Awards, Recognitions, Testimonials
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Ministry & Liturgy Magazine ~ "Visual Arts Awards: Devotional Art & Spaces
Best of Show: St. Clare Blessed Sacrament Chapel"
Architecture designed to blend with the existing architecture of the Franciscan Center. Exterior of exposed and hand-finished plaster concrete masonry. Interior of walnut tongue-and-groove flooring, siding, and built-in seating with vinyl seat cushions. Ministry & Liturgy full description...
The Environmental Excellence Award ~ Wednesday March 9, 2005
The Valley Forward Association presents The Environmental Excellence Awards Program, Award of Merit to Franciscan Renewal Center...for St. Clare Blessed Sacrament Chapel, In Recognition Of Outstanding Environmental Achievement, September 17, 2004.
The award...
Food Establishment Inspection "Gold" Seal Award ~ Friday January 28th, 2005
The Maricopa County Environmental Services Environmental Health Division inspections for the last three inspected dates, awarded the Franciscan Renewal Center, the top "Gold" seal award, which means that this food establishment scored in the top 25% range.
Award information...
Phoenix New Times Best Of Phoenix Award 2003 ~ "Best Place to Find Peace of Mind"
September 18, 2003
The growing city we live in always seems to be in a state of building. With that comes a lot of noise and debris. And the traffic seems to be getting worse, too. Finding a quiet spot to sit and collect your thoughts seems like an impossible dream. Except that we have the Franciscan Renewal Center. The former tourist resort has been a place to retreat to for solace since the '50s. The lush and spacious gardens are the desert's version of Eden within our urban sprawl. Fountains trickle sweet melodies and the breeze whispers through the trees. Come sit, smell the flowers and remember that there is more to life than work, bills and responsibility. Relax and clear your mind in an oasis amidst the concrete jungle. Original Article...
Phoenix New Times Best Of Phoenix Award 2003 ~ "Best Place to Walk Away Your Worries"
September 21, 2003
As a rule, we snicker at anything resembling a religious experience -- particularly one that's being used as the center of a friend's birthday celebration. But when another guest insisted, "Oh, be a good sport," we rolled our eyes and went to the unusual fete -- at a labyrinth located behind the Franciscan Renewal Center.
It wasn't so bad. Peaceful, actually. Not that walking a labyrinth will change your life -- at least not in our book. Still, we did find it invigorating, in spite of our cynical selves. The act of walking a labyrinth is an ancient one, practiced by people for centuries. It is not a maze; there is no way to get lost. The journey of twists and turns through the labyrinth is thought to represent the journey through life. Some people say they find their god; others believe the act can heal.
This particular labyrinth, located in a quiet patch of desert at the foot of Mummy Mountain, is constructed of river rocks; it is roughly the size of a small residential swimming pool. Each of the nine guests in our party took turns slowly walking between the rocks, winding around and around and ending up in the middle, where folks have left trinkets and notes scrawled on scraps of paper and business cards, à la Jerusalem's Wailing Wall. Then back again.
Maybe it was the beautiful, almost-spring day, maybe the company, maybe the labyrinth itself, but we felt happy and peaceful upon completing our short journey, which lasted no more than five minutes, round-trip. We didn't snicker once.
Around the outside of the labyrinth, people have used rocks to leave their own messages: "Love" -- "Peace" -- "Why not?"
Why not, indeed.Original Article...
Newspaper article: Symphony gala, dinner quickly becoming a must-do
Jan. 4, 2005 12:00 AM
Three years ago the Fiesta Bowl Ball was the only major New Year's Eve benefit on the society calendar. But this past weekend, there were at least two more: the Phoenix Symphony gala and the dinner concert at the Franciscan Renewal Center. Although both were only second-time events, they quickly found a place on the New Year's Eve fund-raising calendar.
In 2003 the inaugural benefit at the center, featuring the late John Denver's band, was so successful that they brought the entertainers back for Friday night's celebration. It was a sellout of 400, the chapel's capacity.The concert was a tribute to Denver and his music.
"Deep inside, John Denver embodied the spirit of the Franciscan charisma," said Charlie Brown of the Franciscan Renewal Center. " His care for the environment, animals, and especially the castouts, forgotten and misunderstood, represents his love of mankind and mother Earth. His spirit was present through his music and the mood of the evening."
Original article...
Newspaper article: Take a holiday hiatus
Nov. 29, 2004 12:00 AM
5 Escapes from the stresses of the season....
The winter holidays may be upon us, but for many people winter is anything but a holiday.
There are gifts to buy, cards to mail, meals to plan, money to stretch, relatives to placate, flights to schedule, houses to clean, yards to decorate, kids to amuse, parking spots to find, overtime to work, colds to catch. Who has time for an actual holiday?
As illogical as it sounds, this might be the ideal time to take a weekend off to relax and recharge, all the better to face a stressful season.
The ideal stress-busting spot is a place where your brain can let go of its to-do list for a few days, says Mary Wintermantel, a behavioral therapist with Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa.
"Look for a quiet setting that will not introduce more chaos, noise or demands to succeed," she said. "A place that offers whatever is soothing to your body and mind, whether that be sitting, hiking, being massaged, meditating or doing nothing."
Here are five such places, all within 200 miles of Phoenix:
1) Franciscan Renewal Center, a k a "The Casa," Paradise Valley.
Why go:
This Catholic campus on 25 acres of bucolic Sonoran Desert is the site of numerous spiritually themed retreats, ranging from Bible study to weight loss.
What to do:
The Casa's calendar is chockablock with activities, such as the spiritual spa day on Dec. 16: Check into a private room, then participate in your choice of rejuvenating activities, including massage, inspirational talks, prayer time, music or strolling the labyrinth garden.
Cost:
The spiritual spa day is $65; massage, $25-$50 extra.
Details:
5802 E. Lincoln Drive, (480) 948-7460, www.thecasa.org.
Full article by Melissa Morrison, The Arizona Republic
Testimonials
What Did You Find Most Helpful to You Personally?
Over the years, thousands of people have turned in from Lincoln Drive to the Franciscan Renewal Center. They have come for a variety of reasons - counseling, liturgy, solitude, prayer, meetings, retreats, rest, and education. After each program - whether a retreat, seminar, workshop or class, all participants are asked to evaluate the program they just attended. We would like to share with you some of those reviews and evaluations. Listed below are some testimonials from those attending programs here at the Casa in the past year. Depending on the size of the program attendance, the number of comments vary. Here is what they had to say in response to the question: “What Did You Find Most Helpful to You Personally?”
Remarrying Couples Seminar
That I need to talk about issues at hand instead of ignoring them, basically not fearing anything.
I learned much about relationships.
That communication is the key and don’t be afraid to express yourself.
It strengthened and unified my own beliefs and morals about my future with my fiance.
The affirmations of what we’re doing well with our relationship as well as provoking thought and discussion in all areas.
Easy T’ai Chi
Focusing
Slowing down
Class provided good exercise & relaxation
Spiritual Spa Day of Renewal
Just to have a quiet place to relax and pray.
I need to learn to relax and this gave me the time and facility to do so.
The quiet time
I loved the focus on prayer today and the time.
Having a variety of services, i.e., massage, Reiki, in one place at one time. I could experience everything without feeling rushed and still have quiet time.
Introduction to the Enneagram
I’m more able to identify the different personalities.
Learning more about myself and others.
I really like the book and feel that with it and the materials given to me today I can review what I have learned today. I’m hoping that this class
will aid me in helping my 4 type to focus on what is positive in my life.The explanation and example of each of the nine types.
Introduction to the concepts.
I’m certain of its help personally and professionally.
Presenter and content excellent. Carole knows her subject and presented in a cogent and organized way.
Clear, deep explanation - integration of models. I enjoyed Carole’s breadth of knowledge and her teaching style. I was so impressed with her skill.
Information well presented & questions answered.
Questions were answered as we went along.The class and its subject and connecting to others interested in spirituality.
Flute Journey
The instructor made it very comfortable and easy to learn new information and skills.
The relaxed atmosphere. I learned so much.
Small class. Tremendous knowledge/ability of presenter.
The sense of humor.
All of it.