Founder of the Community of Nomadelfia, Don Zeno Saltini was born on August 30, 1900, in Fossoli di Carpi, Modena, Italy, to a well-to-do family of agricultures. Refusing to continue his studies, stating that school taught things which did not affect life, at fourteen years of age he went to work on his family's land, living with the workers and becoming thus familiar with their miseries and their aspirations.
Serving as a soldier in the National Service in Florence, a brutal encounter with an anarchist in the presence of other soldiers left a deep impact on him. The anarchist sustained that Christ and the Church were obstacles to human progress. Zeno from his end sustained the opposite, while recognizing that many Christians are incoherent. But the anarchist was a studious man and he was not. In the midst of the other soldier's whistles, mostly in favor of the anarchist, Zeno retreated and decided, "I will answer him with my life. I will change civilization by first changing myself. For the rest of my life, I want to be neither a servant nor a master". Deciding to study law and theology, in the meantime he continued to participate in apostolic activities as well as helped needy youngsters. Receiving his college degree from the Catholic University of Milan, as an attorney his intentions were to help those that could not afford to pay for a counselor. Soon after he realized his mission was to prevent people from falling into misfortune and decided to become a priest.
Ordained by Bishop Giovanni Pranzini, he was sent to San Giacomo Roncole near Mirandola, where he soon started welcoming abandoned children as his own and founded the "Little Apostles". During the Second World War in 1941, a young student named Irene ran away from home and asked Zeno if she could become "mother" of his "Little Apostles". With the approval of his Bishop, Fr. Zeno entrusted the youngest children in her care and hence the beginning of a new and virgin motherhood. Other young women soon followed in Irene's footsteps and became known as "Mothers of Vocation". Other clergymen joined Fr. Zeno and together lived as communitarian priests.
Fr. Zeno's mission was however persecuted and many tried to dissolve it. In 1947 they occupied the former concentration camp of Fossoli, near Carpi, to build their new town. As they tore down walls and fences, in addition to the "Mothers of Vocation", new families were formed by newlyweds who asked Father Zeno's permission to take in abandoned children and raise them as their own. On February 14, 1948 the constitution was signed at the altar and hence the "Little Apostles" became Nomadelfia, which in Greek means "the Law of Brotherhood". In 1950 Nomadelfia proposed a political movement called "Movement for Brotherhood" in order to abolish any form of abuse while promoting democracy. But the initiative was blocked by political forces and by some ecclesiastical milieus. 800 of the 1,150 Nomadelfians which formed the community at this time were abandoned children, many of which were in need of medical treatment. There were also 150 homeless and unemployed adults. The economic situation became more and more difficult and many used this as an excuse to dissolve Nomadelfia. On February 5, 1952 the Holy Office ordered Fr. Zeno to leave Nomadelfia and he obeyed. Since the Nomadelfians had been forced to leave Fossoli, they sought shelter in Grosseto on 400 hectares of land that had been donated by Countess Maria Giovanna Albertoni Pirelli. Although Zeno was far from his children, he continued to provide for them.
Asking the Pope's permission to temporarily leave priesthood in order to return to his children, in 1953 Pope Pius XII granted him the secularization 'pro gratia'. At this time there were about 400 Nomadelfians. Zeno created the "Family Groups" in 1954 and in 1961, Nomadelfia became a civil association and drew up a new constitution. At this point Zeno asked the Holy Father's permission to re-enter the priesthood on a personal request of Monsignor Giovanni Battista Enrico Maria Montini, Cardinal Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Milan and future Saint Pope Paul VI. Nomadelfia was made a parish and Zeno was nominated its parish priest. Proposing to the Nomadelfians a new form of apostolate in 1965, the "Nomadelfian Entertainment Evenings", which consisted in a dance performance. The monthly magazine "Nomadelfia is a Proposal" was first published in 1968, and in that same year Nomadelfians were given authorization to educate their children in their own schools.
On August 12, 1980, the Nomadelfians performed for Pope John Paul II at the Villa in Castelgandolfo. All of Nomadelfia was present and the Holy Father stated: "If we are called to be the sons of God and brothers, then Nomadelfia is a presage of the world to come".
A few months later, Fr. Zeno suffered a heart attack and spoke his last words, which are considered his testament, to the Nomadelfians. He died in Nomadelfia on January 15, 1981 while the Holy Father was receiving a Nomadelfian delegation to pray for him.
With his cause for beatification currently in process, a sister of Zeno, Marianna, known as "Mamma Nina", was declared venerable by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
Serving as a soldier in the National Service in Florence, a brutal encounter with an anarchist in the presence of other soldiers left a deep impact on him. The anarchist sustained that Christ and the Church were obstacles to human progress. Zeno from his end sustained the opposite, while recognizing that many Christians are incoherent. But the anarchist was a studious man and he was not. In the midst of the other soldier's whistles, mostly in favor of the anarchist, Zeno retreated and decided, "I will answer him with my life. I will change civilization by first changing myself. For the rest of my life, I want to be neither a servant nor a master". Deciding to study law and theology, in the meantime he continued to participate in apostolic activities as well as helped needy youngsters. Receiving his college degree from the Catholic University of Milan, as an attorney his intentions were to help those that could not afford to pay for a counselor. Soon after he realized his mission was to prevent people from falling into misfortune and decided to become a priest.
Ordained by Bishop Giovanni Pranzini, he was sent to San Giacomo Roncole near Mirandola, where he soon started welcoming abandoned children as his own and founded the "Little Apostles". During the Second World War in 1941, a young student named Irene ran away from home and asked Zeno if she could become "mother" of his "Little Apostles". With the approval of his Bishop, Fr. Zeno entrusted the youngest children in her care and hence the beginning of a new and virgin motherhood. Other young women soon followed in Irene's footsteps and became known as "Mothers of Vocation". Other clergymen joined Fr. Zeno and together lived as communitarian priests.
Fr. Zeno's mission was however persecuted and many tried to dissolve it. In 1947 they occupied the former concentration camp of Fossoli, near Carpi, to build their new town. As they tore down walls and fences, in addition to the "Mothers of Vocation", new families were formed by newlyweds who asked Father Zeno's permission to take in abandoned children and raise them as their own. On February 14, 1948 the constitution was signed at the altar and hence the "Little Apostles" became Nomadelfia, which in Greek means "the Law of Brotherhood". In 1950 Nomadelfia proposed a political movement called "Movement for Brotherhood" in order to abolish any form of abuse while promoting democracy. But the initiative was blocked by political forces and by some ecclesiastical milieus. 800 of the 1,150 Nomadelfians which formed the community at this time were abandoned children, many of which were in need of medical treatment. There were also 150 homeless and unemployed adults. The economic situation became more and more difficult and many used this as an excuse to dissolve Nomadelfia. On February 5, 1952 the Holy Office ordered Fr. Zeno to leave Nomadelfia and he obeyed. Since the Nomadelfians had been forced to leave Fossoli, they sought shelter in Grosseto on 400 hectares of land that had been donated by Countess Maria Giovanna Albertoni Pirelli. Although Zeno was far from his children, he continued to provide for them.
Asking the Pope's permission to temporarily leave priesthood in order to return to his children, in 1953 Pope Pius XII granted him the secularization 'pro gratia'. At this time there were about 400 Nomadelfians. Zeno created the "Family Groups" in 1954 and in 1961, Nomadelfia became a civil association and drew up a new constitution. At this point Zeno asked the Holy Father's permission to re-enter the priesthood on a personal request of Monsignor Giovanni Battista Enrico Maria Montini, Cardinal Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Milan and future Saint Pope Paul VI. Nomadelfia was made a parish and Zeno was nominated its parish priest. Proposing to the Nomadelfians a new form of apostolate in 1965, the "Nomadelfian Entertainment Evenings", which consisted in a dance performance. The monthly magazine "Nomadelfia is a Proposal" was first published in 1968, and in that same year Nomadelfians were given authorization to educate their children in their own schools.
On August 12, 1980, the Nomadelfians performed for Pope John Paul II at the Villa in Castelgandolfo. All of Nomadelfia was present and the Holy Father stated: "If we are called to be the sons of God and brothers, then Nomadelfia is a presage of the world to come".
A few months later, Fr. Zeno suffered a heart attack and spoke his last words, which are considered his testament, to the Nomadelfians. He died in Nomadelfia on January 15, 1981 while the Holy Father was receiving a Nomadelfian delegation to pray for him.
With his cause for beatification currently in process, a sister of Zeno, Marianna, known as "Mamma Nina", was declared venerable by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
Founder of the Community of Nomadelfia, Don Zeno Saltini was born on August 30, 1900, in Fossoli di Carpi, Modena, Italy, to a well-to-do family of agricultures. Refusing to continue his studies, stating that school taught things which did not affect life, at fourteen years of age he went to work on his family's land, living with the workers and becoming thus familiar with their miseries and their aspirations.
Serving as a soldier in the National Service in Florence, a brutal encounter with an anarchist in the presence of other soldiers left a deep impact on him. The anarchist sustained that Christ and the Church were obstacles to human progress. Zeno from his end sustained the opposite, while recognizing that many Christians are incoherent. But the anarchist was a studious man and he was not. In the midst of the other soldier's whistles, mostly in favor of the anarchist, Zeno retreated and decided, "I will answer him with my life. I will change civilization by first changing myself. For the rest of my life, I want to be neither a servant nor a master". Deciding to study law and theology, in the meantime he continued to participate in apostolic activities as well as helped needy youngsters. Receiving his college degree from the Catholic University of Milan, as an attorney his intentions were to help those that could not afford to pay for a counselor. Soon after he realized his mission was to prevent people from falling into misfortune and decided to become a priest.
Ordained by Bishop Giovanni Pranzini, he was sent to San Giacomo Roncole near Mirandola, where he soon started welcoming abandoned children as his own and founded the "Little Apostles". During the Second World War in 1941, a young student named Irene ran away from home and asked Zeno if she could become "mother" of his "Little Apostles". With the approval of his Bishop, Fr. Zeno entrusted the youngest children in her care and hence the beginning of a new and virgin motherhood. Other young women soon followed in Irene's footsteps and became known as "Mothers of Vocation". Other clergymen joined Fr. Zeno and together lived as communitarian priests.
Fr. Zeno's mission was however persecuted and many tried to dissolve it. In 1947 they occupied the former concentration camp of Fossoli, near Carpi, to build their new town. As they tore down walls and fences, in addition to the "Mothers of Vocation", new families were formed by newlyweds who asked Father Zeno's permission to take in abandoned children and raise them as their own. On February 14, 1948 the constitution was signed at the altar and hence the "Little Apostles" became Nomadelfia, which in Greek means "the Law of Brotherhood". In 1950 Nomadelfia proposed a political movement called "Movement for Brotherhood" in order to abolish any form of abuse while promoting democracy. But the initiative was blocked by political forces and by some ecclesiastical milieus. 800 of the 1,150 Nomadelfians which formed the community at this time were abandoned children, many of which were in need of medical treatment. There were also 150 homeless and unemployed adults. The economic situation became more and more difficult and many used this as an excuse to dissolve Nomadelfia. On February 5, 1952 the Holy Office ordered Fr. Zeno to leave Nomadelfia and he obeyed. Since the Nomadelfians had been forced to leave Fossoli, they sought shelter in Grosseto on 400 hectares of land that had been donated by Countess Maria Giovanna Albertoni Pirelli. Although Zeno was far from his children, he continued to provide for them.
Asking the Pope's permission to temporarily leave priesthood in order to return to his children, in 1953 Pope Pius XII granted him the secularization 'pro gratia'. At this time there were about 400 Nomadelfians. Zeno created the "Family Groups" in 1954 and in 1961, Nomadelfia became a civil association and drew up a new constitution. At this point Zeno asked the Holy Father's permission to re-enter the priesthood on a personal request of Monsignor Giovanni Battista Enrico Maria Montini, Cardinal Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Milan and future Saint Pope Paul VI. Nomadelfia was made a parish and Zeno was nominated its parish priest. Proposing to the Nomadelfians a new form of apostolate in 1965, the "Nomadelfian Entertainment Evenings", which consisted in a dance performance. The monthly magazine "Nomadelfia is a Proposal" was first published in 1968, and in that same year Nomadelfians were given authorization to educate their children in their own schools.
On August 12, 1980, the Nomadelfians performed for Pope John Paul II at the Villa in Castelgandolfo. All of Nomadelfia was present and the Holy Father stated: "If we are called to be the sons of God and brothers, then Nomadelfia is a presage of the world to come".
A few months later, Fr. Zeno suffered a heart attack and spoke his last words, which are considered his testament, to the Nomadelfians. He died in Nomadelfia on January 15, 1981 while the Holy Father was receiving a Nomadelfian delegation to pray for him.
With his cause for beatification currently in process, a sister of Zeno, Marianna, known as "Mamma Nina", was declared venerable by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
Serving as a soldier in the National Service in Florence, a brutal encounter with an anarchist in the presence of other soldiers left a deep impact on him. The anarchist sustained that Christ and the Church were obstacles to human progress. Zeno from his end sustained the opposite, while recognizing that many Christians are incoherent. But the anarchist was a studious man and he was not. In the midst of the other soldier's whistles, mostly in favor of the anarchist, Zeno retreated and decided, "I will answer him with my life. I will change civilization by first changing myself. For the rest of my life, I want to be neither a servant nor a master". Deciding to study law and theology, in the meantime he continued to participate in apostolic activities as well as helped needy youngsters. Receiving his college degree from the Catholic University of Milan, as an attorney his intentions were to help those that could not afford to pay for a counselor. Soon after he realized his mission was to prevent people from falling into misfortune and decided to become a priest.
Ordained by Bishop Giovanni Pranzini, he was sent to San Giacomo Roncole near Mirandola, where he soon started welcoming abandoned children as his own and founded the "Little Apostles". During the Second World War in 1941, a young student named Irene ran away from home and asked Zeno if she could become "mother" of his "Little Apostles". With the approval of his Bishop, Fr. Zeno entrusted the youngest children in her care and hence the beginning of a new and virgin motherhood. Other young women soon followed in Irene's footsteps and became known as "Mothers of Vocation". Other clergymen joined Fr. Zeno and together lived as communitarian priests.
Fr. Zeno's mission was however persecuted and many tried to dissolve it. In 1947 they occupied the former concentration camp of Fossoli, near Carpi, to build their new town. As they tore down walls and fences, in addition to the "Mothers of Vocation", new families were formed by newlyweds who asked Father Zeno's permission to take in abandoned children and raise them as their own. On February 14, 1948 the constitution was signed at the altar and hence the "Little Apostles" became Nomadelfia, which in Greek means "the Law of Brotherhood". In 1950 Nomadelfia proposed a political movement called "Movement for Brotherhood" in order to abolish any form of abuse while promoting democracy. But the initiative was blocked by political forces and by some ecclesiastical milieus. 800 of the 1,150 Nomadelfians which formed the community at this time were abandoned children, many of which were in need of medical treatment. There were also 150 homeless and unemployed adults. The economic situation became more and more difficult and many used this as an excuse to dissolve Nomadelfia. On February 5, 1952 the Holy Office ordered Fr. Zeno to leave Nomadelfia and he obeyed. Since the Nomadelfians had been forced to leave Fossoli, they sought shelter in Grosseto on 400 hectares of land that had been donated by Countess Maria Giovanna Albertoni Pirelli. Although Zeno was far from his children, he continued to provide for them.
Asking the Pope's permission to temporarily leave priesthood in order to return to his children, in 1953 Pope Pius XII granted him the secularization 'pro gratia'. At this time there were about 400 Nomadelfians. Zeno created the "Family Groups" in 1954 and in 1961, Nomadelfia became a civil association and drew up a new constitution. At this point Zeno asked the Holy Father's permission to re-enter the priesthood on a personal request of Monsignor Giovanni Battista Enrico Maria Montini, Cardinal Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Milan and future Saint Pope Paul VI. Nomadelfia was made a parish and Zeno was nominated its parish priest. Proposing to the Nomadelfians a new form of apostolate in 1965, the "Nomadelfian Entertainment Evenings", which consisted in a dance performance. The monthly magazine "Nomadelfia is a Proposal" was first published in 1968, and in that same year Nomadelfians were given authorization to educate their children in their own schools.
On August 12, 1980, the Nomadelfians performed for Pope John Paul II at the Villa in Castelgandolfo. All of Nomadelfia was present and the Holy Father stated: "If we are called to be the sons of God and brothers, then Nomadelfia is a presage of the world to come".
A few months later, Fr. Zeno suffered a heart attack and spoke his last words, which are considered his testament, to the Nomadelfians. He died in Nomadelfia on January 15, 1981 while the Holy Father was receiving a Nomadelfian delegation to pray for him.
With his cause for beatification currently in process, a sister of Zeno, Marianna, known as "Mamma Nina", was declared venerable by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
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