Mission & Values

Mission Statement

Rooted in the Catholic and Franciscan traditions of Faith and Reason, the University of Saint Francis engages a diverse community in learning, leadership, and service.

Franciscan Values

At the university, you will experience Franciscan values that encourage us to:

• Reverence the unique dignity of each person;
• Encourage a trustful, prayerful community of learners;
• Serve one another, society, and the Church;
• Foster peace and justice; and
• Respect creation.

A Catholic University in the Franciscan Tradition

The Catholic Intellectual Tradition is a 2000-year-old conversation between “faith and reason.” This tradition stresses the centrality and dignity of the human person in its search for God. Those who hold this tradition believe: “that humans can search for ultimate truth – that all life comes from God – and that the guarantee of this is the incarnation of Jesus Christ into this world. It is the Christian view that our destination is beyond this world, that sin interferes with our search, and that while on earth, we are called to care for the poor and for creation.”
The Franciscan Intellectual Tradition is rooted in the Catholic Tradition and based on the spiritual experience and of Saint Francis and Saint Clare of Assisi. Hallmarks of the Franciscan Intellectual tradition are:

• God is present in the created world, especially in the human persons
• God is a Trinity of persons that models relationality and community
• God’s desire for humanity to be with him is expressed in the Christ mystery, the Church, and its sacraments
• God’s human way of being through is put into action through virtues such as humility/service, respect, and solidarity

With this in mind, the University of Saint Francis espouses the mission and Franciscan values above.