Focolare Media brings together the media network (New City Press publishing house, Living City magazine, social media and communications) of the Focolare Movement in North America. Focolare Foundation was created in response to Chiara Lubich’s appeal to the Movement in North America for greater sharing and redistribution of financial resources.
During their visit to the United States in May 2025, Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán (President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement) met with the two Boards of Directors.
The event will take place on Monday, 22 September 2025 at 7.30 p.m. (Italian time) in Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere in Rome (Italy). A video link from Jerusalem with Cardinal Pizzaballa is also planned. Follow the live broadcast here.
Violence – even verbal violence – seems to be increasingly characteristic of our age. On social media, divisions go viral and create even more hatred, accentuate polarization and shut the door on dialogue. It is not easy to break out of this cycle. Phil lives in Tucson, Arizona, and Laura is from Boston. Politically, they are on opposite sides, but they share the charism of unity and a commitment to living the Gospel every day. Here they recount how they have experienced that not only words, but also sincere listening can open gaps in the walls of the most stubborn convictions.
François-Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân was born in Huê (Vietnam) on 17th April 1928 into a deeply Catholic family. Ordained a priest in 1953, he zealously dedicated himself to the formation of seminarians, distinguishing himself as a professor, rector and spiritual guide. Appointed Bishop of Nha Trang in 1967, he promoted a missionary ministry, close to the poor and attentive to the apostolate of the laity.
In 1975 Saint Paul VI chose him as Coadjutor Archbishop of Saigon, but only a few months later he was arrested by the communist regime. He spent thirteen years in prison, nine of them in solitary confinement. During that trial he knew how to unite himself intimately to the crucified Christ, transforming suffering into an offering and solitude into communion with the Church. During those years his “Thoughts of Hope” were born, which became a real spiritual testament, capable of illuminating the faith of millions of people around the world.
A decisive moment in his life was, towards the mid-1970s, when he met Chiara Lubich and the spirituality of the Focolare Movement, whose charism of unity and focus on Jesus Forsaken – Jesus who experienced the abandonment of the Father on the cross, the maximum expression of love – became a source of strength for him, even in the darkest moments.
Released in 1988 and exiled, he settled in Rome, where Saint John Paul II called him to serve the universal Church as Vice-President (1994) and then President (1998) of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. In this role he tirelessly proclaimed the Gospel of peace and justice, traveling throughout the world.
In 2000 he was invited by St. John Paul II to preach the spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia. Created Cardinal in 2001, he lived his final period marked by illness, with serenity and total abandonment to God. He died in Rome on 16th September 2002, leaving behind a spiritual legacy of unshakable faith, luminous hope and merciful love.
Today his figure continues to speak to the Church and the world: his life, shaped by the cross and hope, testifies that the love of Christ can transform every night into dawn.
Hope Thoughts of François-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan written during the first months of imprisonment (*)
979. You want to bring about a revolution: to renew the world. You will be able to carry out this precious mission that God has entrusted to you, only with “the power of the Holy Spirit”. Every day, wherever you live, prepare a new Pentecost. 980. Commit to a campaign that aims to make everyone happy. Sacrifice yourself continually, with Jesus, to bring peace to souls, development and prosperity to peoples. 981. Remain faithful to the apostle’s ideal: “to lay down one’s life for one’s brothers”. Indeed, “no one has a greater love than this” (Jn 15:13). 982. Proclaim only one slogan: “All one”, that is: unity among Catholics, unity among Christians and unity among nations. “As the Father and the Son are one” (cf. Jn 17:22 -23). 985. Stick firmly to a single guiding principle: prayer. No one is stronger than the person who prays. 986. Follow one rule: the Gospel … It is not as difficult, coFmplicated or legalistic as others: on the contrary, it is dynamic, gentle and inspiring. 994. For your apostolate use the only effective method: personal contact. With it you enter into the lives of others, understand them and love them. Personal relationships are more effective than sermons and books.
(*) From: The Road of Hope. Witnessing the joy of belonging to Christ, Città Nuova, 6th ed., Rome 2004.
Just a few words. Nothing more. But it’s enough to guide the whole day. They are published at midnight and by dawn they arrive via WhatsApp or email and “light up” the whole day. They express a thought from the Gospel or a universal value and motivate people to act, to engage, to look beyond their own occupations or worries.
A brilliant idea, simple and easy to share, conceived by Chiara Lubich in December 2001 to help those working with her at the Focolare International Centre to live the present moment. But as often happens, seeing how positive the idea and its effects were, it spread like ripples on water when a stone is thrown in, crossing borders, languages, cultures and languages.
In the years that followed, the founder of the Focolare often referred to this “password” and to the experiences it sparked in those who put it into practice. She would sometimes encourage people to keep going or offer a deeper meaning, like when she suggested silently adding to the daily thought the intention of living it “especially in contact with your brothers and sisters”. This marked a profound shift, not only in striving for personal perfection, but in constantly relating to those next to us, entering into their needs and making them recipients of our concrete love.
Gradually it grew and developed. Currently, the “password” recalls some aspect of the monthly Word of life or refers to the readings of the liturgy. It is translated into 23 languages. Some, when they forward it or publish it on social networks, add a personal reflection a suggestion for putting it into practice. Others illustrate it with an image or create a short video for YouTube. And there are even those who compose a short song every day. All means of communication and all social networks are useful for sharing it with friends and acquaintances, always gently asking first if they are interested in receiving it.
These are not empty words. On the contrary, they stimulate and motivate us to action, especially in our relationships with the environment and with the people we meet every day, as Marisa from Brazil said: “Today I was going to lecture at the university, even though at this time I don’t really feel like continuing that job. I am old enough to retire, but I missed out on some promotions and for the moment I have to work because my daughters still need my financial help. So I renew my ‘For You, Jesus’ every time I go to the university. Today’s thought is precisely: ‘fulfil our duties’”.
From Senegal, Don Christian wrote: “Thank you for the password. It helps me to nourish my spiritual life and to enlighten my relationship with God and with my brothers and sisters every day.” For Maria Teresa, from Argentina, receiving it every day is a response from God: “I work in the pastoral care of migrants and yesterday I accompanied one of them to the presentation of a book he wrote on “neuroconduction”. I felt it was important to be with him in these moments when he could share and help him develop his talents. It was a new and beautiful experience of unity with him and with the people who came and welcomed his lecture as a gift he had to offer. ”
These are just a few glimpses of the life that is generated in hundreds of people, or maybe even more, who, with or without a religious belief, wake up every morning with the commitment to live the few words of the “password”.
