Sharing Our Ministry

The Mission of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, Minnesota, is to be a compassionate presence for peace in our world, striving for justice and reverence for all creation.

We do this by:

• Praying for the needs of our world in the silence of the chapel and daily in our homes.
• Ministering in hospitals and hospices.
• Eliminating social injustice: providing support to immigrants and working to end human trafficking.
• Volunteering at Dorothy Day Centers and social agencies in our local communities.
• Ministering to those with addictions and those imprisoned.
• Providing education in schools and serving as spiritual guides.

Your generosity allows us to continue these ministries as well as maintaining our home, Assisi Heights, which provides care for our retired Sisters. In addition, we welcome hundreds of people each year, who come to Lourdes Chapel for prayer, liturgy and reflection, or to Assisi Heights Spirituality Center for educational programs or retreats.

If you have any questions, please contact Brooke Rice-Stivers, Mission Advancement Coordinator, at 507-282-7441, and ask to be connected to ext. 545.

Giving Opportunities

Memorial and Honorary Gift Opportunities

Do you have a family member or friend whose life has been touched by the Sisters of Saint Francis? If so, we hope you will consider offering a gift in honor of that person.

Offering a gift establishes a living tribute that will allow you to:

• Honor a loved one as a birthday remembrance, anniversary, memorial.
• Support our Sisters in their continuing efforts to be peacemakers, to strive for justice and reverence for all of creation.

Consider the following methods of establishing an honorary gift:

• Giving today – An outright gift can help fund our immediate needs or an ongoing project at Assisi Heights or our Sisters in their ministries. The financial benefits include an income tax deduction.
• Giving through your will – You can include a bequest in your will stating that a specific asset, certain dollar amount or, more commonly, a percentage of your estate will pass to us at your death in honor of your loved one. You can also make a gift at death using retirement plan assets.

Gifts to CASFA (Colegio Anexo Santa Francisco de Asis)

Under U.S. International Revenue Code § 170(c) (2), direct gifts from individuals to foreign charities are not tax-deductible, regardless of the nature of the foreign organization. In order to ensure that donors will be entitled to a federal income tax deduction, the Sisters of Saint Francis are required by IRS rulings to retain full authority over the assets granted to it and cannot accept gifts that are required by the donor to be paid, or to be used, only to further the work of a specific individual or that are required to be used overseas by our organization or another foreign charity of religious institution.  While the Sisters retain this legal discretion, we are serious about honoring the intention of our donors.  Hence, by making your donation to the Sisters of Saint Francis with your wishes listed, for which no goods or services were provided in return, you can be assured that all reasonable efforts will be made to ensure your intentions are taken into consideration.