Nov 9, 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
In this competition – promoted by the “Cities for Fraternity” Association – all local administrations from any part of the world may participate.
Projects and initiatives can compete if:
– they institute and/or spread, principally within the local territory, but also on a national or international level, practices of universal brotherhood, according to the diverse interpretations of the meaning of such a principle;
– they stimulate the citizens to commit themselves for the common good and to participate in the life of civil society,
– they encourage the growth of a culture of active and inclusive citizenry.
The project must be representative of a style of administration that is not occasional and always more aware of the value of the principle of universal brotherhood.
On the side of the public adminitrations and other social, economic, cultural subjects, it is possible both to become candidates, and also to nominate the projects of others.
All the recommendations must be sent on or before January 9, 2015 , to the office of the Chairman of the “Cities for Fraternity” Association, c/oTown Council of Castel Gandolfo, Piazza Libertà, 7 00040 Castel Gandolfo (Rm).
You may download the notice (in Italian)
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Nov 9, 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
A Fund for the Needy For more than twenty years I’ve been working at a university hospital. One day a patient arrived in my department of dermatology. None of my colleagues wanted to take care of her because of prejudice. Her blood tests had confirmed that she was suffering from AIDS. Since I couldn’t perform surgery on her, I began a different treatment using radiotherapy. Three months later she was doing better. Since we couldn’t keep her in hospital any longer and knowing that her children would not be able to care for her, I asked if she had other relatives who could help her. She had, but they lived in another state. So I asked my colleagues if they would contribute money for her ticket, since she couldn’t pay for it. We gathered enough money for the journey and also to help her family. When the patient left she was happy. Following this experience my colleagues and I decided to begin a fund to help out patients in need. How many people have been helped over the years thanks to that fund! (K. L.- India) The Prescription I’m forty years old and suffer from asthma. When I found myself expecting a child, the obstetrician proposed abortion. I said no. The doctor explained to me that I had to choose between my life and the baby’s, mine being more important since I have other children. I was disturbed and unable to understand how I could kill this innocent creature. Seeing my condition my husband left the decision to me. Then I was given the prescription for a medicine “very important for my health.” My husband bought it. I don’t read very well, but a doubt came to my heart. I asked for more information. That injection would produce an abortion. I didn’t take it and entrusted myself to God. When the pains began I was frightened. I wrote my will, entrusting my children to relatives. I cleaned the house and went to hospital. This delivery turned out much easier than the others, with no complications. My husband wanted to take the baby to the obstetrician and show her. I preferred not: for me it was a personal experience of God’s love and I couldn’t gloat but only thank Him. (D. A. – Costa d’Avorio) Falling in Love Again That day there was a lot of tension between me and my husband. “Is something wrong?” I asked him. He replied: “You don’t need a crystal ball to understand it.” In his opinion I didn’t understand his needs. It was true, but I said to myself: “But, is it possible that with so many beautiful things going on in our lives, he gets stuck in front of the one thing that’s not going well?” We went to bed pouting. The next day I thought: “We’re a team, to resolve him I have to work on myself, to soften my heart and ask forgiveness.” I couldn’t do it. To make him happy I postponed an appointment we had that evening, so he could watch the European Cup. But to truly begin again we had to clear the air. So, one night, despite our tiredness and other responsibilities, we went out and, little by little were able to open up and talk, which hasn’t happened in a long time. We looked at one another differently and understood one another. I’d say we fell in love again. (G. S.- Italy)
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Nov 7, 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
“It’s like being in prison”, hostages in their own homes, without a chance to meet. This is one of the most common feelings in countries affected by the Ebola virus, and shared by Antoinette, one of the young members of the Focolare Movement in Sierra Leone. “This virus seems to make us more selfish and distrustful towards each other; it does not allow us to go freely to meet our friends.” That’s why Antoinette has plucked up her courage and decided to prepare meals for some families, neighbours who were left with nothing to eat during the three-day quarantine that prevented them from going out. A very difficult human drama is unfolding: “People see their loved ones die or taken to specialized centres for Ebola. These are places far from here – Father Carlo Di Sopra of the diocese of Makeni writes – and many, once they leave, do not come back. The families do not know anything more about them or they about their families. So we can understand why some are hidden and others prefer to die in their own villages. But like this the virus spreads and kills even more victims.” Yes, because what must be defeated is not only the virus, but also ignorance: people are asking themselves: is there really Ebola or is it just propaganda? Who has caused this illness? Maybe they just want to sell us the vaccine to make a profit? – writes Carlo Montaguti, a doctor Focolarino in Ivory Coast who conducted a study on the Ebola epidemic which is published in the latest issue of Nouvelle Cité Afrique. To this we could also add the so-called healers, such as the Liberian woman who attracted patients from neighbouring Guinea, contributing to the spread of the epidemic in Liberia. And the failure of the national health systems, their failure to respond vigorously to such an emergency and especially the lack of means. “In cities like Monrovia (the capital of Liberia), with 2 million inhabitants, the majority of hospitals and health centres are closed for fear of contagion. So it is not only difficult to treat Ebola, but all other diseases as well.” A situation that should be taken on by the international community, as Pope Francis suggested in his recent appeal. 
“We are establishing an ‘Ebola Fund’ to help those most affected” – continues Father Carlo. “We received material help from the Focolare Movement in the Ivory Coast that we are now distributing. There are many orphans: the virus is decimating at times whole families. Another religious priest, Father Natale, is desperately trying to find a foreign team that has a laboratory that can test for the virus and that can come here in the north.” He continues: “In these days two of our religious have had a high fever. It was probably malaria, because the fever has now gone, but at the beginning there is always a certain apprehension and you feel unarmed, right in the hands of God. There are more and more cases and some not very far from our house. The area of Kabala that had not yet registered any cases now has some. News arrives that the virus is out of control, especially as it has taken root in the cities. There is great uncertainty.” In addition, it is not possible to travel as before, because the district is quarantined. And over the weeks Father Carlo confides that he has understood that “this is not just a remote corner of the world, as I called it before, but it is ‘the heart of him that Chiara Lubich called Super-Love’.” Jesus Forsaken, who on the cross cannot find answers, but continues to love. It is the only weapon left, powerful, because it helps us not to lose hope, to remain united, praying for the sick: “they can take away the possibility to meet each other, but the presence of Jesus among us can be established beyond the closed doors of homes,” writes a young man. And another: “Yes, this is our impression. It’s like being in prison, but even there we can still love.”
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Nov 6, 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
31 October 1999 – Signing of the Joint Agreement
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Nov 3, 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
Some of the original sculptures included in the display at the Macao Exhibit are “Silk Road Symphony,” “Promised Land,” “Brother Sun, Sister Moon,” and “Matteo Ricci.”. They are the fruit of the personal expriences of Lau Kwok-Hung, in Hung art. Born in Hong Kong in 1953, the artist has been living in the international town of Loppiano since 2000 where he works at his studio and draws inspiration from the spirituality of unity. Instead of the traditional scalpel, Hung uses an oxy-acetylene flame at 3000 ° C. Drop by drop: that’s how Hung creates his sculptures, which seem to mimic Chinese calligraphic brush strokes, but a closer look reveals a tangle of rebar forming human figures in motion. 
Each of the works on display in Macau has that andante quality which is the title of the exhibit. A term that plunges us onto a musical landscape where there is metre and rhythm, but also an outgoing movement, the discovery of the other. We met up with Hung on his return from Asia. How did this rather extraordinary experience of your solo exhibition in China come about?“In February of this year, I was in Macau. I was invited to the Seat of the Government by Madam Florinda Chan (Secretária para Administração and Justiça), to meet the leaders of the Instituto para os Assuntos Cívicos and Municipais. At the end of my presentation of the artistic process I use, the leaders unanimously decided to hold an exhibition of my work within the year. The place they proposed for the exhibition was the prestigious Taipai-Houses Museum. Moreover, they decided to arrange the trip, the publication of an exhibition catalog in three languages (Chinese, Portuguese and English) and the shipment of my sculptures by plane.” Is it your first solo exhibition in China? “I’ve done group exhibitions in the past, but this is the first solo exhibition in Asia. Many people were working behind the scenes. I’d especically like to mention Nico Casella who followed the beaurocratic process for obtaining the required documents and went the extra mile to ensure the safe arrival of the shipments. Then there’s Julian Andres Grajales who works with me at the studio, but there are so many others I should mention. . . The private viewing took place on September 25, marking the opening of the event that will last a month. On that occasion, Madam Florinda Chan invited me to conduct a guided tour, briefly presenting my work to the invited guests.” 
How long did you stay in Macau? “I was there for ten days, during which I was able to meet many people and dialogue with them, both at the conferences and during the private tours I conducted. One particularly interactive meeting was the one with 700 students from Colegio Mateus Ricci who expressed genuine wonder and gratitude; but were also interested in the practical technique, the inspiration and the style.” Were there any surprises? “Yes! One of the many surprises was when the Administration of the Colegio Mateus Ricci decided to purchase one of my works for the 60th anniversary of their institute in 2015, the sculpture is dedicated to Matteo Ricci, man of dialogue.” Has anything remained with you from this Asian experience? “I have great gratitude in my heart for the many relationships that were begun with so many people. . . unity was the protagonist.
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Nov 2, 2014 | Focolare Worldwide
“Having heard of the uprisings in Burkina Faso, I telephoned the focolarini in Bobo-Dioulasso for some news, and to assure them of my prayers and unity. I spoke with Dominique who assured me that the situation is tense, but calm,” writes Augusto Parody Reyes, Spanish medical doctor who spent 24 years in Africa and now works at the Focolare’s International Centre. Here is a brief description of the constantly evolving situation as reported by the Missionary Service News Agency (MISNA). Recently, in Ougadougou and other major cities there were unprecedented protest marches to block the nomination in the 2015 elections of President Blaise Compaore who has been in power from 1987. But the protests in the capital worsened on October 30th continuing in the afternoon after an assault and the burning of the parliament. Local news sources reported at least one dead in clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officers. There were also reports of lootings of shops and banks. In the afternoon, the demonstrators also surrounded the Presidential headquarters. Proclamation of a state of emergency, dissolution of the government and appeal for negotiations with the demonstrators were the key elements of a radio message given by the Head of State following hours of disorder and violence in the heart of Ouagadougou. Then it was learnt that president Blaise Compaore had not resigned and had cancelled the national state of emergency which was declared a few hours earlier. Those latest measures were announced in a television speech by the president. The president’s statements added further confusion to an already complicated and uncertain situation. It is currently uncertain who holds power in the capital city of Ouagadougou. A few hours earlier the chief of staff of the armed forces had made it known that the “executive and legislative powers would be entrusted to a transitional body that would be constituted through consultation among all the active forces of the nation.” Moreover, the goal of the transition would be “the return to constitutional order within 12 months.” The military also declared a national cease-fire between 19:00 and 6:00. This was the situation on October 30th which is continually developing. Meanwhile the president resigned and his whereabouts are unknown. The military has divided in two groups: the army and the presidential guard, each with its own leader. Focolare members in Burkina Faso say that they felt expressed in the appeal made by Cardinal Paul Ouedraogo bishop of Bobo Dioulasso and president of Caritas Burkina Faso: “We are praying for peace. We call on all parties to exercise restraint and to limit the damage during this critical period for our country.” Updated November 3, 2014
