Welcome to Poverello Creations

A creative outreach ministry of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi 

Have you been looking for affordable greeting cards with uplifting messages?  Then, Poverello Creations is your source for greeting cards with a Franciscan emphasis.  We offer economical greeting cards that will be a blessing to their recipients, as well as a group of Catholic Franciscan Women Religious.

Each time you purchase our low-priced greeting cards and other crafts you not only save money, but you support the mission of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.  In addition, your support helps us care for our frail, elderly sisters.  

Poverello Prints Greeting Cards

Since the early 1980’s, the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, a group of Catholic women religious, have been creating greeting cards marketed as Poverello Prints.  All of the Poverello Prints greeting cards are designed by our sister artists to showcase their art, style, and spiritual vision through the affordable medium of greeting cards.  This mission is still as important to us today as it was then. 

Click here to find Greeting CardsPoverello Creations Presents 

Poverello, Creations as a website of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, presents the newer greeting cards of Sister Judy Placzkowski and Sister Struck, along with the best of Poverello Prints’ original greeting cards.  We continue to provide economically priced Catholic greeting cards that give our patrons a sense of beauty with a message that touches the heart.  Being the Franciscan Community we are, our greeting cards provide a visible expression of our Franciscan Joy and Beauty.  At Poverello Creations, we aim to give you, our patron, an alternative to what you find in the greeting card aisle of your local retail shop or Catholic book store. 

Our greeting card collection now includes full-color photographic and watercolor-based images, as we have grown from our humble beginnings with one and two-color cards. Since we have moved into the digital age, Sr. Judy and Sr. Ceil now print their creative cards at the time of your order.  Print to order allows for a lower inventory and overhead while keeping the cards low priced and in full color.  In addition, we provide an efficient delivery time through USPS First Class or Priority Mail, depending on your order size.

The verses found in our greeting cards are selected from various sources.  Many of the verses are the writings of our sisters.  All our verses flow from our Franciscan spirituality and bring a special touch to the messages of our cards. 

What Can You Find Here?

Traditional  categories of greeting cards include birthday cards, thank you cards, and sympathy cards. Baptism cards, First Communion cards, Confirmation cards, and Wedding cards are among our more unique items.  Catholic Christmas cards, Easter cards, and Thanksgiving cards continue to be available throughout the year for your shopping convenience.  Jubilee cards and Francis cards, including scenes for Assisi, also list among our popular items.  Greetings cards that your may not have thought of sending include such themes as Living with Illness, Encouragement to Caregivers, and Transitions in Life.

Beyond our Greeting Cards 

Some of our sister crafters, both active and retired, add their creations to our online offerings. For example, while managing our local Poverello Gift Shop, Sr. Helene Mertes also creates hand-woven baskets and has made a few available online.  In additions, a number of our sisters have added hand-made items, including: 

  • Kitchen towels with hand-made fabric toppers by Sr. Judy,
  • Hand-made “Scarves with a Twist,” and tote bags by Sr. Charlotte,
  • Hand-made microwave potato bags and novelty pillowcases by Sr Marcia,
  • Versatile fabric gift bags by Sr. Julianne,
  • Crocheted, all cotton, dish clothes by Sr. Laverne 

You:  The Most Important Element 

Your purchase helps us foster our mission of expanding Franciscan Joy and Beauty into a world so in need.  Your purchases are also helping us meet crucial needs of our own.  For example, recently, we needed to build a new facility providing a safe and secure residence for our retired elder sisters.  Our original building, expanded over the years from 1861 through 2019, was no long adequate to meet the needs of our elderly sisters and was physically and economically impossible to update and renovate. So, in May of 2019, we moved into a new building just across the yard from the old building.  As a patron of Poverello Creations, you are helping provide a beautiful, safe place for our elderly sisters to live.

We thank you for your support. 

We, the sisters, continue to remember you and your intentions in our prayers.