New FCA Home

The FCA has decided on the site for our future home!

We have been invited to purchase land in Frankfort, Illinois, from the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart. We recognize this decision is just the beginning and there is much work ahead. While we move forward with planning our archival facility and capital campaign, we remain committed to assisting Franciscan entities and our partners.

2026 will be the FCA’s year of planning. During this year, we will reach a point where we must move forward with building plans to provide the capacity for our partners. After this point, anyone who wishes to join would likely have to wait until an expansion is possible. Because of this, we encourage interested parties to step forward now into meaningful conversations with our board.

We recognize the urgency for Franciscan congregations to find permanent repositories for their archives that will safeguard the community’s charism and legacy for future generations.

The Franciscan Central Archive will be a physical center, following national archival standards, with a reading room, exhibition space, lecture hall, and robust virtual presence. Researchers will be able to study congregational ministries, shared vocations, and Franciscan charism across the collections. The FCA will be supported by charism-based educational programs and social engagement to ensure its members’ legacies are carried into the future.

Participation is open to Franciscan communities and organizations.