Restore Thy Church is a non-profit dedicated to restoring Catholic churches.
Proceeds from Prayerful Catholic serve Restore Thy Church’s mission to fund Catholic church restoration projects nationwide.
A registered non-profit organization-501(c)(3).
“These visible churches are not simply gathering places but signify and make visible the Church living in this place, the dwelling of God with men reconciled and united in Christ.”
– Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1180.
Restore Thy Beauty
Restore Thy Church is a non-profit on a mission to bring back beauty to Catholic churches nationwide.
From maintenance efforts to the restoration of beauty in our churches, Restore Thy Church’s funds are used towards projects that glorify God’s dwelling place. Traditionally, projects of this type are left to each parish community to fundraise, leaving some efforts underfunded and undone; Restore Thy Church is the first non-profit to support projects nationwide.
Our projects include basic updates to preserve our churches, restore tradition, and provide relief for environmental or vandalization disasters.
“Go rebuild my church, which is falling in ruins.”
While travelling to Apulia to become a knight, St. Francis of Assisi asked the Lord in a dream, “Lord, what would you have me do?” He said, “Return home and you will be told what to do.” Soon after, at San Damiano church in Assisi, he was kneeling before the Cross when the image of Christ crucified spoke to him.
“Francis,” He said, calling him by name, “go rebuild My church; as you see, it is all being destroyed.” Francis was more than a little stunned, trembling, and stuttering. He prepared himself to obey and carry out the command.
Francis answered God’s call quite literally by rebuilding the run-down structure of San Damiano church and others nearby. He obeyed the Lord’s call as he best he understood at that time, soon realizing what Jesus desired most was that he build-up the faith of God’s people. The Church during the time of St Francis was then, as today, in need of new life.
A simultaneous vocation unfolded: rebuilding the place and rebuilding the body.
Some reflect that Francis initially misinterpreted God’s message, however, as we learn from the great reform for which he was a catalyst, it all began with the mission to Restore Thy Church.
— Adapted from “Second Life, #10, Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume 2: The Founder,” New City Press, p. 249.