Father Larry Delaney was appointed the Director of St. Francis Retreat Center in January, 1989 by Bishop Kenneth Povish. The Diocese of Lansing purchased the Center, then called Portiuncula in the Pines, from the Hungarian Franciscans who found and built the center in 1954.
Under his direction, the campus has grown the last two decades from offering just weekend retreats to parishioners in our Diocese to a center for prayer, spirituality and formation serving all of Michigan. In addition to the “traditional” weekend retreats, the programming includes specialized offerings for women, men, married couples, singles, parish missions and retreats. Programs like Retrouvaille for troubled marriages, AA retreats and retreats for sexual abuse victims draw individual from many states.
With the addition of Bethany House in 2001 and a Resource and Media Center in 2004, the campus provides for the spiritual and formational needs of our youth, ordained, religious and laity.
Fr. Larry is a native of the Lansing area and has served the people of God as a parish priest, pastor and director of Priestly Life & Ministry. At St. Francis, he is dedicated to living “seek first the Kingdom of God,” and inviting others to do the same.