{"id":78417,"date":"2026-05-20T13:34:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T12:34:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spaziospadoni.org\/training-institutions\/confraternita-di-misericordia-di-portopalo-di-capo-passero\/"},"modified":"2026-08-22T09:32:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-22T08:32:10","slug":"confraternity-of-mercy-of-portopalo-di-capo-passero","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/spaziospadoni.org\/en\/training-institutions\/confraternity-of-mercy-of-portopalo-di-capo-passero\/","title":{"rendered":"Confraternity of Mercy of Portopalo di Capo Passero"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Confraternity of Mercy of Portopalo di Capo Passero is a voluntary association belonging to the Confraternities of Mercy Movement, founded in Florence in 1244 by Pietro da Verona, later known as Saint Peter Martyr. Today, the Confraternities of Mercy are present in Italy and abroad through more than 700 confraternities.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Confraternity<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

History<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Confraternity of Mercy of Portopalo was founded in 1996 following a tragic event in which delayed emergency assistance turned a critical situation into a fatal tragedy. The episode profoundly shocked the community and highlighted the urgent need for an efficient, permanent emergency response service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The parish priest at the time, Don Calogero Palacino, deeply affected by what had happened, decided to bring together a group of volunteers motivated by a spirit of solidarity and service to the Portopalo community. This led to the founding of the Confraternity of Mercy and the beginning of its operations. In May 2001, its affiliation with the Confraternities of Mercy of Florence was formalised through the deed of incorporation signed before the notary Dr Filippo Morello.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A public petition was organised to purchase an ambulance, and contributions from the people of Portopalo made the purchase possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first governor was Francesco Pappalardo, and the initial headquarters were established at the Don Bosco Oratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the outset, the Confraternity of Mercy provided essential services such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 24-hour emergency response<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 community assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the years that followed, the needs of the population increased and, to meet them, it became necessary to purchase a special Dobl\u00f2 vehicle equipped to transport people with disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, the ambulance then in service was decommissioned and a new one was purchased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, to compensate for the lack of school transport to secondary schools in Pachino, our Confraternity of Mercy established a shuttle bus service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2019, the Universal Civil Service and Youth Guarantee programmes have been reactivated to give young people from Portopalo the opportunity to experience and become actively involved in assistance and services for elderly people and those most in need of help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, the Confraternity joined the \u201dHIC SUM\u201d project run by spazio + spadoni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2024, an additional minibus was purchased for school transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Confraternity of Mercy of Portopalo works with the parish Caritas and, in coordination with it, distributes food parcels to people in need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who turn to the Confraternity are mainly people with health problems, walking difficulties, personal hardship or financial difficulties, who find in the Confraternity of Mercy a constant and reliable source of support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Confraternity of Mercy, born from the pain of a loss, has become a symbol of hope and a point of reference for the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activities<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n