OUR HISTORY
A story born from an
encounter with the suffering
and transformed into a path
of restoration and hope.
Our story began in 2001, on the outskirts of São Paulo, Brazil,
as a response to the suffering of young people struggling with
drugs, violence, and social exclusion.
Faced with this reality, Fr. Gilson Sobreiro, together with Sister
Servant of the Hidden Wounds of the Crucified, Márcia
Oliveira Maia Prates, and a group of young people, began a
simple yet deeply transformative mission: a very simple Rehab
House, which we first called “the welcoming house.”
More than providing shelter, that space became a place of
listening, care, restoration, and rediscovery of human dignity.
Over time, through discernment of God’s will, it became clear
that this call was not limited to a project, but pointed to
something greater: the formation of a community entirely
consecrated to God.
Thus, the Fraternity was born—formed by men and women
who chose to give their lives completely, living the evangelical
counsels of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, and embracing
a fourth vow: Availability - Through this vow, we seek to imitate
Mary in her attitude of total readiness and loving service
toward Elizabeth: “In those days, Mary arose and went in
haste to the hill country, to a town of Judah” (Luke 1:39).
Over the years, the mission has grown and deepened. We welcome young people, adults, families, and children in various situations of vulnerability, including addiction, experiencing homelessness, incarceration, and social marginalization.
We call those we serve “our beloved sons and daughters”—not merely as recipients of care, but as an essential part of our identity and story. Many of our beloved sons and daughters, after a journey of restoration, become part of the mission itself as missionaries sometimes, witnessing that God’s love not only welcomes, but transforms and sends forth.
In time, the Fraternity expanded beyond borders and reached the United States, where the same mission continues: to be a sign of hope, an instrument of restoration, and a living presence of the Gospel of the Lord.
Today, in Brazil and in the United States, we live out one single calling: to bring the love of Christ to the heart of the world through prayer, the liturgy, and concrete service to our brothers and sisters most in need.