She moved to Rome in 1951, and she accompanied Chiara on all her trips around Italy, as well as South America, Asia, Australia, North America, Europe. “It was a divine adventure,” she said, “Keeping up with Chiara was no mean feat! We went from one surprise to another.” She was Chiara’s confidant and counsellor in the difficult years when the Focolare Movement (Work of Mary) was being studied by the Church. She also followed, in a particular way, all the media developments within the Movement: the birth of the St Claire Audiovisual Centre named after St Claire of Assisi, as well as the beginning, in Switzerland in 1980, of the “conference call” which soon extended to all the nations where the Focolare was present. Whilst it started off simply as a way of sharing the spiritual life, joys and sufferings among everyone, the conference call subsequently evolved, through technological advances, into that which today is a live streaming event via satellite! Still now it is referred to as CH (from the Latin Confoederatio Helvetica) in order to be true to its Swiss origins.
Eli always accompanied the founder of the Focolare Movement on important encounters with the great dignitaries of our time: from Pope Paul VI to John Paul II, from Mother Teresa of Calcutta to Vaclav Havel and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Athenagoras I. Her testimony as a direct witness to these events is contained in the book Lo spartito scritto in Cielo. Cinquant’anni con Chiara Lubich (“The Score Written in Heaven. Fifty years with Chiara Lubich” (Città Nuova, 2012).
Giulia Eli Folonari was the Director of the Chiara Lubich Centre since its foundation in July 2008, right up until 2014. This institute aims to be a custodian of the thought of Chiara Lubich, to assure its authenticity and to help spread her charism, as well as to preserve the history of the Focolare Movement through meetings, conferences and a dedicated website. The Centre ensures that the rich patrimony of paper-based archives and multimedia documents that the founder of the Opera di Maria left behind is made available to scholars and the public in general.
GRAZIE eterno Ely.Cuidanos a TODOS. ☝️
Eli, thanks of being near to Chiara. You have done great work on the social communication to spread the good news of the gospel. I received some letters of Chiara through you. You will be always be remembered in your goodness. Tony Endaya of Manila.
Gracias Eli, por tu presencia mariana , humilde y constructtiva al lado de Chiara. Tú has encarnado el carisma de Chiara con gran perfección y amor . Has estado ahí en los momentos solemnes , sencillos del día a día y en los difíciles y siempre nos has sabido con inteligencias y sabiduría sobrenatural acercarnos Miga Chiara. No has sido para que todos fuéramos hijos dignos del carisma de la unidad.
Miguel y Teresa. Madrid
Grazie Eli, per tantti amore dato a tutta l’umanità.
Solo un grande e immenso grazie Eli!Si salutaci Chiara!
Grazie mille Eli, Salutaci Chiara!
Xin cảm ơn Chị Eli, from Gens Vietnam.
We will continue your adventure.
In Heavenly Mariapolis, please pray for us.
Solo Grazie, per sempre.
Obrigado Eli! Jamais esquecerei o teu desígnio de estar sempre ao lado de Chiara.
Merci pour tout Eli ! Salutaci Chiara
Gracias Eli por estar siempre allí como ángel fiel al Ideal del amor.
Gracias Eli por tanta fidelidad y amor
Grazie per il nuovo sito che però non abbiamo potuto ancora esplorare completamente. Capiamo bene il prezzo impagabile di quanto lavoro che c’è dietro! Ci ha colpito profondamente il volto della “nostra” Eli che ora da lassù darà una mano per procedere il avoro che comporta l’aspetto del Violetto, della comunicazione per arrivare all’ut omnes! Clara, Luzia
A me sembra un segno particolare che la morte di Eli Giulia Folonari (che ha lavorato – tra altro – tantissimo per la comunicazione) coincida con l’apertura del nuovo sito.
Eli è stata ed è un’anima grande, una persona che ha saputo donarsi in maniera unica.
En communion avec toute la famille de l’Œuvre de Marie. Elle partage enfin la joie du royaume avec Chiara. Communion de prière.