Maria Voce, the first president of the Focolare Movement (Work of Mary) after the foundress, Chiara Lubich, died yesterday at the age of 87 at home, in Rocca di Papa (Italy), surrounded by the affection and prayers of many.
This was announced yesterday evening by Margaret Karram, the current President to all those who belong to the Focolare Movement in the world.
In a message, Margaret went on to express the immense suffering that Maria Voce’s departure has brought about. She also expressed the fraternal and filial bond that bound them both together. “As the first president of the Focolare Movement after our foundress, she was able to take ahead with intelligence, farsightedness and the necessary determination the difficult transition of our Movement from its foundation to the post-foundation phase. She was able to combine her inspiring faithfulness to the Charism of Unity with the courage to deal with the many challenges of a worldwide association like ours, which operates on so many levels of human, social and institutional life.
Maria Voce received the name “Emmaus” as a life programme from Chiara Lubich, and it also became the programme of her government: to journey together, in a synodal way – and regardless of the questions and uncertainties that may emerge along the way, trusting in the presence of God in the midst of his people.
When I succeeded her as president of the Focolare Movement in 2021, she always accompanied me with a discreet but ever-present closeness and with her advice so full of Wisdom. In addition to her spiritual, theological and juridical preparation, she was also blessed with a deep and welcoming humanity and an engaging humour that was always respectful. Her human and sapiential calibre has been acknowledged by the most varied religious and civil authorities: from Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis; from the leaders of the various Churches to representatives of other religions and cultures.
A few hours before her departure to the next life, Jesús Morán and I were able to visit her for one last time. She was serene. I am consoled by the thought that waiting for her in heaven is the Virgin Mary, to whom she was closely linked by a very deep, and I would say existential, relationship.”
Jesús Morán, who lived alongside Maria Voce during the first six years of his service as Co-President of the Focolare Movement, recognises that with her election a new stage has begun for the Focolare Movement. He writes: “Emmaus, will go down in the history of the Movement not only as the first president of the post-Chiara Lubich phase, but also as the one who took the first innovative-organisational step of the Movement in the post-foundation era, in perfect creative faithfulness to the charism. In her first mandate, while Chiara’s absence was felt and could have caused discouragement, Emmaus travelled the world to strengthen the members and adherents of the Focolare communities in their commitment to a more fraternal and united world – in line with the charism of the foundress. In her second mandate, she began to prepare the Movement for the inevitable “crisis” phase appearing on the horizon, which Pope Francis identified as a great opportunity. And the Argentine Pope held her in great esteem. He pointed this out to her on every occasion. This demonstrates another of her characteristics: her ecclesial spirit.
I have always admired in Emmaus her simplicity, her inner freedom, her determination and her ability to discern, in which she was greatly aided by a legal background that she made her own.
Thank you, Emmaus, for saying a solemn “yes” at the most difficult time in our still short history. Mary will have taken you into her arms, presented you to her Son and together they will have carried you to the bosom of the Father who was the perennial source of your inspiration.”
I funerali si terranno lunedì prossimo, 23 giugno 2025, alle ore 15.00 presso il Centro internazionale dei Focolari a Rocca di Papa (Roma), via di Frascati, 306 – Rocca di Papa (Roma).(*)
Stefania Tanesini
Biographical information
Maria Voce was born in Ajello Calabro (Cosenza – Italy) on the 16th of July 1937, the first of seven children. Her father was a doctor and her mother, a housewife. In her final year of university studies in law in Rome (1959), she met a group of young focolarini at university and began to follow their spirituality. After finishing her studies, she practised law in Cosenza, becoming the first woman lawyer in the city’s court. She later studied theology and canon law.
In 1963, she was called by God to follow Chiara Lubich’s path, to which she responded with immediacy. In the Movement, Maria Voce is known as “Emmaus”, a name that refers to the well-known episode of the two disciples walking with Jesus after the resurrection. She herself describes how Chiara proposed it to her: “Chiara, confirmed an intuition that I had strongly felt within: that my life was to be spent so that those who had the opportunity to meet me would experience Jesus in the midst.” From that moment on, her commitment was to build bridges of unity, to the point of deserving God’s presence among people.
From 1964 to 1972 she was in the Focolare communities in Sicily (Italy) in Syracuse and Catania and from 1972 to 1978 she was part of Chiara Lubich’s personal secretariat.
In 1977 Chiara Lubich made an important visit to Istanbul (Turkey) where for years she had cultivated a special relationship with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. During those years, Maria Voce was in the focolare in that city, and she recalls: “It was a strong experience, both for the precious contacts with the various Churches, with Islam, and also because we felt that only Jesus among us made us strong when faced with the many problems of that land.”
In Istanbul, she established ecumenical relationships with the then Patriarch of Constantinople Demetrius I and numerous Metropolitans, including the current Patriarch Bartholomew I, as well as representatives of the various Churches.
In 1988 Chiara asked Emmaus to return to Italy to work at the International Centre in Rocca di Papa and for the Abbà school, the Interdisciplinary Study Centre of the Focolare Movement, of which she became a member in 1995 as an expert in Law. Since the year 2000 she has also been co-responsible for the International Commission of “Communion and Law”, a network of professionals and scholars involved in the field of Justice. From 2002 to 2007 she collaborated directly with Chiara in updating the General Statutes of the Movement.
On the 7th of July 2008, a few months after Chiara Lubich’s death, she was elected president of the Focolare Movement, reappointed for a second term on the 12th of September 2014. The style of her presidency has always been to “prioritise relationships” and to work towards the goal for which the Movement was born: to seek unity at all levels, in all fields, by following the path of dialogue. She has repeatedly emphasised how important dialogue is. “If there is an extremism of Violence,” she said in 2015 at the United Nations, in New York, “now we are responding in the same radical way, but structured differently, that is, with the extremism of dialogue.”
Numerous visits were made to all the continents to meet with the Movement’s communities spread around the world and to maintain contacts with civil and ecclesiastical, cultural and political, ecumenical and interreligious leaders. These were important steps to strengthen the bonds of friendship and collaboration established by the Focolare Movement and to encourage developments on the path of fraternity between peoples.
During her presidency, both with Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, Maria Voce had meetings and audiences where expressions of esteem and fraternal affection emerged on both sides. On the 23rd of April 2010, Pope Benedict XVI received her in private audience. Referring to the spirituality of the Focolare Movement, the Pope spoke of a “charism that builds bridges, that creates unity” and invited the Focolare Movement to continue in its activities with ever deeper love and in striving for holiness. In October 2008, she participated and spoke at the Synod of Bishops on “The Word of God in the life and mission of the Church”. On the 24th of November 2009 Pope Benedict appointed her as Consultor of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and on the 7th of December 2011 as Consultor of the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelisation.
On the 13th of September 2013, Pope Francis received her in audience together with the then Co-President Giancarlo Faletti. About that moment, Emmaus remembers, “He immediately received us with a great welcome. He made me feel at home. I felt a great joy, as if I were standing in front of a father, but first and foremost he was a brother. I felt like his sister, and this sense has always remained.”
And on another occasion, she said, “Pope Francis has always encouraged us to go ahead, to welcome the signs of the times in order to make the charism relevant today, received for the good of many people and giving joyful witness to it”. One of these occasions was the Pope’s visit to the international little town of Loppiano (Florence, Italy) in 2018. Maria Voce was there to welcome him: “Holy Father, we have a very high goal, we want to “aim high”. We would like to make mutual love the law of coexistence, which means experiencing the joy of the Gospel and feeling that we are protagonists of a new page of history.”
With Pope Benedict XVIWith Pope FrancisWith Pope Francis in LoppianoWith the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew IWith Sergio Mattarella, President of the Italian RepublicDuring his speech at the UNWith Nikkio Niwano, Rissho Kosei-kaiAt an interreligious meetingMaria Voce with Chiara Lubich
I am writing to you with great sorrow and profound emotion to inform you that today, at 5:22 p.m., God called to Himself our Emmaus, Maria Voce, the first president of the Focolare Movement after Chiara Lubich.
She concluded her holy journey in Rocca di Papa, in her home, surrounded by the care and love of the focolarine of her focolare and the prayers of us all. Today, in the early afternoon, Jesús and I were able to visit her for one last time. She was serene.
A great affection and immense esteem bind me to her because of her donation to God in the Work of Mary right to the end.
Since my election as President, her closeness, which was so discreet but ever present, always accompanied me, supporting me with her advice so full of Wisdom. She was present on the most varied occasions, celebrations, anniversaries, journeys; she assured me of her prayers, the offering of her life and often she would send me a gift, a flower or one of her poems.
She received the name “Emmaus” from Chiara, recalling the experience of the Risen Lord walking with us. This name characterised her whole life. Indeed, she affirmed: “How do we do the Work of God? With Jesus in the midst!”
Her inspiring faithfulness to Chiara’s charism, her courage in facing numerous challenges, and her belief in unity, in communion, remain etched in our hearts.
Her human, spiritual and sapiential calibre has been acknowledged by the most varied religious and civil authorities: from Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis; from the leaders of the various Churches to representatives of other religions and cultures.
Her funeral will be held on Monday, 23rd of June at 3.00 p.m. (Italian time) at the International Centre in Rocca di Papa.
Let us remain united in the love that binds Heaven and earth!
Over 150 delegations from all over the world attended Pope Leo’s inaugural Mass: political leaders, heads of Christian Churches, representatives of different religions and over 200,000 faithful from all over the world. It took place in St. Peter’s Square on 18th May. The new Pontiff wanted to begin by meeting the pilgrims, traveling around the Square and along the Via della Conciliazione in the Pope-mobile, in a long, joyous and emotional greeting. He then paused at the tomb of Peter, of whom he is now the successor, before commencing the Eucharistic celebration.
A group from the International Centre of the Focolare attended in representation of the President of the Movement, Margaret Karram and the Co-President Jesús Morán who are currently in the United States.
Silvia Escandell (Argentina), Focolare Central Delegate, described the moment, “This was an experience of the universality of the Church. I felt that Pope Leo XIV, surely also thanks to his charism, draws together this profound diversity into unity. I was impressed by how he immediately used two words, ‘love and unity’ and how his entire address followed this theme . I was also moved when he referred to Peter, to whom Jesus said to cast the nets, and how the Pope called us to do so again, knowing these are the nets of the Gospel, which goes out to meet every person. It seems to me a sign of great hope, for the Church and for humanity ”.
Photos: St. Peter’s Square crowded with the faithful, a moment of the celebration and the group from the Focolare International Centre.
Ray Asprer (Philippines), also Central Delegate of the Focolare Movement, said, “For me today was a powerful experience of progressing towards a united world. . Seeing the entire square filled and above all, listening to the Pope’s appeal expressing his vision of a Church as an instrument of unity, I felt that this was exactly what we were living there, in all its solemnity, but also as a real experience. We were standing together from all over the world, gathered around the Pope who proclaimed that the Church’s mission is love and unity. I felt a call to unity as a sign of the times ”.
Chiara Cuneo (Italy), Councillor at the International Centre of Focolare and co-responsible for Dialogue between Movements and new Communities within the Catholic Church, also spoke of hope, saying.“In this world, in this dark time, hope is a light that guides us. During the Mass I thought that, sometimes, it takes the desert, to allow you to see the sprouts of hope. And today is one of those shoots: something is growing ”.
“The words of the Pope about walking together were very inclusive. He really mentioned everyone, we were all included, absolutely everyone“.
“She concluded, “I was able to greet some Founders and Presidents of various Church Movements. It was a moment of celebration, joy and renewed hope for everyone. We all felt the desire to continue this journey together, truly wishing to love one another more and more, just as the Pope said ”.
Enno Dijkema (Netherlands) Councillor at the International Centre of Focolare and Co-Responsible for the Centre for Christian Unity, added, “There were also many leaders of other Christian Churchesand the Pope clearly said that he wants to be in dialogue with everyone and that he wants to be a servant of the unity of the Church of Christ.I was very movedwhen he spoke of his ministry and described it not as being above all, but below, as love, as service that brings joy and faith to all Christians and to the whole world. In front of so many heads of State it seemed to me a beautiful testimony, a meaningful indication of ‘power’ understood as love, as service ”.
A path of dialogue and welcome rooted in the Gospel is the one shared by Pope Francis with the Focolare Movement. Maria Voce Emmaus, who was President of the Movement during the first eight years of his pontificate, describes it.
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It is with deep emotion that I write these lines about Pope Francis after his “flight” to the Father. I recall those many thoughtful and meaningful moments, when I was able to shake his hand and feel the warmth of his smile, the tenderness of his gaze, the strength of his words, the beating of his heart ready for a fatherly welcome. And I find it hard to believe that these encounters will no longer have a “tomorrow” or an “again” in my life.
I do not propose to make a thematic summary of Francis’ pontificate. To this end, it will be enough to review the many articles that have been published in recent days, especially the special issue of L’Osservatore Romano – just a few hours after his death – and the more or less exhaustive evaluations that will surely be published in the near future.
What moves me from within is to find that the golden thread that weaves his mission in guiding the Church, to try to be in tune with the centre of his heart and soul. And, from there, to relive the relationship he had with the Work of Mary during these twelve years.
To do this, I meditated deeply on his most recent talks, because I feel that this is where Pope Francis gave the best of himself and where you can find the key to all his thinking and to all his actions.
In the text he prepared for the Easter Mass, there is a quote from the great French theologian Henri de Lubac, who is also a Jesuit, that cannot simply be rhetorical: “it should be enough to understand this: Christianity is Christ. No, truly, there is nothing else but this.”
In my opinion, if we want to understand Francis, we must refer to this absolute: Christ, and only Christ, all Christ. From this we can understand the profound content of his encyclicals and apostolic exhortations, the choice of his journeys, his preferred options, the meaning of the reforms he undertook, his gestures, his words, his homilies, his meetings, and above all his love for those who are excluded, for those who are rejected, for women, for the elderly, for children and for creation.
‘No, there really is nothing else’. That is why one can say – using a pleonasm – that the Catholicism of Pope Francis is simply a “Christian Catholicism”. The new impulse he wanted to give the Church is based on this approach: the transparency of Christ. Because of this, on many occasions he has gone far beyond the politically correct, or rather, the ecclesially correct, without fear of being misunderstood, and without fear of being wrong, even aware of his “contradictions”. In fact, in an interview with a Spanish newspaper he said that what he wished for his successor was not to make his same mistakes.
Because of this Christological centrality, we can acknowledge that we have indeed been living – almost without realising it – with a Pope who is profoundly mystical. After all, this is how Pope Francis has thought and lived the Church: not as a religious organisation, nor as a distributor of sacraments, much less as a centre of economic, social or political power, but as the people of God, the body of Christ, which gives hospitality to humanity in His humanity. A Church, therefore, that is open to humanity, to service, because Jesus is “the heart of the world”.
To reduce Francis to a social reformer or a Pope of disruption shows a tremendous blindness. I often stared at his face when he inserted comments in his messages, for example at the Sunday Angelus. There, with the simplicity of a shepherd who passionately loves his flock, he displayed his harmony with the divine, his wisdom, his crystal-clear and straightforward faith, his profound humility.
In my humble opinion, from the centrality of Christ derive the two fundamental pillars of his magisterium: mercy and hope. Mercy is the expression of knowing ourselves as believers rooted in history, both personal and collective, with all its tragedies; hope manifests the eschatological and salvific tension that determines it. According to the Pope’s thought, there is mercy because there is hope; and it is hope that gives us a heart of mercy. Indeed, in his homily prepared for this year’s Easter Vigil, Francis affirms that ‘the Risen Christ is the definitive turning point in human history’. The important social and ecological messages of Pope Francis are misunderstood if this eschatological tension centred on the Risen Lord is not taken into account.
Francis’ relationship with the Focolare Movement has been very deep during the twelve years of his pontificate. He addressed ten official speeches to it: to the participants at the 2014 and 2021 Assemblies; to all those belonging to the Movement on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of its birth; to the academic community of the Sophia University Institute; to the family focolares; to the participants at the meeting of the bishops of various Churches; to the participants at the meeting on the “economy of communion”; to the participants at the interreligious conference “One Human Family”; to the citizens of the little town of Loppiano; to the Mariapolis of Rome – Earth Village. Furthermore, on one occasion, he granted a private audience to Maria Voce, the first president of the Work of Mary after Chiara, and to myself.
What emerges from these meetings is a great love and a touching pastoral concern of Pope Francis for the Movement. In the virtual ecclesial circularity between hierarchical and charismatic gifts, we can affirm that, on the one hand, the Pope has been able to grasp, value and highlight the gift that the charism of unity, with its emphasis on the spirituality of communion and its concrete achievements in very different ecclesial and civic contexts, represents for the synodal process that the whole Church is living in view of a new evangelisation. On the other hand, he has identified with extreme clarity the challenges and steps that the movement must necessarily take if it wants to remain faithful to its original charism, knowing how to go through the inevitable post-foundation crisis in a humble way, transforming it into a time of grace and new opportunities.
Pope Francis has been for the world an all-encompassing message of fraternity rooted in Christ and open to all. Fraternity is the only future that is possible. We, the people of unity, must treasure this legacy with humility, energy and responsibility.
