Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls
The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota, formed in 1891, are a community of religious women, dedicated to serving the poor and living a gospel way of life in all they do.
Today there are 93 sisters. The majority reside and minister in Minnesota, while others serve in California, Texas, Wisconsin, and Mexico. The sisters were pioneers in rural health care and started the first hospital and nursing home in Little Falls. They have a history of being excellent administrators, principals, board members, nurses, teachers, missionaries, mentors, and pastoral ministers—doing God’s work all over the United States, Latin America, and other parts of the world.
For 50 years, they sponsored St. Francis High School, a boarding and day school for girls. The school closed in 1977, and after careful planning, the sisters established St. Francis Music Center and St. Francis Health and Wellness Center in 1979 to continue the tradition of serving the community. The two ministries have thrived for over 40 years. In today’s society, not many women choose the path of the Franciscan Sisters.
With fewer members and limited resources, the sisters needed to evaluate the future of these two ministries. They turned to SCORE for advice and found mentor Dick Jordan who agreed to work with them in developing a long-range plan with a goal for the ministries to become sustainable nonprofits of their own. Dick brought in a consultant from the State of Minnesota to help facilitate a plan. A part-time ministry consultant was hired to lead the charge in applying for nonprofit status and becoming independent from the Franciscan Sisters.
The consultant, after doing due diligence in observing and learning about the ministries, created a five-year business plan that paves the way for the two ministries to become their own sustainable entities in the year 2025. This all came about because of the involvement and commitment of Dick Jordan from SCORE and the vision of the Franciscan Sisters Leadership team. Sister Susan, who was instrumental in initiating the process, says, “We are grateful to Dick Jordan and SCORE. Without their help and expertise, we would not have been able to move forward in accomplishing this goal. Thanks to them, the Music and Health and Wellness Centers have a bright and enduring future.”
Pictured below: Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls Ministry: St. Francis Music Center
