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Twenty years of the Economy of Communion

12 May 2011 | Focolare Worldwide

 

The events of 20 years of EoC in Brazil are just around the corner. The final preparations are in full swing. People have been passionately working for several months in preparation for these 5 days which are important to all those who have EoC in their DNA. The preparations are being made on two fronts: one fof the EoC Assembly at the Mariapoli Ginetta of Vargem Grande Paulista and the Open day in Sao Paulo, where some 1600 people are expected at the Memorial of Latin America. The organizers inform us that for the Assembly, we have reached the threshold of 630 participants: a truly ambitious goal, especially for the diverse countries of origin of the people. Some 37 countries, coming from 4 continents, are expected to be represented. If the majority are obviously the Brazilians, with over 240 participants, Italy comes in second with 85 participants followed by Argentina with 62 participants.  There is also a significant representation from Korea with almost 30 people! Following by order of numerical representation, are Spain, Chile, USA, France, Uruguay, Switzerland, Bolivia, Germany, Venezuela, Slovenia, Paraguay, Mexico, Portugal, Belgium, Ireland, Canada, Serbia, Panama, Philippines, Cameroon, Poland, Croatia, Costa Rica, Peru, Kenya, Slovakia, Hungary, Ecuador, Colombia, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Congo and Romania. With our suitcases almost ready, we are now preparing a staff that will work actively to maintain the site as updated as possible — providing daily news, photos, documents and echoes of what’s happening in real time. The young people present will create a blog and will do their part through the social networks … Those who cannot be present in Brazil can still participate in events in real time through live streaming that is being prepared. The link to access will be published on the website once available. Live broadcasts will be made during the days of the Assembly at the Mariapoli Ginetta (25-28 May) on the final day in Sao Paulo on Sunday May 29. There will be an opportunity to organize listening points, especially for the final day, creating opportunities to get together in celebration of this important anniversary.  We have already been informed of a listening point at the Business Park  Lionello in Loppiano, the Business Park Giosi of Abrigada (Portugal), in Vienna, in Lugano, and perhaps in Madrid. The list may become longer in the following days. The live streaming during the days of the Assembly will be in the morning to allow everyone to take part in the themes of the Assembly. The language of the live transmission will be in Italian. On May 29 the live streaming will be on-going throughout the day. Further details will be published as soon as they are available. In the meantime, see you all in Brazil! by Antonella Ferrucci – www.edc-online.org

God loves me – God is calling me

God loves me – God is calling me

11 May 2011 | Non categorizzato

“God loves me – God is calling me”, was the slogan printed on cards that identified the young people present at Loppiano (Italy), between 14 and 19 March 2011. This slogan expressed the goal of the days: to delve deeply into the vocation of a focolarino, someone who is called by God to become an “apostle of unity” – a beautiful expression used by John Paul II – and to follow Jesus by pursuing his prayer to the Father: “May they all be one” (Jn: 17: 21).

The thirty-three young people came from different parts of the world. There were students, labourers and entrepreneurs among them. But they were all united in the single desire to put aside everything for God, to renounce starting a family, in order to dedicate themselves to the building of the unity of the human family that Jesus prayed for. Many impressions were shared during those days, like Andrew and Jonas from Brazil. Andrew  who just finished his master’s degree in history, said:  “I left behind some nice things, some very nice things, only to find more beautiful things here.” Jonas, who is an airline pilot, remarked: “I’m left with the certainty of God’s call, because of the strong spiritual experience I had here.” Indeed, it is often the presence of the Risen Christ in the midst of the community who amplifies the voice of God and allows it to be heard in one’s heart. Stephen, an engineer from Rome, talks about the intensity of those days: “I will take home with me the relationships that I built with each one of you. I understood that Jesus Forsaken is the essence of our vocation.” He was referring to a central point of Focolare spirituality: Jesus dying on the cross for everyone and experiencing the abandonment of the Father, taking upon himself all the abandonment and suffering of humankind. The focolarini choose Jesus forsaken as a model of self-giving and the basis of their choice in life. Renzo, who is also Italian from Bari, added, with his face beaming, “I take with me the extraordinary beauty of life in a focolare”. Jay is a journalist from the Philippines. He says he learned in Loppiano “to recognize in pains and difficulties the face of Jesus forsaken.” Not only: the real discovery for him was that he had tried “to love Jesus forsaken with joy, not merely to get through the difficulties.” Anthony a young Kenyan student summarizes the challenge:  “To aim high. This is the vocation of the focolarino, it’s mine, it’s ours.” At the end of those days that they will never forget, they wrote the following to Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement: “It was Jesus guiding us deeper into our vocation, in order to take us to a new level of intimacy with Him. We asked him to help us to be always faithful to Him.” And they affirmed their decision to live this “divine adventure, trying to imitate the transparency of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who never thought about herself but only of God, the most perfect model for a Christian of today and always.” Here are some images of some of the highlights of these days, which speak louder than words. [nggallery id=38]

God loves me – God is calling me

Silvana Veronesi in Argentina

11 May 2011 | Focolare Worldwide

Silvana with Gustavo Clariá (Focolare Website)

What were your impressions of Argentinean society? I found myself in a continent where Christianity is very much alive; it’s the cultural root of this population. The Eucharistic celebrations, for example, were well attended and full of young people; Sunday is respected even on a civil level. Argentina is so vast that you could consider it a continent in itself; a young and new continent! There is a certain openness and freedom that facilitate the understanding of the Spirituality of Unity born from Chiara’s charism. We know that you’ve been often invited to Argentina by the numerous Focolare Communities there…

Mariapolis Lia

Yes, that’s true. The Focolare Movement in Argentina is widespread; each vocation within the Work of Mary is well developed and witness is given in various environments. For example in the little town “Mariapolis Lia”- which is in a certain sense the heart of the Movement in the so called ‘Southern Cone’ of America- many young people leave everything for a year to “have an experience”, as they themselves say. They spend a year there to receive formation in a ‘new life’ based on the Gospel. Whilst these young people are predominantly South American, there are also boys and girls from Europe and other parts of the world. The seriousness with which they take on this commitment is extremely admirable. Chiara Lubich underlined the central role of young people as one of the characteristics of Argentina’s Focolare little town. I visited the whole little town and I met the focolarini men and women, the schools for young people and the local Focolare community. I was struck by the relationships of unity and the harmony among everyone. The stamp of reciprocal love left by Lia Brunet and Vittorio Sabbione- pioneers of the movement in Argentina- is truly visible. Chiara, during her historical visit in 1998, underlined this reciprocal love as a characteristic of the little town. I can truly say that I experienced the spiritual presence of Our Lady. I spoke about her in a talk I gave to the whole community, describing how she manifested herself in the story of our movement as a model for living the Will of God. I also visited the “Solidaridad” Enterprise Centre where some businesses inspired by the Economy of Communion can be found. Theses businesses are still small but they are pure and coherent with Gospel values that assure them of a promising future. The ‘hidden associate’- as they themselves call Divine Providence- accompanies them and intervenes faithfully. You spent Easter in Argentina…! I spent it at the Mariapolis Centre in Jose C. Paz, near Buenos Aires. They were intense days of deep spirituality spent with the focolarine women. There were about 90 of them including those who are married. At a certain stage the focolarini men and all the members from the local Focolare community came: there were about 400 people in all. When I was with them I felt an inner push to underline how, at the dawn of the movement, along with Chiara, we understood the realities of Jesus in the Midst and Jesus Forsaken. I was moved by the love and gratitude that they expressed in so many ways and was really touched by the harmony that reigns between them all. Of course this can always improve and grow but I think Chiara from Heaven is happy.

God loves me – God is calling me

Msgr Stanislaw Dziwisz: Chiara and John Paul II

10 May 2011 | Non categorizzato

14th March 2009 was Chiara Lubich’s first anniversary. With a live event entitled “With Chiara – a dialogue that continues” people around the globe retraced the steps of her life. One of the most significant experiences shared at the event was that of Mons. Dziwisz, who closely accompanied John Paul II. He was ordained priest by Wojtyla in 1963 and was by his side as secretary for 40 years. He is now Cardinal of Krakow, a role once held by his friend Karol. The following is a transcript of what he said in the video-taped interview.

Video: Interview with Msgr Stanislao Dziwis (Italian soundtrack)

Mons. Stanislaw Dziwisz, Cardinal of Krakow: The Holy Father first met the focolarini here in Poland, also in this house; they used to come even in a hidden way. The Pope tried to read the signs of the times, and he saw that Chiara read them in the same way, the reading of the Church and also of the world. He always had great respect for her, also when speaking privately, and I saw a great understanding between them, spiritual understanding and also commitment to the Church. And a great unity grew between these two people. Few words were necessary, they understood each other very well. I think that the Holy Father found in her, and also in the Focolare Movement, the confirmation of all that he thought, how he saw the Church; its openness toward the world, also toward other Christians and the non-Christian religions. Chiara would come to the holy Father with her close collaborators, not only officially, but also privately, for so-called working lunches. They were family-like dinners, there was absolutely no formality, just like in a family. The Pope, as we know, had an artistic spirit, I think that Chiara also had that same spirit. They had this in common too. The Pope gave great importance to lay people because not everyone understood the importance of the Movements in the life of the Church – also of women. He would speak of the genius of women. Chiara was this genius of women. It’s incredible that she was able to do what I think the Holy Spirit did through her. Chiara did not give philosophical talks, but simple talks that were full of love, and this attracted people. Many people pray through Servants of God and obtain graces. I can confirm the same. I think the same thing happens for the focolarini, that when they have some problem, they ask or they seek inspiration through Chiara. Perhaps they also ask for her help, also for her protection, and maybe now it is even more effective than before. We will see this in the future. I think that the two of them are looking down on us, they follow us, they help us.

God loves me – God is calling me

Onward to Russia

10 May 2011 | Focolare Worldwide

Liliana Cosi

In the 1960’s Liliana Cosi was a young ballerina at the beginning of her career. This interview retraces the steps of that period in Moscow.

“An Italian swan conquered the USSR”, was how an Italian newspaper headlined after your debut in Moscow back in 1965. What was the story behind this headline?

I was in Moscow for my second year of apprenticeship at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy as part the historical cultural exchange between Milan’s La Scala and Moscow’s Bolshoi Theatre. My Ballet Mistress, Irina Tichomirnova, decided to teach me the role of prima ballerina for Swan Lake. It was a very new and very challenging experience for me. Ms. Tichomirnova was very demanding- she literally sculpted each of my movements, each of my gestures – but I was up for it!

As we draw closer to the debut (I think she was more nervous than I) she said to me, “Now forget everything I’ve told you and dance with your Italian soul!” Then in the changing room, a few minutes before going on stage, she took my head in her hands and made three signs of the cross on my forehead… she didn’t know that I was Christian; I didn’t have any outward signs.

Liliana Cosi and Rudolph Nureyev

I had just met Chiara’s Ideal and it had taught me that love of God was something to be lived out, not put on display. The next day the Soviet newspaper Isvietzia reviewed the performance and described my dancing as full of ‘spirituality’, an expression that had never before been used in that newspaper! That debut was the beginning of my career.

Did you go to Moscow alone?

Liliana with Valeria Ronchetti

No. Other than the small group of Italian ballerinas who lived in the Bolscioi School Residence and of whom I was group leader, there was also Vale: Valeria Ronchetti one of Chiara’s first companions who had come to Moscow to accompany me. It’s difficult to describe how important those months were for me: a phase of radical change of mentality that influenced (and continues to influence) my whole professional, spiritual and human life. Something that perhaps sums up that period is one of the things Vale said to me: “You don’t have to dance for Jesus; it has to be Jesus in you who dances”.

Did you go back to Russia afterwards?

I was invited back often by the Soviet government: right up until 1989 I went on tour not only around Russia but also in the various capitals of the Soviet Union. I did over 130 shows there and, as a jury member, I took part in three international ballet competitions in Moscow.

 

What did you take away from the experience in Russia?

From a strictly professional point of view it gave me a lot. At the time there were many dance masters and artists at a very high level. Right up until today they are models for me when I teach and coach at our dance school and ballet company. As a life experience it taught me that you can live the Gospel anywhere and that this Gospel based lifestyle fascinates even those who don’t know anything about it.