Jul 20, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide
“We are honored, grateful and especially happy that the message of unity that we try to spread has been recognized. A special thank you to all our readers who support and encourage us on that path!”, the Living City editorial team reports. Living City received an award for the April 2014 issue for “Best coverage of immigration” by Marilyn Boesch, Susanne Janssen and Lori Chesser. The CPA jury wrote: “These stories are captivating and relevant, and they put the human element front and center.” In the category “Best Explanation of Church’s Position on Marriage”, Living City got the third place for the articles in the July 2014 issue written by Michael and Julie James, Pietro Riccio,Sarah Mundell and Emilie Christy. “The perspective on diversity in these pieces is valuable. There is a clear call to action to those who wish to use their faith to create dialogue and build bridges,” commented the CPA. You can read and share these articles on the website: livingcitymagazine.com
Jul 20, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide
Ore aguije Papa Francisco pe, ha peeme avei pe ñembo’ehaguere ore rehe. In the Guaraní language: «Our thanks to Pope Francis and to all of you for your prayers.» «As we had imagined, overflowing graces have fallen on the entire Paraguay people, ever since His Holiness was here among us,» Nelson Benítes and Margarita Ávalos, heads of the Focolare in Paraguay wrote, after the Pope’s visit to their country. «The children, the sick and the youth were the main protagonists of the visit. Over 80,000 “servidores” (“stewards” – almost all young people) from all over the country worked day and night for three days. But the preparations started at least three months earlier, a concrete fact that gives true hope!» Nahuel Espinola recounts: «I was a ”servidor” of the Pope – It was simply fantastic! I’m 15 and I don’t know when I shall experience something like this again. I hope that his message will reach all the youth.» «There was instant bond with the people,» and some scenes will never be deleted from my mind: the children of the choir of Luque running towards Pope Francis for a group embrace, the thousands of people who filled the streets, his car stopping in front of the women’s jail. «When they found out that the Pope was coming, the children afflicted with cancer in a hospital did not want to be discharged!». Then there was the visit to “Bañado Norte,” one of the poorest districts of the capital, where the Pope visited a sick woman at home. «For that event, she had prepared the “chipa” and “sopa paraguaya,” typical dishes the Popes likes. This was followed by the surprise visit to the parish of Cristo Re, to pay homage to the still intact heart of the martyr and first Paraguayan saint: San Roque González de Santa Cruz.» In Caacupé, Pope Francis consecrated Paraguay entirely to Mary. Then came the meeting with civil society, one of the most striking moments when he launched a discourse on dialogue, inviting all to dialogue, by losing all in order to understand the other, and “enter” into the other. «Concepts like the humane side of development, giving priority to the person, and not treating the poor like objects, impressed me deeply,» affirmed Julia Dominguez, a member of the Economy of Communion of Paraguay, «From now on, we must not dwell on sentimentalism, but live this daily.» César Romero, active in the association for families added: «In the dynamism and freshness of the programme, I saw a Church that was making a big effort to update itself in its methods and messages.» Silvano Malini, a journalist in Paraguay wrote: «In these three countries of the Latin American “periphery,” Pope Francis decisively stood on the side of the “rejects” of society and victims of injustice and inequality, but in doing so did not “attack” anyone but human miserliness – the only sources of the serious and dramatic problems of this country (corruption, egoism, low-quality democracy).» Malini went on to say: «The Pope’s exhortations fell on soil tilled by the Church in Paraguay, as could be seen in the meeting with the representatives of over 1,500 civil society organizations. Pope Francis, with authority, gave an example of concrete dialogue which is not easy but does help to make small but sure steps towards a common project. » «At campo Ñu Guasú, a million faithful awaited him. The sun shone on the crowd that had been waiting for 15 hours in the mud, because it had rained over the last few days. But nothing could stop the celebrations.» Esteban Echagüe recounted: «Neither the mud nor the weariness could deter the immense joy we all felt. I was so struck by the Pope’s affirmation that the parishes should really be places of encounter with one’s brethren, and a place of acceptance and fraternity, and if this is not so, we would not be true Christians.» «After a brief but intense moment with the Paraguay bishops, the Pope “miraculously” regained his strength to resume his pastoral journey! One could feel that he was tired as was natural for a 78 year old! But everyone was convinced that in front of the youth, Francis would be transformed.» In fact, more than 200,000 were waiting for him along the Paraguay River! He asked all to have a free heart and furthermore…, «continue to raise a “ruckus” but an organized one.» Leonor Navaro confided: «The Pope aroused in the youth and in all, the desire to be better… because he saw us the way we should be – and through his eyes the world discovered us as such. From now on we want to reflect ourselves in his eyes!» Along the way back to the airport, he was moved upon blessing a place which is a really painful symbol for the country: the remains of a commercial center where ten years ago, around 400 people died in a fire. Nelson and Margarita continued: «Through Bishop Adalberto Martínez, Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Paraguay, we wrote to the Pope that the Focolare Movement is praying for him. We had sent him a gift of a book on the Guaranì culture and on the development of Economy of Communion in the country. To conclude: «This visit, like that of Pope John Paul 27 years ago, will bring about vital and positive outcomes and spiritual effects also in the civil life of the country. Pope Francis was very clear in his words, but conveyed them with the tenderness of a Father! It is now up to them to make use of these moments of grace, “a before and an after” of the first visit of a Latin American Pope to Paraguay».
Jul 18, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide
Jul 11, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide
“I’ve discovered how the Pope favors the excluded. In some way it’s also my choice, but by his example I have understood how at times I continue to exclude, or I find myself in a group of people who keep silent in the midst of exclusions or injustices,” says Ana Maria Ceballos, a social worker in Bolivia. An impression that speaks of true conversion towards the excluded, one of the strongest themes of this step of the voyage of Pope Francis in Latin America. The same for Nestor Ariñez di Cochabamba, who lives in the Casa de los Ninos, a social project animated by the spirituality of unity: “In Palmasola the Pope said: reclusion is not the same as exclusion.” There, in the largest penitentiary in Bolivia, the most striking message was the pope’s “listening first of all, and then his saying that he too is a man who makes mistakes and who must do ‘penance.’ A message of hope for all the detainees.” “The pope’s visit to Bolivia leaves us with much to reflect upon,” he continues. “But I believe that what remains very clear is his preferential option for the poor, the motto of the Church in Latin America given to Puebla in 1979, which reminds us that the gospel brings the good news to everyone, but especially to those who are excluded and rejected by society. I felt that the Pope was speaking directly to us.” “His words are a call to conversion,” confides Pat, a Bolivian focolarina, after the meeting with priests, religious, and consecrated people. “But it is also much more: the sole fact of his presence in the midst of many ‘rare flowers of every age’ who one day said their yes to God, pushed me towards a greater commitment to sanctity, which then means to live with coherence the choice I made.” “Even from Bolivia, Pope Francis spoke to the whole world,” writes Lucas Cerviño, now 11 years in Bolivia, instructor in Missiology and intercultural theology. “At the mass in Santa Cruz there were many Latin Americans from nearby countries who listened to his call to not despair before the difficult situations that the world presents to us and that bring us to exclusion.” At the second meeting of popular movements, Pope Francis–before representatives from various continents who welcomed him with enthusiasm and attention–clearly indicated the way for social renewal, both local and global. “Land, Home, and Work,” continues Cerviño, “are sacred rights which permit us to dialogue with everyone in order to contribute to the common good. Pope Francis clearly highlighted for the members of social and popular movements that the fundamental aspect is the process, the starting of processes, for an economy at the service of peoples, to unite peoples on the way towards peace and justice, and for the defense of the homeland.” “Finally,” concludes Cerviño, “he left the Bolivian people a clear and beautiful consignment.” “Bolivia is at an historic crossroads: politics, the world of culture, the religions are all part of this beautiful challenge to grow in unity. In this land whose history has been marred by exploitation, greed and so many forms of selfishness and sectarianism, now is the time for integration. And this is a path we have to walk. Today Bolivia is capable, with its wealth, of creating new forms of cultural synthesis. How beautiful are those cities which overcome paralyzing mistrust, integrate those who are different and make this very integration a new factor of development! How attractive it is when those cities are full of spaces which connect, relate and favor the recognition of others! Bolivia in its process of integration and its search for unity, is called to be an example of such ‘multifaceted and inviting harmony,’ a harmony which invites along the path of strengthening the greater country.”
Jul 11, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide
Jul 8, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide
“Haiti, once one of the most prosperous French colonies, Pearl of the Antilles, today is amongst the poorest countries in the world, devastated by a serious ecological catastrophe,” says Ronald La Rêche, ex-deputy and candidate for the senate of Mont Organizé. Thousands of people live without access to traditional forms of energy such as electricity and gas. The constant recourse to firewood has led to to deforestation, which has a direct negative impact on climate change, causing desertification and progressive diminishment of the water supply. This led to the idea of supporting the Haitian population with the help of renewable energy, especially solar energy. The “Cucine solari per Mont-Organizé Project was conceived by the AFN, an association inspired by Focolare values – in collaboration with PACNE (Action contre la Pauvreté du Nord Est), the NationalMicrocredit Entity, the Agriculture Department of the Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II” , Tesla I.A. Ltd., and the SIOI (Società Italiana per l’Organizzazione Internazionale). Its goal is to introduce solar power cookers in the centres that are supported by AFN in the Mont-Organisé Haiti territory of Mont-Organisé. The solar cooker uses very simple technology, easy maintenance and installation, and it is possible to learn how to assemble it on site, favoring its dissemination amongst the community. It consists of a device based on a system of solar concentration. Through a lens, solar energy is transformed into thermal energy which is then stored in a battery. The project was presented on Saturday, July 4, 2015 at the “Cucine Solari, una risposta alle problematiche dei Paesi in via di sviluppo,” of EXPO di Milano 2015 in the Cascina Triulza-Civil Society Pavillion. President of the AFN, Andrea Turatti, explains: “The process we propose would use the solar cooker in schools, with the help of the AFN in Mont- Organizé, a rural area in the borough of Ouanaminthe, North-East Haiti. The next steps will be to train the teachers who, in turn, will train families and involve the local population in microcredit projects.” Attention to green technologies and overall sustainability were among the innovation cited by Luigino Bruni, professor of Economics at the University of Rome (LUMSA), and coordinator of the Economy of Communion. Then there is “the exploitation of local resources (such as the sun), the materials at the site, and the involvement of the population.” The economist said: “This is where the true success of the project is played out. It will work to the extent in which it is seen as a true opportunity by the local population.” Focolare president, Maria Voce, wrote: “The Cucine solari” project is in sync with the teachings of Pope Francis who has focused attention on the environment, making integral ecology the main focus of his encyclical letter Laudato si’, that is, the relationship beteen nature and the people who live in it. [. . .] This project that is founded on care for the environment and sustainable development from within the communities that benefit, can offer valid answers to the urgent problems of the country. The project seeks a resolution to the environmental crisis, health, nutrition, and energy supply with an eye toward the basic needs of the most weakest and most vulnerable. It utilises solar energy, while being mindful and respectful of the local culture, offering opportunity for development and social inclusion of the most disadvantaged, such as the children who receive support and education in Focolare schools.
