Comunità e movimenti cristiani: in cammino insieme
In the Netherlands
Full report
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Monday, November 7, 2011
With Catholic Dutch, Nordic Focolare communities, citizens of the Focolare town of Marienkroon: the third day for Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti in Netherlands. Joy among brothers and sisters.
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Happy Birthday, Holland! Monday, November 7, 2011 The Focolare in the Netherlands celebrates its 50th anniversary. |
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Holland: With the Communities of Northern Europe Sunday, November 6, 2011 The president of the Focolare meets the communities of the Movement in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Holland. Discussions with some Catholic bishops. Conversation with the young people. |
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A Focolare Town for Holland 4 Novembre 2011 The directors of the Focolare Movement are currently on a visit to Holland and their first stop was “Marienkroon”, center of Cistercian spirituality and now a little town of the Focolare. |
Be Fire: A Day with the Dutch Youth
Thousands attended the annual Gathering of Catholic Dutch Youth, which is held every 6 November by the Catholic Bishops Conference in collaboration with various Movements. It had the style of a rock concert with its fast rhythm, loud music, enjoyment, but also serious reflection. The Catholic identity, which is a minority in Holland, was powerfully emphasized. Between one religious song and another, a priest was interviewed and then it was Maria Voce’s turn. A small group of Gen went on stage with her and asked her some questions. Their questions were concerned more with unity than diversity: “Before belonging to this Church or to that Church, what comes first is that we are all children of God, and therefore brothers and sisters.” Maria Voce recalled when she first met the Movement and how it struck her: “This isn’t an organization, but a life: If you live the Gospel, you belong to the group.” More songs were followed by an interview with the bishop who has been serving the Dutch youth for twelve years and is now handing this post over to one of his auxiliary bishops (who also interviewed). Then there was a video about World Youth Day and a half-hour of Radio Maria, which has begun transmitting in Holland. This was followed by Mass, workshops, and visiting stands. Many expressed emotion, but there were also many who are seriously engaged in offering a living testimony of that “fire” that was day’s theme, which today was being rekindled or lit for the first time. The presenter would repeat it: “Let’s make fire!” That afternoon Maria Voce met at Marienkroon with Focolare members from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland. “We had always dreamed that Chiara Lubich would visit our lands, but she didn’t manage it. Now this is an historical moment for us.” With these words they offered their warm welcome to Maria Voce (and the Nordic people are said to be cold!). They told of their difficulties and conquests especially in the field of ecumenism. Maria Voce thanked them for their fidelity and encouraged them saying: “We must arrive at becoming a universal family. But let us always remember that we don’t make dialogue between religions but between people. For example, at the recent meeting among religions in Assisi, I experienced a great joy, because nearly everyone there, from different religions, knew the Movement and offered me their testimonies and their appreciation. Certainly we will always run into differences that will never be overcome, but we can always accept each other completely, loving one another as we are. And I must testify to the fact that in 2011 I was surprised to find people from other religions no longer standing on the outside, in dialogue with us, but standing together with us giving witness to the ideal of unity.” Everything ended with songs, photos, greetings and a promise to meet again soon, perhaps in one of the Nordic countries! The final moment of the day, was the encounter with the inhabitants of Marienkroon, especially the pioneers of the little town whose willingness to leave everything made Marienkroon possible. People who never held a microphone in their hand were now standing on stage and sharing very personal things: “I work in this little town for the people who come here and say: ‘How beautiful it is here.’ And so that they can find God, because God is beautiful.” Marienkroon: a unique little town, a town built with hearts. By Giulio Meazzini
Happy Birthday, Holland!
The prefabricated structure set up on a lawn at the Focolare town of Marienkroon was filled to capacity. It was a noteworthy gathering of 800 people – young and old, Danish and Dutch, Fins and Icelanders, Swedes and Norwegians – coming from miles to celebrate the arrival of the Movement in Netherlands.
You have to wonder: Why does it always work? What is there beneath this tangible joy that makes everyone brothers and sisters, people of different ages, races and religious convictions? The lyrics being sung by the young people on stage are in Dutch, but they engage everyone, even those who do not speak this language, because the smiles matter more than the words. Perhaps the secret is that it begins with life, with concrete love and then, only after we have become friends are we able to contrast cultures. Or perhaps it depends on the fact that Chiara Lubich had taught us not to stop problems and misunderstandings, but to go ahead, beginning again, seeing each other new in every moment.
The orchestra is formed by three trumpets, one violin, two flutes, a set of drums and a piano. Highlights of this ongoing adventure are told in review: the arrival of the focolarini in Holland in 1961, the Genfest with 4 thousand youths in 1976, Chiara’s visit in 1982, the opening of the focolares in Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo in the 1980’s, the first visits to Iceland in 1989, the focolare family coming from Poland in 2010, and the inauguration of the new Mariapolis Centre in the Focolare’s little town.
Each country presented itself with much creativity and imagination. Sweden, where the ecumenism of the people is lived almost without realizing it, since every meeting is comprised of people from different Churches. Norway, with an emotional moment of silence in rememberance of the tragedy of 22 July. Finland, with its lively community. These were moments of great unity, along with the ecumenical celebration with the Lord’s Prayer recited at the same time in seven languages.
Bishop Jan van Burgsteden, who is responsible for ecumenism at the Bishops Conference, testified that “for 50 years the Movement in Holland has been helping people to live the Gospel. And from this new involvement in the Church was born, even in an era of secularism, which helped overcome the polarization. I saw also how the Movement was able to create an “ecumenism of the heart.” I’m convinced that one day we’ll see the Church shining like a morning star, because in all of its parts the Word has become life.”
Maria Voce responded to a few questions. One general question: “What do you remember most from 2011? “In the Holy Land, when I was at the Holy Sepulcher I felt crushed by the evil of the world which seemed to have flattened Jesus as well. But later, as I stood before the empty tomb, I felt the sudden certainty that Jesus is alive, and that we can carry Him alive, among us, into the world, and that we are fortunate in being able to do this. Another (memory) is the trip to North America: with those endless landscapes and people everywhere, the focolarini seemed so few. What could they ever accomplish on their own? The people who came to the celebrations in New York were only 2 thousand – a drop in the ocean. And yet, I felt a certainty within: Now, let’s not start worrying about numbers, they don’t matter, only the growing presence of Jesus among us matters, then the rest will come.”
“This has been a busy day with many official events – concluded Giancarlo Faletti, “but is was above all a family day that has given us all much hope. I carry your multi-ethnic and multicultural presence in my heart, this blossoming of life. And every flower needs love, tenacity and industriousness, which are your very characteristics. Then again, the flower is the symbol of Holland.”
By Giulio Meazzini