Our life

Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany

is an Institute of Consecrated Life of diocesan right formed by brothers and sisters, both clerics and lay, who consecrate themselves to God through the public vows of chastity, poverty and obedience.

This consecration of ours is realized through the charisma of the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany, which is expressed in prayer and welcome, distinctive elements of evangelical Bethany (cf. Lk 10:38-42), lived in a profound context of fraternal life typical of the Franciscan experience.

Our Founder

The charisma and spirituality typical of our Institute find their main inspiration in the prayer and reflection that our Founder carried out on the text of a manuscript drafted and received from Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, in 1959.

“Do not be so devoted to the activity of Martha that
you forget the silence of Mary; may the Virgin Mother, who so well reconciles the one and the other role, be to you
a sweet model and inspiration”.
Saint Pio to Father Pancrazio

Spirituality

The evangelical icon of Bethany contained in this program guides us in our daily basis of living the Gospel, guided by the light of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the simplicity of St Francis of Assisi, the foundations of our spirituality, which we call ‘Marian-Franciscan’ for this reason.

Marian

The Virgin Mary who welcomed the Word of God into her heart and soma is for us the main symbol of true acceptance and guides our whole life so that our “yes” is not too dissimilar from hers.

Franciscan

In order to learn the way of life of the true disciple of Christ, let us imitate the seraphic father St Francis of Assisi and cultivate his spiritual heritage with our life and works.

The Virgin Mary is a model for us so that our welcome, in its different apostolic forms, may generate the experience of an encounter with the love of God. Following the example of St Francis, we wish to meet the spiritual and material needs of those whom God places on our path, with a simple, fraternal, joyful style.

For this reason, our Houses are called to be ‘spiritual oasis‘ where the men and women of today can rediscover a genuine relationship with God and with their brothers and sisters. Those who come to Bethany do not remain spectators because the Fraternity opens its doors to all those who wish to experience our life.

Our spiritual references

We also devote special attention and love to the life and writings of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, who is an example to us in his life of prayer, in the heroic exercise of virtues, in his spirit of sacrifice and dedication to the priestly ministry, and in his imitation of the crucified Christ.

Another important reference in the spirituality of the Fraternity is St Joseph. Just as God entrusted his Son Jesus and his Blessed Mother to St Joseph, we entrust him as our patron and protector. He, guardian of the Holy Family, is for us a role model of humility in living our duties.

Charisma

A special way of living the Gospel in daily life

(Father Pancrazio)

Our Story

The history of the Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany began in the heart of Father Pancrazio Gaudioso, our founder.

After entering the Order of Capuchin Friars in Apulia, Fr Pancrazio was transferred to Loreto in 1946. There, in the silence of the Holy House, he realized that the Lord was calling him to something new.

During this time he met St Pio of Pietrelcina and became his spiritual son. On 20 October 1959, following a precise request from Fr Pancrazio, Fr Pio wrote for him, on the back of a small image of the Nativity, a life programme that illuminated his spiritual life and became a prophecy of the charism of the future Franciscan Fraternity of Bethany.

“Do not be so devoted to the activity of Martha that you forget the silence of Mary. May the Virgin Mother, who so well reconciles the one and the other role, be to you a sweet model and inspiration.”

Live your vocation

«Have the certainty that if you recognize a call from God and follow it, this will be the thing that gives
fulfillment to your life». (Pope Francis)

«Lord, what do you want me to do for you? Go, Francis, repair my home» (St Francis’ conversation with Jesus)

The Holy Spirit continues to stir up vocations of special consecration to his service and to the Church, in which our Fraternity is inserted and lives.

If you wish to deepen your vocational discernment in our Institute, you can contact us by filling out this form:

“Become the protagonist of that unique and original story, that God wants to write with you”
(Pope Francis)