Family of Betania

“Bearers of peace, unity, joy and hope, according to the style of the Fraternity, in society and in the Church where they are called to flourish.“

from the Family Statute

Together with the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany, as an Institute of Consecrated Life, a large spiritual family has flourished over the years. They are the Family Members of the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany who, in different ways and with different commitments, participate in the life of the Institute and its charisma.

They live fully the social and ecclesial reality in which they are inserted, attentive to the many new poverties of contemporary man. They strive to bring peace, unity and joy in the family, in the workplace, in society and in the Church, to be in solidarity with the sufferings and needs of their brothers and sisters, and to promote life in all its phases.

In a constant process of rediscovering their baptismal promises, the family members of the Fraternity walk together towards communion with Christ, in unity of spirit, dialogue and fraternal collaboration, which enriches this small portion of the universal Church.

The family members’ journey is divided into different paths

““I hope and wish that you do what I did not do! I would have liked to do more. Always more. Always more and always better.”

Father Pancrazio to the GdB

Youth of Betania

They are boys and girls of varying ages, from 11 to 26, who gather monthly in our fraternities to have a profound experience of faith and to build a group of friends who have Jesus as their common denominator, thus experiencing the joy of friendship and being together.

The GdB are called to live the spirituality of the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany in the places of their daily life: in the family, among friends, in the school or work environment, committing themselves to bearing persevering witness to beauty and goodness in harmony with the style of their young lives.

Twice a year, all the young people from Italy and Italian-speaking Switzerland, but also overseas JBs from Brazil, meet at a national camp, lasting a few days, to share, play and pray together, cultivating deep relationships of friendship.

Nazareth group

The Nazareth Way is aimed at young adults aged 25/26 to 40 years old who wish to deepen their knowledge of their faith in order to give reasons for it in today’s cultural context and appreciate the beauty of the good life of the Gospel, according to the style of the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany.

They meet periodically to pray together, experience moments of catechesis, reflection and sharing, accompanied by the brothers and sisters of the Fraternity.

They are boys and girls who, with commitment and maturity, want to be missionaries of joy and hope in the world. They want to walk together, in friendship, to discover more and better the presence of God in their lives and the beautiful plan of love that He has for them.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them“

Matthew 18:20

Ancilla Domini Groups

The GAD are prayer groups that draw on the spiritual heritage of the Institute, following the lifestyle inspired by the Gospel of Bethany.

They open the doors of their homes, home churches, and like the first Christian communities gather in a convivial atmosphere to experience a prayer meeting centered on the Word of God, spontaneous praise and Marian devotion, according to the Fraternity’s own style.

They are visited regularly, on a monthly basis, by the brothers and sisters of the Fraternity to share the moment of prayer and offer formative content.

Oblates

They are lay people who, through frequenting our reality, have rediscovered their vocation as baptized people and feel called to share the charisma of the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany. Committed to a path of perfection in charity, according to the spirituality of the Institute, they join it through the promise of evangelical life or private vows.

Diocesan priests spiritually linked to the Fraternity can also become oblates, living the same charisma in their life context.

Oblates may be internal or external to the Fraternity, families or individuals. They commit themselves to live at the service of the Kingdom in their life context in imitation of the Holy Family of Nazareth, in the silent consistency of daily life, in prayer and evangelisation.
“The fact that families come together to support each other on a truly Christian path, and this supported by the human and spiritual structure of the Fraternity, is certainly a great sign of hope for the future.”

Father Pancrazio

Family Groups

Our specific welcome, combined with prayer and fraternal life for men and women, contain existential elements that help to regenerate individuals and families. With these traits typical of the Fraternity’s charisma, we propose thematic projects aimed at particular family categories for a formation course that helps spouses to grow in faith, as a family and as a couple, and to operate effectively within the parish and society.