50th anniversary of the Focolare Movement in North America
More about visit to Canada and United States – March-April 2011
In North America, the seeds of the Focolare Movement’s Spirituality of Unity were sown right back in the 1950’s. It was only in 1961, however, that the first Focolare was born when three courageous young people arrived in an immigrant neighbourhood in New York with one aim: to put the Gospel into practice. Since then this way of life spread thanks to the silent effort of hundreds of others who these young people met and who made the Focolare Ideal their own: the Ideal of contributing to bringing about Jesus’ prayer, “Father may all be one” (Jn, 17, 21)
“I was deeply struck by this country; it made a beautiful impression on me”, Chiara Lubich wrote in 1964 during her first trip to New York, “This country seems particularly suited to the spirit of the Focolare. There is no air of ethnic superiority, but rather a distinct sense of internationality. There is simplicity. At mass I prayed for the Movement in this continent and I hope that God listens to my prayer because I am praying for the diffusion of His Kingdom... ” Chiara later returned to the USA, making a total of 7 visits.
Making this event especially meaningful, the Focolare Movement’s president Maria Voce and co-president Giancarlo Faletti, pay an official month-long visit to North America. They will meet the various Focolare communities and friends of the Movement in different cities throughout three nations.
- March 19-20, Toronto: Weekend of dialogue and celebration with Focolare members from all over Canada, and a solemn Mass celebrated by Bishop William McGrattan, marking the 3rd anniversary of Chiara Lubich’s death
- March 21-24, Montreal: Meeting with Canadian bishops. Evening of 23:with the community of Montriol
- April 2 Poughkeepsie, NY: Encounter with U.S. Focolare members
- April 3, New York: Solemn Mass of thanksgiving celebrated by Archbishop Timothy Dolan at St. Patrick’s Cathedral at 2:30pm.
- April 5, New York: Cultural event at Fordham University, with four panels: “The Spirituality of Unity—a Gift for Our Times”; “The Economy of Communion”; “Personal Fulfillment in a Communitarian Spirituality”; and “Love of Neighbor and the Law”
- April 7, Washington, D.C.: “E pluribus unum”, a program open to the public featuring a multiethnic, multireligious community coming together as one people in the service of unity, at Caldwell Hall, Catholic University of America
- April 10, Chicago: Interreligious meeting
- April 11, Chicago: Evening theological presentation at DePaul University
- April 16, Santo Domingo: Celebrations with the Focolare communities in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico
Increased Interest in the Economy of Communion: Nuremberg and Madrid
February saw a growth of interest in the Economy of Communion (EoC) in two European cities. On 19th February, in Madrid, there was an evening for students and business people, focused on the opportunities the EoC can offer to Spanish society in this time of economic and moral crisis.
Luigino Bruni, Professor of Economics at the Bicocca University in Milan, repeated in Madrid from a lecture given in July 2010, “If we look at how the EoC industries work, we see that fraternity is truly lived out, there is no hiding behind a hierarchy, if you are open to the other …whilst you suffer more, you receive more blessings”, One member of the audience appreciated and understood the novelty that comes from choosing to follow EoC lines, they said: “This is a very, very courageous idea”.
The discussions went on at length including over supper which closed the event. Another entrepreneur present, who had come for the first time, declared: “…I have understood that being an entrepreneur within the EoC means choosing a new style of life…”. Read report
On 26th February, in Nuremburg, there was the conclusion of the Congress of Christian Executives, in which the Economy of Communion was one of the 300 exhibitors.
The title of ths Congress-fair, the only one of its kind in Germany, was “Fostering company growth through advocacy of Christian values”:3,800 participants and wide media coverage.
On the afternoon of 25th February there was a session dedicated to the Economy of Communion, which highlighted the importance for a Christian of the “culture of giving” in respect to: working with clients, fraternal relationships between two directors, and also in the most difficult times for the business: “ What I heard this evening is what I’ve been looking for all my life” commented one business leader, whilst another participant said: “You have put into crisis my principle of profit, which I held as indispensible”.
Hopefully these brief extracts have given you a foretaste of the upcoming congress dedicated to the 20th anniversary of EoC which will be held in the Meeting Centre in Ottmaring, Bavaria, Germany from 24 – 26th June 2011. Read report
[:it]Linea diretta col Giappone/1[:de]Direkt aus Japan/1[:es]En directo desde Japón/1[:fr]En direct du Japon[:pt]Diretamente do Japão/1[:zh]日本的直接報導（一）
With Japan in our hearts
To all our dearest members of the Focolare Movement in Japan,
Here at the Centre, together with all our people in the Movement throughout the world, we are following with great trepidation the serious situation in your beloved country.
Our hearts are there with you all in this moment of great suffering and suspense caused by the immense trial that has hit Japan…
The circumstances that you are going through made us think straight away of that “everything was crumbling” that characterised the story of our Ideal. We know, however, that that general destruction was the background on which a new light for humanity arose.
Therefore we do not want to stop looking up high, we do not want to stop believing that God-Love allows everything for a greater good. With this certainty, let’s keep hope alive and let’s transmit it to every neighbour that passes us by.
The witness of serenity and dignity, with which you and all the Japanese population deal with these circumstances, comforts us and helps us understand the value of your culture.
I vividly remember my visit to your beautiful community last year; knowing you all in person gave me such a joy. Now sharing this deep suffering with you makes the reality of being a family- “Chiara’s family”- even stronger. During these days in which we celebrate the third anniversary of Chiara’s departure for Heaven, we remember her all over the world. She is alive among us more than ever and therefore she is beside you in a special way to protect and help you.
Count on my prayers and on the prayers of everyone in the Movement. Lets ask God together to bring all the victims of this catastrophe to Heaven, to support the survivors, protecting them from other danger.
I send my love to each one of you,
Maria Voce (Emmaus)