General Info

The Brothers & Sisters of Charity is a Catholic based community made up of an integrated monastic expression of celibate brothers, celibate sisters, families and singles, and a domestic expression of those who live throughout the world in their own homes. The monastic and domestic expressions exist under one Scripture rule and under the leadership of our founder, General Minister and Monastic Father, yet each expression has its own distinct leadership and written guidelines, our directory. The base of the community is monastic. The motherhouse of the whole community is the Little Portion Hermitage near Eureka Springs, Arkansas. As a Public Association of the Faithful in the diocese of Little Rock, we are obedient to the Pope and each local bishop where we live and minister. More about BSC Expressions We are called to embrace gospel poverty and simplicity in contrast to rampant materialism and consumerism. We are called to embrace gospel chastity in contrast to rampant sexual promiscuity. We are called to embrace gospel obedience with the Church and this community of the Church in contrast to rampant individualism. We do this according to our state of life as monastic or domestic members. We also hold dear substantial silence so that others might come to know the presence of the Lord, substantial solitude so others might come to know the presence of the Constant Companion, prayer so others might experience the driving action of Jesus' love in their life, and penance so others might turn daily to the comfort of the Spirit of Christ in their life. Love is the primary charism of the community. Truth is our surest guide. Integration is the expression of this love guided by truth. We are, as an integrated monastic community, religious from a Christian base, Christian from a Catholic base and monastic from a Franciscan base. As such, we consider Franciscanism our mother but we are a child that is unique and new. We also integrate the charismatic and contemplative, solitude and community, contemplative prayer and apostolic activity.