Access to clean water is a daily struggle for more than 600 million women, men and children around the world. People living in impoverished communities are forced to walk an average of more than three miles each day to get the water they need to drink, cook, bathe, and to meet their most basic health and sanitation needs.
This is a reality that the School Sisters of St. Francis contend with in many of their global missions, particularly in rural India and Latin America. To help meet those needs, the sisters are sponsoring a series of beer garden fundraisers this summer on the grounds of their international motherhouse headquarters. The first “Sister Water Beer Garden” will be held Saturday, June 22, from 5-8 p.m., with upcoming gatherings scheduled for July 13 and Aug. 17.
Pamela Mueller, the congregation’s Director of Mission Advancement, explained that “Sister Water” represents purity in St. Francis of Assisi’s “Canticle of the Creatures.” Using the beer garden proceeds to save lives through clean water is in keeping with the community’s Franciscan emphasis on hospitality and care for the Earth, she said.
“Our sisters have been living and ministering on our South Side campus for more than 125 years, but many people who drive past our convent on Layton Boulevard don’t know about our community or what we do,” Mueller said. “These beer gardens will be a fun, informal way to show off our beautiful garden and grounds at St. Joseph Center to a whole new generation of friends, while supporting our sisters’ work.”
The beer garden will feature “Ale Mary” and “Glory Be”—two specially crafted beers from Sprecher Brewing Company—plus wine, root beer, soda and delicious food options featuring Klement’s sausages. Complete event details are available on the sisters' website.
