Day 1 - The Calling

October 4th, 2025

94 days ago, I was praying in the Garden of St. Francis in Florence, Italy. This uncultivated area is located behind the Santa Croce, an amazing basilica that began construction in the late 13^th century and is still the largest Franciscan church in the world. It was there where this journey began.

I came across the garden by complete accident. I was just randomly walking the streets of Firenze as it is called in Italy not really paying attention to where I was exactly. While admiring the small shops and city architecture I noticed an open archway. Directly inside the archway was a room that was not fully enclosed but instead had an opening. A garden was barely visible on the other side. Not knowing if the space was public or private I entered with a little of caution. Once I crossed under the second archway that led directly into the garden, I felt a great peace and a calling to enter and pray. Even though I was in the middle of the city it was completely quiet with only the sound of birds nearby. A butterfly was dancing from flower to flower. I knew that I had to save this moment and captured a short video. I began to read about St. Francis who this garden was dedicated to. While I had heard of St. Francis before, not being raised Catholic, I really did not know much about him other than he was a saint.

I started to feel like I was being pulled. Like a large rope was around not only my waist but my entire body. Where I was being pulled, I could not tell. I looked up and only then did I realize that I was directly behind the Santa Croce. I still do not know why that was not obvious when I entered the garden. It was if my focus was to be solely on the garden and not the church.

With the feeling of a very heavy rope loosely wrapped around me I started to feel a oneness with St. Francis. This is something that I had never experience before. I suddenly had the desire to learn everything I could about my newfound saint and to try to understand the closeness that I was feeling. I sat on the ground and began to research fast and furious using my iPhone. Story after story I read brought me closer to him.

Suddenly things that I had been experiencing in the past few years started to make sense. Many times, I had felt that God had completely forsaken me; that I was but a distant memory to him. My relationship with God was gone and I was alone. I had experienced some of the darkest days of my life and yet here I was at peace.

Prior to my trip to Italy, I had started to repair my relationship with God. I realized that He had not abandoned me, but I was walking, if not running, away from Him. I had entered Italy with a lot of anger in my heart and now it was suddenly gone. My outlook on life was back to where it had been years ago. God was with me in the garden and wanted me for a reason I could not tell.

After leaving the garden I walked pass the Church of St. Joseph. As one walks inside, you immediately become aware of the the organ and the painted ceiling above the alter. Clearly this was a place of worship! There were only a few people inside at the time. In the quiet I started to feel the calling again. I prayed a short prayer of thanksgiving for not only being in this beautiful church, but also for the opportunity to be in Italy during this year of Jubilee. In my mind I could clearly see visions of my future; the same visions I had seen years before. In my heart I knew the time was coming when I would need to follow my calling. This calling has been to become to true man of God and to continuously worship not only in my actions, but in my heart and my soul. I have been hesitant as my family and friends would have a hard time understanding.

St. Francis inspired me to follow him in his approach to create something to honor God and to build a brotherhood even if it was just a brotherhood of one. The brotherhood would consist of both Catholics and Protestants who’s mission is to break the barriers that have existed for centuries to reunite and heal. While many have already told me that this unification is not possible, with God’s blessing it will come to be. A new army for the kingdom of God will be formed. With prayer and devotion, not violence, the brotherhood will prepare for time when all Christians must join forces against the evil one and the end of days. We will become prayer warriors!

It is only fitting that this first blog be posted on October 4^th, the Catholic feast day devoted to St. Francis. With this post, I invite anyone who feels that they have a calling and is need of a sense of community to join me.

May you be blessed in all that you do.