• Home \
  • News Releases \
  • St. Francis of Assisi Parish and the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph break ground on hist

St. Francis of Assisi Parish and the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph break ground on hist

June 16, 2020
  • 16,200 sq. ft. St. Francis of Assisi Parish Center will serve the parish and surrounding community
  • 38,000 sq. ft. St. Francis Friary will house up to 24 Capuchin friars
  • Expected completion in 12-18 months

MILWAUKEE – June 16, 2020 – St. Francis of Assisi Parish and the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph broke ground today on a new 16,200 sq. ft. Parish Center for St. Francis of Assisi Church, as well as a complete renovation of the 38,000 sq. ft. historic St. Francis Monastery. Renderings and photos can be found here.

“A big part of Capuchin life, following the example of St. Francis of Assisi, is friars living together in community. The St. Francis Friary and Parish Center, in bringing friars together under one roof, helps us to strengthen our fraternal bond,” said Br. Michael Sullivan, OFM Cap., provincial minister for the Province of St. Joseph. “At the same time, we are continuing stewardship of the historic complex of buildings that have long been an anchor for the Halyard Park neighborhood in Milwaukee.”

St. Francis of Assisi Friary

Built in phases beginning in 1869, St. Francis of Assisi Monastery will undergo a complete renovation to house as many as 24 Capuchin friars who currently reside at friaries around Milwaukee. The friary will bring together active and retired friars of all ages, some of whom minister in Milwaukee at Capuchin Community Services at its two locations: the House of Peace and St. Ben’s Community Meal.

St. Francis Friary will also be home to the Capuchin Postulancy Program, the entry point for young men from across the United States discerning a vocation to the Capuchin Franciscan fraternity.

When complete, St. Francis Friary will feature:

  • Nine ADA-accessible friar bedrooms
  • Two ADA-accessible friar bedrooms with nurse’s area
  • Eight additional friar bedrooms
  • Nine restored guest rooms on the second floor
  • Restored dining rooms, library and meeting rooms
  • Office area
  • Renovated interior courtyard
  • Masonry façade renovation and new windows
  • Screened-in porch
  • New ADA-accessible friary entrance at the west end of the complex
  • New elevator and staircase
  • Guest rooms
  • Kitchen storage area
  • 10 parking spaces

St. Francis of Assisi Parish Center

The Parish Center will serve as a multi-purpose assembly space for St. Francis Parish and the surrounding community.

The building will include:

  • Accessible entrance
  • Accessible lavatories
  • Seating for up to 200
  • Warming kitchen
  • Outdoor community terrace
  • Parish offices
  • Large meeting room
  • 64 parking spaces

St. Francis of Assisi Parish, celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, will undergo interior restorations, adding a new ADA-accessible entrance to the north side of the Church building.

The exterior masonry walls of the new Parish Center will be constructed of historic Cream City brick reclaimed from the former St. Francis Convent Chapel of the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.

Construction on the St. Francis of Assisi Friary and Parish Center is expected to be complete in 12-18 months. The project architect is Chicago-based MKB Architects. The general contractor is Fond du Lac-based C.D. Smith Construction.

About St. Francis of Assisi Parish

Celebrating 150 years of serving the spiritual and material needs of the community, St. Francis of Assisi Parish is a ministry of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph. The Parish is a vibrant and diverse community of faithful who, in the spirit of St. Francis, put the Gospel into action, The House of Peace, part of Capuchin Community Services, was founded by laypeople and friars of St. Francis of Assisi Parish following the 1967 uprising.

About the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph

The mission of the friars of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph is transforming the world through reverence. Established at Mt. Calvary Wisconsin in 1857, the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph is part of the international community of friars following the rule of St. Francis of Assisi. The brothers of the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph, headquartered in Detroit, serve in a variety of ministries including social service, schools, chaplaincy, retreat house and parishes in Illinois, Michigan, Montana and Wisconsin.

 

# # #