Our First Steps in the United States: Kansas City, June 2008 We had been in Kansas City, Kansas, for ten days, and it was very muggy in that early June. We had been working all day long to clean the house where we were to live in a few days’ time; night was falling and […]
“Father, enlighten me!” Read more.
Our First Steps in Latin America: Chile, January 1989 In the middle of a very poor población, the two of us little sisters were praying with the bishop of Linares and the parish priest, in a little ‘chapel shack’. And we said to the Lord: “It’s hard to be beggars amidst those who already have
“To be beggars in the midst of those who already have such little bread…” Read more.
Cardinal Bergoglio, February 28, 2013 Around the end of February 2013, some little brothers and sisters were called from different European fraternities to come together at Santi Quattro Coronati, our house in Rome. Thirty or so little brothers and sisters would thus be able to represent the Community and accompany the conclave with prayer, there
Poland, December 2003 There we were, three little brothers begging for something to eat on the outskirts of a city in Poland, on the western side of that broad country; and none of us spoke Polish. We could hardly even pronounce the few words we knew to ask for something to eat. We had travelled
Vienna, January 2002 January 1st, feast-day of Mary, Mother of God That morning, the streets were deserted; a sort of languor seemed to have descended upon the whole city. On the sidewalks and even right in the middle of the street, lay countless shards of broken bottles. All night long, there had been nothing but
Argentina, 1992 We were on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, in a slum of Laferrere, where We would be staying for a few months. For us little brothers, this marked our first steps in the land of Argentina. Toward which poor shack should we turn, we wondered? From which of these destitute families ought we
Our First Steps in Spain: Barcelona, 1986 During one of our first missions, we saw a homeless woman, all curled up, sitting on the steps in the square. We tried to go over to her, but with one hand the woman hid her face, and with the other, she gestured for us to go away.
Fraternity of the Holy Face Read more.
Our First Steps in France: Nimes, November 1, 1985 With our bags on our backs, we set out for Nîmes, holding in our hands the keys to a house whose owners we did not know and who were away at the moment. That first morning, before venturing out into the heart of the city in
Bread, Fish… “Come and Have Breakfast!” Read more.
Our First Steps in France: Toulouse, 1986 It was in the early days, we were going to the bishop’s palace when two of our brothers amongst the most underprivileged approached us on one of the large avenues, soon caught up by two, then three other friends: “Sisters, you were with us at the soup kitchen
“Since you’ve been with us,
we aren’t poor people anymore!” Read more.