Cappella della Fraternità Sacerdotale dei Missionari di San Carlo Borromeo is a 21st century convent chapel at Via di Boccea 761 in the Casalotti zone. The chapel is within the city limits, but in the territory of the diocese of Porto Santa Rufina.
History[]
The "Priestly Fraternity of the Missionaries of St Charles Borromeo" (Fraternità Sacerdotale dei Missionari di San Carlo Borromeo) is an offshoot of the "Communion and Liberation" (Comunione e Liberazione) movement founded by Luigi Giussani in 1954. The thirtieth anniversary of this foundation inspired Massimo Camisasca to found a confraternity of missionary priests who would give long-term service to dioceses suffering a lack of priestly vocations.
The headquarters of the new society was set up in Rome, and the chapel consecrated in 2010.
The brethren are now in charge of two Roman parishes, Santa Maria in Domnica and Santa Maria del Rosario ai Martiri Portuensi.
Appearance[]
The Generalate or headquarters is a rather uninteresting set of buildings up a long driveway from the main road. The chapel has no separate architectural identity.
However, its importance lies in its very high-quality set of sanctuary furnishings, together with mosaics by Marko Ivan Rupnik SJ of the Centro Aletti.
Behind the altar is a curved mosaic triptych, executed as one surface but with three Biblical scenes. These are, from left to right: Abraham Giving Hospitality to the Three Angels, The Annunciation and Master, Where Do You LIve -Come and See. This main panel is flanked by two side mosaics. To the left is depicted Don Luigi Giussani with two young people, while to the right are St Charles Borromeo and Pope St John Paul II. Note that the latter has no halo -his canonisation was after the mosaic was commissioned.
The altar, lectern and tabernacle are part of the same commission as the mosaics and are in pure white marble. The first has a frontal depicting The Pelican in Its Piety, the second has a flame motif and the third a silver-gilt cross enclosing a medallion depicting The Boat of St Peter.