Ecuador
Missionary Training
The Franciscan Sisters have maintained a constant presence in Latin America since 1960. Sister Joan Gerads, who has been working as a missionary in Latin America for over 30 years, founded Parish Neighborhood Renewal Ministry (Ministerio Formador de Comunidades Eclesiales de Base), a program that has since trained over 1,000 people as missionaries to go from parish to parish to help form “Base Church Communities.” Casa Hermano Sol y Hermana Luna, located in Cumbaya, Ecuador, is the education center that trains missionaries in spiritual direction and the development of Base Church Communities. The program is far-reaching in that it serves the countries of Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru and Columbia. Often these Base Church Communities strengthen the entire community and provide the foundation for growth and progress. The goals of the Base Church Communities include evangelizing and spreading the Good News which will help strengthen the Catholic Church in Latin America.Franciscan Associates
The Franciscan Sisters maintain relationship with Franciscan Associates in Ecuador. The associates (lay people) live their lives by the example of Saints Francis and Clare. Some associates continue the ministry programs to the poor at Casa Hogar which was started by Sisters Ramona Johnson and Berth Gerads (deceased in 2005) during the 90s. Project-ALL is also active in Ecuador.[LEARN MORE ABOUT ASSOCIATES]
The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, Minnesota, is a community of Roman Catholic women religious who follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ, walking in the footsteps of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. We welcome those who wish to join us as sister, associate, volunteer, transfer sister, friend and donor. We live lives of prayer in community and in service to the poor as we seek to build a more peaceful world and to care for the Earth. We sponsor the St. Francis Music Center and St. Francis Health & Recreation Center, both open to the public.