The dream world has had a wide reaching impact on society. Dreams have an affect on all people groups regardless of age, sex, creed, race, spiritual preference, etc. Here’s a great example of how one dream changed the course of the Catholic Church.

If you are not familiar with Catholic terminology, history shows that there have arisen small sects of Catholicism who attribute themselves to being wholly Catholic while also following the specific teachings of an individual leader. This leader usually teaches specific life practices that are not wholly endorsed by the Catholic church. For example, self-flagellation was never accepted as a normal form of Catholic lifestyle but many leaders taught their followers to do it. These sects are properly called “Orders.”

Many leaders have come and gone throughout the ages, few truly stand the test of time and become “sainted.” One of those saints, Fracis of Assissi, was originally ignored. That is, until Mr. Pope had a dream.

Francis of Assissi was not widely accepted because he had taken a vow of poverty and asked his followers to do the same. This was much to the dismay of his affluent family. His father tried to reason with him and even tried to commit him as insane. Francis felt he needed to disown his family to be fully adopted by his message of simplicity, poverty and love. Although the same would be true for today, this was revolutionary for his day.

“It was after his meeting with him that the Pope saw [in a dream] the great church of St. John Lateran collapsing on itself. Just as it was about to fall, a small man appeared dressed in the clothes of a peasant. He took the weight of the falling church, held it up with his shoulder, and then straightened it back again.”

from brotherjuniper.wordpress.com

The Pope dreaming of the Basilica of St. John Lateran is very important because the church is “the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope.” In other words, the Pope had a dream of his workplace. The building collapsing is obviously not a good sign - but then the hero of the dream steps to the plate and raises the roof on his shoulders. This sign spoke very clearly to the pontiff and he immediately sanctioned the order of the Franciscans.