Focolare Movement

Chiara Lubich’s visit to Geneva

Oct 17, 2002

Ecumenism

The theme of “spirituality for unity” affecting all domains of life and humanity is central to Chiara Lubich’s message and is of great interest as well as to the organisations hosting her visit in Geneva: “the World Council of Churches, the Protestant Church of Geneva and the Bossey Ecumenical Institute. Rev. Dr. Konrad Raiser, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, in extending the invitation to Chiara Lubich for the visit, noted her “vital contribution to the ecumenical movement”. He stated, “our numerous initiatives in the spiritual and religious area, but also in the political, economic and social sphere, demonstrate the potential of common witness and the need for efforts to restore communion. This is evidence of the importance of spirituality in today’s context, and of its extremely precious and decisive contribution not only to the unity of the churches but to that of humanity as a whole”. Her program includes a seminar for students and faculty of the Bossey Ecumenical Institute on Saturday, 26 October and worship at St. Peter’s Cathedral at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, 27 October. The program with the World Council of Churches on Monday, 28 October, will include public discussion on the theme “Spirituality and communion” as well as smaller exchanges on spirituality and socio-economic and political processes. The visit coincides, with an ecumenical gathering of bishops who are friends of the focolare Movement in Morges, convened by Cardinal Miroslav Vlk, Archbishop of Prague. Participants in the gathering will join Chiara Lubich during her visit to Geneva. This is the third visit of Chiara Lubich to the World Council of Churches. The previous visit took place in 1967 and 1982. For more information or to schedule interviews, contact WCC Media Relations, +41-22-791-6421. Schedule of Events open to the Press and the Public during Chiara Lubich’s visit to Geneva, 25-29 October 2002. The protestant Church in Geneva welcomes Chiara Lubich A noted moment during her visit to the city of Calvin will be the religious service scheduled to take place in St. Pierre Cathedral in Geneva on October 27 at 10:00 a.m. with present representatives of various Christian communities. After Grossmuenster last year (historical church of Zurich, cradle of Reformed Church), St. Pierre Cathedral ranks second in importance among the Churches of Reformation Chiara Lubich has been invited to offer her experience of unity. In November 2001, numerous ecumenical encounters took place with Chiara Lubich, bishops and church leaders from different nations present. Following this, Konrad Raiser, pastor and secretary general of the WCC; pastor Joel Stroudinski, president of the protestant Church in Geneva; and Professor Ioan Sauca, director of the Bossey Ecumenical Institute, invited Chiara Lubich to Geneva for a new phase in ecumenism.

   

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