Franciscan Retreats

                        Welcome to Franciscan Retreats

Situated on 60 acres of land near the communities of Prior Lake and Savage, Minnesota, and about 40 minutes southwest of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Franciscan Retreats 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 accomodations, along with the care and concern of the friars and staff, provide a quiet and reflective environment for personal prayer and reflection.

             Upcoming Events - What's New at Franciscan Retreats

2010 Retreat Theme                     Come to Me: Healing, Hope and Holiness
Calendar                                    Schedule of Upcoming Retreats and Events
Lenten Days of Prayer 2010       The Reign of God is Like .....
                                                        The Parables in the Message of Jesus
                                                  Wednesdays, Feb. 24, March 3, 10, 17, 9:30 AM - 3 PM
Franciscan Series                         with Fr. Steve McMichael, OFM, Conv.
                                                  Thursdays, Feb. 25th, March 25 and April 15, 7 - 8:30 PM
5th Week Ordinary Time 2010   Daily Homilies
December 2009 Newsletter        Newsletter
Directed Retreat                         June 26 - July 2, 2010
Br. Bob Roddy's 25th Jubilee         25th Jubilee of Solemn Profession

2010 Retreat Theme: “Come to Me: Healing, Hope and Holiness"

We are pleased to announce our retreat theme for 2010: “Come to Me: Healing, Hope and Holiness”. After the overwhelming response to our 2009 Lenten Prayer Days on the theme of Healing, our staff thought that it would be good to develop the theme of healing in greater detail for our weekend and midweek retreat programs.

While most people think of a physical cure or attrition of symptoms when they use the word “healing,” we often discover some type of wounding in our life that stunts our spiritual growth. Our image of God, and of ourselves, has not been allowed to grow or develop. Sometimes this wounding can be traced to a specific person or person(s) or an event or event(s). Sometimes, we are just stuck in a particular way of viewing the Almighty and ourselves, and we cannot see the wonder of the living God inviting us to “life in the fullest.”

The four conferences for the retreat will be: Healing Our Image of God; Healing Our Self-Image; Healing and Life Transitions and Living in the Now: The Sacrament of the Moment.

As always, our prayer services and liturgies will serve to expand upon the themes presented in the retreat conferences. There will be opportunities to receive individual spiritual direction as well as the sacraments of reconciliation and the sick.

Please consult the retreat Calendar and make your reservation today! If you have not made a retreat in a few years, perhaps now is the time for you to give yourself the gift of some time at Franciscan Retreats.

Lenten Days of Prayer 2010
             "The Reign of God is like .....
                            The Parables in the Message of Jesus"

Lenten Days of Prayer 2010 page provides further information.

"The Reign of God is Like .... An Overview of the Parables"
Wednesday, Feb. 24, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
with Bro. Bob Roddy, OFM, Conv., Director (see Our Staff for bio)

"The Prodigal Son: Forgiveness and Reconciliation"
Wednesday, March 3, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
with Nancy Murzyn and Bro. Bob Roddy, OFM, Conv.

"The Workers in the Vineyard: God's Extravagant Generosity"
Wednesday, March 10, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
with Fr. Jim Van Dorn, OFM, Conv.

"The Lost Coin and The Lost Sheep: The Smallest and the Least in the Reign of God"
Wednesday, March 17, 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
with Kris Joseph and Terri Mifek

Franciscan Series with Fr. Steve McMichael, OFM, Conv.
(See Franciscan Series page for details)

Thursday, February 25, 2010   7:00 - 8:30 PM
"The San Damiano Cross in the History of Crucifixes"
Why is the San Damiano Cross so important to Franciscan spirituality? What is the theology of this cross? What is the role of this cross in relation to the other types of crosses of the medieval world?

Thursday, March 25, 2010       7:00 - 8:30 PM
"The Stigmata of St. Francis"
What happened to Francis at Mount La Verna in 1224 when Francis was stigmatized? What is the meaning of the event in the life of Francis and in Franciscan spirituality ?

Thursday, April 15, 2010          7:00 - 8:30 PM
"The Role of the Holy Spirit in Franciscan Spirituality"
What is the role of the Holy Spirit in Francis' writings and spirituality? What does the "spiritualized life" mean for us today?

Bro. Bob Celebrates 25 Years of Solemn Profession

In early November, Bro. Bob, along with his surviving novitiate classmates, Bro. Randy Kin, OFM Conv., and Fr. Phil Ley, OFM Conv., celebrated his 25th jubilee of solemn profession at the Basilica and National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Carey, Ohio.

On August 3, 1984, Bro. Bob, Bro. Randy Kin, and the late Bro. Simon McHugh, professed their solemn vows of poverty, chastity and obedience at the Shrine in Carey. Bro. Bob’s 25 years in the Franciscan order have taken him to Mt. St. Francis, Indiana, St. Louis, Missouri,Washington, DC, Mesilla Park, New Mexico, Bloomington, Minnesota and now to Franciscan Retreats in Prior Lake. Most of his time has been devoted to retreat ministry, though he did a brief stint as an editor for Liguori Publications, and served as friary administrator for our post-novitiate initial formation friary, St. Bonaventure Friary, in Washington, DC.

Summer Directed Retreat for Women and Men
June 26 - July 2, 2010

After many requests, Franciscan Retreats will offer a Directed Retreat in the summer of 2010. The retreat will begin with dinner on Saturday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m., followed by a Welcome and Orientation. The retreat will conclude with lunch on Saturday, July 2. Fr. Jim Van Dorn, OFM Conv., Kris Joseph, Corrine Kindschy and Terry Shaughnessy will serve as directors for the retreat. (See Our Staff for bios).

After many requests, Franciscan Retreats will offer a Directed Retreat in the summer of 2010. The retreat will begin with dinner on Saturday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m., followed by a Welcome and Orientation. The retreat will conclude with lunch on Saturday, July 2. Fr. Jim Van Dorn, OFM Conv., Kris Joseph, Corrine Kindschy and Terry Shaughnessy will serve as directors for the retreat. (See Our Staff for bios).

Besides the individual retreat direction, there will be opportunities for common prayer, Eucharist, and an optional daily conference on a theme in Christian Spirituality. We also hope to offer the option of massage and another creative-reflective prayer experience during the retreat.

Each retreatant will be assigned a private room, i.e., each retreatant will have her/his own bathroom; space will be limited to 20 retreatants. The cost for the Directed Retreat will be $475.00; this price includes a private room, all meals, a daily meeting with a retreat director, and the optional prayer and conference times. Since space is limited, we strongly encourage people to register early for this retreat.