This February we celebrate the XI International Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking which falls annually on 8 February – the feast of St Josephine Bakhita, the Sudanese nun who had the dramatic experience of being trafficked as a child.
This year the event is inspired by Pope Francis‘ invitation to be pilgrims of peace and apostles of hope and is part of the events linked to the Jubilee 2025. The theme is: Ambassadors of Hope: Together against Human Trafficking.
Celebrated all over the world, the World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking was introduced by Pope Francis in 2015. Coordinated by Talitha Kum, it draws on a network of organisations – including the Focolare Movement – with the aim of praying together, reflecting collectively on the realities of human trafficking and supporting victims, survivors and vulnerable populations. In a particular way, this initiative aims to promote and help women, children, migrants, refugees and young people.
This year, during the week of 4 to 10 February, various events will take place to raise awareness of the issue. More than 100 representatives of the various partner organisations – young people from all over the world, supporters and activists, survivors, refugees, migrants and public figures from the world of art and cinema – will gather in Rome to promote an appeal for hope, peace, love and unity of the Catholic Church with the aim of healing the wounds of the world. Among other events, Gen Verde will participate in the event ‘Invoking Hope and Promoting Healing Events’ on 6 February at 4-7pm (Italian time) at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.
But the central event will be the online pilgrimage scheduled for 7 February from 11.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. (Italian time): a marathon of prayer and reflection across all continents and available in five languages.
Recently, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith published the Declaration ‘Dignitas Infinita’ referring to serious violations of human dignity, such as human trafficking described as ‘an ignoble activity, a disgrace for our societies that call themselves civilised’. Likewise, it stresses the importance of combating phenomena such as the ‘trade in human organs and tissues, sexual exploitation of children and young girls, slave labour, including prostitution, drug and arms trafficking, terrorism and organised international crime’. It also mentions the repercussions of this crime against humanity. “Trafficking defaces the victim’s humanity, offending their freedom and dignity”.
It is currently estimated that 50 million people globally are affected by modern day slavery. Those who suffer the consequences most are women and children. The Jubilee year and the theme of hope highlight the importance of promoting this value through concrete actions such as the global fight against the despicable reality of human trafficking. We are therefore called to action, to be ambassadors of hope, because the human dignity and fraternity that we all uphold are in grave danger.
Peace, welcome, courage, justice, dialogue, hope, solidarity, togetherness, fraternity, unity: words that express our planetary, strong, concrete commitment that begins with small daily gestures, so that there may be an end to weapons and an end to all conflicts, in every corner of the world.
…We must be convinced that for the civilization of love to become a reality, we have to storm the world with a current of love. Otherwise, everything will remain like a dream, destined to die. … Love! Teaching to love! The person who truly knows how to love, is the person who knows that he or she is sincerely loved. This is a human observation, but it is no less valid in the supernatural field. To know that we are loved! By whom? By the One who is Love. We must open the eyes of as many brothers and sisters as possible so that they might see and discover the treasure they possess, often without realizing it. They are not alone on this earth. There is Love. They have a Father who does not abandon his sons and daughters to their own destiny. He wants to accompany them, watch over them, help them. He is a Father who does not load burdens that are too heavy onto others’ shoulders. He is the first to carry them. In our case, he does not leave the renewal of society only to human initiative. But He is the first to be concerned with it. People should know this and turn to him, aware of the fact that nothing is impossible for him. We must believe, therefore, that we are loved by God so that we can throw ourselves with greater faith into the adventure of love, and work together with him for a New Humanity. Then we must focus our interests on the human person and share with them misfortunes and successes, spiritual goods and material goods. And, to love well, we must not see the difficulties, corruption and sufferings of the world merely as social evils to be resolved. Rather, we must recognize in these the countenance of Christ, who did not disdain to hide himself beneath all human poverty. Because of him – especially for those of us who are Christian – our greatest energies are channeled for the good of others. But since the love we are talking about is certainly not only philanthropy, or friendship or purely human solidarity, but is primarily a gift from Above, we must place ourselves in the best possible attitude to receive it, by nourishing ourselves on and living on the Word of God. … Every person in their large or small world of daily activities – in the family, office, factory, trade union, immersed as they may be in local and general problems, in public institutions, all the way to the United Nations – can truly be a builder of peace, a witness to love, an instrument of unity.
Nearly 9,000 kilometres away from their home in Loppiano, Italy, the international band, “Gen Rosso”, visited Mongolia for the first time. Mongolia, an Asian nation nestled between Russia and China, is home to a small but vibrant Catholic Church led by the Apostolic Prefect, Cardinal Giorgio Marengo. With approximately 1,500 baptized Catholics among a population of 3.5 million, this visit marked a significant step in the community’s preparation for the Catholic Church’s Jubilee in 2025. Cardinal Marengo said, “A young Church, made up of young people, needs a youthful language to connect with people. I grew up with Gen Rosso’s songs. When someone suggested inviting you to Mongolia, I thought it was an excellent opportunity for missionary outreach in Gen Rosso’s style. Your art and lyrics have broad horizons, making it an ideal approach for a place like Mongolia, where the Church is in its early stages. This seemed like a golden opportunity.”
From 23rd November-2nd December, Gen Rosso engaged with hundreds of people, mostly young people, through various workshops in artistic disciplines like hip-hop dance, Broadway-style performance, party dance and choral singing. The workshops culminated in a concert held on 1st December in Ulaanbaatar, the capital.
The band recounted, “We envisioned a ‘participatory’ concert to which the young people we met during our stay in Mongolia could also contribute. Our goal? To encourage cultural exchange among young people and prepare them to help animate the 1st December concert. We sang mainly in English, with some songs in Italian and included at least one verse of the song, ‘Hopes of Peace’ in Mongolian. Our aim was to foster a culture of peace and fraternity rooted in sharing and unity.”
Other highlights included visits to an orphanage, encounters with homeless people and meetings with nomadic families. “It was deeply moving to spend time with them, to sing together with the children, to give hope to these people and learn about their cultures and traditions,” said Emanuele Chirco and Adelson Oliveira of Gen Rosso. The Band also met with local young artists to promote a culture of peace and fraternity through music and art. Gen Rosso, founded in 1966 in Loppiano from an inspiration of Chiara Lubich, the founder of the Focolare Movement, continues to spread these values through their music. Before leaving, they were warmly received by Italy’s Ambassador to Mongolia, Dr. Giovanna Piccarreta.
This journey marked a significant milestone for Mongolia’s Catholic community. When Pope John Paul II established the Prefecture in 2002, the Church in Mongolia had just over a hundred faithful and a small number of religious and priests. Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, a Consolata Missionary, arrived in 2003 and has witnessed the steady growth of the community. In 2023, Pope Francis made a historic visit to Mongolia, bringing a message of hope.
At the end of the tour Cardinal Marengo said, “It has been a wonderful experience of friendship with Gen Rosso; we felt united by the common denominator of Jesus. We immediately felt a connection. I was also struck by the brotherly care with which the Band members related to one another. I was certain that when they went on stage, they would deliver an experience of beauty and depth that would inspire reflection.”
Lorenzo Russo
For more information and upcoming events featuring Gen Rosso, visit:www.genrosso.com
“The competition has been and remains a unique way to introduce Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, to younger generations and to an audience that engages with her work on a cultural level,” says Giuliano Ruzzier, a teacher and collaborator of the Chiara Lubich Centre.
Promoted by the Ministry of Education and Merit, New Humanity and the Historical Museum Foundation of Trentino, this year’s theme is peace. Participants are encouraged to explore the meaning of peace in light of Chiara Lubich’s contributions. Ruzzier explains, “From her extensive legacy, particularly where she explicitly addressed this theme, we have identified four perspectives from which to reflect on peace.”
These perspectives include constructive dialogue among people of different religions and cultures, overcoming economic disparities, fostering personal commitment to fraternity through relationships of proximity and spreading a culture of peace. Prof. Giuseppe Ruzzier continues, “Chiara Lubich viewed humanity as a whole. She is well-known for her call to ‘love others’ countries as our own. Her emphasis on everyday relationships is particularly distinctive. As she said, our days can be filled with practical, humble, intelligent acts of service, expressions of our love. Every little gesture has an effect on society.”
The contest is open to primary, middle and high school students. “As in past years, we especially hope for broad participation from Italian schools abroad, given the clear international scope of this year’s theme.”
When asked how he would encourage his colleagues to promote this initiative, Ruzzier replies: “This contest offers students the chance to reflect independently and creatively on a highly relevant and important topic like peace. It also provides an opportunity to engage with the significant thoughts of a woman who profoundly shaped and experienced the 20th century and expressed herself in many ways.”
Experiencing the Church in its community dimension through the synodal method. This was one of the messages that emerged from the ecclesial convention organized by the Focolare Movement of Italy and Albania that was held in early November at the Mariapolis Center of Castel Gandolfo in Italy. An event that was attended by about a thousand people, of different ages and vocations, who adhere to the spirituality of the Focolare Movement, but also representatives of other associations.
Cristiana Formosa and Gabriele Bardo, Focolare leaders in Italy and Albania highlighted the path taken so far together with other groups of the Italian Church. It all stemmed from “a deep dialogue that grew over time, between priests and laity; a working together, people from all the branches of the Work of Mary (or. The Focolare Movement); a growing appreciation of all those who work in various capacities in the local church and in diocesan and national bodies. […] We feel that in recent years this sensitivity has grown a lot within the Movement, and both at the national and local levels there is much more collaboration with other Movements and Church Associations.”.
On the first day, Prof. Vincenzo Di Pilato, professor of Fundamental Theology and Academic Coordinator of the Centro Evangelii Gaudium emphasized (text) the figure of Mary as Mother of God and Mother of humanity, highlighting the Trinitarian root of the incarnation and Mary’s social dimension.
This was followed by Card. Giuseppe Petrocchi who deepened the reality of being church today, emphasizing how one needs to have a value compass to understand how to move, what church to be and how to be church. One must study and love the sociocultural context of the area in which one acts as well as being attentive to signs of the times: what the Lord is asking of us today.
Space then was given to various experiences on educational projects aimed at marginalized people, on the new generations, universal fraternity, the option for the “poor” for an inclusive synodality.
The second day was enriched with the presence of Dr. Linda Ghisoni, Under secretary of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family, Life, who brought greetings and encouragement from the Prefect of the Dicastery Card. Kevin Joseph Farrell. Dr. Ghisoni delivered a meditative reflection entitled “Marian dimension: a Church with a synodal face”. By retracing Mary’s life, she affirmed that we too must “trust God who is faithful. It’s up to us, far from all self-driven triumphalism, to be present in the face of the toughest situations in our society, in our family, in our movement. We should not be ashamed if we seem to belong to a group of failures, if we have people among us who are weaklings, and we should welcome the call to an ever-new generativity, proclaiming with closeness, care, listening, with intelligence, attention and dialogue, that God is faithful, is close, is merciful.”.
And she recalled the words that Cardinal Farrell addressed to the Focolare Movement on the 80th anniversary of its birth: “The ideal that Chiara (Lubich) transmitted to you remains ever relevant, even in today’s secularized world which is so different from that of when the Movement began. Your charism contains in itself a great life giving energy, but as the Holy Father often says: ‘it is not a museum piece… it needs to come into contact with reality, with people, with their anxieties and problems. And so, in this fruitful encounter with life, the charism grows, is renewed, and also reality is transformed, is transfigured through the spiritual force that such a charism brings with it.’”
With Marina Castellitto and Carlo Fusco the topic on the universal call to holiness was explored further through the figures of some Focolare members for whom the cause of beatification has been initiated.
This was followed by the experience of the Social Week of Italian Catholics held in Trent in July 2024. “Those days were an experience of listening and deepening the here and now of our time: questioning us about our being a community of believers in the larger ecclesial community and therefore politics as a history and network of human relationships,” stated Argia Albanese president of the Political Movement for Unity (Mppu) Italy.
The day continued with the experience of the National Council of Lay Aggregations (CNAL) in the presence of secretary Dr. Maddalena Pievaioli. The Council is the place where they live their relationship with the Italian Episcopate in a unified form, offering the richness of their associations and actively welcoming its programs and pastoral indications. The wish is that we can increasingly spread this reality within the Associations.
We concluded with the sharing of some best practices such as the Evangelii Gaudium Center, the experiences of the Diocesan Movement of Pesaro and Fermo, and insights on ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, dialogue with people of nonreligious beliefs, and dialogue with the world of culture.
Present on the last day were Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement. Margaret talked about her recent experience at the synod as one of nine specially invited guests. “The Synod, with its 368 participants, including bishops and laity, of whom 16 were fraternal delegates from other Christian Churches, offered us a perfect example of the universal dimension of this hope,” Margaret said. “We came from 129 nations and each of us was a bearer of our own experience of peace, of war, of poverty, of prosperity, of migration, of joys and sorrows of all kinds. So I would say that the first message, perhaps the most important, is the deeply missionary dimension of the Synod. […] And the first lesson we learned is: walk together, witness together, we need each other. The second lesson was the spiritual practice of discernment that requires: inner freedom, humility, mutual trust, openness to newness.” (…) Our responsibility is “to become bearers of synodality in every sphere: the ecclesial one in primis (first place), Just think of how many of us, and here you will be many! are engaged in our own local Church. But, we members of the Work of Mary, we cannot limit ourselves only to this sphere, we are a lay Movement and this lay characteristic is essential, it comes from the Charism and we cannot lose it. The Synod has stressed on many occasions that we must ‘widen our tent’ to include really everyone, especially those who feel outside.”
Jesús Morán gave a meditation-reflection on being a Church of Hope today. “Hope,” he said, ”makes us overcome fear. Hope must be united with faith and love, the three sisters of the theological life. Hope is a communal virtue; it frees us from the isolation of anguish and launches us toward ‘us’; an ‘us’ that becomes concrete love for our brother.”.
