Speaking from the stage of the Genfest 2024 in Aparecida, Edy, a Peruvian Catholic, accompanied by 13 other young people from various Christian Churches and Latin American countries, said, “Ikuméni has transformed the way we young people relate to each other, the way we look at each other and how we can have unity in diversity”.
But what is Ikuméni? It is a four-month training course in a leadership style based on the art of hospitality, cooperation and good practice. Edy continued, “A highlight was our final face-to-face meeting”. Pablo, a Salvadoran Lutheran, immediately intervened: “One thing that had a big impact on us was learning to generate cooperation initiatives together, which we call good ecumenical and interreligious practices, working alongside people from different Churches and religions, willing to serve in the challenges we face today in our cities and rural areas.”
Ikuméni offers young people various paths for implementing good practices: this is how initiatives for peacebuilding, conflict resolution, integral ecology and sustainable development, humanitarian issues and resilience have emerged, working together not only with people from different Churches, but also with civil society to care for one another.
“In my case, we started a peace-building initiative in the social sciences faculty of the university where I study,” shared Laura Camila, a Colombian who lives in Buenos Aires and is a member of a Pentecostal ecclesial community. She stressed, “We need to work together for peace, we really need it. So in collaboration with various Churches, initiatives were born to strengthen resilience by creating ecumenical and interreligious networks and workshops for dialogue and training in conflict resolution”.
The Ikuméni training itinerary is a scholarship program and therefore there is no cost for the participants who are selected to participate in the course. It requires a commitment of 4 hours per week and attendance in person at the regional Ikuméni meeting. Young people aged 18-35 years old who have completed secondary education are eligible to participate. It is organized by CREAS (Regional Ecumenical Advisory and Service Centre) with the collaboration of several organizations.
Enrolment is currently open for the 2025 program. All the information is available here: https://ikumeni.org/
Have a look at the video we filmed a few months ago in Buenos Aires during the team meeting.
The “La Sorgente” Mariapolis Centre is located in Ain Aar, in a mountainous area, 20 kilometres north of Beirut. Just as it was in 2006, the year of the 34-day military conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, people fleeing the bombs that are devastating the South of the country are arriving here, in this predominantly Christian and asking for hospitality. “It is normal to knock on the door of the Mariapolis Centre and find it wide open,” says R. of the Lebanese community of Focolare. “How could we not welcome them? What would have become of the ideal of brotherhood that we cherish and which should be our hallmark?” A similar experience occurred in 2006. Then too, Lebanon experienced large-scale movements of families and the Focolare welcomed more than a hundred friends, entire extended families in its Mariapolis Centre. “We met in those conditions and became like brothers and sisters, sharing joys and sorrows, hopes and difficulties, needs and prayer. In a simple and sincere relationship, woven into everyday life, a true experience of brotherhood started and grew, without filters or prejudices”.
No one expected the situation to deteriorate so quickly. “The Lebanese were preparing to return to school, optimistic about this new year”, says R. “Yet an unexpected storm erupted, relentless, threatening and deadly”, with “terrible consequences for a population thirsting for peace, justice and paths of dialogue”. In a few days, or rather hours, military actions hit ordinary neighbourhoods and the people found themselves living “a real nightmare”. According to the Ministry of Public Health, as of 25th September, almost 600 people have been killed in Lebanon, including more than 50 children and 94 women, and about 1,700 others have been injured since 23rd September. Mass displacement continues, reaching around 201,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Since Sunday, the “La Sorgente” Mariapolis Centre has also been filled with guests “arrived with their fears, the trauma experienced in their targeted villages and neighbourhoods”. They drove 120 kilometres, taking between 5 to 8 hours. The roads are crowded with cars fleeing the South. They leave the villages before reaching the big cities of Tyre and Sidon. Around them, they see the destruction of the recent bombings. There are currently 128 guests at the Mariapolis Centre in Ain Aar. Some come from the South, others from the popular suburbs of Beirut hit by the latest attacks. It is not easy: “Their presence raises questions in the Christian community of the region”, say the focolarini. “One wonders: are there members of Hezbollah among them who could threaten peace in the region? But the sense of solidarity is stronger than suspicion. “R. adds: “Where could they seek shelter this time too? Where could they go and know that they would be welcomed without reservation?” For the community of the focolare, a new adventure begins. The welcome is coordinated with local, religious and civil authorities.
A “contest” of solidarity is taking place throughout the country. From the parish priest, to the faithful of the parish, to the volunteers. There are those who take care of the children by organising activities and football matches for them. Those who take care of the necessary help for the reception. “People arrive shocked, worried about their future, with the apocalyptic sight of destroyed houses, burned fields, but also news of acquaintances, relatives, neighbours, friends or students who were killed in the attacks and they will never see them again. Together we unite in living the present moment, with the faith that has allowed us to endure adversity for centuries”.
The “La Sorgente” Centre aims to be, along with many other places scattered throughout the country, true “oases of peace”. “The hope, the deepest wish is that we can soon return home. So much blood spilled must make the desert of hearts bloom. We hope that this ordeal we are experiencing will open a breach in the conscience of the powerful and of everyone, showing that war is a defeat for all, as Pope Francis repeats. But above all we believe and hope that from this crucible of pain a message of possible brotherhood for the entire Region can emerge from Lebanon “.
Maria Chiara Biagioni Source: AgenSir Photo: Focolare Lebanon
Pope Francis’ latest trip to Asia and Oceania has so far been the farthest, longest and probably the most physically demanding the Pope has ever undertaken. What does this visit mean for the local communities? We asked Paul Segarra, focolarino of the Indonesian community.
Paul, what was the significance of the Pope’s visit to your country?
“This heroic gesture of the Pope is for me an image of God’s love that knows no limits and reaches out to his most distant children, who are certainly not the least-valued in his eyes. The Holy Father took the time to look at them with love, marvel at their giftedness, share their sufferings and longings for justice and peace, then encouraged them to face their challenges together and transcend their limits. But he did not only utter words that inspired and encouraged. He also demonstrated, by example, the strength in faith, the openness to fraternity and the nearness in compassion that he invites his listeners to acquire. He did this through his planned choices and spontaneous gestures, he acted and lived from the heart”.
“As news of his arrival spread quickly – Paul Segarra recounts -, there were also many comments on various social platforms about his chosen means of transport: a sober white sedan, in which he preferred to sit beside his driver, instead of taking the usual presidential back-seat, I imagined because he wanted to converse with his driver face-to-face. Seeing this gesture of his, I realised with regret that I could have done the same with the driver who brought me to my accommodations in Jakarta that same evening. But thereafter, my rides became undeniably more enjoyable, as I took to the habit of getting to know my hired drivers through friendly conversation”.
Paul, how did the local Focolare community experience this event?
“Some members of our Focolare communities in Jakarta and Yogyakarta had the privelege of participating in some of the events that were graced by the pope’s presence. At the Jakarta Cathedral (dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption) the Holy Father acknowledged the work of catechists, describing them as “bridges of the heart that unites all the islands”. We were moved as he drew our attention to a statue of the Virgin Mary, and gave her as a model of faith that welcomes everyone, even as she keeps watch over and protects the people of God as the Mother of Compassion”.
Pope Francis and Imam Umar signed the Joint Declaration. What future do you see for Christians and Muslims together after this signing?
“Tomy, one of our photographers who covered the pope’s visit to the Istiqal Mosque and endured long hours of waiting under the city-heat, was visibly touched as the Holy Father finally arrived and greeted them from his car. Assuming a discreet position just outside the entrance to the underground, pedestrian tunnel that physically connects the Great Mosque to the Cathedral across the street, he managed to capture the moment Pope Francis and High Imam Umar signed the Declaration of Fraternity in front of a small crowd of bishops, imams and other religious figures, and said he had high hopes that this visit would create true harmony between all people of faith. And what is faith, if not seeing, acting and living from the heart?
The fourth international six-year meeting of the Global Christian Forum took place in April in Accra, the capital of Ghana, bringing together about 250 people from over 50 countries, representatives of various Churches and global ecclesial networks and organizations.
The event is always held in a different city and on a different continent. Four members of the Focolare Movement attended the event in Ghana.
Alongside the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Global Christian Forum is perhaps the only other platform through which unity among the Churches is promoted on a global scale. Founded in 1998, it aims to promote dialogue with the vast world of Pentecostal Churches and ‘Free Churches’, most of which are not affiliated with the WCC. The approach has been and remains a dialogue “of the heart” rather than a theological dialogue. As the current Secretary General, Casely Essamuah, of Ghanaian origin, explained in Ghana: “It is a space for a profound encounter of faith. This is how we learn to discover the richness of Christ”.
Central to these meetings is the exchange of personal ’faith stories’ in small groups which was a significant feature in Accra. Bishop Rosemarie Wenner, representative of the Methodist Church at the WCC explained, “Seeing Christ in others is the goal of this exercise. Letting the Holy Spirit guide our words and listening carefully to the stories of others.” This truly gives rise to a spiritual friendship and a fraternal unity that generates great joy among all”.
The theme chosen for the meeting was “That they may all be one, so that the world may believe” (Jn. 17:20). Billy Wilson, president of the Pentecostal World Fellowship, highlighted three aspects of this unity: it is above all relational; it is realized in the mission: “so that the world may know and believe” and it is spiritual, like the relationships between the persons of the Trinity.
This gathering in Ghana was an experience of great spiritual richness, reflecting an image of the Church of the future that is already being realized through such encounters.
The international interreligious conference “One Human Family”, promoted by the Focolare Movement, has just concluded with a pilgrimage of fraternity to Assisi. There were 480 people present from 40 countries, speaking 12 languages.
In the city of peace, the prayer for fraternity, justice and reconciliation for all peoples in conflict resounded as a solemn pact, welcomed and pronounced by the participants, each according to their own faith
Among them were rabbis, imams, Catholic priests, Theravada and Mahayana Buddhist monks, as well as Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Baha’i lay people, and believers of traditional African religions, of all generations.
The conference was organised by an interreligious team that centred its programme on the supreme good of peace, which is extremely threatened today.
Meeting, listening, steps of reconciliation, sharing the pain of peoples were the characteristic of this conference that alternated between panel discussions led by experts and dialogue groups among the participants. Politics and international diplomatic action, economics, artificial intelligence and the environment were the topics discussed, all in the perspective of peace. Numerous academics and experts from many cultures, religions and backgrounds addressed the conference. We will name but a few: Ambassador Pasquale Ferrara, Director General for Political and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Chief Rabbi Marc Raphaël Guedj, Muslim theologian Shahrzad Houshmand Zadeh, Dr. Kezevino Aram, President of the Indian organisation ‘Shanti Ashram’, Rev. Kosho Niwano, President-designate of the Japanese Buddhist movement Risho Kossei Kai, Mr. Fadi Shehadé, founder of the RosettaNet Project, former CEO of ICANN, the economist Luigino Bruni, Indian philosopher Prof. Priya Vaidya, Islamic theologian Adnane Mokrani, Indonesian Prof. Dicky Sofjan of the International Centre for Law and Religious Studies, Prof. Fabio Petito, Professor of Religion and International Affairs at Sussex University (UK) and many others.
Ambassador Ferrara emphasized, “Religions have a fundamental role to play today. Contrary to what the realists of international relations say, war is not the normal condition of humanity. Religions can perform the role of the ‘critical conscience’ of humanity and can address politics, pointing out what the priorities are. There is a need for political imagination; to imagine the future of this planet in a constructive, new, creative way. We need to cultivate something that is currently missing in international relations, which is trust.”
There were also many rich sessions dedicated to personal testimonies, projects, actions focused on collaboration between people and communities belonging to different religious faiths, for peace and in support of the needs of their respective peoples.
An Audience with Pope Francis
On the 3rd of June, a delegation of 200 participants was received in audience by Pope Francis, who in his speech defined the journey started by Chiara Lubich with people of different religions as: “A revolutionary journey that did much good for the Church”.“The foundation of this experience,”the Holy Father further affirmed, “is the love of God expressed through mutual love, listening, trust, hospitality and getting to know one another, all the while fully respecting each other’s identities.”
“Se da un lato queste parole ci danno profonda gioia – ha commentato “While these words give us deep joy,” commented Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, “we also feel the responsibilityto do much more for peace. This is why we want to work to strengthen and spread the culture of dialogue and of “care” for people and for creation. The Pope confirmed this to us when he said that dialogue between religions is a necessary condition for world peace. In such terribly dark times like these, humanity needs a common space to make hope tangible.”
The Focolare Movement has just published its second “Communion in Action Report” or “Mission Report”. It focuses on the theme of Dialogue. To learn more about it, we interviewed Ruperto Battiston and Geneviève Sanze, Counsellors for the Economy and Work aspect of the Movement.
A year ago, in January 2023, at the “Focolare Meeting Point” in Rome, the first “Communion in Action Report” or “Mission Report” of the Focolare Movement was presented. It gave an overview of the worldwide activities and initiatives carried out by the Movement in the biennium 2020-2021. This year, the Movement is presenting a new Report for the year 2022, this time centred on the theme of dialogue. The document has emerged as a fascinating account, not only of the spontaneous sharing of goods but also of experiences and needs, inspired by a lifestyle based on evangelical love. Ruperto Battiston and Geneviève Sanze, Counsellors at the International Centre of the Movement for the aspect of Economy and Work, shared their thoughts with us.
Ruperto, what are the objectives of this document? Is there continuity with the previous one?
These mission reports exist to involve everyone and share information about the concrete achievements resulting from the communion of goods among all the members of the Focolare Movement and the contributions that we receive from individuals or institutions. It is primarily addressed to all the members of the Movement, with gratitude for the fruits that the life and work of many people around the world continue to generate; and with gratitude to God for what He has done and continues to do. It is also addressed to those who would like to know more about us and actively collaborate for a more fraternal and peaceful world. This is why we chose the standard, and in this case perhaps somewhat unusual, name of ‘Communion in Action Report’ because we feel it best expresses our experience of walking together towards a united world. This is our second Mission Report’. It refers to the activities supported by the part of the communion of goods which is shared internationally and to the financial data of the Focolare Movement’s International Centre for the year 2022. This Report follows that of 2021, which highlighted the various activities that the communities of the Focolare Movement carry out worldwide in all fields and aspects. For 2022, we focused on a more thematic document, taking the specific perspective of Dialogue and trying to offer a glimpse of what we seek to bring to society on the path towards fraternity, towards that unity in which diversities can be enriched and give rise to harmonious collaborations.
Therefore, this Report serves as an open and hands-on tool of communion to which everyone can add a page, a story or a suggestion, “In Dialogue” with humanity and with our planet.
Geneviève, how does the theme of dialogue, the heart of this text, fit into this informative tool?
It is interesting to reiterate what it says in the introduction: “Being in dialogue is the characteristic of every person and every project which is under the auspices of the Focolare Movement and which is inspired by its spirituality of communion. Not just doing, therefore, but a lifestyle which is supported and substantiated by listening, welcoming, compassion, charity and mercy, as summarized in the cardinal principle of every culture and religion: the so-called Golden Rule ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'” This Mission Report aims to show how, together with many others throughout the world, we have contributed to healing the wounds of divisions and polarizations and to progressing along the path of evangelical fraternity. We express dialogue in five major areas: in the Catholic Church, among Christian Churches, in the field of interreligious dialogue, with people without a religious reference and in different cultural contexts. For us, these areas are the main ways to reach fraternity. Chiara Lubich defined dialogues as ‘highways to a united world’. It was not easy to gather and choose from the numerous initiatives, small and large but all important because they are seeds of the future and bearers of a concrete change in relationships between people, improving the atmosphere of the world. We were amazed by the quantity of initiatives and the widespread flourishing of this life, which may not make noise but which supports the world and builds new relationships between people. Being “In Dialogue” with others values diversity, highlights the characteristics of each one, requires deep mutual listening, and builds peace. Dialogue is more relevant than ever. To read the Mission Report in English, click here.
all the members of the Movement, with gratitude for the fruits that the life and work of many people around the world continue to generate; and with gratitude to God for what He has done and continues to do. It is also addressed to those who would like to know more about us and actively collaborate for a more fraternal and peaceful world. This is why we chose the standard, and in this case perhaps somewhat unusual, name of ‘Communion in Action Report’ because we feel it best expresses our experience of walking together towards a united world. This is our second Mission Report’. It refers to the activities supported by the part of the communion of goods which is shared internationally and to the financial data of the Focolare Movement’s International Centre for the year 2022. This Report follows that of 2021, which highlighted the various activities that the communities of the Focolare Movement carry out worldwide in all fields and aspects. For 2022, we focused on a more thematic document, taking the specific perspective of Dialogue and trying to offer a glimpse of what we seek to bring to society on the path towards fraternity, towards that unity in which diversities can be enriched and give rise to harmonious collaborations.