The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage
We are one such community raised up by the Holy Spirit today. After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Vatican II, the Jesus Revolution and the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, John Michael Talbot lived out a vision for integrated monastic community he had received long before under the initial guidance of the Franciscans and the Catholic Church. Viola Talbot unquestionably became the Spiritual Mother of the movement.
After years of testing this way of life, we live all that has come before in a new and developed way. Almost five decades later, the community is still on fire for our vision! Based on a “painting” of community God gave John Michael as a vision in the early 1970s, we are a counter cultural community living within and alongside of our modern world to bring the healing of Jesus to nearly every aspect of our society, from the spiritual to the environmental and ecological. But it has all been grounded and based on ancient truths.
We say: Jesus is our Founder, Scripture is our Rule, and Love is our charism guided by Truth which comes to us from Apostolic Tradition and the Teaching Authority (the Magisterium) of the Church.
Integration is the expression of that truth. We integrate the charismatic and contemplative, the liturgical and spontaneous, silent, and exultant forms of spirituality. We integrate the solitude of the hermitage and community life, as well as contemplative community with ministry. We also integrate the call to celibate monasticism as monks with celibate sisters, singles, and monastics families, each living in their own respective area with their own set of statutes. But we are one community, not separate communities, for the Holy Spirit raised us up together at one time.
Little Portion Hermitage and Monastery
Our community has places for solitude in hermitages, and common areas in the Monastery, main church, work buildings, guest houses, prayer and vegetable gardens. The beauty of the Hermitage and Monastery reflect the spirituality of the entire community, where everyone does their respective prayer, work, and recreation, and ministries overflow from there.
The Hermitage and Monastery is a spiritual powerhouse where the life in the Holy Spirit is focused and perfected. It is what Pope Francis called a “school of communion” (Address to the 202nd General Chapter of the Friars Minor Conventual, June 17, 2019). The ancient art of spiritual warfare is practiced there, with the necessary guidance of a spiritual father or mother to help guide the monk along that path. The rewards of this journey are far greater than what can be found in the typical parish church or active consecrated community, if pursued seriously. Jesus said, “Many are called, but few are chosen.”
Are you chosen to follow this special calling?