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Little Portion Hermitage: Berryville, Arkansas
The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage were founded by Catholic musician John Michael Talbot. Following two albums recorded for Sparrow Records in 1976 and 1977, and intrigued by the life of St. Francis of Assisi, he began studying at a Franciscan retreat center and joined the Secular Franciscans in 1978. A year later he started a house of prayer, The Little Portion, and planned to live as a hermit. But, he says, "People asked for more recordings, and I began doing a music ministry." In 1982 he, along with six others, moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas and founded The Little Portion Hermitage.
Today The Brothers and Sisters of Charity has about 40 members in Arkansas and another 500 worldwide. The Brothers and Sisters of Charity is the only community of its kind in North America with canonical status from the Catholic Church. It has been formally recognized as a Public Association of the Faithful and is one of 10 communities around the globe to encompass celibate brothers and sisters, as well as single people, married couples and families. Though the latter are permitted greater latitude, the essentials are the same. All take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience appropriate for their state of life.
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