When the Franciscans came to Arizona in the 1950s, the area that would soon become known as Paradise Valley was sparse, littered with dirt roads, horse trails, stables, and scattered with lodges.
At the time, a Franciscan settlement in the still somewhat wild West where there were more Protestants than Catholics and many more lizards than humans may have been a far-out idea.
But the Franciscans, who were dedicated to preaching, working hard and serving the poor, saw the natural beauty of the Sonoran Desert as a place of spiritual retreat, perfect for prayer, reflection and renewal.
