The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) sought out and selected The AVS Group to collaborate on the redesign of their Web site, www.fspa.org. FSPA wanted to expand the congregation’s impact in the world via the Web. The Web site’s primary purpose is to attract and educate potential new members and partners (affiliates, ministry participants, volunteers, donors) to the  Franciscan Sisters and to serve as a valued resource for news media and others who want to learn more about the congregation and religious life.

Franciscan Sisters specific short-term goals of the FSPA Web site included:

• New graphical look and improved site navigation
• Added interactivity
• Ability to maintain and update the site internally

Some of the interactive features on the site include:

• Count-up clock tracking the years, months, days, and hours of perpetual prayer,
Chapel tour of Maria Angelorum Chapel—consists of Flash intro and interactive map of the chapel
• Historical timeline—created in JavaScript and chronicling significant events and dates from 1852 to present, divided into four sections: Community, Ministry, Healthcare, and Education
• Prayer request form—users can submit prayer requests and receive a personal response back

Prayer request page, top, and chapel tour page, above. Designed by The AVS Group.

The  Franciscan Sisters had a clear concept of the design, layout, and color scheme they wanted to see implemented in the site, and worked closely with The AVS Group’s art directors to see their ideas transformed. A splash page was also developed to create a warm, inviting introduction to the site. The Web site navigation designed by The AVS Group utilizes extensive, easier-to-use navigation options and cross-linking throughout the Web site.

Commitment to keeping the site timely, dynamic, and informative was a priority goal, and the FSPA staff was committed to doing all of the site maintenance in-house using the Web editing software Dreamweaver Ultradev. The AVS Group created Web templates and provided programming documentation and training to simplify ongoing management of the FSPA Web site.

“AVS put together a talented team of individuals to build our site. Each of these individuals addressed specific needs, but there were never any gaps in the process. It was evident that they share information and work together to ensure that the project moves smoothly. This was most obvious when a key member of the team left to take another job. AVS quickly brought in another staff member to keep the project moving and we were able to meet our timeline goals without interruption.”

“We know that the interactive features in our Web site are the most frequently visited pages. Many people log on to our site to request prayers. AVS added a feature to the prayer request form that invited people to share their faith stories. This has been popular with many visitors. The chapel tour is also very popular.”

Cristeen Custer
Director of Communications, The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA)

The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA) were founded in Milwaukee in 1849 and they established their lasting home in La Crosse in 1871. This Catholic community of sisters ministers throughout the U.S. and in several cities and territories around the world.

Their vision is to go where they are needed to educate, to heal, to effect justice and cultivate spirituality, and to feed the materially and spiritually hungry. One of the ways they realize their vision is through their namesake and foundation—perpetual adoration. The FSPA marked a significant milestone recently as they celebrated their 125th anniversary of continuous around-the-clock prayer.