1980
At the request of the Bishop of Rimini, Mons. Locatelli, the Community turned its attention to people suffering from drug addiction, opening the first Therapeutic Community for their rehabilitation in Igea Marina (RN).
The same year Father Oreste Benzi asked the Bishop of Rimini for ecclesiastical recognition for the Community. After a long period of reflection, discussion and prayer, the Framework for Living was drawn up in which the Community set out the vocation to which it felt it had been called: to model themselves on the suffering Jesus, poor man and servant, who takes away the sins of the world, through direct sharing with the least, leading a life of poverty, making room for prayer and contemplation, letting themselves be guided by obedience in confirmation of a correct interpretation of the will of the Lord and living in fraternity.
1983
Mons. Locatelli recognises the Pope John XXIII Community in the second group of ecclesiastical organisations, on the basis of the 1981 pastoral note from the Italian Episcopal Conference "Criteria for granting groups, movements and associations of the faithful ecclesiastical status within the Church".
1984
The first Adult Emergency Social Service opened to offer a prompt response to Adults in crisis situations.
Members of the Community started to visit Prisons seeking to understand prisoners’ problems.
1985
After lengthy reflection on the missionary vocation, prompted by a call from Mons. Denis Dejong, Bishop of Ndola, in Zambia, the Community’s first missionary group left to open the mission in Zambia on 23 August 1985
1986
The first overseas family home was opened as part of the mission in Ndola, Zambia.
1987
The idea of going to out to find those poor people who would never ask for help led to the opening, in Rimini, of the first Bethlehem Hut, a place for homeless people encountered in their place of suffering, offering them not only a welcome but a path to change.
1988
At the request of some people who felt moved by the Holy Spirit to withdraw into a life of prayer and contemplation, the first Prayer Home was established. These homes combine prayer with direct sharing with people with the most severe difficulties and also enable others to try this experience for varying lengths of time.
1989
It was decided to go out to meet Young People in search of answers in their life, not only inviting them to summer camps but also going out to get to know them in the places they normally frequent, such as discos, pubs, rock concerts and other places of entertainment. This year also saw the start of the work with the Roma and Sinti people, the poorest of the poor.