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Chiara Lubich: The Resurrection of Rome

6 Feb 2023 | Non categorizzato

The Resurrection of Rome is one of Chiara Lubich’s most famous writings and was the fruit of an experience she then related in an article in ‘La Via’ magazine in 1949. The text shows both the mystical dimension of a charismatic experience, expressed in language that is particularly rich in images, and the practical application of this experience in contact with humanity. The text marks a turning point in Chiara Lubich’s experience in 1949: her return to Rome, and therefore to normal life, which was lived as bringing light and life into daily routine and bearing fruit in a renewal not only of one’s personal existence but of society. For the author, the way of looking at Rome means, in fact, a way of looking at all the cities of the world. The video we present is the result of long and patient work by Javier Garcia, with the original voice of Chiara Lubich taken from the reading of the text addressed to the Focolare leadership on 3rd October 1995. Activate English subtitles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acrJDXY6Lig

Download the full original text

Mariapolis in the Holy Land: vocation to community  

3 Feb 2023 | Non categorizzato

Being a community is more than just being together.It means responding to a call to build: giving life to a family sustained by the Word and meeting each other. Here, in this video, is what some people who participated in the Mariapolis of the Holy Land last July told us. There is a light breeze which caresses the ancient ruins of the Church of St. George, in Taybeh, the only entirely Christian village in the Holy Land. According to Scripture, it is the place where Jesus came to rest with his followers before the Passion. And it was here, on 8th-9th July 2022 that adults, young people and children of the Focolare Movement gathered together to live a truly special Mariapolis, a moment of fraternity and true communion. “Mariapolis is a time for the family to get together,” says Mayra, from Bethlehem, “It usually takes place every year but due to the pandemic we couldn’t have it. This year, after three years, we could and for me it’s like taking a break from my life and recharging myself spiritually.” “To be witnesses of love” was the title of this two-day event that saw the participation of people from many regions of the country, from Haifa, Nazareth, to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Gaza. Despite the socio-political and cultural challenges of the Holy Land, the desire to enjoy beauty and to live as a community give the strength to overcome physical and often inner barriers. The community is the place where we find the values that become nourishment, where we build a present and a future which respect the dignity of all; the place where listening to and witnessing to the other in the light of the Gospel invites us to better understand the work of God in our lives and, more than anything else, it is the place where no one is alone. Marcell and Boulos, from Nazareth shared this with us: in their life-journey, they were able to experience support and family during the most painful moment of their lives, the death of their youngest son, Jack. And Khader, from Gaza, who despite the daily hardships to be faced in the context in which he lives, places his hope in God, joyfully recognizing the beauty of the vocation to which he is called: that of happiness.

Maria Grazia Berretta

Activate English subtitles https://youtu.be/cCMZ1jlYzhA

Communion, a Mission

Communion, a Mission

21 Jan 2023 | Non categorizzato

On 19th January, 2023, the first “Communion in Action, A Lifestyle of Sharing” Report of the Focolare Movement was presented at the “Focolare Meeting Point” premises in Rome. It is an overview of the activities and initiatives promoted by the Movement in the world in the two-year period 2020-2021. The first report of this kind published by the Focolare Movement was presented to an audience from the diplomatic, political and religious worlds and to journalists from the Italian media.

Margaret Karram

The document describes a lifestyle made up of spontaneous sharing, not only of goods but of experiences and needs. It is all inspired by evangelical love. Contemplating the fruits of this sharing encourages a renewed dialogue to increase communion even more. Alongside material resources, the invisible goods which have been donated, invested or gathered in this period are given equal importance. The journalist Claudia di Lorenzi facilitated the event. It opened with a greeting from the President of the Focolare Movement, Margaret Karram, who said. “I hope that these pages mark the beginning of an ever greater sharing. We desire to be credible seeds of hope that contribute to renewing the world with love”. Geneviève Sanze, Economist and Co-Responsible for the aspect of “Economy and Work” at the International Centre of the Focolare Movement, explained that “this Report is an instrument of dialogue, an attempt to offer a glimpse of what we try to bring into society to progress the path towards fraternity”. Sr. Marilena Argentieri, President of the CNEC (National Centre for Religious Community Economists) said that what “the Report conveys the idea that nothing belongs to us (…) because everything I have is in communion with others”. Then she added a personal note, “I think the Report makes me grow in freedom and detachment, because at its centre is love for God and love for the poor”.

From left:: Dott.sa Geneviève Sanze, Prof. Luigino Bruni, Prof. Andrea Riccardi, Sr. Marilena Argentieri.

Andrea Riccardi, Historian and Founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio, said, “This document highlights the effects of this communion, of what we have and what we are, in a voluntary and free sharing. And to some extent the more communion there is, the less the effects can be controlled but perhaps the more the Gospel is lived. The Focolare Movement, which has spread silently in many countries of the world, is like a network in society and in the Church, that protects the earth from landslides. We are in a time of human, ecological and religious unease and then there is this network of friendship in the world and here I insist on the value of unity, but a unity that is rooted in so many places in the world, has a much greater value”. In his turn, Luigino Bruni, Economist and Professor of Economics at the Lumsa University in Rome, said that “the Report reminds us of the importance of the relational capital, the spiritual capital and the invisible capital that make our community beautiful and rich (…) Charisms are capable of activating energies deeper than money, that is, people act for higher aims”. The “Communion in Action, A Lifestyle of Sharing” Report is a 112-page document, in which you can visualize the life of the Focolare Movement, from the many initiatives to the aspect of formation and study, from communication to ecology and in which it is clear that, as Geneviève Sanze said, “it is not money that changes the world but “new” women and men who bring a new culture of fraternity. This is what we want to highlight”.

Carlos Mana

Watch the video of the presentation here https://youtu.be/HcJ5poGmq8A

“Walking together” builds the 2021-2024 Synod

“Walking together” builds the 2021-2024 Synod

20 Jan 2023 | Non categorizzato

The continental stage of the Synod  has begun. The Focolare Movement contributed with a worldwide reflection and study. We interviewed Francisco Canzani, Councillor of the International Focolare Centre for the aspect of “wisdom and study” and Coordinator of the Synod Commission to learn more about this contribution. What is your assessment of the work done in the Focolare Movement for the Synod? Very positive. Over 15,000 members of the Movement participated in the first stage of our  synodal journey. They represent 520 communities around the world. We received 21 regional summaries that demonstrate the depth of reflection and the interest shown by Focolare in all cultures. Alongside this work within the Movement, which was in response to the Secretariat of the Synod, which specifically asked us for a contribution,  many members of the Movement took part in the processes in their dioceses and parishes. The involvement of people of different Christian Churches and of faithful of different religions in the process of reflection was particularly relevant.  We also received two important contributions from dialogue groups between Christians and people without religious convictions that the Movement hosts. How can this experience help us to acquire the practice of synodality within the Movement?

Synod path team Focolare Movement

The way to participate in the synodal journey is by “walking together”. The experience of reflecting and sharing our experiences, concerns and questions has already been very valuable in itself. All the important themes emerged: co-responsibility, mission, young people, option for the poor, community life, the role of women in the Church. These are themes which also emerged from the General Assembly of the Movement, which was held between January and February 2021, but which still need  to be developed. The synodal process was a further stage of a journey of embedding our life in the times that God gives us to live. Having concluded this contribution as a Movement, how can we participate in the current stage, that is, the continental stage? It is fundamental that we all “enter” fully into the Synthesis prepared by the Synod Secretariat for the Continental Stage. We should read it, meditate on it, continue to consider its questions in our communities. This will help us become aware of the great harmony that exists with the document that we sent as Focolare Movement to the Secretariat of the Synod. To be part of the current stage, we can then continue to participate in all the opportunities that our local Churches offer us. Is there any other material that can help the members of the Movement to deepen the theme of synodality? I think it is important that we all consult the summary document that we sent as the Focolare Movement to the Secretariat of the Synod. We also made a video, which explains it better. Then, as I have already said, it is essential to read the document of the continental stage and continue to reflect on the issues contained therein. Moreover, it would be really useful, , if the communities of the Movement could answer the questions posed by the document, the same ones that the whole Church asks. It is also very important to learn about synodality. For this reason, the Sophia University Institute, through its research centre Evangelii Gaudium is holding an online course on the Synodality. I think we all can and should  make use of it.

Carlos Mana

Contribution of the Focolare Movement to the Secretariat of the Synod – Download PDF https://youtu.be/VMP7jQpoVC8

Children for Peace

17 Jan 2023 | Senza categoria

KidsAction4Peaceis the initiative to which the youngest of the Focolare Movement join, Gen4 e Gen3, inviting children to get involved in building peace. A simple but concrete way to look at those who, at this moment, are living the suffering and injustice of war. To make a contribution, we have time from 25 to 30 January 2023 Hello everyone! We are a few children who strive to build peace at school, at home, in sport by being kind and helping those in need. How can we help our friends who are in the midst of war? Let’s ask our leaders to help people at war to build peace! Would you like to help us too?

  1. Make a drawing, or write a poem or letter about peace.
  2. Write the slogan (hashtag) #KidsAction4Peace on it (you can also ask an adult to take a photo and put it on social media with this hashtag).
  3. Send it between January 25 to 30 to the postal address of your head of government or You can also make more and send them to other leaders. You can find the list by country here. (January 30 is also the International School Day of Non-Violence).
  4. Ask at least five other children to do the same and pass this message on.

We heard that on February 9 and 10, many of these leaders will meet in Brussels, so we hope that our letters and drawings will reach their hearts. Bye!!! Sofia (12), Agnese (10), Matteo (10), Costanza (10), Nicola (9), Mattia (8), Teresa (8), Cristina (7), Anastasia (7) from Italy; Leonor (11), Margarida (9), Leonor (9), Joao (8), Leonor (8) from Portugal; Thiméo (12), Mathilde (11), Adéline (8), Aurélien (5) from Belgium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi0kJ9-z7pY