Building Description
St. Francis Convent is the Motherhouse of The Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi, a congregation of Catholic women religious established in 1849. The convent is located on South Lake Drive in St. Francis. It sits on the site of the former St. Mary’s Academy, which closed in 1991, and overlooks the shore of Lake Michigan.
The present structure, which replaced the aging former Motherhouse, opened in 2019 as a residence for retired Sisters and as the congregation’s central offices. Earlier this year, the assisted living wing of the residence was opened to lay and religious women and men and is named Franciscan Shore. It is the newest ministry of The Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.
The building was recognized in 2019 by The Daily Reporter, a leading news source for the Wisconsin construction industry, as a “Top Project” for 2019.
The architect was GROTH Design Group, a Wisconsin company.
A notable feature of this Doors Open location is the expansive Convent Park, a sprawling section of the grounds that includes a St. Francis Grotto (built in 1933) and Stations of the Cross (dating to 1916), a grape arbor built in 1912, and a replica of the original 1849 convent, called The Assisium. The open green space of Convent Park was the site of the original Motherhouse. Just to the west of the grape arbor sits the Rieti Hermitage, a retreat cabin that may be rented by those seeking quiet and solitude.
On the north side of the grounds, visitors will find an urban forest walk, vegetable and flower gardens, and The Sacred Grove of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a quiet space dedicated to the alumnae and faculty of St. Mary’s Academy. Both the urban forest and Grove were created on former athletic fields.
Welcome to all who enter this beautiful, peaceful, historic site!
Visitor Experience
During Doors Open, visitors are invited to tour the first-floor public space of the convent, which includes:
• San Damiano Center, the main chapel and gathering space for the congregation
• the Cornerstone Gift Shop that features art, textiles, jewelry, and greeting cards created by Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.
Sisters and staff will be available to answer questions for visitors on self-guided tours.
Visitors will receive a map of the grounds so they may explore the various outdoor points of interest, including Convent Park with its St. Francis Grotto and Stations of the Cross, the historic 1912 grape arbor, vegetable and flower gardens, the urban forest walk, Rieti Hermitage, and the Sacred Grove of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Staff will be present to explain the sustainability and conservation initiatives that have been a priority for the congregation as they animate directives outlined in Laudato Si (“Care for Our Common Home”), the encyclical written by Pope Francis about care for all creation.
PLEASE NOTE: Photography is prohibited inside the convent but will be allowed on the grounds.
Address
3221 S Lake Dr
Saturday Hours
10 am - 4 pm
Sunday Hours
Not Open
Photography
Photography/Videography not allowed
Handicapped Accessible
1st floor only
