“Some asked me if I managed to sleep at all last night. I answered “yes” but this will probably not be so after the match of “my” Real Madrid team against the Atletico team!” On 13 September 2014, Jesús Morán Cepedano, newly elected Co-President of the Focolare for the next six years remarked on his election with this joke. The joy of the entire Assembly was evident, while Maria Voce thanked him for having accepted to share with her the responsibility for the Movement. Also the Holy See, as required by the Focolare Statutes, confirmed the new Co-President in a letter signed by Bishop Rylko in which he encouraged  the Co-President  to «carry out faithfully and generously his mandate, in deep unity with the President, for the benefit of the entire Work of Mary.» And of course Maria Voce did not fail to thank also Giancarlo Faletti, outgoing Co-President, «for having so generously shared this responsibility for six years,» words that were followed by a standing ovation by the whole assembly. In the Focolari Movement, the figure of the Co-President upholds the aspect of unity, as based on the words of Jesus «Wherever two or three are reunited in my name, I am there in their midst» (Mt 18,20).  According to the Focolari Statutes, the first task of the Co-President is «to be always in deep unity with the President, » symbol of the unity of the Movement, «which, together with her or her delegate, he will also have to serve.»

Jesús Morán, Focolarino-priest was born in 1957 in Ávila (Spain). For over 25 years he lived at the service of the Focolare in Chile, Bolivio, Mexico and Cuba. A Philosophy and Theology graduate, he is a member of the Abba School, an interdisciplinary study centre of the Movement. From 2008 up till now, he carried out the task as General Councilor for Cultural Education. He is currently completing his doctorate in theology at the Lateran University in Rome. The work session of the Assembly will continue with the election of the General Councilors. All are looking forward to the audience with Pope Francis on 26 September in the Vatican.