TEENS
“The Gen 3 aim high, very high…
They do not rely on their own strength alone,
but most of all on God’s strength, on strength from Heaven.
They have come to realize that those
who have made the greatest impact on the world and on history
are the saints:
they drew the masses,
brought many people to God,
effected social changes in the world.
And what have the Gen 3 decided to do?
They want to be – don’t be amazed –
a generation of saints.”
Chiara Lubich
The Gen 3 Movement
That is how Chiara Lubich described the third generation of the Focolare Movement when in 1992 she spoke during the international Gen 3 Supercongress, which was transmitted on world-vision.
A daring project, a fascinating adventure which springs from the Gospel put into life and is actualized in one’s daily choices, which often require the courage to swim against the current.
From 1970 – the year the Gen 3 Movement was born – onwards, boys and girls ranging from ages 9 to 17, from different races and cultures, have accepted the ideal of unity with enthusiasm. Their aim is to bring all over the world a revolution of love, especially among boys and girls, so that the priestly prayer of Jesus, “May they all be one,” may come true, in spite of all barriers, great or small.
Believing in the irresistible power of love, they are determined to build unity at home, in school, in playgrounds, among their friends. Perhaps it is just because of the simplicity and spontaneity characteristic of their age that they are able to obtain what seems to be “a miracle” to adults – parents rediscovering the meaning of their relationship, schoolmates learning to move beyond their sense of isolation, grown-ups giving God the first place in their lives – as they are touched by a teen-ager’s conviction or gesture. And they often ask: “Can I live like you?”
Teens for Unity Movement
Around the Gen 3 there are large numbers of boys and girls who want to share their lifestyle. They form the ‘Teens for Unity’ Movement, a movement of broader range, with the Gen 3 as the animating spirit. Together they pursue different ‘pathways’ which are concretized in local as well as world-wide projects aimed towards building a united world. http://www.teens4unity.net
The Teens for Unity belong to different races and nations, to different Churches and even to different religions and to cultures that do not profess a religious creed. They number about 150,000 and are present in 182 countries.
They believe that only love can change the world. They want Jesus’ words in the Gospel, “Love one another as I have loved you,” to become a reality among all the people in the world.
Their aim is to make universal brotherhood a reality by starting in their own cities and in the places where they live. They try all possible ways to make barriers and divisions fall away, for they are certain that humanity will become one great family.
They put the Golden Rule into practice: “Do unto others what you would have others do unto you,” which is present in the sacred books of the main world religions. This rule invites us to love everyone, concretely, taking the initiative. The Teens for Unity have experienced that by putting it into practice, they can contribute to the accomplishment of a united world.
They practice and spread a new culture, that of giving and sharing. They maintain a world-scale communion of goods, like in a great, planetary family, where those who have, put their goods in common with those who have not.
Initiatives
Pathways to Unity: These teen-agers organize meetings, gatherings and school assemblies to acquaint many other teen-agers with their lifestyle; they make use of musical bands, songs, artistic presentations, etc. to communicate messages of peace and unity. They do sports, games and recreational activities, not only to keep themselves physically fit, but also as a way to build new relationships. They promote ecology-oriented activities, peace marches and other local and world-scale projects.
“Give” Projects: They support 30 micro-projects in favor of their disadvantaged peers who are living in war-torn countries (27 nations in all).
Schoolmates: a network linking various schools, launched in 2002. Through a website, classes of students in different countries maintain correspondence via Internet to share their cultures and traditions, as well as projects already under way for the building of a united world. Through a solidarity fund classes can support scholarships in favor of teen-agers in disadvantaged countries.
Supercongresses: international meetings held every 5 years to gather together the Teens for Unity from all parts of the world. In 2002, they were in 9,000 from 93 different countries. Together they want to respond to the difficult world situation by encouraging the meeting of different cultures and religions; they transmit the idea of a united world by showing some existing realities where this idea is concretized.
Contacts
Teens for Unity World Center
Via di Frascati, 328
00040 Rocca di papa (Roma) IT
tel. +39-06-9496268
fax +39-06-9496268
email: centro.rpu@davide.it
http://www.teens4unity.net
