Tierra del Fuego: Young Protagonists in Politics
The Political Movement for Unity (MPPU) has been active for several years in Argentina in order to disseminate the fraternity dimension in the heart of the life of political parties, as is done in other countries where the movement is present. Juan José Pfeifauf (of the “Frente Para la Victoria” Party) and Pilar Goldmann (of the “GEN/Generacion para un Encuentro Nacional” Party), are two youths who arrived on a visit to Rio Grande (Tierra del Fuego, Argentina), the most southern capital in the world. Militant in two different political parties, they wanted to put on record that to inspire oneself by fraternity means “putting this idea in concrete action amongst the different political sides, by exercising empathy towards the other, with humility, knowing that nobody possesses the absolute truth about any project, and starting to recognise in the other a valid and necessary interlocutor.” Their visit forms part of the follow up of the local School of political formation that holds its lessons regularly every Saturday. They themselves have followed the MPPU training at La Plata (Buenos Aires). Now Pilar is a tutor at a centre at San Miguel del Monte, in the province of Buenos Aires, where she has been encouraged to contest as candidate for the commune council in the last political elections. About participation in active politics by youths, Pilar’s impression is that “from the years in the nineties up to today, in Argentina, we have seen a growth in political commitment, even if we cannot yet say that 100% of youths are interested in it.” But youths should not be considered only as subjects to whom to refer some occasional projects: “youths must become the main actors in the public realm. The renewal of politics passes through here.” The Mppu/Argentina, that draws its inspiration from the principles of fraternity inherent in the proposal of the spirituality of Chiara Lubich, is 10 years old in 2011. It was formed on the occasion of the grave economic crisis that gripped the region in that unforgettable year, causing an increase in poverty in society. It was a moment which saw a real divorce between the people and the political class, a divorce that only recently seems to be recomposing. Pilar relates that, on the premise of that crisis, some persons animated with the spirituality of unity, took on the commitment to give birth to the Centres of social and political formation, “to seek to give an answer, to imprint a reversal of route, aware of the necessity to reconstruct the basis of the rapport between society and the institutions; not only, but also to diffuse seeds of dialogue and trace a common way.” Today we can say that we have come a long way and hundreds of young Argentinians have been to these centres. A “capital” now mature, ready to contribute to the development of the South American country: the commitment which they feel to bring about fraternity in politics, understood as service. Presented by Daniela Ropelato (from extracts published in the Diario El Sureno, 16th November 2011- our translation)
The experience of the disciples at Emmaus is essential for all those involved in the spirituality of unity. Nothing has value within the Movement if the promised presence of Jesus in their midst is not constantly sought – “Where two or three are united in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18,20), this presence enlivens, widens horizons, consoles and draws charity and truth. Chiara wrote: ‘Having put mutual love into action, we felt a new certainty in our life, greater determination, a fullness of life. How come? It was immediately obvious: through this love we had fulfilled the words of Jesus: “Where two or three are united in my name (that is, in my love) there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18,20). Jesus, silently, came into our group as our invisible brother. So we then had the fount of love and light present among us. We didn’t want to lose Him again. We understood better what His presence was when, due to our shortcomings, His presence faded. “It’s not that in those moments we tried return to the world we had left; the presence of “Jesus in our midst” was too strong, for us to be attracted to the vanities of the world, the divine presence had lessened them. Rather, as a person who is shipwrecked grabs onto anything in order to save himself, so we too tried through whatever way the Gospel suggested, to repair the unity that had been broken. And as two pieces of wood crossed over one another consume one another in the flames, so, if we wanted to always live with Jesus present in our midst, we needed to live virtues in each present moment (patience, prudence, meekness, poverty, purity..) they are necessary so that spiritual unity with others will not lessen. We understood that Jesus in our midst is not gained once and for all, because Jesus is life, is dynamic (…). “Where two or more”: these divine and mysterious words, very often, when being acted on, appear wonderful. Where two or more… and Jesus doesn’t specify who. He leaves it anonymous. Where two or more … regardless of who they are: two or three repentant sinners who meet in His name; two or more young people as we were; two: an old person and a child. Where two or more… In living those words, we have seen barriers fall on every front. Where two or more… people of different countries: the barrier of nationalism fell. Where two or more… of different racial backgrounds: the barrier of racism fell. Where two or more… also between people who have been opposites through culture, social background, age… All could be – had to be – united in the name of Christ (…). “The presence of Jesus in our midst was a formidable experience. His presence was abundant reward for every sacrifice made, justified every step taken in this journey, closer to Him and for Him, gave sense to things, circumstances, comforted sufferings, tempered excessive joy. And whoever among us, without cynicism and reasoning, believed in His words with the enchantment of a child and put them into practice, enjoyed this foretaste of heaven, which is the kingdom of God in the midst of people united in His name”.
Chiara wrote: ‘Right from the start of our new life, we benefitted from his actions, day after day, sometimes gentle, sometimes strong and occasionally violent; and we never realised it was him. Throughout, from the first choice of God-Love, to the light that illuminated the words of the Gospel, the revelation of Jesus Forsaken, to joy, peace and light that we felt rise up in our hearts, living the new commandment, it was none other than the Holy Spirit at work. It could be said that the whole story of the Movement could be rewritten and be attributed to the Holy Spirit. Only now we can see that he was the real protagonist of our adventure, it was he who moved everything. ‘Now that he and what he has been for us has been is revealed to us we can retrace the luminous steps, countless signs of his constant and unpredictable actions. The inner voice which led us in our new way, the special atmosphere which gave joy to our meetings, the powerful release of hidden energy, that which purifies and renews, the divine alchemy which changes suffering into love, the experiences of death and resurrection: all these, and many other surprising phenomena which accompanied us through life, have only one name, which we have learnt to recognise, to be infinitely grateful to and feel pushed to ask his intervention in all we do each day, from the simplest task to the most demanding. He has given us the courage to face the crowds, leave our country, suffer discomforts, opposition, often with joy. But the deepest effect, the most radical, the most typical is the bond of unity between us. ‘Our mysticism needs at least two people made God through participation, between whom the Holy Spirit really moves, that is the third, God, who consumes all into one, one God: “As I in you”, Jesus said to the Father. The Holy Spirit is the gift that Jesus gave us so that we could be like him and the Father. Without doubt the Holy Spirit was in us before, as we were Christians; but here there was a new enlightenment, a new manifestation within us, which made us sharers and actors in a new Pentecost, together with those other ecclesial movements who make the new face of the Church.’