Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center

How do we come up with our Annual Retreat Theme?

Having an annual retreat theme with four conference talks built around it is part of what defines our retreat center.

Starting about three months out, our creative and skilled retreat presenter team meets with our retreat center Director a half of a dozen times or so to flesh out our new annual retreat theme.

They look at what’s going on in the world, peoples concerns, hopes and fears and where we might enter that picture with up-to-date retreat content offering insight, perspective and hope.

This renewed, ever-evolving content based on the pulse of the times creates a relevant retreat experience year after year.

So, fresh off the copy room table, here’s our shiny new theme for August 2024 – June 2025:

Reasons to Attend a Retreat Reasons to attend a Catholic Spiritual Retreat Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center

Happy July 4th from Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center in Prior Lake MN.

As our fiscal year winds down we are excited to be rolling out our new theme:
Finding God in Difficult Times.

Today? Celebrate America!

...fooled them again - on their knees

When we invited a few friends to spend a day on their knees at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center in Prior Lake MN, they didn't suspect they would be on their knees installing 40 new toilets!

Replacing the 58-year-old toilets with more modern, reliable, and environmentally friendly toilets was the goal of our annual Christmas Appeal for 2023.

If this is not the flashiest project, at least it's very relatable! We are grateful to our donors and volunteers for helping keep our environment updated and welcoming for our varied guests.

Some parishes get a group of 10-20 from their parish to attend one of our existing weekend retreats together. The groups form bonds of friendship, belonging and spirituality that extend back to their home parish.

Call or stop by to become a part of our 'Spirited' team!

We enjoyed a lovely evening on Thursday during
our 64th Franciscan International Award Dinner held this year at Pax Christi Catholic Community in Eden Prairie MN.
Five pastors accepted the award on behalf of all pastors and pastoral staffs.
The event was a sell-out, filling the meeting space to the maximum.

Buy tickets early for the 2025 event on Thursday, May 7th.

New flag pole

It's hard to believe that some things can become outdated but the 'too tall,' hard-to-maintain flag pole we removed last week truly was. This modern, telescoping, easy-to-service flag pole is a huge improvement and also flies the flag a little closer to the ground, making it easier to see/enjoy.
Thanks to our board member Dean Arendt and his brother for tackling this easy to overlook but important aspect of creating a welcoming space for Franciscan Retreat Center guests in Prior Lake MN.

Old humble shrine -
This shrine is on our forested acreage a ways behind the retreat center buildings.
We recently 'weatherized' this replica of the San Damiano cross that was on display in our dining room so it could stand up to the rigors of the weather in this shrine.

Click the link in our Instagram Bio or copy and paste the URL below.



https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/TirQ2SE/SleepBetterTonight

It's spring cleaning time at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center in Prior Lake MN.
It's part of what our housekeeping team does to keep the retreat center inviting to all who experience a weekend with us on group retreats.

Share a comment or applause for our wonderful, dedicated, skilled, and hard- working cleaning staff and we'll be sure they hear about it!

Three Great White Herons on a pond near Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center today.

Invitation from the Franciscan Retreat Center here in Prior Lake to attend a showing of a film called The Letter. This powerful movie features Pope Francis on the impact of climate change and what we can do to help. The film will be shown on Thursday, April 11. This would be a good way to prepare for Earth Day on April 22. Check the bulletin for details.

6:30-8:30 PM
Hosted by the retreat center and Our Lady of Consolation secular Franciscan fraternity.

16385 Saint Francis Lane, Prior Lake MN
The Letter builds on the teaching of Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’s encyclical on care for our common home, which itself stands on the teachings from popes over the last five decades and the catechism of the Catholic Church.

We have a lovely 14 piece Stations of the Cross artwork collection in our tunnel at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center in Prior Lake MN.

They go far back in our 50 plus year history and we are not sure who the artist is or how we came by them. Each artwork is 18x24 inches.

If anyone recognized the style and knows something about the artist, please let us know. Feel free to stop by and see the originals in person sometime. (Tu - Fr, 9am-4pm)

Wishing you a blessed and joyful Easter!

Looking for a way to pause and worship during Holy Week?
Women's Holy Week Palm Sunday Retreat - March 22-24
Men's Holy Week Retreat - Thursday through Saturday, March 28-30, 2024

Both retreats allow you to be present at your home parish for the joyful Easter celebration.

Lenten reflection from St. Therese’ of Lisieux.
Photo of the life sized crucifix high in the chapel at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center in Prior Lake MN.

Pope Francis adds hopefull new details to the saying 'dust onto dust...'
From his Ash Wednesday homily:

“Let us acknowledge what we are: dust loved by God. We are dust loved by God. And thanks to him, we will be reborn from the ashes of sin to new life in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit,”

Ooooops!

Here's the image that was supposed to go along with the previous quote on abundance.

... A fresh way to look at 'abundance.'
In some ways reflecting our retreat theme for our three-day retreats this year;
Finding Meaning and Grace; I Came to Give You Abundant Life.

The Franciscan International Award Dinner is a chance to dress up a bit, get a few friends together to enjoy an excellent meal, hear speakers with compelling spiritual stories while supporting our local retreat center. New venue this year!

Franciscan Retreats is pleased to announce the 2024 Franciscan Int’l Award (FIA) will be given to Pastors and Pastoral Teams. Although these men and women are so essential in the life of the church, they can be taken for granted. These servants are the backbone of the Church and the frontline where the sacraments are ministered. Receiving this award in the name of all pastors/staffs are the following:

Fr. Tom Walker, St Michael’s Catholic Church, Prior Lake
Fr. Bill Murtaugh, Pax Christi Catholic Community, Eden Prairie
Fr. John Bauer, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Minnetonka
Fr. Terry Rassmussen (retired), St Joseph Catholic Community, New Hope/Plymouth
Fr. Phil Ley, OFM Conv. former pastor, Jesus de las Misericordias in El Salvador

May 9, 2024 at: - NEW VENUE! Pax Christi Catholic Community - 12100 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347

6:00 Social Hour
7:00 Dinner and presentations
9:00 Final Blessing
register at franciscanretreats.net

We are halfway through January - the month of the new year. Before January has passed does anyone have favorite quotes that inspire them in 2024??

Begin your new year in a faith filled place and experience the theme: Finding Meaning and Grace; I Came to Give You Abundant Life.

“The Magi are filled with awe by what they see; heaven on earth and earth in heaven; man in God and God in man; they see enclosed in a tiny body the One whom the entire world cannot contain.”
ST. PETER CHRYSOLOGUS

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Hooray for winter!!
Such a great time to slow down, get tranquil and explore your faith in a warm, inviting, distraction free space set aside for just such a thing.

You can also follow on Instagram to see more.

Franciscan Retreat Center

Eighth Centenary of the Christmas Creche

This year marks the 800th anniversary of the Live
Nativity at Greccio, Italy. On that Christmas in 1223,
St. Francis of Assisi had received permission to have
a nativity in a cave outside the village of Greccio.
Animals and hay filled the space around the
manger, and St. Francis proclaimed and preached
the Gospel.
An early biographer of the saint wrote, Francis
desired “to represent the birth of that Child in
Bethlehem in such a way that with our bodily eyes
we may see what he suffered for lack of necessities
of a newborn babe…”
During the nativity, some saw an infant appear
in the manger that St. Francis picked up and
embraced. Tradition also holds that people took
pieces of the straw home and whoever touched it
witnessed miracles or received healings.
Beginning with that Christmas in Greccio, the
custom began to have manger scenes in churches
and homes, just as many of us do today. All this
began 800 years ago.