Honoring Our Founder

On May 4, 2022, our founder, Sister Kathleen Osbelt, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Her vision and her dedication changed our community forever with the founding of Francis House in 1991. We find comfort in knowing she is at peace. We miss her strength, grace, wit and wisdom.

2022 Funeral Mass

Below we have posted the recording of Sister’s funeral mass, held May 11 at Immaculate Conception Parish in Fayetteville, NY. The mass program featured Sister’s favorite prayers, poems and songs. To make a gift in honor of Sister Kathleen, please visit our giving page. God bless you for your prayers, love and support of Francis House.

You’ll find Sister Kathleen’s full obituary on the Edward J. Ryan & Son Funeral Home website.

Mary Anne Hankins, Executive Director of Francis House, says of the loss, “I feel blessed to have known Sister Kathleen. She made a profound impact on my life. She was always a great support and comfort to all. I know she will be watching over all of us as we continue her life’s work at Francis House. I hold dearly, and am inspired by, one of Sister’s favorite quotes from St. Francis: ‘Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.’ She will be forever in my heart.”

President of the Francis House Board of Directors Barbara Carranti said of the news, “Sister was a life force, a true inspiration. She didn’t let things stand in the way of her vision. She was revolutionary in her thoughts on how she could change her community. I am sad for the loss of my friend. I will miss her wisdom and I will always be in awe of her humility.”

A Prayer of Freedom

Sister Kathleen’s fondness for a poem by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross brought peace to so many. May it bring peace to you today.

“When we have passed the test we were sent to Earth to learn, we are allowed to graduate.

We are allowed to shed our body, which imprisons our soul the way a cocoon encloses the future butterfly;

and when the time is right we can let go of it. Then we will be free of worries…free as a beautiful butterfly returning home to God…

which is a place where we are never alone, where we continue to grow and to sing and to dance,

where we are with those we loved and where we are surrounded with more love than we can ever imagine.”

A Servant Leader

Francis House was the dream of Sister Kathleen Osbelt.

Serving as a hospital chaplain in the 1980s, she realized there were few, if any, places outside of a hospital setting where individuals could spend their final days. Sister also realized there were many in our community who, due to lack of family or resources, did not have the choice to die at home.

After serving as a volunteer companion for a woman dying of AIDS, Sister Kathleen confirmed the lack of support and services available to people who were dying. She set a vision for a place where all people – regardless of faith, race, ethnicity, financial status – could spend their final days. A place where every resident would be surrounded by love, family-style love, in their final days.

An idea became a dream and a dream became a reality. The Sisters of Saint Francis welcomed the idea of Francis House and dedicated a two-family home on Syracuse’s North Side to the vision. Volunteers renovated the house and prepared it to welcome its first residents.

With unwavering support from the community, Francis House, at 108 Michaels Avenue, opened in 1991. Just seven years later, it expanded to two homes.

Uniquely, Francis House was founded as a private ‘community care’ home, the first of its kind in New York state. Sister Kathleen chose to designate Francis House as a private community home, believing that the generosity of the community would sustain its mission. Francis House does not receive third-party reimbursement from insurance or from federal, state or local governments.

In 2022, beginning its 31st year of service, Francis House employs 34 staff members, is blessed by the talents of more than 200 volunteers and is supported by the generosity of thousands of dedicated, compassionate supporters who have funded its mission steadfastly, enabling Francis House to care for more than 3,300 residents and support more than 12,000 family members with unconditional love, a home-like atmosphere, respect and dignity.

Sister Kathleen’s favorite quote is from Ephesians (3:20) and reads, “Glory to God whose power at work in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.”

Read about Sister Kathleen’s inspiration for founding Francis House in the December 2021 issue of Syracuse Woman magazine.

Read her own words about Francis House here: Founded in Unconditional Love.

A Book Author

In Sister’s words…

Glimpses of God in You and Me

“My book, “Glimpses of God in You and Me,” celebrates the divine in each person. My heart is full as I recall the many people who have touched my life, inspiring me to write this book and share how God is made visible in each of us. Throughout my years of ministry, I have been convinced that most people do not realize what it means to be made in the image and likeness of God. They do not think that God is madly in love with them. They do not feel worthy of love. In essence, most of us do not know who we are. The chapters are attempts to encourage us all to embrace our real identity as made in the image and likeness of God.”

Preview the book on Amazon.com, here.