Explore
Discover Tranquility at the Woods
Step into a place
(hover over each picture) where the noise of the world softens and the rhythms of Creation gently come alive.
The Woods offers a sanctuary of beauty and stillness, a landscape of whispering trees, shifting light, and quiet spaces that invite reflection.
The Portiuncula Center for Prayer
“The Portiuncula Center for Prayer nestled in St. Francis Woods and rooted in the Franciscan tradition, is a sacred space of welcome for those seeking peace of mind, body, and spirit.” Mission Statement
Poverello Holistic Center
God has wonderously created our entire being – body, mind and spirit.
Hermitages
Simplicity and solitude are the hallmarks of our hermitage retreats.
Each of our five dwellings are designed for you to relax, meditate, pray, and find inner peace and available for reservation.
Heritage Chapel
The original chapel brought over from Avilla, IN. Heritage Chapel on the east side of the grounds is open for private prayer, weather permitting.
Gazebos
We invite you to come and enjoy the peaceful beauty of God's creations. Explore our grounds and take solace on one of our benches, in our gazebo, along the walking paths and throughout our campus.
Fountains
We invite you to come and enjoy the peaceful beauty of God's creations. Explore our grounds and take solace on one of our benches, in our gazebo, along the walking paths and throughout our campus.
Places for conversation
We invite you to come and enjoy the peaceful beauty of God's creations. Explore our grounds and take solace on one of our benches, in our gazebo, along the walking paths and throughout our campus.
Places for Rest
We invite you to come and enjoy the peaceful beauty of God's creations. Explore our grounds and take solace on one of our benches, in our gazebo, along the walking paths and throughout our campus.
Labyrinth
The Labyrinth is an archetype, a divine imprint, found in all religious traditions in various forms around the world. By walking our replica of the Chartres Labyrinth, laid in the floor of Chartres Cathedral around 1220, you are rediscovering a long-forgotten mystical tradition that is insisting to be reborn. Walking the labyrinth is an ancient spiritual act and a physical meditation that is being rediscovered during our time. A labyrinth is an ancient circular diagram. It consists of a single concentric circular path with no possibility of going astray. The path winds throughout and becomes a mirror for where we are in our lives; it touches our sorrows and releases our joys. So walk it with an open mind and an open heart. Anyone from any tradition or spiritual path can walk into the labyrinth and benefit, through reflecting in the present moment.
Peaceful Places
We invite you to come and enjoy the peaceful beauty of God's creations. Explore our grounds and take solace on one of our benches, in our gazebo, along the walking paths and throughout our campus.
Walking Paths
Paved paths wind throughout the property. Unpaved paths lead you through the woods to Hickory Creek where you can spend time near the water and you may be joined by a deer or two depending on the time of day. The Woods are home to raccoons, squirrels, birds, and chipmunks. Each season has its own beauty whether it be snow covered trees, spring flowers, scarlet leaves, or bubbling water you will find peace in this beautiful natural setting.
Queen of Angels Chapel
Queen of Angels Chapel where mass is held daily at 9:30 am and open to the public
Butterfly Garden
On the lawn outside the Port, there is a dedicated butterfly garden.Where nothing is rushed. Tiny seeds become blossoms. Caterpillars disappear into stillness. And what looks like an ending, becomes a beginning. And suddenly delicate wings unfold, where once there wa sonly wiating.
Here is something quietly sacred, reminding us that growth often happens unseen. That patience is part of becoming. That stillness can hold transformation. It is a living parable of hope-beauty rising from hidden change.
Cosmic Walk
The Cosmic Walk is a walking meditation that offers us a glimpse into our sacred origins. While there are many creation stories, this one is an attempt to connect the work of scientists from around the world with the on-going spiritual search we have to better understand who we are and how we came to be. It is the unfolding story of the universe, the story of life on earth, and the story of our personal history as a human community. This time of prayer is an invitation to enter into the mystery of creation that has been at work for thirteen billion years, and to help you experience the awe and wonder of life as you know it today. You are invited to experience this inspiring meditative walk located in the very center of our property. The walk is comprised of 27 stations. The stations are the original art work of Corlita Bonnarens, RSM
Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross are a traditional, devotional prayer that commemorates the journey of Jesus from his condemnation to his burial. This Franciscan devotion is rooted in the tradition of pilgrims walking through 14-15 stations and prayed in churches throughout the world.










