Upon these rocks a hospital addition will be raised

Construction continues to move steadily along at the Indianapolis campus as workers prepare to lay the foundation for the six-story Bed Tower. A special ceremony – led by Sister Marlene Shapley, vice president of mission services – will take place at 12:15 p.m., Monday, June 23 at the foundation site, near the main entrance to the Heart Center.

Sister Marlene shares the significance of this event and writes:

In September 2007, COO Keith Jewell, Anita Trackwell (clinical services director
at Mooresville) and I made a pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi, Italy. The purpose
of the pilgrimage was to deepen our knowledge and understanding of our
Franciscan heritage.

While in Assisi, we visited many places where Francis had walked. At all the places we visited, we learned of the significance to Francis and had a prayer service or ritual to make this a part of our lives.

At one place, San Damiano, we were given a stone from the quarry in Assisi. The meaning of this is to remind us that we are built on the foundation of our Franciscan heritage. We decided to bring a rock from the places we visited, and place them in the foundation of the new building on the Indianapolis campus.

We visited the Carceri, a hill top area above Assisi that Francis and his followers often went to pray. Then we toured San Damiano where Francis heard the words of Jesus spoke from the cross – "Francis repair my church for it is falling into ruin." We also visited The Portiuncula, another one of the churches that Francis repaired; La Verna, where Francis received the stigma of Christ; and Greccio where Francis re-enacted the living Nativity.

A rock from each of these places is being placed in the foundation of our new building at the Indianapolis campus. We are truly being built on our Franciscan foundation.

The St. Francis family is invited to attend Monday’s event.