Come to the Stable

The story unfolds in the years after World War II, with references to Normandy and wartime memories shaping the present. The sisters travel from war-torn Europe to America to fulfill a vow by building a children's hospital. The period emphasizes recovery, rebuilding, and the renewed hope of peacetime philanthropy.

Bethlehem is a small New England town that becomes the staging ground for the sisters' hospital project. The setting highlights a close-knit Catholic community and a hilltop site destined to host the hospital. The film juxtaposes a quiet town with a wider world, including New York City, where land and money influence the mission.

✝️ Faith & Charity

A vow made after survival in war drives the sisters to build a children's hospital. Their faith informs every decision, from prayers to fundraising and negotiations. The church community and local leaders rally to transform a dream into a tangible project. The hospital becomes a living act of faith in action.

🤝 Community & Collaboration

The project unites diverse figures—a New York landowner, a composer, a painter, and town clergy—in a common cause. Obstacles like land ownership and funding are overcome through cooperation and shared purpose. A temporary shelter is arranged to support construction, illustrating practical teamwork. The narrative shows healing as a community effort as much as a solitary act of generosity.

🎶 Music & Memory

Music threads through the plot, linking art to healing and memory. The composer Bob Masen’s tune becomes a point of reflection when compared to an ancient chant, touching on themes of originality and reverence for the past. The dedication ceremony ties personal memory—Rossi’s son’s sacrifice near Rouen—to the hospital’s future. In this way, song and sacred sound bridge wartime memory with peacetime charity.