The Franciscan Monastery is located at 1400 Quincy Street, NE. We were there many years ago for blessing of the pets but never took the time to explore all it had to offer. We were really missing out. Although the church is temporarily closed, you can visit the gardens every day from 9-5. It does involve a fair amount of walking up and down steep slopes so wear comfortable shoes. There are some benches so there will be opportunities to sit.
In the gardens, you will see many types of beautify roses and other flowers. But before you see them, you will smell them. You will see various statues of Saints as you stroll along the pathways. There was also a small stone pond with fish and water plants. There are over 200 plaques that each have Hail Mary written in a different language, some are modern and some are ancient like the one that we noted in hieroglyphics. Throughout the walk, you will also find the stations of the cross. This follows the journey of Jesus as he was put on the cross and rose again.
There are also several replicas of shires in the Holy Land. One of the most impressive parts was the replica of the Lourdes grotto in France. The site in France is said to have healing properties. There are benches where you can sit and pray and it was so beautiful that Mac Mom was almost moved to tears.
This is a very special and holy place. It is probably better for kids 6 and older. Although there were not many people there when we went to visit on a Friday, those that were there were praying and spending time in peaceful reflection.
We hope that you will take a few hours to visit this holy place and we hope that it will bring you peace for those hours.
