It’s a year since Pope Francis visited Loppiano

May 10th 2018 will remain a historic date for the first Focolare little town as well as for the whole of the Movement.

“I want to look to the horizon and invite you to look together with me, to look with trusting faithfulness and generous creativity to the future that has already begun today. The story of Loppiano is only at the beginning. You are at the beginning.”

This is how, a year ago, Pope Francis spoke to the inhabitants of Loppiano. More than 6,000 people were present during his visit, the first of a Pope to a little Focolare town. It was a day that marked both the present and the future. In his expansive speech the Pope addressed both the pioneers of Loppiano as well as the youngest present and he encouraged them all to go ahead along the path they have taken by continuing to make Loppiano the place where “everyone feels at home” and in which “there are no borders.”

Pope Francis identified in the charism of unity “a providential stimulus” and “powerful help” to live “the evangelical mysticism of “us”, that is, to walk together in the history of the men and women of our time as “one heart and one soul” (see Acts 4:32), discovering and loving each other concretely as “members of one of another “(see Rom 12: 5). “It is not only a spiritual fact,” Pope Francis explained, “ but a concrete reality with tremendous consequences – if we live it and if we proclaim it with authenticity and courage – on social, cultural, political and economic levels… Jesus has redeemed us not only as individuals, but also in our social relationships. (see the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 178).

“Taking this seriously means shaping a new face of human cities according to God’s design of love. Loppiano is called to this. And you can try, with trust and realism, to always become better and better. This is fundamental and the way to do this is to always start again.”

The Pope’s words in their strength and depth have been like a treasure trove to be studied in these past months by members of the Focolare in Loppiano and beyond, to try to understand them thoroughly and bring them to life. But what has changed in Loppiano in these 356 days since that visit?

Maria Voce and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare, who recently spent a few days at Loppiano to mark this anniversary, answered this question. As Maria Voce said,”We found it very beautiful. I had the impression of an air of resurrection, I felt that there was a new life that manifested itself in all that was presented to us, with more unity, and with truer, simpler and more direct relationships among everyone.” A little town that was renewed by the visit of the Pope “…who fully understood the point where Loppiano was – and the steps it had to take, and then he helped Loppiano to take them.”

As Jesús Morán observed, “You can sense that the Pope has been here, it’s very clear, and it was a fundamental visit which marks the history of Loppiano. We know that the Pope’s words have a grace. They will be fundamental to our thinking about Loppiano today and tomorrow”.

The video-summary of Pope Francis’ visit to Loppiano a year ago: