Mission Statement

The Franciscan Peace Center ’s mission is to promote the vision and passion of Saint Francis and Saint Clare with people who desire peace and are seriously curious about living with dignity, compassion, reconciliation, equality, simplicity, and kinship with all creation. The Franciscan Peace Center envisions and believes in a nonviolent way of life that will bring about a peaceful global community.

The Franciscan Peace Center ’s strategy is to provide opportunities for interfaith days of prayer, retreats, workshops, advocacy, encouragement, support, and to recommend resources.

The Franciscan Vision ... an unfolding of events

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A VISION OF ESTABLISHING A LEGACY OF INNER peace and harmony laced with justice that had a ripple effect on surrounding environments, one that would join other like movements of free-flowing water and in turn reach the shores of the world. This vision rested on the shoulders of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi , Italy .

Saint Francis and Saint Clare surfed on the waves of Jesus and lived lives that greatly influenced countless others of their time. Their model of a counter-cultural way of life, one that reflects their love for and teachings of a nonviolent Jesus continues to reach out and touch people today. Francis and Clare’s way of life is desired in today’s world as it was in the 13^th century when violence was rampant in and around their hometown.

The vision advocated exploring and teaching the values of Frances and Clare by means of a Franciscan Peace Center. It would offer workshops, discussion groups, days of inter-faith prayer, movies, and resources, all based on the values of Francis and Clare, i.e., peacemaking, simple living, conflict management, nonviolent communication, restorative justice, healing the earth, urban ministry, inter-religious dialogues and the interconnectedness of all creation.

In order to include such a wide area of interests, partnership with like-minded groups would be essential—local, national and international peace and justice groups, hospitality houses for those who are disenfranchised, religious and spiritual assemblies, peace movements, Franciscan communities, environmental and political advocates, to name a few.

The intention was an Interfaith Center operating as a Not-for-Profit corporation.

Initial discernment of this venture was realized by a group of dedicated individuals who met the first Wednesday of the month for prayer, study and conversation that began October 2004. Meetings consisted of a simple supper, prayer, Franciscan teaching and idea sharing.

A developmental process helped surface the mission wherein the group named core values and persons they wanted to serve. The group decided that the mission is one of looking for systemic change by means of educating as many people as possible about the Franciscan Vision.

The evolution of possible locations took many side roads as the Franciscan Vision “moved” from an actual store front, to the mobility of a van, to the homelessness that it now embodies. The vision took on Francis’ own model of being itinerant.

Connections became an overwhelming characteristic of this venture. The web of life, both within the group of advocates and outside the group, created a unifying life of its own.

Enthusiasm increased as the group made itself known through various local and regional workshops, peace fairs, Earth Day events, inter-religious dialogue groups, religious avenues, peace and justice entities, rallies, and Franciscans of various regions.

These contacts, coupled with personal friends, associates, family, business partners, etc., helped the support network grow to over one hundred people. The Franciscan Vision began touching many who would support the venture in various ways.

With such a large group of supporters from various faith traditions and fields of interest trusting in this vision, a survey requesting thoughts and offerings was circulated. The responses were very generous, each offering workshops, reflection days, retreats, in their respective areas of interest as a donation or for a reduced fee.

Who we are now

A nonprofit corporation known as the Franciscan Peace Center, Inc., was established in July 2005. Through the generosity of our support network, we coordinate and offer opportunities for interfaith days of prayer, retreats, workshops, advocacy, and resources on twenty-plus peace-building topics. We will come to those in need of our services.

A multi-faith Walk for World Peace and Solidarity on October 2, 2005 served as our first public event and kick-off. The celebration of “God’s October Surprise” connected us with even more advocates of the vision of peace and with who we look forward to working in the future.

Where do we go from here?

Franciscan Peace Center plans to continue strengthening the vision among its members and responding to the wisdom of the Spirit. We have found what is ours to do at this particular moment in time; what is next will gradually unfold.