La Crosse’s Franciscan Sisters nuns to change prayer schedule that’s been going since 1878

The local order of nuns which has been praying 24 hours a day for over a century is changing its schedule. 

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration will reduce their hours of prayer to 16 hours each day, beginning on Ash Wednesday. 

The sisters have prayed continuously at the St. Rose Convent in La Crosse since Aug. 1, 1878. 

But the order now says “perpetual adoration” can be defined as works outside the convent, and as continuing to pray at the chapel every day, even if the prayers are not happening every minute of the day. 

A decrease in the number of nuns in the order over time is a primary reason for the change in schedule. 

The new schedule will include prayers at the chapel from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day.

More information about the change is available at www.fspa.org/news/perpetual-adoration.