The Monastery of Vallechiara is the foundation house of the Monastic Family Fraternity of Jesus is situated in the hillside, thirty kilometres south of Rome.

The Fraternity of Jesus has taken up the challenge of living out the Christian vocation in modern society. During its formative years the community has aspired to develop a life founded on the Gospel, including a variety of projects placed at the service of the Church and society as a whole.

In 1985 the Fraternity of Jesus acquired its own land, enabling the community to establish the foundation house upon 110 acres of agricultural land in Lanuvio and Velletri (Rome). The life and organisation of the community is structured around:

1. Homes and areas for prayer and hospitality.

2. A working infrastructure catering for a variety of activities (organic agriculture, artistic handcrafts etc.)

Over time 'Vallechiara' has become a reality:

• with a complex of houses for a community of 50 people.

• including areas for the community's life of faith and prayer.

• offering hospitality, especially to young people wishing to spend some time experiencing community life.

Some of these houses were given to the community by the commune of Friuli (wooden prefabricated houses which had been used in the aftermath the earthquake of 1976).

In addition, a guesthouse has been constructed providing hospitality for about 20 people. Throughout the year single people and groups come to share our life of prayer, work and fraternity. During the summer months the monastery can welcome a larger number of people with camping facilities also available on site.

A large church-tent has also been constructed (a wooden structure covered in plastic fibre) and part of an abandoned farmhouse has been restructured to provide a chapel. The rest of this abandoned building will be redeveloped to provide further accommodation for the community. Although much remains to be done, this monastery will always remain the precious place where God brought us and spoke to us in the depth of our hearts. (Hosea 2, 16) - the place where we searched to put God in the first place and to create an environment expressing the beauty of God's creation.

We thank God for the support that we have received from both religious congregations and many friends - true instruments of God's providence - who have encouraged us and sustained us in this adventure.