Recently, an observatory established by three Italian universities reported that more than a million hate messages were posted online in one year. Messages of hate against foreigners, Jews and, in particular, women are becoming increasingly violent.
Of course, we cannot generalise, but most of us, at some time, have experienced argumentative attitudes, insults and antagonism in our families or at work or during sport and so on which divide us and undermine social cohesion. On a more global level, there are currently 56 armed conflicts worldwide, the highest number since World War II, resulting in a significant number of civilian casualties.
It is in this context that Jesus’ thought provoking words resonate more truthfully and powerfully than ever.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Every nation and every person feels a deep longing for peace, harmony and unity. Yet despite our efforts and goodwill, after thousands of years of history, we still find ourselves unable to achieve stable and lasting peace. Jesus came to bring us peace – a peace that, he tells us, is not like that which ‘the world gives’,[1] because it is not merely the absence of war, strife, division and trauma. His peace encompasses all of these things but it is so much more: it is the fullness of life and joy; it is the salvation of the whole person; it is freedom; it is justice and fraternity among all peoples, based on love.’[2].
Sermon on the Mount begins (Matthew 5–7). Jesus, who embodies all the Beatitudes, addresses his disciples instructing them. It is worth noting that the eight Beatitudes are formulated in the plural. This suggests that the emphasis is not on individual attitudes or personal virtues, but rather on a collective ethic carried out in a group.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Who are the peacemakers? ‘This ‘beatitude’ is the most active one and explicitly asks for concrete efforts. The words are similar to those in the first verse of the Bible that refers to creation and they indicate initiative and industriousness. Love is creative by nature … and seeks reconciliation at any cost. Those who have learned the art of peace and practise it are called children of God. They know that there can be no reconciliation without giving one’s life, and that peace must always be sought everywhere… This is not an autonomous work that is the fruit of one’s own abilities, but a manifestation of the grace received from Christ, who is our peace and has made us children of God.’[3].
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
So, how can we live out these words? Firstly, by spreading true love everywhere. Secondly, we must intervene when peace is threatened around us. Sometimes, simply listening lovingly and attentively to those in conflict can provide a way forward.
Furthermore, it asks that we do not give up until broken relationships, often caused by trivial matters, are restored. Perhaps we could initiate special activities within our groups, associations or parishes to raise awareness of the need for peace. There are myriad proposals around the world, large and small, that work for this: marches, concerts, conferences and volunteer work set in motion a current of generosity that builds peace.
There are also peace education programmes, such as «Living Peace». To date, over two million children, young people and adults in more than 2,600 schools and groups on five continents are involved in its initiatives. These include launching the ‘Peace Dice’ — inspired by Chiara Lubich’s ‘art of loving’[4] – with phrases written on each side to help build peaceful relationships, and the worldwide ‘Time Out‘ initiative which is a moment of silence, reflection, or prayer for peace at 12:00 noon every day.
Prepared by Augusto Parody Reyes and the Word of Life Team
We live in a time when tensions, conflicts, and messages of hatred seem to be multiplying everywhere: on social media, at work, in politics and even within families. Globally, armed conflicts are reaching levels unseen in decades. This situation reminds us that peace is never guaranteed but must be cultivated daily. In the light of this, Chiara Lubich’s words from 2004 are still very relevant today: “Every nation and every person has a deep longing for peace, harmony and unity. But despite our efforts and goodwill, after thousands of years of history, we find ourselves unable to maintain stable, lasting peace (…) because peace is not only the absence of war, struggles, divisions, and traumas.” True peace is “fullness of life and joy; it is the integral salvation of the person; it is freedom; it is justice and fraternity in love among all peoples.” Working for peace requires taking action and initiative, sometimes creatively. Each of us has the potential to become a “peacemaker” by promoting harmony and collaboration in the small things of everyday life and by joining global initiatives that foster cooperation. Some concrete examples are significant. The Living Peace project began with a personal desire to promote peace and then evolved into an extensive peace education programme. Currently, over 2,600 schools adhere to this project and two million children, young peopleand adults from five continents are involved in its the initiatives . Among these is the “peace dice,” which has phrases written on each face that help build peaceful relationships and that everyone tries to put into practice. Recently, in a webinar entitled “Forgiveness and Peace: the Courage to Make DifficultDecisions,” the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation in being peacemakers and rebuilding what had been broken was highlighted. Finally, another example is the Rondine Method: an open-air workshop that enables people to move beyond the resoning that regards others as the enemy. Israelis and Palestinians, Serbs and Bosnians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis but also Malians, Nigerians, and Colombians, and most recently Russians and Ukrainians, have built a viable way to repair relationships destroyed by hatred and build solid bonds in favour of peace. Over the last thirty years, many young people have visited “Citadel Peace”, a small medieval village on the outskirts of Arezzo. Some of these people are now politicians, ambassadors, business men or women and young leaders who are dedicating their lives to healing the wounds of those painful conflicts and laying the foundations for a future that combines peaceful relations and development. To live this idea, let us resolve to sow seeds of peace wherever we are by ceating relationships of trust, solidarity, and cooperation, because every step toward peace makes us more fully human and brings the whole of society closer to a future of justice and fraternity.
THE IDEA OF THE MONTH is currently produced by the Focolare Movement’s “Centre for Dialogue with People of Non religious Beliefs”. It is an initiative that began in 2014 in Uruguay to share with non-believing friends the values of the Word of Life, i.e. the phrase from Scripture that members of the Movement strive to put into practice in their daily lives. Currently, THE IDEA OF THE MONTH is translated into 12 languages and distributed in more than 25 countries, with adaptations of the text according to different cultural sensitivities. www. dialogue4unity.focolare.org
One afternoon I went to visit my mother to bring her a few things, as I usually do. It was hot and she was still having her nap, so I left everything in the utility room so as not to wake her. When I was about to leave, I noticed that the grass along the pavement (in our town this task is handled by the municipality) had been cut and a bit of a mess had been left. I immediately thought that when she woke up, she would see the pavement in that state and start sweeping it, even though she shouldn’t do that because it gives her back pain. So I went back to get a brush, because I know and started sweeping. This simple, small experience gave me the same joy I used to feel when I was a Gen 3, a teenager in the Focolare Movement, even though many years have passed.
(D. C. – Argentina)
While Shopping
Yesterday I was at the supermarket. While I was looking at some products on a shelf, I noticed a man staring at me insistently. Since I didn’t recognize him, I went on with my shopping, and so did he. A little later, though, as I was leaving, he was waiting for me and greeted me: “Don’t you remember me?” Since his face didn’t look familiar, I asked him to give me a clue. “I’m Stefan,” he replied, “years ago you helped me a lot with a document you prepared for me. Look, I still have it!” He opened his wallet, beaming and showed me an ID card that used to be issued to foreigners years ago. I looked at the date and saw it was from 1993, but still in perfect condition. Stefan said: “It’s been thirty-two years, but I’ve never forgotten how much you did for me and what that document meant to me at the time, so I’ve always kept it in your memory. Thank you!” Then he added: “You look just the same as back then.” He didn’t notice the wrinkles; he remembered the love. And love remains.
(A.P. – Italy)
Compiled by Maria Grazia Berretta (From Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, Year X – No. 1, September–October 2025)
To commemorate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, we would like to share a short excerpt from the interview with a Theravada Buddhist monk from Thailand, Prha Pittaya, during the conference entitled “One Human Family” promoted by the Centre for Interreligious Dialogue of the Focolare Movement, which took place from 31 May to 4 June 2024 in Castel Gandolfo and in Assisi (Italy).
Turn on English subtitles – The original is in Thai.
The Evangelii Gaudium Centre’s (CEG) fourth course on Synodality will soon begin. What’s new this year?
We are in a new phase of the synodal process. After the first 3 years which culminated with the Assembly of October 2024, we have now entered what is called the implementation phase. On 15th March, 2025, Pope Francis approved the start of a process to accompany the implementation phase, led by the General Secretariat of the Synod. This process involves everyone, from dioceses to lay associations, ecclesial movements and new communities.
Click on the image to download the poster
This is why we decided to launch a new course, entitled Practices for a Synodal Church as a concrete contribution to the implementation of the synodal process. We are convinced that the practice of synodality is much more than an attempt to make the Church more participatory – it is a new paradigm for ecclesial life. Moreover, we believe that this is not just a religious matter. Our societies are changing radically and, we all see this, truth, core values and mutual commitment are giving way to the law of the jungle. On the other hand, at local and regional levels, new ideas are emerging that reveal parallels with the synodal process in civil society. We believe that the synodal process in which the Church is engaged could offer a valuable contribution in this historical moment for the whole of society.
This year we want to explore these aspects, offering aa closer look at the ongoing process, seeking to discover new pathways and tools to embody synodality in the realities in which we live, as we are invited to do by the Final Document of the Synod and the subsequent document of the Secretariat last July, Pathways for the Implementation Phase of the Synod. We are certain that this is a journey in which the true protagonist is the Holy Spirit and that above all we must open ourselves to Him and let Him guide history, our personal history and that of the Church and humanity.
The theme of “Synodality” was central during the years of Francis’ pontificate. How are we continuing on this path with Pope Leo XIV?
Maria do Sameiro Freitas
On 8th May, in his first message to the people of God, on the day of his election, Pope Leo drew up a programme: “To all of you, brothers and sisters in Rome, in Italy, throughout the world: we want to be a synodal Church, a Church that moves forward, a Church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close above all to those who are suffering.”
And in several other circumstances, in particular on 26th June, to the members of the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod, he reiterated: And the legacy that he (Pope Francis) left us seems to me to be above all this: that synodality is a style, an attitude that helps us to be Church, promoting authentic experiences of participation and communion.
It seems clear that his approach follows that of his predecessor, in the conviction that synodality is intrinsic to the Church. The upcoming Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies that will take place from 24th-26th October in the Vatican is another significant occasion. Over 2,000 participants are expected, to whom the Pope will address a message on the afternoon of the 24th. It will be a further decisive step forward, journeying together throughout the world.
How the course will be structured? What is its target audience?
The Course will once again be online, in Italian with simultaneous translation into three languages: English, Portuguese and Spanish. With regard to content, it will draw on the Final Document of the Synod and the Pathways for its Implementation, trying to discover new paths for a synodal practice and how to apply them in each participant’s own context.
It will also offer practical tools for carrying out the synodal process, such as methods of facilitation, accountability, evaluation and verification.
Good practices already underway will be highlighted, and shared at international level. All this with the firm conviction that the synodal process is not a technique but an experience of openness to our brothers and sisters, a space for the presence of Jesus among his people (cf. Mt 18:20) which in the light of this presence, enables us to listen to the Spirit.
Each session will include the opportunity for students to share good practices, reflections or suggestions.
The Course will end with a workshop in April where the participants will be able put into practice what they have learned during the year.
The opening session on 3rd November will feature a special lecture by the General Secretariat of the Synod and a contribution from Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement who participated in both Synodal Assemblies. The opening event is open to all.
Participants include people of all vocations, many lay people and also priests, religious and consecrated persons, engaged in both ecclesial and civil contexts. Several are students from previous years but we also have many new registrations from different countries.
In light of previous years, what are your hopes?
We hope that this Course will contribute to the implementation of the synodal process in the various environments where the participants live and work.
In previous years we have seen that several students have become involved at diocesan, parish and association levels, putting into practice what they have learned; others have become multipliers of ideas in universities and schools.
We have a wide range of participants from different countries, from the Philippines to Canada, from South Africa to Sweden. The exchange of good practices may inspire new ideas and decisive stimuli to advance the synodal process, for the good of the Church and society alike.
