Rebuilding the Church …one heart at a time
The year was 1205…
Along the hillside of a small Italian town, there stood an old, broken-down church, with a young man inside, kneeling on its cold stone floor. The years had not been kind to this building, and those in charge of its upkeep saw little hope in its restoration. One could see right through the roof, and the crumbling walls were no better. It was simply a matter of time before it completely collapsed.
But the open roof looking out into the heavens spoke something to this young man, as did the holes in the crumbling walls. Recent years had not been kind to him either. He had been a prisoner of war, fallen seriously ill, and after recovering, unexpectedly saw his lifelong dreams come abruptly to an end. In all this, perhaps he felt a kinship with these stones. Like him, they were once lifted high and placed in prominence, garnering the attention of passersby—and now bore only the resemblance of some forgotten chapel.
Confused about what to do with his life, he had made a habit of frequenting this lonely place for its silence and solitude. Day after day, week after week, and month after month—despite no clear indication of the next step—the growing peace, deepening joy, and fiery love that kept expanding his heart told him he was where he was supposed to be. Little did he know what this particular day would hold, kneeling upon the ruining stones of the old church.
With his gaze fixed on the icon before him, one of Christ transforming death through resurrection, God spoke to that young man—words that would restore him and empower him, words that would restore the Church herself:
“Francis, go rebuild my Church, which you see has fallen into ruin!”
A Call to Rebuild
On that day, kneeling in the church of San Damiano, Francis of Assisi became a new man. Given meaning and purpose through a fresh encounter with the living God, he knew more than ever before who he was as God’s son and what he was meant to do with his life.
Francis rebuilt the church of San Damiano, but it was only a sign of what was to come. As Francis encountered the people of God, the living stones of the Church, they began to rediscover who they were as God’s sons and daughters. They were picked up from the rubble heap and given their proper place, and the Church herself was rebuilt.
Our Vision
At San Damiano Ministries, we echo the call that St. Francis received to rebuild the Church. We believe God wants to restore each person—each living stone—to their baptismal luster, healing their identity and confirming them in mission so that they find their place in the Church. Then, as the living stones are built up together and united in God, radiant in His love, we believe the Church will be so beautiful that the whole world will run to her.
Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house…
—1 Peter 2:5