In October 2004, the Community of the Beatitudes was founded in Spain, in the diocese of Segorbe-Castellon, … thanks to a couple! Both Catalans, Guillem and Esther Farré joined the Community in 1995, at Saint Martin du Canigou, when they were engaged to be married. There, they married, formed and rooted themselves in the charism of the Community, living for years both residential community life and mission within the Community. During the 2000 Jubilee pilgrimage of the Community of the Beatitudes to Rome, they came across the bishop of Castellon, to whom a young man from the diocese had just written to talk about the Community and ask him to call the Community to settle in his diocese… The bishop then invited them to come and found the Community.

It was finally in 2004 that the couple and two consecrated sisters came to settle in the diocese of Segorbe-Castellon, at Atzeneta. The bishop wanted to entrust them with an apostolate of welcoming young single mothers, but it wasn’t yet ripe… The Community soon offered times of prayer, vigils and retreats. While the consecrated sisters were unable to stay, some lay people made a commitment to become covenant members of the Community, which now includes, around the founding couple, Friends of the Lamb. The Community finally settled in Benicassim in 2011.

In 2012, the new bishop spoke to them again about his desire to launch an apostolate for single mothers. The couple then began to offer a Nazareth Week every summer for young single mothers in difficulty, based around three pillars: prayer life, formation and relaxation. They have been held every summer since 2012.

In 2016, at the end of the Jubilee of Mercy, the bishop wanted to open a home for single mothers. And so, in 2017, under the responsibility of the Community and a network of volunteers, the Foyer Nazareth opened in Castellon, welcoming single mothers in difficulty. (Find out more)

The Community of the Beatitudes invites you to :

• Vespers of the Resurrection every Saturday evening,
• prayer evenings, such as the Rose Petals Evening at the intercession of Saint Thérèse de l’Enfant-Jésus, on New Year’s Eve, or, five times a year, Prayer Vigils for Life and Family,
• quarterly preaching retreats, such as the Easter Triduum, with consecrated brothers and sisters from the Community coming to preach and help with the animation,
• Nazareth Week every summer,
• taking part in the International Pilgrimage of the Community of the Beatitudes to Lourdes in August.

Don’t hesitate to get in touch!