Vision and Purpose
Our vision is one of a world that is naturally beautiful, bountiful, just and life-giving, where we are able to remember we are all interconnected and learn to live as brothers and sisters with all of creation.
Our Purpose
Our principal object is to welcome all those who come to Ards, offering them an oasis of peace and beauty where they can reconnect with nature, learn to live in harmony with the earth and with one another, and deepen their journey into the mystery of God’s healing love. This objective is inspired by the contemplative ecological vision of St. Francis and St. Clare.
Spiritual Accompaniment
A number of the friars are available -by appointment – to accompany people as they explore the stories of their relationship to God, the Mystery of life and of their efforts to live the Gospel.
Contemplative Spirituality
Guided by the call of Pope Francis in Laudato Si, and our own Franciscan tradition, we have begun the process of responding to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor by developing a plan for our future which integrates our contemplative spirituality, with our learning in ecology, and our renewal of fraternity.