to the public for Sunday Mass during July, and individual days in summer may be adjusted for Solemnities or inclement weather. The chapel itself is open throughout the day for visitors who wish to pray.
- Monday–Saturday: 7:45 am Mass
- No Sunday Mass in July (summer adjustment)
- Chapel open: Sun 6:25 am–6 pm; Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 5:55 am–6 pm; Wed 7:30 am–6 pm; Sat 5:55 am–4:30 pm
Apostolates & Mission Houses
Beyond the motherhouse, the sisters serve in five mission locations. Two mission houses provide campus ministry at Franciscan University of Steubenville (Santa Chiara on the main campus and Greccio on the Austrian campus); Heart of Mary mission house serves the inner-city poor of Steubenville, Ohio; San Damiano house is in Toronto, Ohio; and St. Elizabeth mission house is near Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. The sisters also staff the Samaritan House Thrift Store in downtown Steubenville, visit nursing homes and a prison, give parish missions and retreats, and offer spiritual direction.
- Santa Chiara Mission House — Franciscan University of Steubenville main campus
- Greccio Mission House — Franciscan University of Steubenville Austrian campus
- Heart of Mary House of Prayer and Service — inner-city Steubenville
- San Damiano House — Toronto, Ohio
- St. Elizabeth Mission House — Tallahassee, Florida (near Florida State University)
- Samaritan House Thrift Store — downtown Steubenville (volunteer opportunities)
Retreats, Vocation Visits & Discernment
The sisters host retreats, days of reflection, and vocation discernment weekends at Our Lady of Sorrows Monastery. The community's annual Lenten Retreat is held at the motherhouse and features Mass, keynote reflections, adoration, guided meditation, music, and small-group prayer ministry. Vocation Discernment Retreats, such as the September 18–20, 2026 weekend, invite single Catholic women aged 20–35 to apply to attend. Volunteers are also welcomed to assist at the motherhouse in grounds, maintenance, sewing, cooking, housekeeping, and special events.
- Annual Lenten Retreat (e.g., March 14, 2026 with Fr. David Dodd, T.O.R. and Dr. John Bergsma)
- Vocation Discernment Retreats (e.g., September 18–20, 2026)
- Day of reflection and retreat hospitality
- Volunteer opportunities at the motherhouse
- Vocations inquiries: (740) 544-6204 / [email protected]
Formation
Initial formation in the community follows a one-year postulancy, a two-year novitiate, and a five-year juniorate of temporary vows. Formation coursework covers Franciscan history and spirituality, Church history, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, vowed life, prayer, and related topics, mostly within the monastery through reading, discussion, and lectures. During initial formation sisters are trained in the community's various apostolates, and junior formation may include living and working at a mission house. At the time of the Partners in Mission appeal, the community had 21 sisters in initial formation served by three full-time directors of formation.
- Postulancy: 1 year
- Novitiate: 2 years
- Juniorate (temporary vows): 5 years
- Coursework in Franciscan history and spirituality, Church history, Catechism, vowed life, prayer
- Junior formation can include mission house assignment
Partners in Mission & Outreach
The community relies on donations and volunteer support for roughly 70% of its annual operating expenses. Friends of the sisters can partner through regular donations and pledges, gifts in kind, grants, bonds, and bequests, and they may also volunteer at the motherhouse, host the sisters for parish talks or missions, work at the Samaritan House Thrift Store, or commit to praying regularly for the community's mission 'To Make Known God's Merciful Love.'
- Donations cover approximately 70% of annual operating expenses
- Volunteer opportunities: grounds, maintenance, sewing, cooking, housekeeping, clerical, religious articles, event helpers
- Samaritan House Thrift Store volunteer program in downtown Steubenville
- Prayer and Mass intentions welcomed
- Parish mission and conference booking via the monastery