OUR MISSION
Hospitality • Justice • Contemplation
Inspired by the charism (spiritual gifts) of St. Francis and St. Clare, the mission of St. Francis Springs Prayer Center is to nurture and nourish the contemplative dimension of our life which leads us to experience God’s love and inspires us to promote justice and peace. We seek to offer a comfortable, peaceful environment where all can experience the beauty of nature, the sanctity of silence, and the joy of Franciscan hospitality.
Our Values
Hospitality
Hospitality is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that everyone who walks through our doors should be treated with kindness, respect, and compassion. We strive to create a welcoming and peaceful environment where guests can feel at home and be nurtured in their spiritual journey. Our staff and volunteers are dedicated to serving others and to living out “grace upon grace.”
Justice
As a Franciscan ministry, we are committed to the work of justice and peace in the world. This means that we promote the value and dignity of every person and work to alleviate the suffering of those who are marginalized and oppressed. We believe that justice is essential to a life of faith and that we are called to be peacemakers as we seek to create a more just and equitable world.
Contemplation
At the core of our mission is the belief that through contemplative prayer and reflection, we encounter the love of God in a healing and transformative way. We believe that the practices of silence, quieting our minds and being open to God’s presence are essential for spiritual growth and transformation. Our hope is that this inner transformation will lead people to work for social transformation.
“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”
-St. Francis of Assisi
The Life of St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi, (Giovanni di Pietro Bernardone), was born in 1182 in Assisi, Italy, to a wealthy merchant family. Given his great social standing, respect, and intelligence, Francis aspired to become a knight. In 1205 Francis left Assisi to go fight for Pope Innocent III. After being sidelined by illness, Francis saw that his life had been without real purpose and meaning, and decided to give away everything he owned and live his life in poverty and complete devotion to God.
The joy he discovered in doing so was contagious. His mission began to unfold in a radical encounter where he heard God tell him, “Go rebuild my Church, which is falling into ruin.” Francis devoted himself to a life of poverty within a community of “lesser brothers” or “fratres minores.” Francis spent the rest of his days as a traveling preacher and beggar. Witnessing his radical Christlike love led to the founding of the religious order of the Franciscans or the Order of Friars Minor and has inspired the lives of people from all walks of life for centuries. He is one of the most venerated figures in Christianity. His feast day is October 4th.
The Life of St. Clare of Assisi
Saint Clare of Assisi, (Chiara Offreduccio), was born to a noble family in 1193 in Assisi, Italy. Before her birth, her mother received a sign that her daughter would be a bright light of God in the world. From a young age, Clare drew near to God and was devoted to prayer and caring for the poor.
When she was 18, Clare left her life of nobility against her family’s wishes to join Francis and his followers. Clare and Francis formed a deep, spiritual friendship rooted in their mutual love of God and living their lives in complete service and devotion to God. Clare committed the rest of her life to one of poverty and contemplation. Many young noblewomen left all they had to join Clare, who became the abbess of the monastery at San Damiano. It is here that the Order of Poor Clares was born, which today serves in more than 70 countries. Her feast day is August 11.
The Tau: Symbol of Franciscanism
Tau (pronounced tow, like cow) is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet and looks similar to the English letter T. It also resembles the cross upon which Jesus was crucified.
Historically, the Tau was the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet and signified the end of the accomplishment of the word revealed to humanity by God over the centuries. Ezekiel 9:4 referred to the Tau: “Go all through the city, all through Jerusalem, and mark a Tau on the foreheads of all who deplore and disapprove of all the filth practiced in it.”
Ezekiel was speaking of God’s faithful - those who kept the Covenant and were marked with the Tau on their foreheads.
In Rome in 1215, St. Francis heard Pope Innocent III open the Fourth Lateran Council with a sermon that included reference to Ezekiel 9:4 about God’s faithful ones being marked on their foreheads with the Tau. The pontiff urged conversion, penance, and salvation, symbolized by the mark of the Tau. St. Francis was so affected by this lesson that he decided to use the Tau in his writings and as his only signature as a reminder of the need for further conversion.
Eventually, the Tau sign was used by the followers of St. Francis and many other Christians, because of its historical significance in early scripture and its resemblance to the cross upon which Christ died for our sins.