The history of the Franciscan Fraternity of Hope is, above all, a mystery of grace. As in the life of the Church, God acts in what is small, unexpected, and fragile. What is today a fraternity present in different places was born in silence, almost unnoticed, like a seed hidden in the earth.
Its origin lies in a deep desire to live the Gospel with simplicity, to recover the freshness of fraternity, and to offer a space where hope could become nourishment for many. It did not arise from grand projects or human strategies, but from the humble intuition that God continues to call men and women to walk together, to pray together, and to serve together.
The first brothers and sisters began gathering out of a longing for a more serene, contemplative, and fraternal spiritual life. They sought a way to follow Christ poor and humble, inspired by the luminous witness of Saint Francis and Saint Clare. Those simple, almost domestic meetings became the seed of a fraternity that gradually took shape.
Over time, the fraternity grew—not through campaigns or structures, but because many found in this path a place where their hearts could rest. Shared prayer, listening to the Word, sacramental life, and service to the most vulnerable became the pillars of a spirituality that offered consolation and renewal.
As the fraternity expanded, new spaces for encounter, formation, and spiritual accompaniment emerged. Some dedicated themselves to mission, others to hospitality. Each one contributed a unique shade to this work that continues to grow.
Today, the Franciscan Fraternity of Hope continues its journey with the same simplicity of its beginnings. It does not seek prominence or recognition, but to be a small sign of God’s presence in the world. Wherever a brother or sister lives this spirituality, the fraternity is present: in silent prayer, in a gesture of service, in a word of consolation, in a welcoming gaze.
The history of this fraternity continues to be written day by day. It is not the story of a powerful institution, but of a community that trusts the Spirit continues to act in what is small. It is the story of a hope that does not fade, of a fraternity open to all, and of a Gospel that continues to transform lives.
Franciscan Fraternity of Hope 