Welcome to Franciscan Retreats
and Spirituality CenterFranciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center is a spiritual oasis for people of all faiths who are seeking a deeper relationship with the Almighty. Our lovely grounds, beautiful chapel and comfortable accommodations, along with the care and concern of the friars and staff provide a quiet and reflective environment for personal prayer and reflection. We are situated on 60 acres of land near the communities of Prior Lake and Savage, southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Mn.
Spiritual ReflectionsFr. Howard Hansen
 "As my thoughts turn toward the great Feast of Pentecost, I think it
is a good idea for us to examine the quality of our enthusiasm.
Most of the time we use this word to express the ardor, passion, pep or
zip that we want in our lives and actions. But enthusiasm is a
lot more than these things and I guess we could call it a Pentecost
word. The word enthusiasm
comes from the Greek Enthousiasmos. This Greek word comes from two
words, "en" and "Theos", which mean by or from God. Enthusiasm, then, is
more properly defined as a special revelation of the Holy Spirit, a
strong excitement of feeling, ardor, passion, something inspiring zeal
or fervor. The word enthusiasm is a very spiritual word. We have times when
we lose our enthusiasm for living or for what we are about. We become
weary, bored, disillusioned, complacent. Religion, work, family, marriage, priesthood, life in general become a drudgery.
We end up just going through the motions. The process of conversion back to our enthusiasm
often begins or is initiated by what is called a theophany, a manifestation of God in a visible form. This is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer
refers to as God wandering through the world speaking to us through our
friends, family members, the poor, strangers, even enemies. This
usually points out to us a solution for regaining our enthusiasm. So – how is your enthusiasm these days for your
family, your work, your relationship with God and neighbor, for life in
general? If it is not quite what you would like it to be, ask the Spirit
who comes to us at Pentecost for a bit of help in regaining it." An excerpt from Fr. Howard's daily homilies: 7th Week in Ordinary Time 2013
Judy's Gems: Favorite Recipes from Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center
provides nourishing food for the body as well as the soul. Our chef,
Judy Miller, serves fresh, wholesome and delicious meals that are an
integral part of the retreat experience.
Follow this link to
sample some of Judy's wonderful recipes: Judy's Gems: Favorite Recipes from Judy's Kitchen
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