No more people in need, no more hunger, starting from our own neighbourhood. This is the challenge that the Teens for Unity in Mumbai have taken on and work for. They have collected used plastics and newspapers to recycle to support a centre for women in need and families hit by HIV. What started with a few children now involves over 200 families in the surrounding neighbourhoods. https://vimeo.com/332638856
It’s a shop where no money changes hands. Instead freely donated goods are passed on to those who need them. It’s one of the most recent fruits of the experience of the Diocesan Movement in Ascoli Piceno, in central Italy. 
It’s been called the “giving and reusing shop.” Here you don’t pay with cash or a credit card, but with a smile and a firm handshake. You go there to donate objects, clothes or appliances – or to receive those that you need. That’s how it works. It is located in the historic centre of Ascoli Piceno, a city in central Italy that is dotted with towers and medieval bell towers made of travertine stone. “Passamano” is the name of the shop. It means “passing from one hand to another.” It grew out of the experience of a branch of the Focolare Movement called the Diocesan Movement. Deeply rooted in six dioceses of central Italy, the Diocesan Movement operates at the service of the local church, promoting an intense life of communion within the ecclesial reality. Alessia Giammarini, a young mother of two children aged 9 and 6, has been a part of the Diocesan Movement since primary school: “I started attending meetings in the parish every Saturday afternoon when I was in third grade. Later I discovered that there was an entire community around our group, which was made up of young people and adults who took care of the little ones. I still remember the first school camp. For me it was a moment of fundamental growth, where I realized that God was calling me to make a personal commitment. For many years, in addition to running the parish youth group, I was involved in catechism and the choir. It is still a path of growth for me, and for many others. For us the parish is not only 
a place of service, but above all it’s a place of communion.” Alessia’s personal history was further enriched when this commitment was extended to the diocesan level. This is how she explains it… “Some of us entered into service as deacons or as ministers of the Eucharist. Others, like me, proposed a series of radio programmes about the local Christian community to be broadcast on the diocesan radio channel. For each episode we invited people from various movements and associations, religious communities, diocesan bodies … or the bishop himself, to present initiatives and events. Our presence as a Diocesan Movement then began to become visible at the political and institutional level. For example, Ascoli was the first city to be awarded the International Prize “Città per la Fraternità” (Cities for Fraternity). It was awarded because of an initiative we had launched involving the whole city and the mayor accepted the award on the city’s behalf. In recent years we have launched events dedicated to citizenship, such as the “Festa della Fantasia,” (Festival of the Imagination) which was included in the Ascoli Carnevale, or the “Capodanno di tutti,”(New Year for Everyone) which promoted involvement of the most disadvantaged people. ” How did you come to open the “Passamano” shop? “It was the proposal made to the diocese and to Caritas to respond to the multiple situations of poverty caused by the recent earthquake in central Italy. In this city, “Passamano” has become a clearly visible reality, a way to promote the culture of giving, the practice of reusing things and emancipation from the mentality of consumerism.”
Chiara Favott
Even in the most tragic and complex of situations, there is always something that we can and should do to contribute to the “common good”. Should we close the business? We were about to close the business because the serious economic crisis in our country seemed to leave us with no alternative. However, with our own children we reflected on the fact that for six of our employees and their families, the work with us was their only source of income. We decided to ask for God’s help and search for other solutions even if this meant running considerable risks. Raul was not feeling very hopeful when he went to the largest store in the town to ask if they wanted to buy the tiles we produce. To his great surprise, the managers not only placed an order with us, they also asked if we could become their exclusive suppliers. Work increased and we had to take on more employees. This experience strengthened the bond among us both in the family and in the business. (R. F. – Brazil) Refugees Two weeks before Easter, 180 refugees from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan were moved into the army barracks in my town. Most of them were Christians: many were young, in fact, some were still children. They had been stopped at the frontier with Egypt because they did not have the correct documentation and had been held in a detention centre. They were shocked and overwhelmed by the sub-human conditions in which they were forced to live. They were given only bread to eat each day and occasionally rice but, nonetheless, they still fasted because it was Lent! I felt that Jesus was asking me to love him in a concrete way in those brothers. I spoke to my friends and together we collected money, medicine and food and we began to prepare for an Easter meal for them. In a short time, we had meat, fruit and vegetables – all the things they had not eaten for so long. My father helped by using his car to transport the food we had prepared. You cannot imagine how happy they were. It was an Easter that I will never forget. (M. A. – Egypt) Rubbish Every time that I met our neighbour, we used to argue because very often she left her rubbish piled up in front of our doorway. This had gone on for years until the example set by some Christian friends convinced me that I had to be the first to love. One day the usual problem had happened with the rubbish but I immediately thought that this was my opportunity. I went out with a sweeping brush and began to clear up. She was there waiting for me to react. This time I looked at her, smiled and asked how she was. She was surprised and answered very politely. From that day onwards, every time that she sweeps and tidies the area at the front of her house, she does the same for me and we have become friends. (R.C.- Colombia)
Edited by Chiara Favotti
Rome, Italy ‘Caring for the earth and for the people who live on it. Identifying common goals and ways of making progress towards those goals.’ This is the shared purpose drawing a host of associations, professionals, civil and ecclesial institutions to Villa Borghese in the heart of Rome, from 25-29 April, to form an “Earth Village” for the fourth year running. Promoted by Earth Day Italia and the Focolare Movement, this annual event aims to support the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations 2030 Agenda and to promote the principles expressed in Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Sì – on care for our common home”. Anthonia Testa, from the Focolare Movement in Rome, explains how they linked up with Earth Day Italia. “It goes back to November 2015 when we participated in the Laudato Sì march which Earth Day had been asked to organize. At that time, we were planning our next annual Focolare gathering, the Mariapolis, hoping to hold it in the heart of Rome, as our foundress Chiara Lubich had wished. Earth Day Italia invited us to locate the Mariapolis where and when they’ve been celebrating World Earth Day for many years. It was a truly providential meeting between an organization dedicated to awaking public awareness of environmental issues and us, a people passionately committed to making change on many fronts and to promoting all that is good and beautiful in the city of Rome”. 
The Pope visited the “Village” in 2016 and he encouraged those present to remain firm in their commitment to “transform the desert into forest”. He was not only referring to the physical environment, but also to those human situations where life is under threat … “The Pope spoke about social friendship. He had before him this group of people which included immigrants, imams, ex-convicts, young people recovering from addictions – a forest which is not uniform, not neat and tidy but full of life. The phrase ‘transform the deserts into forest’ has become our mission”. How does the “Earth Village” hope to respond to the Pope’s appeal? The “Village” aims to be a model, a place where everyone can feel part of a community. A place where it’s possible to build solid relationships, which are at the root of an integrated ecological approach. A place where no-one’s contribution is considered small if it’s shared. A place which welcomes the commitment to reach sustainable goals in economic development.” Motivated by Laudato Sì and the UN’s 2030 Agenda, this year particular attention is being paid to the Amazon. What prompted this choice? “The Amazon symbolizes cultural biodiversity both environmentally and ethically. In October there will be the Synod of Catholic Bishops for the Amazon region. In the light of this, the “Village” aims to focus on these aspects and on the Church’s action in this area. Participating in the Village are the Capuchin Franciscans who have animated a Mission in the Amazon region for over 100 years, Survival International which for 50 years has worked to support indigenous tribes, and the Pontifical Council for Culture’s consultation body ‘Courtyard of the Gentiles’.” Meeting people in different environments and situations is a means of evangelization .. “It makes me think of Chiara Lubich words: ‘to lose ourselves in the crowd in order to fill it with the divine’. In the “Village” there are around 200 different associations and dozens of expert speakers, sporting personalities, artists as well as all the people passing through. You have only one ‘instrument’, your heart. And the commitment held in common to love everyone. Many times we really see deserts being transformed into forest, and we cannot but recognize God’s intervention. Personal relationships mature and the pearls of the Gospel can be sown: love in action, social engagement, care for the vulnerable, reciprocity.” Young people are very much in the front line in wanting to protect the environment. What is their role in the Earth Village? “29 April sees children and young people with their schools and universities focusing on the 17 United Nations Goals, through the ‘learning service’. This is a voluntary service launched last year with the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome. This year it welcomes participants from all the pontifical universities and also students from other countries through the support of the Fondazione Scholas Occurrentes.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
There have been tensions and conflict for a long time in central and northern areas of Mali between the Fulani and the Dogon ethnic groups. The recent massacre of 160 Fulani pastors is just one example of the continuing violence. The United Nations have begun to ask for urgent action to restore peace. Father E.M.S. is a member of the Focolare community in Mali: this is an excerpt from an interview with him. 
The media refers to episodes of violence between ethnic groups: what do you think is the cause of the conflict? The violence began in northern Mali in 2012 and, more recently, it has spread to central areas of the country, particularly to the Mopti region which has a high number of Dogon inhabitants. I know this area very well. Many armed groups and terrorists have moved to this part of the country and they have been welcomed by both the Fulani and Dogon communities. Gradually, the terrorists who speak the Fulani language have begun to attack the Dogon villages and, given that there is no military presence in this region, the Dogon people have begun to retaliate in defence. The terrorists have colluded with some of the Fulani and have begun to ask the Dogon to leave. In reality, this is not ethnic conflict: the terrorists are trying to make it appear as such in order to gain more land for themselves After the recent massacre, the Catholic and Evangelical Churches sent a joint message of sympathy to Mali which was read to the people as they gathered for religious services. What was the reaction to this gesture? Every nation finds consolation when other groups express their solidarity during a time of difficulty and suffering. The messages and prayers of members of the Catholic and Evangelical Churches and of the Muslim community were greatly appreciated by everyone. This is a sign that everyone longs for peace: the people of Mali want an end to violence. This is why there are many meetings and discussions in an attempt to restore calm to people on both sides of the conflict; in fact, people are uniting to overcome violence. Everyone knows that this is not just conflict between the Fulani and Dogon peoples; it is a problem involving the whole country. What is the Focolare community in Mali doing during this difficult period? In Mali, there is a really beautiful Focolare community spread across several different dioceses. All the activities are coordinated by the group in Bamako. There are no Focolare houses in Mali but we have very strong links with the houses in Bobo-Dioulasso and in Burkina Faso. In this situation, what helps us – just as it helped Chiara Lubich during the conflict she experienced – is to know that God is the only ideal that will not pass away. There are many groups that are working hard to restore peace. In my diocese, we members of the Movement are searching for every opportunity to live out fraternal love – to love one another and to love the people around us. We are praying for peace and we are asking other people to do the same: we believe that if we ask God for this gift, he will hear our cry. I would like to ask everyone to remember Mali in their prayers. What I say to the people of Mali – to the Evangelical and Catholic Christians, to the Muslims and to people of no religious faith – is that commitment to our country and to human fraternity should prevail over our differences. We should never forget that what we have in common is far greater than what divides us.
Anna Lisa Innocenti
