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St. Francis, a well-to-do son
of an Assisi merchant, spent his youth in luxury and enjoyment.
His call to a life of poverty and simplicity came as he was searching
for greater meaning in his life, and was alone in the dilapidated
wayside chapel of San Damiano. He heard a voice from the crucifix
saying to him, "Francis, go rebuild my church which as you can
see, is falling to ruin." With that, he gathered materials and
began repairing the old church. Others joined him in the effort.
Gradually, through
the work of rebuilding, Francis learned that the true message
of the voice was not only to fix up the broken walls, but to rebuild
the Church of his day through beginning a new order of religious
men. This new order was drastically different from monastic life,
the generally accepted norm of the day.
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