Two Diocesan senior living facilities to close

DENVILLE  The Sisters of Sorrow­ful Mother announced June 29 that the order would close St. Francis Resi­dential Community here, a non­profit senior indepen­dent living rental community. The official closure will likely take place in 2022 with no firm date set as the sisters want to ensure that every senior currently living at the facility has a new home.

The news about the closure of St. Francis in Denville occurs as the Villa, formerly St. Ann Villa, in Florham Park closed its doors. The Villa was home to many senior sisters of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth, based in Convent Station. In 2016, the Sisters of Charity announced the transfer of ownership of St. Ann Villa to the Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey.

Sister of Christian Charity Joan Daniel Healy, diocesan chancellor/delegate for religious, said, “Upon receiving the news of the closure of St. Francis Residential Com­munity, staffed by the Sisters of the Sorrow­ful Mother in Denville since 1895, and the former Villa of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth in Florham Park, built in the early 1930s, my heart was filled with sorrow as I thought of more ‘doors’ closing throughout the United States that try to help the most needy.”

St. Francis Residence was opened in 1895, when the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother purchased the property at the corner of Diamond Spring and Pocono Road to serve as a health resort. It offered 58 rooms and 65 independent-living apartments. Residents had the option of extra services such as meals, housekeeping and medication assistance. Senior members of the order lived at the residence, in addition to senior members of the Missionary Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, an order that serves in several ministries throughout the Diocese.

According to Julia Zauner, spokes­person for the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother, “Over the past 125 years the ministry grew into the community of St. Francis. As the buildings and campus infrastructure have aged, it has become increasingly difficult to fund the maintenance and needed renovations to sustain the financial viability of the community. After several years of discernment and study, the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother find it impossible to provide sufficient resources — especially sister personnel — to continue the ministry of St. Francis.”

She said, “The sisters sought out a well-regarded senior living provider, Springpoint, to assist in their effort to discontinue operations and to assist them in finding suitable housing for current residents. Springpoint is a mission-driven nonprofit organization that has been providing services to seniors in the region for more than 100 years.” Springpoint is based in Wall Township and operates 27 senior living communities, including The Oaks at Denville, which is adjacent to St. Francis.

The former St. Anne Villa was built in the early 1930s but due declining enrollment in the order, ownership of the newly named Villa at Florham Park was transferred in 2016 to Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey to operate it as a public senior facility, with 80 skilled-nursing beds and 21 bed-assisted rooms.

When the facilities first opened, both were staffed by religious of the two orders who established them. Sister Joan Daniel pointed to this as an important factor in their closures. “In the past, when religious life had so many vocations, we were able to staff all of our hospitals, schools, and nursing homes,” she told The Beacon. “But today, with so many offerings for young people, the number of vocations to religious life has drastically been reduced.”

Non-profit nursing homes throughout the country have been facing difficulties and closures, according to industry experts. The COVID-19 pandemic was also a factor in the closures of many non-profits nationwide.

Sister Joan Daniel said, “We will pray for all those affected by the closings and remember them and the great work that all those involved with their healthcare did now, and in the past. We, here at the Diocese, appreciate and thank Sister Johnice Thone and Sister Lois Bush of the Sorrowful Mother Sisters and Sister Maureen Shaughnessy and her Council of the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth, and all those who have gone before them for their vision and sacrifices.”