The Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis was the first church in the United States to be elevated to the rank of a minor basilica, by Pope Pius XI in 1926, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Built between 1907 and 1915, it is regarded as one of the finest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture in the country.
Restoration work has been under way in the upper nave since April 2026 and is scheduled to be completed by Easter 2027. For this reason, the renowned “Link Family Lecture Series” is currently being held on the lower level of the Basilica, in the hall dedicated to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. It was there that, on Monday, 21 September, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, delivered a lecture entitled “Franciscan Principles for a Human-Centered Economy.”
In her address, she explained how the Franciscan charism and values can be applied to modern economic and administrative systems. At the heart of this vision are human dignity, solidarity, care for others and the ethical stewardship of resources. She drew particular attention to the metaphor of Saint Francis of Assisi rebuilding the Church of San Damiano “stone by stone.”
Earlier, Sr. Petrini met with representatives of Thrivent, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit financial services organization that has sponsored several Vatican Museums projects over the years. She also met with the Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Most Rev. Bernard Anthony Hebda, and with members of the Minnesota & North Dakota Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums. She was accompanied by Johan van Parys and Deirdre Palmer, President and Vice President of the Chapter, respectively.
She also visited the exhibition “Mary” at the Institute of Art, in the Winton Jones Gallery, which brings together devotional works depicting the Virgin Mary at different moments in her life. The works are arranged chronologically to illustrate the different ways in which artists have interpreted the life of Mary, beginning with the Annunciation.
In conclusion, the Rev. Daniel Griffith, Vice President for Mission at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in St. Paul, graciously invited Sr. Petrini to deliver a lecture entitled “Paradigm Shifts in Economic Organizations: A Catholic Social Teaching Perspective.” On that occasion, the University presented her with the Dignitatis Humanae Award.