This Catholic Church Allows The Homeless To Sleep In Their Pews

Love and compassion are virtues central to Christianity and its always inspiring when we see it demonstrated – such as in this story below where a church showed how they took care of the homeless people living in their area.

According to reports, San Francisco’s St. Boniface church accommodates about 225 homeless individuals every single day in their chapel. This wonderful deed is done in cooperation with The Gubbio Project.

Providing a safe haven for the homeless where everyone is welcome.

Co-founded in 2004 by community activists Shelly Roder and Father Louis Vitale, The Gubbio Project aims to address the growing number of homeless men and women in the neighborhood of Tenderloin, San Francisco.

The official website tells us:

“No questions are asked when our guests walk into the churches; in an effort to remove all barriers to entry, there are no sign-in sheets or intake forms. No one is ever turned away; all are welcomed, respected and treated with dignity.”

We further read that the organization has three goals:

1. To provide a clean, beautiful, quiet, and safe space for people to rest during the day.
2. To cultivate a sense of community among the homeless and a sense of understanding and shared responsibility in the broader community.
3. To attend to the physical, social, psychological and spiritual well-being of homeless guests who share the Gubbio space at St. Boniface and St. John.

On a daily basis, the church uses 1/3 of the sanctuary for masses while The Gubbio Project uses the remaining 2/3 to accommodate the needy.

As the organization shares:

“This sends a powerful message to our unhoused neighbors – they are in essence part of the community, not to be kicked out when those with homes come in to worship, It also sends a message to those attending mass – the community includes the tired, the poor, those with mental health issues and those who are wet, cold and dirty.”

More than providing a place to sleep, the church also gives away blankets, hygiene kits, socks, and free massage.

Watch the video here:

To learn more about The Gubbio Project or to support it and send donations, you should check out their official website or follow them on Facebook.