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There are no employers and employees
- There is no exploitation
- The firms are run in a brotherly manner and every one is a co-manager
- No one is paid and there is no private property
- Everyone is available for any kind of work
- Repetitive or heavy work is done together
- There are no strikes and there is no absenteeism
A NEW SOCIAL SOLUTION: BROTHERHOOD. "Neither servant nor master".
After Fr. Zeno's talk with his anarchic friend, and in function of the
decision he took at the age of 20, Nomadelfians work only within their
community's firms. They cannot hire and they cannot be hired.
THE FIRMS. The firms are run in a brotherly fashion and the workers
are not allowed to take advantage of each other.
The presidency nominates a manager for each firm who must run it in harmony
with the other firms of the community.
He must justify regular activity to the presidency and special activity
to the Assembly.
AVAILABILITY. There are no career possibilities and everyone
must be available for any kind of work indicated by the presidency in
accordance with the community's needs and the individual's capacities.
Certain jobs are done in turn by everyone: night guard, stable work on
feast days and accompaniment of visitors.
NO ONE IS PAID. No one owns any private property. Unemployment
does not exist in Nomadelfia.
The elderly and handicapped work as much as they are able and no one feels
useless.
THE HOURS. The Nomadelfians' work week begins on Monday and ends
on Saturday and have a 5 hour work day. They hold jobs in firms, workshops,
schools and offices. In the afteroons, specialized work may be substituted
by "joint work" which is done by the entire population.
JOINT
WORK. Its purpose is to avoid that only a small group of people do
heavy or repetitive work as for example: removal of rocks from the fields,
trimming, olive picking, grape-harvesting, construction, road maintenance.
With the help of mechanical equipment and joint work, a dam with a 300,000
m.3 lake and irrigation system have been built.
THE ACTIVITIES. The typography serves to diffuse Nomadelfia's proposal.
The monthtly magazine "Nomadelfia is a proposal", founded by Fr. Zeno
in 1968, has a circulation of 70,000 copies. Fr. Zeno's books are published
as well as Nomadelfian publications and pamphlets for the community's
use. The printed matter does not have a price but it is distributed to
those who request it by making a contribution.
The agricultural firm cultivates 120 hectares of land, it sees to the
breeding of animals, the cellar, the oil press and dairy.
The mechanic's shop repairs the community's motor vehicles.
The electronics laboratory has given rise to a television station which
produces programs and documentaries for the community.
Nomadelfia also has schools, archives, carpentry firms, a photo laboratory,
electrotechnical and plumbing firms, a tailor's shop, a doctor's office
and other offices. Firms and laboratories are equipped to teach young
people.
THE
CULTURE. Nomadelfia's culture, which comes from a patrimony of faith,
knowledge and experiences, pushes us toward our fellowmen and toward the
construction of a new society.
For Fr. Zeno, to possess a culture does not only mean "knowledge" but
living what one knows: it is a concept of "living culture", it is a committment
to coherence.
Everyday, after the afternoon's work, in order to nourish the spirit and
to deepen their mission, the Nomadelfians gather in a common area or within
the family groups and once again listen to Fr. Zeno's recorded meditations
while following along with written texts.
At times they study society's problems through documentaries or reports
prepared by some Nomadelfians on a specific topic or by attending conferences
held by celebrities outside of the community.
The children often attend these courses too.
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