Religious sisters ask for help to restore convent, retreat house damaged by fire

(LifeSiteNews) — A retreat house of the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Portage, Pennsylvania, suffered a tragic electrical fire on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, March 25, and they are now asking the faithful for help in refurnishing the facility after reconstruction.

According to the Sister Servants’ website, they are “a contemplative-active, pontifical, Franciscan Religious Congregation founded by St. Joseph Sebastian Pelczar and Blessed Klara Szczesna in 1894 in Krakow, Poland.”

“By our prayer and apostolic service, we are devoted to extending the Kingdom of Love of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus everywhere,” they explain in summarizing their mission.

In a statement on the Sister Servants’ GiveSendGo fundraising page, they describe the “heartbreaking” fire at their St. Joseph Convent and Retreat House yet celebrated that despite the “flames and chaos,” they were most grateful that all of the Sisters escaped safely, “their lives unharmed, a blessing beyond measure.”

“But as we stand here now, looking at charred remains and water-stained walls, it’s clear that this home for spiritual reflection has been scarred by smoke and loss,” they lamented.

We are eternally grateful to our Merciful Lord that our Sisters in Munster Township, Portage, PA miraculously survived an accidental, multi-level electrical fire at our St. Joseph convent last night. There is extensive damage, but the chapel and retreathouse, remain intact.… pic.twitter.com/A9itEAKEKX

— Sr. Mary Joseph Calore, SSCJ (@sscjusa) March 26, 2026

The sisters go on to explain how the facility serves as the place where they welcome “souls seeking solace, renewal, and union with God.”

“We’re determined to restore our convent and this haven, to bring back the light that once filled every corner with warmth and promise.”

While affirming how their insurance company will manage most of their reconstruction costs, they still “face significant expenses to refurnish our beloved convent and retreat house. It’s a mountain of need in these steep times, but your kindness is what turns boulders into steppingstones. We believe in miracles — and you make them possible!”

With a modest goal of $10,000, the Sisters ask for donations aimed at “turn(ing) the tide of sorrow into an ocean of joy by restoring this sacred space for those who seek refuge in Christ.”

Those who wish to assist the Sister Servants in this cause may visit their GiveSendGo page or mail their donation to:

Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Sacred Heart Province 866 Cambria Street

Cresson, PA 16630