Siena – Home to the Racine Dominicans, Siena Retreat Center, and Ascension Living
The Racine Dominicans have lived at Siena (formerly Siena Center) for over 50 years. Beginnning in 1960, when the community had grown to over 600 sisters, the sisters built and moved to a sprawling maze of connected buildings which accommodated the many needs of the sisters and their ministries some of which were primarily in the fields of education and medicine, or related to social justice issues. Today there are around 111 sisters.
As the numbers in the community shrank, sisters were mindful of wasted resources, expensive building maintenance, and with an eye on planning for the future, in 2007, the Racine Dominicans began to explore options. Through research, exploration, and prayer, their journey culminated in the demolition of old buildings, new accomodations for the sisters, a beautiful new building for Siena Retreat Center, updates to the chapel, and a new assisted living and memory care centers (now owned and operated by Ascension Living).