Our Story

Since our founding by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in 1974, the Franciscan Life Process Center has assisted in the education, healthy development and cultural enrichment of individuals and communities of people throughout the greater Grand Rapids area and most of West Michigan. Our approach to our mission has remained constant throughout the years as our services have changed and grown. We believe in the sacredness of all life and therefore in the inherent value of each individual human life. We acknowledge in each person a fundamental desire and potential for personal growth and accept the development of each person as a unique organic process.

The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist moved to Grand Rapids in 1971.

By June 12, 1972, the Sisters established themselves in a rural area north of Lowell. This was made possible through a generous donation of land and a home by Mr. Peter M. Wege, who remained a friend and supporter of the Sisters until his death in 2014.

Taking time to learn about the needs of the people in West Michigan, the Sisters began their first professional service in 1975 by establishing the Franciscan Life Process Preschool Program in January. In 1978 and 1979, both the Music Education and Music Therapy programs were launched in the nearby town of Ada under the title of Franciscan Rhythms. Soon to follow in 1980, Franciscan Heritage Foods, a bakery and coffee shop, was opened next door to Franciscan Rhythms.

The growth was great. The Sisters moved into the newly constructed Franciscan Life Process Center in September of 1991. While serving people both through professional positions within West Michigan and those located on our land, the services of our center grew to the point that caused us to open a Grand Rapids campus in September of 2010. The Grand Rapids campus is located on the third floor of the Basilica Center, attached to the parish of the Basilica of St. Adalbert, 5th Street and Davis Street NW.