Did You Know? Mount St. Francis came to be on March 10, 1949, when the land was acquired. The first Friars to settle at The Mount were Fr. Alphonse Claude-Laboissiere Fr. Timothy Gilker, Fr. Alban Hague, Br. Herman Specke, Br. Cyril Morvan and Br. Stanley Benson.

Did You Know? In March 1950 Reverend Mother Florianne Provincial of the Sisters of St. Elizabeth came to work at Mount St. Francis. In April 1950 approval was given to the Sisters to set up a convent at Mount St. Francis. In June 1950, three sisters came: Sister Immaculate, Sister Scholastica and Sister Martina. They served the retreat ministry as the cooks and housekeepers.

Did You Know? Between March of 1949 and August of 1949 Lodge 1 and the Conference Room were built with the first retreats held in August 1949. The first retreat was for the clergy of the diocese and the second was a men’s retreat. A teenager by the name Louis Geelan attended this retreat with his father. He would later go onto to become a Friar.

Did You Know? The Feast of St. Clare of Assisi is celebrated on August 11.

Peace and all good,

The Friars, Staff and Anniversary Committee