STONEVILLE — Hundreds of supporters gathered at St. Francis Springs Prayer Center May 14 to celebrate completion of its 12-year master plan and dedicate two new cottages named for St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare.
“Many, many hands were invoked to forge a place that further reflects the work of the Creator,” said St. Francis Springs Prayer Center staff member Franciscan Father David Hyman at the opening of the celebration. “We’ve got buildings to bless, gardens to bless… we have saints to call upon and, in particular, Clare and Francis for more blessing.”
St. Francis Springs Prayer Center is an inter-faith prayer and retreat center situated on 140 wooded acres about 30 miles north of Greensboro, near the Virginia state line. It offers a serene, natural setting for prayer, reflection and meditation for retreat groups of any size. It has 18 guest rooms in a state-of-the-art, 25,000-square-foot main building which includes a chapel and conference rooms, three one-bedroom hermitages on the property and now, two four-bedroom cottages: Clare Cottage and St. Francis House. Each room has a private bath, and all rooms have a scenic view of the beautiful property on which the center is located.
St. Francis Springs Prayer Center also features many outdoor prayer spaces throughout the grounds, including the San Damiano Chapel, which was dedicated in 2013; walking trails; a Stations of the Cross meditation; a labyrinth based on the famous winding walk at Chartres Cathedral; and a rock waterfall meditation created by stone mason Rosali Rivera of Set in Stone Landscaping.
The theme for the day’s event, which celebrated the culmination of years of work by numerous supporters, drew from a Brazilian proverb: “When we dream alone, it is only a dream. When we dream together, it is the beginning of reality.”
“There are many purposes of the prayer center,” said Franciscan Father Louis Canino, director of the retreat center. “We see one of the treasures is that if we are grounded more in qualitative prayer, it has the potential to rebuild God’s Church, the Kingdom of God here on earth.”
“Everything that is done up here is done in prayer,” noted building committee co-chair Joe Bauer, who has worked with Father Canino on developing the St. Francis Springs Prayer Center since the 1990s. “Every time we had a meeting, no matter what the topic was or how perhaps minor the topic was, we always began in prayer. I think that is so important throughout the entire process up here – always calling on the Holy Spirit, the spirit of Francis and Clare, and for me, St. Joseph.”
People came from near and far to celebrate the occasion.
Holy Name Province Councilors, Franciscan Brother Fred Dilger and Franciscan Father David Convertino, were present, along with members of the prayer center building committee, steering committee, staff, contractors, volunteers, donors and Poor Clare Sister Carolyn, Sister Kathleen, Sister Lucy and Sister Julia Ann from Travelers Rest, S.C.
“I think the greatest gift that I’ve received as a regional councilor is the opportunities I’ve had to travel the province and to visit and share in all the various ministries that my brothers are creating,” Brother Dilger said. “This place is very special and very, very near and dear to my heart, and I can speak for the council when I say that St. Francis Springs is one of our finest jewels.”
“And in these turbulent and troubled times, this oasis of beauty and prayer and peace is really, really needed more than ever,” he added. “And so we commend Father Louis and Father David for their vision, insight and all of their hard work.”
During the celebration, Annette Benson and family, the Poor Clares and the friars all processed to bless the two new cottages named for St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare.
Many were thanked throughout the day’s celebration, particularly Bishop Emeritus William G. Curlin for supporting the vision of the prayer center some 20 years ago. Others who were recognized includ-ed contractors Joe Bauer and Joe Thompson of New Age Builders; architects Collins, Cooper and Ca-rusi; John Reece, Francis Disney, Pat Brown, and contractor Robert Fumage of R.P. Murray Construc-tion Co.; along with board members and the steering committee that has been at work on the retreat center since 1998. The Secular Franciscans, volunteers, staff and prayer partners were also given much thanks and praise.
— Georgianna Penn, Correspondent