mount saint francis

 “Deus Meus et Omnia,” the motto of the Franciscan Order, is beautifully inscribed in the floor. Translated from Latin, “My God and My All” is not just a striking feature of the entryway at Mount St. Francis – it is a way of life.  

In 1885, 19th century stage performer and silent film actress, Mary Anderson, donated 400 acres of land she had inherited to the Conventual Franciscan Friars in memory of her uncle, Fr. Anthony Mueller. Stories passed down through generations say that Anderson had more than charity in mind when she donated the land. She hoped the Friars would preserve the natural beauty of the Southern Indiana terrain she had grown to love.  

A group of Franciscan Friars settled on the land in 1896 and did just that.

From Dairy to Discovery

“There was nothing on the land when it was given back to the Friars,” Br. Robert Baxter, director of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual at Mount Saint Francis, said. “The land was used as an active dairy farm until the 1960s.” 

During that time, Mount Saint Francis High School was established on the property to educate those interested in joining the Franciscan Order. The school operated until 1975, at which time the building became the Mount Saint Francis Youth Center.  

Nearly 20 years after the close of the dairy farm, The Mary Anderson Center, a facility for visual arts, was established. The dairy barns were converted into artist studio space and the milk house became a pottery studio.  

Local artists may rent studio space by the month or week, or for as little as $25 per day. Works by local, national and international artists are on display four times per year at the Winfrey Blackburn Fine Arts Gallery. 

But the Mary Anderson Center is not a space limited only to those with artistic talent and prestige. The center also holds pottery classes that are open to the public every Tuesday and Thursday from 6-9 p.m. for a mere $25 per session.

Hundreds of acres to explore

 The Mount Saint Francis complex is hidden in plain sight. Less than 30 minutes from downtown Louisville off Highway 150 in Floyd County, Indiana, this 400-acre getaway is easy to find, yet easy to miss. One entrance off the major thoroughfare is all that separates the massive sanctuary and the community it serves.

And with all this space, there is more than just art to explore at Mount Saint Francis. Nearly 375 acres of the property have been preserved and are carefully maintained to provide a place of refuge for visitors to explore and enjoy.  

Beautifully conserved meadows and woods and a massive lake are always open for public use. The property features 12 hiking and walking trails, an outdoor labyrinth and a newly constructed botanical garden. Members of the Mount Saint Francis Fishing Club may also fish the lake for blue gill, bass and other species.

It’s all about community

In addition to art and nature, Mount Saint Francis is home to fifteen Franciscan Friars, including John Bamman, vocation director.  

Before joining the Franciscan Order at 34 years old, Bamman was a tour bus driver in the Pacific Northwest. After being fired for running out of gas on the job, Bamman felt called to a life as a Franciscan Friar and has not looked back since. 

“The Friars I met looked incredibly joyful,” Bamman said. “I wanted to be part of that. And it’s been like a fine-fitting pair of shoes - not too big, not too small – a happy fit.” 

The friars live together at Mount St. Francis but are part of a larger religious community that formed in the 11th Century with St. Francis of Assisi. 

“Saint Francis engaged the world,” Baxter said. “He was about embracing people and taking your ministry with you wherever you go. That is why we get out there and walk with people where they are as they are doing the best they can.” 

Br. Robert Baxter

That notion of engaging with the community is a major part of what differentiates Franciscan Friars from monks.  

“Monks are more contemplative,” Bamman said. “Their work is their prayer, and their prayer is their work. Friars are more active. We bookend each day with prayer and do ministry in the middle.” 

And the Friars at Mount Saint Francis practice what they preach, offering hundreds of retreats for guests of all ages, interests and religious backgrounds.  

High and low ropes courses offer a space for teambuilding exercises and group getaways. The Youth Center - featuring a large gymnasium, meeting rooms and dorm-style accommodations - sees nearly 5,000 visitors per year including local school, church and private groups. Meeting and conference space, small breakout rooms and overnight lodging are available in the Retreat Center, which can comfortably sleep up to 63 people in private, hotel-style accommodations. The on-campus chapel is also open to guests during operating hours, and a public Mass is held daily.  

When they are not leading retreats or practicing their faith, the Friars are just regular people. They occasionally go out for breakfast on Sundays. They watch “Law & Order”. They follow sports (says the Detroit Red Wings pennant outside one Friar’s bedroom door.) Some even work outside of Mount Saint Francis – one is a doctor at Norton Hospital, another a lawyer, and yet another, a chaplain at the local VA Medical Center.  

Baxter said the Friars at Mount Saint Francis want to live out the principles demonstrated by the founders of their faith, making involvement with the community and its people so important. That’s why, he says, you won’t see any walls or gates – they are not in the business of seclusion.  

“People are welcome to come here with their families,” Baxter said. “Come walk the trails, bring the dog, sit in church – get reconnected.” _