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 June Howard, Director of Mission Advancement, at 507-282-7441, ext. 536 or via email.
Mission Advancement staff shown above: June Howard and Robin Stearns
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.
Ways to Give
Donate Online
With our secure payment system, you can make a donation online by filling out a simple form. Please click on the button below to go to the donate online page.
Memorial or Honoree Gifts & Gifts in Kind
A memorial gift in memory of a deceased person, or a tribute gift to honor someone on a special occasion, is a wonderful way to celebrate the life and friendship of a loved one. You can also share your enjoyment of a collection or other personal item, which is related to our religious, educational or charitable works. You can receive a charitable deduction based on the full fair market value of your gift.
Remember Us In Your Will
The Sisters of Saint Francis invite you to consider remembering us in your will, living trust or a charitable bequest. Charitable bequests offer simplicity in just a few sentences. Share the sample bequest language for Sisters of Saint Francis with your estate-planning attorney:
“[Name], of [City, State, ZIP] give, devise and bequeath to Sisters of Saint Francis, [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose.”
We understand your circumstances may change and you can change your gift at any time. When planning a future gift, it is sometimes difficult to determine what size donation will make sense. Emergencies happen, and you need to make sure your family is financially taken care of first. Including a bequest of a percentage of your estate ensures that your gift will remain proportionate no matter how your estate’s value fluctuates over the years.
Please note: This information is not intended as Legal or Tax advice. For Legal or Tax advice, please consult an attorney.
Join the Mother Alfred Legacy Society
Named after the Foundress of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Rochester, Minnesota, the Mother Alfred Legacy Society honors those individuals and families who value the mission of the Sisters of Saint Francis and their continuance into the future. Mother Alfred Legacy Society Members are those who have remembered the Sisters of Saint Francis in their wills or estate plans.
Become a Franciscan Friend
You decide on a monthly gift amount that fits your budget. You authorize your bank to transfer this amount from your checking account directly to the Sisters of Saint Francis. To our Franciscan Friends, giving is easier and more convenient, with no repetitive checks to write and no envelopes to mail. To the Sisters, your donation goes further by reducing our administrative, postage and paper costs. More of your gift goes directly to the needs and ministries of the Sisters.
Donor Bill of Rights
Donor Bill of Rights
DONOR BILL OF RIGHTS
PHILANTHROPY is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the not-for-profit organizations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:
- To be informed of the organization’s mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of it capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
- To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
- To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.
- To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
- To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.
- To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
- To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.
- To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.
- To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.
- To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.
DEVELOPED BY:
AAFRC:
American Association of Fund Raising Counsels
AHP:
Association of HealthCare Philanthropy Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
AFP:
Association of Fundraising Professionals
ENDORSED BY:
NCDC: National Catholic Development Conference