Maria was born with one leg shorter than the other. As a toddler, she would not walk because it caused pain to her hip and she cried with frustration. Her mother heard about the Casa Franciscana trips to Phoenix for specialized medical care. She took Maria to our clinic where she was enrolled in the…

In 1984 the intrepid and visionary Brother Ivo came to the Casa Franciscana Mission.   His heart was moved by the many children he saw with disabilities who had no mobility aids and no resources.   These limitations often relegated the little innocents to a future life of begging.  With his knack for solving problems, his outstanding…

Did you know that the Casa Franciscana Outreach (CFO) has no staff with the exception of a contracted accountant.  In order to keep our administrative expenses low, allowing more money for direct services, may we suggest that you consider becoming a recurring donor.  This means that your desired amount (for example $15 per month) would…

A heartfelt thank you to Kevin Gralen who, after six years on the CFO Board and five years as president, is leaving us.  Kevin brought a special spirituality to the board with his ultimate example of living the Gospel – service to others.  In his words:  In one of the impoverished areas of the world,…

Since the COVID pandemic shut down our dining rooms and many other services, the heroic friars and staff of Casa Franciscana have brought the services directly to the needy.  Amongst these are the migrant farmworker families in the camps of the agricultural companies.  The migrants usually come from the far southern states of Mexico on…

Dear sisters and brothers, Easter is the celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead after being crucified on a tree.  Yes, the cross was made of a tree.  From His sacrifice another tree sprouted – the Franciscan Tree of Life (FTOL).  Many of you know the missionaries who “pollinated” this tree carrying out Christ’s entreaty:…