Mental health, nature, and community are coming together on Cochrane\u2019s Big Hill as Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre marks Mental Health Week, May 4\u201310, with new trail installations and interpretive highlighting the importance of taking care of our mental health \u2013 this week, and all year round.<\/p>\n
With funding support from the Cochrane Home Treasures Community Grant Program and in partnership with Bike Cochrane, the Retreat Centre has installed new interpretive panels along the Brother Sun Trail on the Big Hill.<\/p>\n
The panels focus on mental and spiritual wellness, the benefits of physical activity, and the positive impact of time spent outdoors. They are placed beside new benches designed to encourage rest, reflection, and appreciation of the view.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur mission is to be a place of peace, healing, and prayer for all,\u201d said Leah Perrault, executive director of Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre. \u201cWe believe offering a natural space for thoughtful reflection benefits not only retreatants, but the wider community. The interpretive panels and benches build on the trails established in 2024 and enhance that experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Map of the Brother Sun and Sister Moon trails on the\u00a0Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre.<\/p>\n
The Brother Sun and Sister Moon trail names are inspired by St. Francis of Assisi\u2019s Canticle of the Creatures, which recognizes all aspects of creation as siblings praising their Creator. The Retreat Centre says the landscape offers a space for the community to experience that sense of connection and reflection.<\/p>\n
New trail being added<\/p>\n
This year, Bike Cochrane will also add the Secret Ravine Trail, which descends into town, to its maintained network.<\/p>\n
Through a formal Trail Stewardship Agreement established in 2022, Bike Cochrane volunteers have contributed hundreds of hours to building, upgrading, and maintaining the Brother Sun and Sister Moon trails, as well as supporting other projects on the property.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are so honoured to work with Mount St. Francis on this project,\u201d said Bike Cochrane operations director Paul Perrault. \u201cThese trails access some of the most beautiful terrain in the Cochrane area, and we\u2019re grateful the Friars have allowed public access on their land. We all share a responsibility for respectful use, and we\u2019re proud to help expand trail access for all Cochranites.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bike Cochrane trail steward Ryan Sheehan added the partnership continues to be meaningful.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Mount St. Francis land is special. It is a privilege to work toward these shared goals and we look forward to continuing this relationship and future projects together.\u201d<\/p>\n
RELATED STORY<\/p>\n
Silent retreat and spiritual programming<\/p>\n
While much of the Retreat Centre\u2019s 500-acre property remains dedicated to silent retreat and spiritual programming, public access is available on designated trails along the southern bench of the Big Hill and a creekside route along Bighill Creek.<\/p>\n
St. Francis of Assisi was known for his deep connection to nature, and the Franciscan Friars say the trails reflect their desire to share that inspiration with the broader community.<\/p>\n
Access to trail network<\/p>\n
Access to the trail network is available via Cochrane Ranche or Cochrane Ranche House parking areas, connecting through the Cochrane Ranche Trails and Sunterra Trail 1 to the Cochrane Cemetery Road. There is no dedicated parking at the trailheads.<\/p>\n
Trail users are asked to remain on marked paths and follow all signage. Dogs are permitted on leash only due to retreat activities. Walking, running, and biking are all permitted. Trail concerns, including fallen trees, can be reported to trails@bikecochrane.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Community members are encouraged to use the trails in support of their mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. The Retreat Centre also offers ongoing programming, including 12-step recovery retreats and spiritual reflection opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cWe welcome anyone looking for rest and silence to join us for programs at the Retreat Centre,\u201d said Br. Guylain Prince, a member of the retreat team. \u201cI\u2019ve also begun a free Tuesday evening program called Journeying into Silence: Christian Contemplative Prayer. Anyone interested is welcome to join us at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays.\u201d<\/p>\n For more information on retreats, contact Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre at 403-932-2012 or visit www.mountstfrancis.ca<\/a>. Donations supporting trail and retreat programming can be made at https:\/\/mountstfrancis.ca\/donations-and-payments\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mental health, nature, and community are coming together on Cochrane\u2019s Big Hill as Mount St. Francis Retreat Centre…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":416134,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[134,554,555,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-416133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-mental-health","tag-health","tag-mental-health","tag-mentalhealth","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/416133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=416133"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/416133\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/416134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=416133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=416133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=416133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}