Action for a United World: “For the common good; to treasure the heritage of humankind”.
2nd International Conference for Young Lawyers and Legal Practitioners
180 young law students and legal professionals from 13 nations discuss the challenges of the current hot topics on the theme of respect and dignity of every person. This is the second international congress for the group who met first in Rome in 2009 where they considered the theme: law in search for justice.
The congress opened with a message from Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement (also the co-ordinator for Communion and Law) who, at the time of the congress was in the Holy Land. “We need courage when faced with these challenges; strong commitment, coherence, the ability to see and recognise the signs of our times that give hope and show the way to be followed together in order to build a united world where human dignity is really considered and respected”. Dr Vera Araujo, as a sociologist and jurist, gave a lecture and touched on the value of norms for civil society.
Underlying question for the congress: can there be a ‘common denominator’ for dignity, in a universal dimension and for each person? And how can it be protected? The answer seemed to grow from the words shared in 2006 by the Vice President of the Italian constitutional court, Paolo Maddalena, which were quoted by Professor Adriana Cosseddu (University of Sassari, Sardinia): “Individual dignity is the essence and the identity of the whole person. Without it there cannot be equality or freedom.”
She invited the young people present to look at and consider the current situation in North Africa: the spreading demonstrations and signs of revolt by large swathes of the population, the grave economic difficulties experienced where the cost of essential goods continues to rise uncontrollably, “its proof that the protection waited for and the guarantees that are given are also requests for the recognition of liberty and dignity.”
This was the basis, on which three intense days unfolded of Congress unfolded. The young participants were also the leaders of their congress.
There were 5 study groups which created enthusiastic debate on the following topics:
– Dignity and the European Constitution
– Humanity dignity and new forms of slavery
– Dignity of the embryo
– Dignity within the penal system and prisons
§ Human dignity and respect for the environment
Added to these points for consideration were experiences of people working in the field of law: from the criminal lawyer to the public prosecutor; the legal adviser to a voluntary visitor to prisons.
On the last morning Prof Vincenzo Buonomo (Lateran University), as an introduction to Chiara Lubich’s talk from 1977 to the United Nations, underlined the proof of that the expected protection and guarantees that are claimed are so many applications for recognition of freedom and dignity: “… If more people accepted suffering for love, suffering which asks for love, it could become the strongest weapon to give humanity its greatest dignity”.
Visit to the Holy Land – February 2011
Renata Borlone: “Sometimes saints pass us close by…”
His Eminence, Mons. Mario Meini bishop of Fiesole spoke with joy and emotion in his opening speech of this event which he said is above all: “The welcoming of a witness, a servant of God, a witness to the word of God….. Hers life was a stimulus and encouragement for the Movement and for the Church. We want to gather from her these testimonies not as treasures to jealously guard but as a witness of service. Sometimes saints pass close by us and we don’t realise.” This was his invitation to those present to rediscover on a daily basis the ‘face’ of holiness through service of neighbour, and civil and ecclesial community.
“The supernatural, brought to everyone” Cardinal Paul Poupard, President Emeritus of the Ponitifcal Council for Culture said this during the solemn Holy Mass, celebrated in the shrine of Maria Theotokos, and animated by Gen Rosso. He recounted was how he remembered his meeting with Renata Borlone, her characteristic was making holiness not a goal for a few, but a vocation possible for every Christian, of which there is tremendous need today.
The president of the Focolare Movement, Maria Voce, was represented by Eli Folonari. Maria Voce is currently in the Holy Land. Eli, recalled with emotion, her first experiences of Focolare life which were with Renata in 1950 in Rome, and that it was Chiara Lubich who personally called Renata to be responsible for the Little town of Loppiano.
This extraordinary day had 2000 participants coming from all over Italy, in spite of the bad weather and snow, plus an unknown number who had followed the event via the internet. 3pm was the most solemn moment, when the process was officially closed marked by the sealing of three boxes containing the documentation which has been gathered in the last seven years by the diocesan tribunal. This documentation will now be sent to Rome and given to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.
The ceremony was full of meaning. This was a big occasion to bring back to everyone the importance of allowing oneself to be renewed by the words of the Gospel which are life, and Renata Borlone witnessed to this up to the end, making her exclaim “Death is life!”
The following morning, still at the shrine, there was a special event. Bishop Emeritus of Fiesole, Mons. Luciano Giovannetti, baptised another Renata, this one with the surname Nembrini, the newest baby born in the Little Town of the Focolare: almost an ideal symbolic act of continuity. His wish for all present was to make of “your own heart” a real shrine guarding the message of the Servant of God.
The day ended with a special gift: the musical “Mary, flower of Humanity” performed by the international group Gen Verde. This presentation helped everyone to contemplate this woman, Mary who has been a fascination over centuries and continues to be so, reflections of her in our own story, restored the image of the Mother of Jesus as an ordinary woman and a friend on the journey.