Francis Hall began its existence as Christ the King Seminary.  The seminary opened its doors to the first seminarians in 1951 and closed them in 1974 when combined with St. John's Seminary in East Aurora, NY.  Acquired by the University, it became Francis Hall, a dormitory  for university students.  



It was helpful for the university because at the time it was experiencing a crunch for student living space.  The rooms in Francis Hall were singles, but they provided a lot more living space than the University had previously.  It currently houses some University offices as well.

The Eucharistic Clock on the campanile showed where the Eucharist was being performed at any given time of the day. Sadly, the hands have been missing for many years.

From SBU web site