Francis Rebuild My Church

Who would have ever dreamt that a prayerful walk in the countryside one day would be the beginning of a new movement paving the way for the spiritual renewal of the Church?

Certainly the thoughts of Francis Bernadone were on his Lord as he neared the dilapidated little Chapel of San Damiano.  He felt an inner urge to enter the ruinous church and to kneel before the worn Byzantine crucifix.

But he was unprepared for the Voice – that of the Crucified Jesus – coming from the lips of the image on the Crucifix.

“Francis, go and rebuild My Church.  You see it is all falling down.”

Christ had spoken to him, a poor and simple man!  Without hesitation and with a deep love for the Man on the Cross imprinted forever in his heart, the future saint set out to fulfill the command he had heard – first in a very literal way.

Collecting stones and followers who would later become the “living stones” of the rebuilt and renewed Church, St. Francis joyfully renovated not just one chapel, but three in all before he realized that Christ’s message had a much deeper and farther reaching significance than simply renewing sacred buildings.

The spirit of San Damiano lives on in the hearts of Francis’ followers who love Jesus Christ above all earthly loves, who give away all they own so as to possess the one true Treasure, and who hand over their wills in imitation of their Lord who was sent to do the Will of the Father.

With the “stones” of prayer, penance, and joyful and humble service in hand, they seek, first of all, to “rebuild” their own spiritual lives which, like the rest of men, have been worn down by the effects of their sinfulness.

Renewed in the spirit of the Gospel and through continual conversion of heart, they can then reach out and make the Love of the Crucified Lord visible for the lives of others.

San Damiano is an integral part of the spiritual heritage of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George.

Kneeling daily before the Cross of our salvation, we are rooted in a deep love of the Crucified Savior of Whom it is written:  “They shall look on Him whom they have pierced.”  (Jn. 19:37)

We have named our Eucharistic Adoration Chapel in Alton, Illinois, San Damiano, after this first chapel rebuilt by St. Francis.  It has become a powerhouse of grace and the source of renewal both for our Franciscan religious family and for hundreds of lay people who visit our Eucharistic Lord weekly as members of the Legion of One Thousand.

Thus, centered on the Eucharist – “the source and summit of our faith,” - we are better able to Go, and rebuild the Church in our midst – in our own Community, in our hospitals, our schools, our day care center, our nursing homes and our foreign mission.