Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls Minnesota

Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota . . . living the Gospel courageously with energy, spirit, peace!

The Franciscan Sisters are a community of women religious called to live the Gospel joyfully and to reverence the earth and all of God’s creation. Our work and ministries enhance spiritual life, inspire personal dignity, foster social justice and model the joy and simplicity of the Franciscan way of life.

We are excited for this year’s Give to the Max appeal. We’re happy to report we have $30,000 in matching funds—inspiring us to set our Give to the Max fundraising goal at $60,000. These matching funds are made possible by 12 generous donors. Many thanks to these special friends who know our community and the impact of our mission and ministries.

All funds raised on November 21 support our Franciscan ministries. We have sisters addressing the needs of immigrants here in Minnesota and along the Texas/Mexico border, teaching ESL in central Minnesota, and serving the homeless population in San Francisco. The sisters’ efforts advocating for social justice, rights for people on the margins and care of the earth exemplifies our Franciscan values and commitment to the poor.

A variety of ministries and programs extend the Franciscan values out into the world. Franciscan Spiritual Connections offers retreats and spiritual growth opportunities on the Little Falls campus and at Welcoming House in St. Cloud. Integral Ecology promotes care of creation and social justice, responding to the cry of earth and the cry of the poor. Franciscan values and spirituality are nurtured through the sisters’ relationship with Franciscan Associates, lay people who walk with and support the sisters within the context of their own lives.   

In Mexico, the Franciscan Sisters lead a vibrant mission in the rural Parish of San Rafael that provides pastoral care, trains missionaries and assists girls in getting a high school education. Sisters nurture adults and children in their faith formation and seek intentional ways to be a Franciscan presence in the lives of young people. In 2022, we expanded the mission to Saltillo, a large city about an hour from San Rafael. In Saltillo, the sisters offer housing and other services for college students with a goal to help young women succeed in higher education while living in a Franciscan community. Donations through GTTM support the Mexico mission in San Rafael and now Saltillo.    

St. Francis Music Center, a community school serving Little Falls and the surrounding rural areas, provides music lessons and enrichment programs in the performing arts. Over 250 students take lessons each week at the Music Center. Generous financial aid ensures opportunity for all who wish to participate. Your Give to the Max donation allows us to offer a rich music and performing arts curriculum—keeping the arts alive in rural central Minnesota!

St. Francis Health and Wellness Center is a full-service health and fitness center offering a heated swimming pool, gymnasium, pickleball and racquetball courts, weight room, circuit training, cardio-exercise equipment, yoga, personal training and massage services. A variety of fitness classes are offered for all ages and abilities. The heated swimming pool remains the most popular and valuable asset, especially for senior citizens in our community. Your support helps Health and Wellness remain open for the health benefits of the sisters and the general public of all ages.