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Franciscans in Action
October-November 2008 e-newsletter
Franciscan Sisters in Connecticut Make Life Easier for Many
The Franciscan Life Center in Meriden, Connecticut
The Franciscan Life Center in Meriden, Connecticut was founded in 1974 by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. Its mission is very broad in scope. On the center’s homepage, the Franciscan sisters define it as “to affect change in the hearts of men and women looking for perspective and purpose in their lives.”
The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist offer various kinds of support
To be Franciscan is to pray and be spiritual, but it is also to be active in one’s community. God has entrusted to us all of creation. As stewards of creation, it is our responsibility to ensure the highest quality of life for each and every one of our brothers and sisters. For the Franciscan Life Center this means providing counseling and other therapy sessions for groups and individuals dealing with life issues. It also means running an adoption agency. The adoption of a child is a joyous and yet also stressful occasion. Feelings can run the gamut from guilt to gratefulness to fear. In a safe, nurturing, and licensed setting, staff at the Franciscan Life Center works with all parties involved to sort out legal and emotional issues.
The Franciscan Life Center offers many programs for children
The Franciscan Life Center offers many other fascinating initiatives. One however that needs to be highlighted is Walter Acres, a senior citizens’ residency program started in the 1980s. Walter Acres is an area of 14 acres which the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist dedicated to the construction of detached houses for senior citizens. Here seniors live independent, dignified lives with medical care and other help located nearby.
Detached homes in Walter Acres serve independent senior citizens
And thus from the early days of life all the way until old age, the staff at the Franciscan Life Center keeps the spirit of St. Francis vibrant as the early 21st century rolls on. It’s hard to imagine that in 1974 when Sister Shaun Vergauwen spearheaded the effort to create the Franciscan Life Center, the facility had only two rented rooms and four clients. Thirty-four years later, Sister Shaun is now Mother General of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist and the center that she helped found has a large multi-building campus and helps more than 1,500 individuals per month. It seems then that the Franciscan spirit is only getting stronger with time.
We encourage you our readers to send in stories where you see the spirit of St. Francis at work in the world. Email your stories to Peter Rajchert at peter@franciscans.org.
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