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Comunità dei figli di Dio di don Divo Barsotti, C.F.D. Website © Julia Bolton Holloway, 1998
New URL: http://meltingpot.fortunecity.com/ukraine/324
THE COMMUNITY OF GOD'S
SONS AND DAUGHTERS
{Above Florence in Italy, amongst olive groves, is a small and simple monastery, the Comunità dei figli di Dio, the Community of the Children of God. Its young monks and nuns walk to morning Mass, like grey sculpted columns. On the chapel's outer wall, so that passers-by may read, are these words:
{Tutta
l'immensità
l'unità che tutto trascende
lo spirito santo è:
il dono che dall'abisso s'effonde
e penetra tutto
e di sè indivisible e uno
tutte le cose riempie
e tutte in una luce trasforma.
{Nessun
uomo, nessuna creatura,
nulla nel cielo e sopra la terra
ti adora più:
nessuno ti conosca o ti ammiri,
nessuno ti serva, ti ami,
illuminato dallo spirito,
battezato nel fuoco,
chiunque tu sia:
laico, vergine, sacerdote,
tu sei trono di Dio,
sei la dimora, sei lo strumento,
sei la luce della divinita . . . .
+ + + Dal Cantico di San Sergio di Radonez Patrono di Russia, 1314-1392
{All the immensity, the unity which transcends all, is the Holy Spirit. The gift which comes from the abyss and penetrates all and of itself is one and indivisible, fills all things, and transforms all into one light.
{No
one, no creature, nothing of the sky or above the earth could adore you
more, no one could know or admire you more, no one could serve you or love
you more, illuminated by the Spirit, baptised in flame, whoever you are.
Lay person, nun or priest, you are the throne of
God, you are his dwelling, you are the instrument, you are the light of
God . . . .
+ + + From the Canticle of St Sergius of Radonez Patron of Russia, 1314-1392
{Sergius of Radonez is Julian of Norwich's Russian contemporary. A hermit who lived in the Russian forest and around whom a community grew up. Nothing survives of Saint Sergius' writings. This poem came in a dream to don Divo Barsotti, C.F.D. - and is influenced by the theology of Julian of Norwich.
{Don Divo Barsotti, C.F.D., is a mystic theologian who has published many books. Over the years groups of lay people gathered about him: the First Branch, those living in the world without Vows but consecrated; the Second Branch, consecrated married couples living a modified form of the monastic Vows; the Third Branch, single persons living in the world, under the monastic Vows; then, ten years ago, sprang up the Fourth Branch, of young nuns and monks, living in separate houses, coming together for Mass, studying the mystics. Eight young priests have been in formation in the Community. Possibilities have opened up to expand the Community, not only throughout all Italy, but also Africa, Australia and Sri Lanka.
Click on the high-lighted titles to call up their essays:
Notiziario, August, 1998 - English
Notiziario, September, 1998 - English
Notiziario, October, 1998 - English
Notiziario, November, 1998 - English
Notiziario, December, 1998 - English
Notiziario, January, 1999 - English
Notiziario, February, 1999 - English
Notiziario, March, 1999 - English
Notiziario, April, 1999 - English
Notiziario, May 1999 - English
Notiziario, June 1999 - English
Community's Four Prayers - English
Don Divo Barsotti, C.F.D. 'The Optimism of Julian of Norwich' - English
Don Divo Barsotti, C.F.D. 'La gloria del Signore' - italiano
Don Divo Barsotti, C.F.D., Perche` il Male?/ Why Evil? - English
Don Divo Barsotti, C.F.D. Ritiro a S. Giuliana, Bologna - italiano
Manual, Community of God's Sons and Daughters - English
Vademecum, Community of God's Sons and Daughters, Part I - English
Vademecum, Community of God's Sons and Daughters, Part II - English
Vademecum, Community of God's Sons and Daughters, Part III - English
Statute, Community of God's Sons and Daughters - English
Suor Maria Chiara, 'Ecco, Sto Alla Porta e Busso: Behold I Stand at the Door and Knock'. - English/ italiano
Padre Fr. Alberto E. Justo, O.P. Regla para Eremitas/Rule for Hermits. - Spanish and English
Julian of Norwich, Showings; Text and Context Website - English
Giuliana di Norwich, Il Manoscritto di Westminster, translated, Elisabetta Pellegrini Sayiner - italiano.
Giubileo/Jubilee 2000 - English/italiano
Heavenwindow: A Collection of Prayers. - English
{For those choosing to be consecrated in the Comunità dei figli di Dio, lay and clergy, women and men, young and old, the day begins with the four prayers, 'Hear, O Israel', the Lord's Prayer, St Francis' Canticle of Praise, the Beatitudes. We pray for all members of the Comunita dei Figli di Dio who have died on their anniversaries at Lauds and at Vespers. The Comunità allows lay people, vowed religious, and priests, a contemplative life, centred upon God, weaving together ecumenical strands taken from Benedictine, Carmelite and Franciscan traditions, from the Desert Fathers and the Orthodox heritage, while it emphasizes the contributions of the women mystics, and is strongly rooted in Florentine spirituality.
Go to Anglo-Italian Studies Homepage
The Julian Library Portfolio, 1996; The
Comunità dei figli di Dio Website, 1998.
© Copyright, don Divo Barsotti, C.F.D.; don Serafino Tognetti, C.F.D.;
Julia Bolton Holloway (juliana@tin.it),
Fiesole
Website Design: Timothy E. Thompson (tethomps@syr.fi.it),
Florence
Webmaster: Otfried Lieberknecht (lieberknecht@ber.netsurf.de),
Berlin
Nota Bene Consultant: Tony St Quintin (tonystq@zetnet.com.uk),
Leeds
This site last updated 1 May 1999.
