The Fraternity
at Limiti (Spello)

 

In 1969 Gian Carlo and Piero started to live together as a Fraternity in a parish context marked by various kinds of poverty: lack of funds to continue the construction of a simple but attractive church; poverty in the agricultural sector, such as farmers cultivating property which belonged to other land-owners; poverty due to the  lack of communication with nearby centres (Spello included); poverty due to a simple life-style, afraid to face up to the new and to the unknown. All these factors, however, helped to build up a considerable human and spiritual solidarity. Things have since changed and there is a higher standard of living, except in a few cases. These, however, have the support of their neighbours as well as that of the wider community.

When people come to church or to the parish house, this implies “going to community”. Fraternal life was and still is being expressed in various activities involving the whole community, like Sunday and Festive celebrations; summer camps or activities at the oratory; collections for charity.

Collections of re-cyclable material are carried out, which are then sold for profit. A whole week of celebrations for all the community is also organized. The period of Lent is an opportunity to have more frequent family and friendly prayer meetings. The joy of Easter is much felt in the celebration of the Eucharist, as well as during the traditional occasions when we eat and enjoy ourselves together.

 

The Umbrian character, here particularly in Limiti, is clearly seen in the various projects and ideas, friendly get-togethers, sharing with others whatever we have. From the very beginning, catechesis based on the Word of God, has helped us to overcome so many ideological and political hurdles. We are so much with each other in our continuing services to the least-privileged. Community prayer in the Fraternity is still going on, after almost forty years. At the moment three Little Brothers make up the Fraternity. There is not a big lay participation, but we note that a hard-core group is slowly but surely being formed.

Work, land cultivation, animal farming take up most of the energy of the people. Every now and then, however, someone goes out of his ways to come and join us for a prayer meeting or for a pilgrimage.

 

The hidden seed continues to grow slowly but surely.