Sister Barbara Jean Donovan, OSF, General Minister of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, and Gael Sopchak, General Manager of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities, visited St. Francis Healthcare System facilities in mid-October. They spent time with the St. Francis Healthcare System leadership team and took a tour of The Villas, the skilled nursing facility operated by Ohana Pacific Management on the Liliha campus.
Sister Barbara Jean was elected to the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities leadership team during a general chapter meeting in Syracuse, New York this past July, and was officially installed in September. The Hawaii ministries was one of the places on her list to visit.
The Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities was formed by the merger of four independent Franciscan congregations from Buffalo, Hastings-on-Hudson, and Syracuse in New York, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In an open letter to the congregation after her installment, she wrote: “As for my leadership style, I see myself as the head of the orchestra, whose role is to bring out the talents of the orchestra-leadership team. With them, and supported by your prayers, we will make beautiful music far into the future.”
Under her leadership, the St. Francis Healthcare System looks forward to creating healing, life-giving music for kūpuna, caregivers and other family members. Led by CEO Jerry Correa, the St. Francis leadership team gave Sister Barbara Jean and Gael Sopchak, an overview of the inspiring and exciting roadmap on how the St. Francis Healthcare System team is filling the community’s critical needs. It is important to note that Hawaii has one of the fastest growing senior populations in the nation.
“Thank you so much for the orientation to St. Francis Healthcare System and all your plans for the future. You have surely found a niche of need and are creating a comprehensive way to meet it,” wrote Sister Barbara Jean to the St. Francis Healthcare team.