Bulletin

 60 Years of Renewal

From the Director, Fr. Barry Brunsman,ofm

Throughout our history, we have served the religious and secular community well.  Please help us to rebuild our facilities as we rebuild our lives with hope in 2008

St. Francis Retreat and Renewal Center is about Community.  For the past 60 years, we have served you well via Men’s Women’s, Engaged, Marriage Encounter, Divorced, Separated, Grief, Spirituality, and Sobriety Retreats to name a few.

In 1947, at the suggestion of Jack Haley, the Tin Man in the movie “The Wizard of Oz,” the friars bought the historic San Justo ranch house and 73 acres near San Juan Bautista.  On December 12th, the friars with 3 lay people, moved to the ranch house and hurriedly began renovations for men’s week-end retreats.  We saw the first retreat two months, in February 1948.  1,400 retreatants came that first year.  In 1952 the motel unit, St Francis Court, was added.  Much of the labor for that project was donated by retreatants who continue to support St. Francis Retreat!  Later the lower building was added and the Casita remodeled raising our capacity to 135.

1979 was a significant turning point for St. Francis Retreat.  The 1970s marked a time of great change and transition in the Catholic Church, the Franciscan Order and in general, the whole retreat movement.  The new directors brought in many new programs to meet the changing needs and demands of the time.  New programs augmented our traditional retreats while also enabling us to host many other churches and educational, healing and social groups.

A devastating fire consumed the majestic old ranch house on June 23, 2006.  Although the offices, dining rooms, kitchen, gift shop, friary and conference room were completely destroyed by the flames, the friars and staff carried on the schedule of retreats within two weeks.  With the friars now temporarily residing in the Casita, we can currently minister to 112 people at any given time.  Last year, almost 6,000 guests graced our grounds and facilities.

As we look forward to rebuilding for the future, it is so important that we take some time to celebrate our shining 60 year history.  “So, let the celebrations begin.”  The first event will be a mass and banquet here on January 20th.  We are hoping to see representation from a broad spectrum of our retreatants.  Volunteers wishing to help in our 60th anniversary celebrations should call 831.623.4234.  We anticipate groundbreaking in the spring of 2008.  Will you join us?

God Bless you!

Fr. Barry

To Get there, We Need Your Help…

We dearly need your financial support to complete this initial phase.  Already almost 900 individuals, churches and organizations have contributed to the rebuilding of St. Francis Retreat.  We have been honored with gifts from $5 to $50,000, and we have pledges exceeding $650,000. It is a hopeful sign that some of those who came forward with gifts soon after the fire have returned to supplement that initial gift.

Some ideas to consider:

* We know some of you are planning End of the Year donations as part of your financial planning, and we are most grateful!

* Others are looking over the non-taxable IRA distribution options available only until the end of December, 2007.  (Check with your financial advisor on this one, especially if you need to take a mandatory distribution but don’t want the income consequences…)

* Pledging can be a way to plan your gift and spread it over time.  We will work with you on a pledge redemption plan tailored to your wishes.

The finish line is in sight and we are excited about closing the gap.  The “Friends of St. Francis” have seen this place and this ministry through 60 years of changing times and demographics.  We are encouraged by the generous response we are receiving.

Our design team has been busy at work and has come up with a basic design which our Board enthusiastically endorsed.  Throughout the process the team focused on meeting the needs of our guests with Franciscan simplicity and respect for natural resources.

The kitchen will make use of the equipment already purchased for temporary unit we had licensed last April.  The donated dining room tables and chairs will be moved as well.  The phone system and computer network will also meet the needs of the facility.

As you look over the plan it’s easy to see the food service area has evolved through the process to a design that is very functional and open to both inside and outside spaces.  The conference room will be set to meet the AV demands of the future, and the gift shop space will be a welcoming area which doubles as the reception space for arriving guests.

Between the dining area and the conference room is a multipurpose room which will be used for meeting or dining.  An interior glass wall and an upper level window will open this interior space to the courtyard as well.  And adjacent to the meeting space is the administrative center to support the events that will bring this space alive.

Walkways through the courtyard will allow easy access between all the buildings.  The plan allows for gentle ADA access without handrails for steeper inclines!  In this initial phase, we will stub out all the utilities to add the special planting and water features in the near future to complete the plan.  This is important to us since the building flows into the courtyard and its build-out will be necessary to complete this part of the project.

4,100 ft of roof area will be prepared for the optimal solar exposure and passive solar design is being employed.  Water and wastewater treatment systems are in design as well.

Some of you are Group Leaders who have come to St. Francis for retreats or work-shops in the past.  Is it time to return?  With the additional conference room, we have the space to welcome some of the groups we were unable to host shortly after the fire.  Call Cindy to check out available dates!

Look over the list of Upcoming Retreats and Days of Recollection.  The expanded offerings now include Lenten Days of Recollection in Spanish in addition to the traditional English offerings of the past.  The traditional Franciscan Spirituality and enrichment retreats will continue, and as you look through the listing you will notice some new options.

We are completing our first formal financial audit and preparing to venture out into the wide world of great opportunities.  Often our guests (that means you) have contacts and information not known or accessible by us.  Please call or email your suggestions.  Don’t forget about Donor Advised Funds through Community Foundations and other organizations.  Your help can mean the difference between a complete plan, and one with unmet needs or expensive deferrals.

(Feel free to come and view the “plans” in our office.  -For a packet containing additional information, contact Ed DeGroot at St. Francis Retreat (831) 623-4234 or email edegroot@stfrancisretreat.com)

USE OUR PLACE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Peace, Joy and Happiness to you!

From All of Us