New Film Explores Groundbreaking Service of Franciscan Sisters

Award-winning screenwriter showcases the local, national and international impact of compassion by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 6:54pm

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A brightly colored, high-contrast silkscreen print of a single, iconic Franciscan nun's habit repeated in a tight grid pattern, capturing the order's enduring impact through a modern pop art lens.A vibrant visual celebration of the trailblazing Franciscan sisters who have served marginalized communities with compassion for over 170 years.Philadelphia Today

A new feature-length documentary film, 'No Risk, No Gain,' tells the 171-year story of the Delaware Valley's own order of Franciscan sisters and their rich history of service for God's people living on the margins of society, despite cultural barriers. The film, directed by Sara McDermott Jain, captures 50 interviews from among more than 250 current sisters and many others who tell the story of the impact of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, who were founded in 1855 to help Catholic immigrants facing discrimination.

Why it matters

The film aims to change perceptions about women in religious life, showcasing how the Franciscan sisters often stepped into unprecedented leadership roles for women in business and society as part of their devotedness to God's calling in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. The stories highlight the sisters' commitment to serving those in need, even in the face of great difficulties.

The details

The film documents how the sisters, who now number over 4,000 across 171 years, traveled across the United States with meager money in their pockets to open ministries serving those with even greater needs. Their international ministry also reached Ireland and Africa, including one sister who became tearful describing her experience ministering to people in Zambia enduring the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. The sisters continue their missions today with their current members and companions in lay ministry.

  • The Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia were founded in April 1855.
  • The film 'No Risk, No Gain' was screened for supporters of the order's mission on March 30, 2026 at the Franciscan Spiritual Center in Aston, Pennsylvania.

The players

Sara McDermott Jain

An award-winning screenwriter, New York Times bestselling author and Neumann University adjunct professor who directed the documentary film 'No Risk, No Gain'.

Sister Kathy Dougherty

The Vice President of Mission and Ministry at Neumann University, which was founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia in 1965.

Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia

A Franciscan order of sisters founded in 1855 to help Catholic immigrants facing discrimination in the Philadelphia area, who have since expanded their ministries locally, nationally, and internationally.

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What they’re saying

“You'll see a whole other side in this film of real life, real people, in love with God for sure, in love with God's creation and all people, and that we'll go where a lot of people won't go.”

— Sister Kathy Dougherty, Vice President of Mission and Ministry, Neumann University

“Hearing so many of the sisters' stories, they really blew me away. There was a lot that I didn't know about what they had done and the kind of influence that they had actually had in the world, and it really just amazed me.”

— Sara McDermott Jain, Director, 'No Risk, No Gain'

What’s next

The film 'No Risk, No Gain' is seeking major distribution opportunities in theaters, on television, or through streaming services to reach a wider audience and raise awareness of the Franciscan sisters' groundbreaking work.

The takeaway

This film highlights how the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia have been trailblazers for women in leadership, serving marginalized communities with compassion and faith for over 170 years, inspiring a new generation to continue their impactful work.