Franciscan Life Center: Our Growth

Our Growth Since 1974

The Franciscan Life Center was founded by the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in 1974 under the direction of Mother Shaun Vergauwen, FSE, who served as Executive Director until July 2006. Counseling services began with four clients in a two room rented space on West Main Street in Meriden. In the first eight years, the center moved twice as more space was needed.

In 1981 Mrs. Ruth Schleicher, whose family owned the Twin Boulder farm on Finch Avenue, offered to sell the property to the Sisters as a more permanent site for the counseling center. The land had only one building -- a dilapidated farmhouse built around 1740. Rather than construct a new building, the Sisters, in the spirit of St. Francis, restored this 18th century dwelling for the center in 1982.

The growth of services and programs continued at a steady pace for the next ten years. In addition, Franciscan Home Care used the building for its offices. Soon it became apparent that a much larger facility was needed.

In 1995, under creative architectural direction and with the help of numerous volunteers, the present Franciscan Life Center was completed.

Today the center provides services to over 1,500 individuals and families a month. What started as a very small counseling agency has grown into a center of multi-faceted services to meet the psycho-social, spiritual and educational needs of people, one person at a time.

In July 2005, Mother Shaun Vergauwen, the Executive Director, was elected Mother General of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. At that time, Sister Barbara Johnson, Director, was named to succeed Mother Shaun as Executive Director. Sister Mary Elizabeth Endee assumed the position of Director.

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