About Us
“Francis, go and rebuild My Church which, as you can see, is falling into ruin.”
-Jesus
Rebuild My Church
These are the words that Jesus spoke to St. Francis of Assisi in 1205 as he prayed in the rundown chapel of San Damiano. At first, St. Francis thought that Jesus was speaking about the chapel he was praying in, and so he obediently tried to repair it. But over time, St. Francis realized that the Lord wasn’t asking him to rebuild a physical church building. God was entrusting him with the great task of rebuilding the faith of the Catholic Church: the entire People of God! St. Francis faithfully lived out this call the Lord placed upon his life and brought Christ’s light to a dark world.
Today, just as it was in the time of St. Francis, the Catholic Church is in need of reformation and renewal. The Church is in need of a People of God living in the world but set apart from the world. In the footsteps of our patron, St. Francis, the words commanded to him, “Rebuild My Church,” resound through the centuries with a renewed sense of urgency in our day. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit has been so profound that it beckons us to lay aside concern for our own welfare and lives, abandoning ourselves completely to the Providence of the Father and taking up with our Lord Jesus the work of renewing His Church.
Our Mission
The Francis Institute exists to promote renewal in the Church by promoting the four pillars inspired by the life of St. Francis: making disciples, preaching the Gospel, building community, and serving the poor. We seek to connect parishes, communities, and organizations with one another and with the universal Church through the critical work of missionaries.
“We have been called to heal wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.”
— St. Francis of Assisi
Meet the Team
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Robert & Tami Erisman
PRESIDENT & VICE PRESIDENT
CO-FOUNDERS
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Brandon Johnston
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
CO-FOUNDER
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Eleanor Koop
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
