14 Jul 2022 | Non categorizzato
From 17 to 19 June, the representatives of local entities representing the Focolare Movement around the world met to reconsider their role and share good practices and challenges at various levels. How is the Focolare structured juridically at a local level? How are the little towns, businesses and social actions in the different countries where the movement exists regulated and linked to the spirit of fraternity that animates them? In the past, someone once said that the Focolare Movement is not a complicated reality, but a complex one; a complexity that has evolved over almost 80 years of history and as a consequence of communities spreading around the world. There are currently around 2 million members and adherents in 182 countries. For this data to be correctly interpreted, it has to be recorded at the local level, and this is where the complexity arises because of the wide variety of forms of association that reflect the Movement’s activities at a regional level. In technical terms they are called ‘entities’ and allow for an association of people to exist and operate in a given territory or country. From 17 to 19 June, representatives of the local entities representing the Focolare Movement around the world met at the Mariapolis Centre in Castelgandolfo (Rome, Italy), some in person, others via video link, to reconsider their role and share good practices and challenges at various levels. Markus Alig, Focolare councillor for Western Europe for the aspect of economy and work, clearly expressed the need to take stock: “working together and sharing ideas for restoring works and structures, increasing transparency and making Focolare members of the different communities aware of projects in the pipeline and how things are going”. Starting from Chiara Lubich’s vision of work, Geneviève Sanze and Ruperto Battiston, responsible for the aspect of economy and work in the Movement, highlighted how central work is in the thought and life of the Focolare. They underlined the importance of entities that run little towns or social actions in which focolarini, people of various vocations and those who are not part of the Movement work together. This topical theme was also emphasized by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, which last April organised the annual meeting of Moderators of Associations of the Faithful, Ecclesial Movements and New Communities, on the theme “Working conditions within the Associations. A service according to justice and charity”. The entities: at the service of the life of the Focolare around the world Of the 180 participants, some recounted the history and the current “state of play” of activities born under the aegis of their respective entities, such as Simon Petre Okello from Uganda, who spoke about NASSO, Namugongo Social Services Organization Ltd, an organisation founded in 1999 by members of the movement to promote socio-educational and health activities inspired by the principles of fraternity. Over the years, three supporting ‘arms’ have developed: a health centre, a nutritional centre and a socio-economic centre. The organisation has thus enabled numerous activities to be developed over the years: continuous educational support from primary school to university; courses in therapeutic nutrition for children and parents; dental, radiology and maternity workshops; and assistance to patients before and after treatment. Social activities also include commitment to the environment in partnership with organisations in different countries. Kit Roble, who is responsible for the Focolare entity in the Philippines, described a pathway, still in progress, towards greater involvement and participation on the part of the board of directors in decision-making processes. This includes the involvement of qualified external consultants in the near future. A path that has highlighted the need for greater mutual listening and common discernment in facing the various challenges. Renata Dias, a lawyer in the USA, also spoke of a pathway that has led to distinguishing the entities that own the buildings from those that carry out the activities of the Movement, for a correct distinction of responsibilities, in a path of sharing and transparency. The experts: between faithfulness to the charism and looking to the future Among the experts who spoke was Prof. Patrick Valdrini, former Rector of the Catholic University of Paris, who illustrated the relevance of associative experiences that are born from ecclesiastical charisms, their place in the Code of Canon Law and possible new perspectives. A speech that highlighted the spiritual roots of the juridical structures needed for movements and lay aggregations to function properly: “Every charism belongs to the Church,” explained Prof. Valdrini, “it is inspired by the Holy Spirit and for the charism to be offered to people, institutions need to be created that enable the charism to spread and also protect its original spirit”. The last day of the meeting was dedicated to the constellation of associations born from the Focolare spirituality that promote the ideal of a United World. Professor Luigino Bruni recalled how these associations cannot lose sight of their link with Chiara Lubich’s charism, from which they start to find their specific way of incarnating it. Anne Claire Motte, a French lawyer and canonist now living in the Ivory Coast, chose the word “covenant” to express the path that must be followed with respect to the different orders, listening, mutual appreciating and giving utmost respect for people. They parted with a renewed commitment to “building networks” so as to go ahead together seeking inspiration from each other.
Stefania Tanesini
13 Jul 2022 | Non categorizzato
On 4 June 2022, the Gen 4 Global Kids Meeting, (the worldwide meeting of the children of the Focolare Movement) was held. Its title was “Bring love into the world and peace will come”. It was a festive day of sharing and joy in which the little children renewed their commitment to a better world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uyRKmn2kAw
12 Jul 2022 | Non categorizzato
Opening our home to Jesus, as Martha and Mary did in the Gospel, and freeing our hearts from worries in order to listen. Living the Word, putting it into practice in every day life, can offer many a precious opportunity to “choose the better part”. Solidarity A few days ago, Elisa, whose daughter I teach catechism to, asked me to contribute to a collection of food and clothing being sent through some Ukrainian women to their wartorn country. I spread the word, and the response was immediate. To Elisa’s astonishment, in only two days we put together over two tonnes of packages containing food and clothes. Then it was my own turn to be astonished. In my thank you message to all those who’d joined in this action, I mentioned I was also transferring a sum of money to a priest I know who has stayed in Ukraine. And several them contacted me immediately with offers to add their own contributions! In less than a day, I’d received 1,000 Euro. I was overwhelmed as I thanked them. One of the young people involved commented, “Don’t you remember the miracle of the loaves and fishes?”. My only conclusion, “Lord, increase my faith”. (Carmela – Italy) A children’s game – good for adults too When my children were small I invented a game in which they’d put a sweet or candy in a basket every time they did an act of love. Now they’re grown up with their own families. Recently my oldest son told me how that game has remained part of his life. He decided to put a sweet or candy in a little bowl every time he managed to overcome an obstacle in his relationship with his wife, when he held back his temper, or welcomed his wife’s idea even when he didn’t agree with it, or went to do something himself he thought she should have done, and when he listened attentively to her instead of jumping to conclusions and judging her. Eventually his wife noticed his mysterious brief disappearances from the room and got curious. When he explained, she was moved by his effort to keep their love alive and decided to join in the game. This marked a new phase in their family life and eventually the children joined in too. That simple game for children became important for the grown ups too. (F.Z. – France) Here to serve In our roles at the Ministry for Youth, we strive to work with a real spirit of family. This makes two contrasting demands on us: firstly, not to allow all the national political issues, emergencies and problems to prevent us from building personal relationships with everyone; while at the same time never forgetting that we are there to serve this section of society which has been entrusted to us. This means to keep as our number one priority our service to young people, especially those most in need, taking great care with the management of public funds when organizing any action from our department, making sure not to spend anything unncecessarily, to manage our human resources well, based on high levels of professionalism rather than political cronyism or nepotism, strictly avoiding any abuse of the public administration office for particular or personal interests. Just as in a natural family, life in the political sphere is composed of occasions large and small to choose and start again to love and serve our people. (N.T. – Argentina)
Collated by Grazia Berretta
(from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, anno VIII, n.2, luglio-agosto2022)
12 Jul 2022 | Non categorizzato
On June 8, 2022, Margaret Karram and Jesús Moran, along with some members of the Focolare Movement, were received in an audience by His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. The meeting, which was held at the Fener, headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, focused on the productive friendship between the movement and the patriarchate. This began 55 years ago with Chiara Lubich’s visit to Bartholomew’s beloved predecessor, Patriarch Athenagoras, and the shared path taken to work together for the unity of Christians and all peoples on Earth.
Maria Grazia Berretta
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y2cV4qLtC4
11 Jul 2022 | Non categorizzato
The Word we have chosen to live by during the month of July 2022, taken from Luke’s Gospel, says: “There is need of only one thing.,. We know only too well how much need there is for charity nowadays, as there was in Jesus’ time. We need love of neighbour, love for everyone, without excluding anyone. God who is Love. Believing in God’s love, responding to his love by loving; these attitudes are urgently needed today. People today are awaiting these two essential things. Without them, the world risks being like a train running out of control and coming off the tracks. Discovering, or rather rediscovering, that God is Love is the greatest adventure for people today. In the encyclical Ecclesiam Suam, [His Church] Pope Paul VI stated: “We are convinced that charity should today assume its rightful, foremost position in the scale of religious and moral values, and not just in theory, but in the practice of the Christian life. And this applies not only to the charity we show toward God, … but also to the charity which we in turn should lavish on … the whole human race. Charity is the key to everything. It sets all to rights. There is nothing which charity cannot achieve and renew. Who is there among us who does not realize this? And since we realize it, is not this the time to put it into practice?”
Chiara Lubich
(Lubich, Chiara., “Scritti spirituali /2, L’essenziale di oggi, [Spiritual writings/2 The essential for today] Città Nuova, 1978, p. 160)
