November 4, 1869 they began their pre-novitiate retreat and were joined by Sophia Fessler, Fr. Fessler's younger sister. November 9, 1869, the Founders' Day of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity, those five women were received into the Third Order Regular of St. Francis. They received their religious names: Josepha Theonig became Sr. Maria Coletta; Mary Ann Graf became Sr. Mary Hyacintha; Teresa Gramlich became Sr. Maria Gabriela; Sophia Fessler became Sr. Mary Seraphica; and Rosa Wahl became Sr. Mary Odelia, and it was she who was the first superior of the little community. Fr. Fessler purchased a property on Silver Lake, near Manitowoc, Wisconsin for the communities motherhouse. The cornerstone was laid July 23, 1873; and the following year, the motherhouse was dedicated. In 1875, twenty-seven Poor School Sisters of St. Francis from Germany were welcomed to the Motherhouse. The two communities were brought together despite natural tensions between the Americans and German sisters. In 1881, the Motherhouse at Silver Lake caught fire and the building was destroyed. This brought a new opportunity for the two communities to build together and start again. In 1885, with a hundred Religious Sisters and thirty-five Postulants, Archbishop Michael Heiss approved the Community of the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity the status of a Diocesan Institute and approved new Constitutions. On January 22, 1962, Pope John XXII gave definitive approval for The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity as a pontifical Congregation. Ministries As of 2021, the congregation sponsors health care and educational ministries through the non-profit Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity Sponsored Ministries, (formerly FSCC HealthCare Ministry), a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. The not-for-profit owns and operates a health care services with hospitals and long-term care facilities in Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. It describes its mission as being "to carry out the commitment of the Sponsor to the healing and educational mission of the Catholic Church through the provision of quality health care and educational services", with elements of this mission including "managing change, ensuring stewardship of resources and integrating mission and values". Components include: Holy Family Memorial, a health care system, in Manitowoc, Wisconsin Genesis HealthCare System in Zanesville, Ohio Franciscan Healthcare System in West Point, Nebraska St. Paul Elder Services in Kaukauna, Wisconsin McCormick Home in Green Bay, Wisconsin Today, the Congregation serves the Church in three archdioceses (Milwaukee, Omaha, St. Louis) and in six dioceses (Columbus, Green Bay,