The President of the Focolare Movement entrusted the new general councillors with  their  areas of responsibility and urged them to form a governing body characterized by a deep spirit of fraternal service born of mutual evangelical love. On Thursday 11 February, one of the central governing bodies of the Movement- the so-called “Centre of the Movement” – was completed when Noreen Lockhart (Great Britain)  and Flavio Roveré (Brazil) were elected by their respective sections as responsible for the women and men focolarini. This governing body consists of the president and co-president, 22 general councillors and the two people responsible for the men’s and women’s sections. The councillors come from 17 countries and 4 continents, are are aged between 52 and 70 years: they represent the multiculturalism that distinguishes the Focolare. Many of them have lived not only in their country of origin but also in other geographical contexts:  this is important in order to understand  the characteristics, needs and challenges of the countries in which those who recognize themselves in the Focolare’s message of unity live. The composition, the “Centre of the Movement” should, in a certain way, be representative of the entire Movement and manifest its unity. According to the Focolare Movement’s General Statutes, the task of this body is “to ensure and increase unity throughout the Movement, directing it towards the fulfilment of its aims and taking care of coordination among its various parts.” In her second session today, Tuesday 2 March, President Margaret Karram gave the elected councillors the new areas of responsibility to follow in the life of the Movement both in its different aspects and in its different geographical areas. On this occasion she reiterated her desire that the “Centre of the Movement”, like all its governing bodies, be characterized by a profound spirit of fraternal service born of mutual evangelical love.

Communication Office

Councillors Cuneo, Chiara (Italy)                                  Spirituality and life of prayer Escandell, Silvia (Argentina)                       Central delegate Gomez, Margarita (Spain)                       Nature and physical life Kempt, Donna Lynn (USA)                           Europe Kobayashi, Renata (Japan)                    Unity and means of communication Koller, Friederike (Germany)                     Witness and diffusion, Africa and Middle East Lockhart, Noreen (United Kingdom)             Women focolarine Moussallem, Rita (Lebanon)                          Asia and Oceania Ngabo, Bernadette (RDC Congo)                Americas Sanze, Geneviève (Central African Rep.)    Communion of goods, economy and work Simon, Renata (Germany)                         Wisdom and study Zanolini, Clara (Italy)                                 Harmony and environment Consiglieri Asprer, Ray (Philippines)                         Central delegate Bartol, Angel (Spain)                                Americas Battiston, Ruperto (Italy)                           Communion of goods, economy and work Brüschke, Klaus (Brazil)                             Witness and diffusion, Africa and Middle East Canzani, Francisco (Uruguay)                     Wisdom and study Dijkema, Enno (Netherlands)                     Harmony and environment Kenfack, Etienne (Cameroon)                       Nature and physical life Roveré, Flavio (Brazil)                               Men focolarine Salimbeni, Antonio (Italy)                          Asia and Oceania Schwind, Joachim (Germany)                    Unity and means of communication St-Hilaire, Marc (Canada)                           Spirituality and life of prayer Valtr, Vit (Czech Republic)                        Europe