Focolare Movement

Catalonia, first stop on the visit of the Focolare president

Jan 19, 2011

The visit of Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti in Catalonia concludes at the Shrine of Montserrat and the Basilica of the Holy Family. Now it’s on to Andalusia.

On pilgrimage to Montserrat On 17 January, near to the end of her stay in Catalonia, Maria Voce went to the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat, who is the patroness of Catalonia. She was accompanied by the Abbot, Dom Josep M. Soler. The meeting was cordial and full of mutual esteem, in continuation of the fraternity and communion which has marked the relations between the Focolare and the Benedictines. While visiting the Monastery of Montserrat in 2002, Chiara Lubich remarked: “Oftentimes, the movements give the example of charismatic and evangelical freshness, as well as an abundant and creative evangelisation. But the movements have much they can learn from the witness of consecrated life, which guard and preserve many treasures of experience and wisdom.” The abbot said that he was gladdened to learn that Chiara Luce Badano, the young woman recently beatified in Rome, was at Montserrat shortly before her death. “Another thing that unites us!” exclaimed Dom Josep. Still on Monday, the 17th, the Cardinal of Barcellona, Lluis Martines Sistach welcomed Maria Voce with great affection, recalling Chiara’s visit in 2001. In the evening the president met the Archbishop of La Seu d’Urgell and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, Bishop Joan-Enric Vives i Sicília. The journey ended with a visit to the Basilica of the Sagrada Famiglia, which was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI last November. Then there was a visit to Ciutat Nova, the Catalan edition of Citta Nuova. Now they are leaving for the land of Andalusia, Seville, in the south of Spain.

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