8 Jun 2022 | Non categorizzato
Call for projects with an ecological impact addressed to the local communities of the Focolare Movement. Rules and conditions for participation. Proposals will be accepted until 30 June 2022. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hflKLGLCPE0 What is the project The “Seed Funding Program” aims to sustain and encourage significant and promising initiatives in different parts of the world towards the creation of local/national ecological plans for people and planet within the Focolare communities. The main goal is to build local ecological plans within the Focolare communities to journey together towards an integral ecology. Our inspiration The world faces a complex social and environmental crisis. The Encyclical Laudato Si’ from Pope Francis explains how the cry of the poor is completely interconnected with the cry of the planet. We cannot consider our relationship with nature as separate from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others. Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare Movement, argued that it is by starting with small local problems that a moral conscience is formed that is capable of addressing problems on a global scale. In fact, Chiara continued: what is missing is not technical and economic resources but an extra soul, which means new love for mankind, to make us all feel responsible towards everyone. Participate! The SFP is looking for youth-led and intergenerational initiatives (ongoing or future initiatives) that aim at a change in our personal and communitarian lifestyle, envisioning a sustainable relationship between nature and human beings, and working within a local context. 10 projects will be selected and will be funded with up to 1000 euros. An international and interdisciplinary jury will select the projects according to the following criteria:
- The project should be oriented towards integral ecology (in favor of people and planet);
- The project should involve intergenerational efforts with young people playing a significant role in the leadership and implementation of each project;
- The project must involve the local community (possibly at a national level); and
- The project should show how spiritual values motivate ecological action (possibly with an ecumenical and interreligious dimension).
Submit your ecoplan and be part of this path together! https://www.new-humanity.org/fr/project/seed-funding-program/ In order to participate in this call, you may need to fill out some crucial information. Do not miss the framework and the call for projects survey.
The deadline to complete your application is June 30th, 2022. You will hear whether your project was successful to receive seed-funding by July 15th, 2022. Once successful for funding, you would commit to taking first steps within your project between July and September 2022 and we would love to see your first report by the end of October 2022. For more information, feel free to contact us at ecoplan@focolare.org More information about the Faith Plan for People and Planet at https://www.faithplans.org/
19 May 2022 | Centro internazionale, Non categorizzato, Tutela minori
Significant steps forward are being taken to expand and strengthen measures concerning prevention, training, compensation, and the assessment of responsibility. These will guarantee justice to all victims and implement a culture in which absolute priority is given to charity, to the dignity of the person, and to safety and transparency in all areas of the Movement. “Today we are publishing a first response to the recommendations made by the Report issued by GCPS Consulting on the cases of child abuse by a former member of the Focolare Movement in France. We realise that these initial measures are not exhaustive, but form part of a decisive process of realignment of the life and activities of the Movement so that children and every person, in all their diversity, are at the centre of all processes concerning care, safeguarding, reparation and new beginnings“. With these words Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, presented the steps the Movement is now taking, thanks also to the recommendations made by GCPS Consulting. These measures are in addition to the Guidelines for the Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults (being followed in the Focolare Movement since 2014 and currently being revised according to international standards) and to the training courses on safeguarding for members of the Movement. “First and foremost,” she explained, “I wish to address all victims of sexual abuse, particularly in France. Personally and on behalf of the Movement I wish to thank you for your courage in sharing your testimony and your pain. For us they are the essential starting point in this process of purification. I also wish to thank the community of the Movement in France for its courage in the face of so much suffering. We now announce the establishment of a central disciplinary commission, which will have the task of assessing the responsibilities of the Movement’s leadership, in cases of abuse, in order to reach clarity and provide justice for the victims. Margaret Karram concluded, “First and foremost we are placing the Gospel at the basis of this process of renewal. We want to put the Gospel back at the centre of all we do. Moreover, the serious challenges that the world is experiencing today call for a renewed application of the spirituality of unity so that it can be an instrument of fraternity and peace.” The measures set out below will be implemented over the short, medium, and long term and are considered the most urgent and essential steps to set the Movement firmly on a path of reparation and positive new beginnings.
- Victims at the centre: the President’s personal request for forgiveness
The victims of abuse are the absolute priority in this process. Therefore, listening, asking for forgiveness, offering help and the path of reparation are the starting point. Margaret Karram has been in contact personally, when possible while respecting their privacy, with the victims in France. Her wish is to reach them all, while respecting those who wish to remain anonymous. A network for welcoming and listening to victims Local commissions for the welfare and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults will be strengthened (where they already exist) or be set up wherever necessary and will include professionals in the fields of psychology, law, training, and education. These commissions are independent of the governance bodies of the Focolare Movement and will be the point of contact for allegations of abuse and have the task of initiating procedures. The local commissions will also serve as listening points and the first port of call for anyone wishing to share their experience of abuse, violence, distress, or traumatic experiences of any kind, also accessing – if requested – counselling to identify the next steps. In this respect, listening points are already active in some countries, such as France and Germany.
- Drawing up a protocol for the compensation of victims of abuse committed within the Focolare Movement
A Focolare Movement procedure for compensating victims is being drawn up.
- Establishment of a disciplinary commission
A central disciplinary commission will be established, made up for the most part of external professionals in the fields of law and psychology, to assess the responsibility of the leadership of the Focolare Movement in dealing with sexual abuse, spiritual abuse, and the abuse of authority. It will work on the basis of a disciplinary code, which will be drawn up in agreement with the Commission itself, and will establish ethical principles and sanctions.
- Publication of an annual report in the whole world
A report on the work carried out by the Central Commission for the Welfare and Safeguarding of Children and Vulnerable Adults (CO.BE.TU) on cases of abuse and on measures taken regarding prevention, and on the safeguarding of children, will be published annually.
- Safeguarding is the responsibility of all the Movement’s members
To strengthen this awareness, the Movement will enable every member, including children and those who wish to become members, to attend a foundation course on the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults, organised by the local commissions for the welfare and safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
- Training courses for those in leadership roles
Courses are being prepared to train those in leadership roles – at whatever level they work – to implement forms of co-responsibility, greater transparency in decision-making processes, the alternating of roles, and training in accompaniment in the light of the distinction between the sphere of governance and the sphere of conscience.
- Opportunities for sharing and courses for the Focolare Movement’s wider communities
The wider Focolare communities in various localities should enable the necessary processes of discernment, open dialogue, and an understanding of correct relational dynamics. Following the publication of the Independent Inquiry by GCPS Consulting, many of the Movement’s groups and communities have already begun to have times of sharing and dialogue on issues regarding abuses. The Movement encourages such initiatives with the support of experts and professionals, where necessary or requested, taking into account different cultural sensitivities.
Stefania Tanesini
14 May 2022 | Non categorizzato
Catholic Action and Focolare Movement get together, starting from local Churches, in education and for integral ecology. To “live” the present and the future of our neighbourhoods together and in a practical way. A partnership agreement was made between the Italian Catholic Action (CA) and the Focolare Movement (FM). An alliance that, as Giuseppe Notarstefano, National President of CA underlined, combines the foundational value of a partnership that will become ever more concrete through the importance of appreciating one another, of acting together. The third meeting between the Presidency of the Italian Catholic Action and that of the Focolare Movement took place on Friday, 13th May in Rome, at the National CA Centre in Via Aurelia. Recalling the words spoken by Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare, during the bombings of Trent during the Second World War, “Love conquers everything”, Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, underlined the mutual desire of a partnership that, believing in this certainty, is able to realize the projects and dreams of the two organizations, to be ever more and together, a gift for the Church. Following two hours of prayer, getting to know one another, discussion and dialogue, it was decided that the FM and CA would initiate and consolidate projects at a local level in various places, starting from the dialogue that comes from life, to restore strength and momentum together with local communities and work in a partnership that is increasingly concrete and intergenerational, which promotes kindness, tenderness, as a way of being and being together, as desired by Pope Francis in the encyclical All Brothers (Tutti Fratelli). Three themes were chosen: 1) the Global Educational Pact; 2) Civil Economy, Political Commitment and Integral Ecology; 3) Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue. President Notarstefano expressed the desire to concretely “live” together in the various places, ensuring presence and passion in the networks of dialogue in the local Churches, encouraging and supporting each other to live this path of concreteness, patience and dedication. It is important that, in the current scenario of general disorientation, places of fraternity are created at grassroots level, which, in the storm of what is happening around us, become boats to which people can cling. We wish to testify that working together is possible, in order to generate fraternity, also through a joint, national symbolic initiative that gives value to those who strive to build a greater “we”, in education, for integral ecology, to participate together, also in politics, in a generative path open to other realities, which is an investment in the service of future generations, for the promotion of the person. Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare, said that the commitment to come together in different cities, will bring out the many different concrete actions that can be carried out in the local Churches. To this end, a working group was set up, which will be coordinated by Michele Tridente (CA) and Patrizia Bertoncello (FM), to evaluate the proposals that emerged from Friday’s meeting and consider possible ways to collaborate, through which the two organizations will be open to other realities, to contribute to growth in the various areas and local communities.
Sara Fornaro
13 May 2022 | Non categorizzato
To participate in a film competition and then use the cash prize to help others. With United World Week (SMU) 2022 just days away, we share an experience that comes straight from Jordan. A true action of integral ecology carried out by the teens of the Focolare in the wake of the #DARETOCARE campaign. “I would like to invite you to embark, together, on a journey. A journey of transformation and action. Made up not so much of words, but above all, of concrete and urgent action. (…) Integral ecology is an invitation to an ‘integral’ vision of life, starting from the conviction that everything in the world is connected (…)”. With these words, Pope Francis addresses, through a video message, the participants of the “Countdown” TED’s digital event on climate change, held in October 2020. An invitation to “act” concretely, for the good of the planet and all of us: to care for the common home and meet the needs of its inhabitants. It’s enough to start with small actions, as these Gen 3 from Jordan did, who, with a keen eye on #DARETOCARE, really succeeded in creating a ‘virtuous’ circle by presenting their short film on ecology ‘Nature Karma’ at the Middle Eastern Film Festival. Talking about the importance of caring for the environment and winning an award was just the first step in deciding, with conviction, to want to help others.
Edited by Maria Grazia Berretta
https://youtu.be/7iQylkfn4kk
3 May 2022 | Non categorizzato
The Focolare Movement’s Emergency Coordination continues to raise funds for Ukraine. Father Vyacheslav Hrynevych, executive director of Caritas Spes Ukraine sent us this short video with a thank you directly from one of the distribution centres. https://youtu.be/co7-47VjQ74 For those who would like to contribute Azione per un Mondo Unito ONLUS (AMU) IBAN: IT 58 S 05018 03200 000011204344 presso Banca Popolare Etica Codice SWIFT/BIC: ETICIT22XXX Azione per Famiglie Nuove ONLUS (AFN) IBAN: IT 92 J 05018 03200 000016978561 presso Banca Popolare Etica Codice SWIFT/BIC: ETICIT22XXX Causale: Emergenza Ucraina
