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9 Dec 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
Cochabamba, Bolivia: here, where the population is made up of 50% children and adolescents most of whom have been abandoned by their parents, the Association of Volunteer Service ONLUS “Casa de los Niños” has been active for some five years or so.
“We are the fruit of the encounter with the face of Jesus that became real in the persons who have crossed our path – those responsoble for the project wrote us – pushed by dreams of hope and of the welfare of those people who are living in situations of great suffering or marginalization, especially children”.
Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare Movement, once expressed the wish that all orphanages could be closed hoping that each one of the little guests could enjoy the warmth and love of a family. “Following this dream of Chiara Lubich – they share – we went to work, there wherever it was possible, to recompose, to temporarily welcome and support the families or relatives of children in extreme difficulty. With the help of many we were able, in these past 6 years, to reunite almost a hundred families, offering them a dignified place to live.”.
The story of M.R. is an example, she was diagnosed to be HIV positive 8 years ago. When the staff of the Association met her, she wasn’t talking and walking; when she was discharged from the intensive care unit where she was confined due to an infection, she was welcomed at the “Casa de los Niños” (Children’s Home) . “M. R. will clebrate her 10th birthday in a few months – they share with joy. In the meantime her mother, who was sent away from her home because she was being blamed for this situation, was also welcomed by the Children’s Home and so a small family has been reunited”.
“Our Center – they continue – is now the point of reference of all the public institutions in the city who are taking care of those with HIV. Around 20% of the families in Cochabamba who are carriers of the virus are living with us. Also 30% of the HIV positive children in the city are staying at our “Cittadella Arcobaleno” (Little City Rainbow), together with other 200 children with different stories behind them”.
This concrete action, even if it is fundamental and necessary, cannot be separated from that which gives meaning and value to every action: “The art of encounter has marked our life – the staff share – and this is what we are seeing blossoming around us, it is the fruit of our relationship with extraordinary people with whom we share their life and their most profound dreams. This allows us to embrace innocent suffering, those of children who suffer the most absurd injustice, who suffer a life that they have not chosen and which obliges them to fight against the current from the moment they were born. We are here with them, with the tenacity of the miserable and the faith of the weak. We naively believe, that inspite of the daily failures, the good will always triumph”.
![Bolivia: the Children’s Home (“Casa de los Niños”)]()
6 Dec 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
Colombia, together with its many natural riches, it is also a Country with serious social wounds among which is the great inequality between the few who are rich and the many who are poor, numerous families who are forced to leave their homes and cities due to violence, thousands of cases of abuse of minors ….
The Fondazione Mundo Mejor (Better World Foundation), a non-profit organization, was born in Medellín in 1996 started by a group of people of the Focolare Movement who found the strength to face the social emergemcies around them from the Charism of Unity. No one could remain indifferent in front of these realities, on the contrary, striving to live the spirituality of Chiara Lubich, gave rise to concrete answers: diverse social projects that integrate action and reflection.
The program of child services, for example, offers complete education for vulnerable children from 2 to 5 years of age.
That of social integration offers assistance to the destitute, by trying to create alternatives and livelihood projects that will allow them to re-enter into the social fabric and into the workforce. The program of re-introduction into the world of work, with the offer of professional training and assistance there where they reside.
A program on human rights, where strategies to strengthen the exercise of the principal human rights of children and their families are developed.
At present the Foundation has 155 employees, including nutritionists, psychologists, teachers and administrative personnel, looking after the welfare of around 2,000 children and 400 homeless.
Steve Carty and his wife – Peruvian and with two children – have dedicated themselves to work full-time in this educational-social project. “Our challenge goes beyond activism –Steve underlined – because we have understood that the first big social revolution is born in the heart of every person”.
Today the Foundazione Mundo Mejor (Better World Foundation) is an institution that is recognized as a valid voice in the fields of politics, art, social works and sports; it is the partner of other organization that have chosen it for its transparency and attention for the other, in the spirit of fraternity.
It has received important recognitions from the Town Council of Medellin, from the regional authorities and from the Senate of the Republic of Colombia. Recently, they have signed an agreement with the Club UNESCO Heritage, with headquarters in Valencia, Spain.
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5 Dec 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
“The social revolution that marked the beginning of a new age began with a fifteen year old girl. It was a total revolution that comprehended not only the body, but also the spirit; not only time, but also eternity. This young girl was named Mary.
She was a Jew from an unfit village from which it was believed nothing good could ever come: Nazareth.
At the beginning of the great change there was a woman. She dwelt in a hovel and was familiar with the misery of families all crammed into caves like living sacrifices. She shared in their deep hunger and burning thirst for social justice.
From within the womb of this young maiden sprang up the maker of the revolution. The Son of God was about to be born as a man, as the Son of Mary. Perfect purity was taking flesh with blood of that same purity within the person of the one who was all worthy and without trace of the original fault.
Now, this girl who already represented the most amazing revolution as the humblest of creatures was chosen for the highest of duties; the most unknown among women was to become the women invoked by all generations.
She was a humble handmaid and, at the same time, strong-hearted. She rested in the power of God. She is the perfect woman: the complete woman: without blemish and without fear. Although prepared to sacrifice, she is certain of justice. She is all love and therefore totally free.
Her beauty has wrapped woman in a new light that has come to be revealed in her wake. Throughout the centuries Our Lady has raised up the woman and placed the mothering role in divinizing light. Her sweet motherhood is so boundless that all ages have called her Our Lady. Once the Father placed the Mother in our midst, life took on the atmosphere of a home and being there a feast.
Since humankind’s degeneration began with a woman, when the Creator wished to purify it he once again chose a woman, and began again with her. He chose Mary of Nazareth, a woman without stain.”
Igino Giordani in: Le Feste, Società Editrice Internazionale, 1954.
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5 Dec 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
To bring back to one’s own Diocese and one’s own Church the riches of the experience made together: this was the intention of the 33 Bishops – Orthodox, belonging to the Ancient Oriental Churches, Anglicans, Methodists, Lutherans and Catholics of the different Rites – at the end of the 32° Ecumenical Convention organized by the Focolare Movement which was held in Jerusalem from November 18 to 22. They contributed to the theme of the Convention which was “The reciprocity of love among the disciples of Christ, not only through the deepening of theological and spiritual topics but also through a fraternal and sincere exchange of experiences among the Bishops.
The central point of the meeting: a strong pact among them to constantly and always live their relationships with the imprint of the New Commandment: “As I have loved you, so too must you love one another”, because “By this they will know that you are my disciples: if you love one another’” (Jn. 13,31-35). The place that was chosen for this moment was very meaningful: the little “church” named “In Gallicantu” that lies along the pathway leading to the Cenacle at the Cedron stream, which according to tradition was the path that Jesus took after the Last Supper. Thus it is linked to his commandment of Love and to his prayer to the Father for the unity of those who followed him.
The Latin Patriarch S. B. Faoud Twal, greeted a group of Bishops during the preparation of the Convention. The meeting with the Greek-Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem,Theophilos III, was also significant. He considered the coming of the Bishops to Jerusalem as a blessing. “For the Christians of the Holy Land – he underlined – it is an encouragement to meet Bishops who are united, even if they belong to different Churches. It is also a strong support for us, because it is a clear sign that we have not been forgotten. You don’t only talk about dialogue but you are a living dialogue”.
They studied in detail two recent documents launched within the ecumenical field: “The Church: Towards a Common Vision” by the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, and the document of the Lutheran-Roman Catholic Commission on Unity: “From Conflict to Communion” looking at the commemoration in 2017 of 500 years since the Reformation.
The Bishops were also informed about the experience of communion and collaboration within the network of Together for Europe that, respecting the specific character of each one, gathers together around 300 Movements and communities of various Christian Chruches for activities in common. Together for Europe is seen as a source of real hope by specialists, because it is an expression of what is often called the Ecumenism of life, considered by Vatican II to be the basis for all types of Ecumenism.
On November 2, the Bishops shared their ten-year experience of communion with about 120 people, among whom were notable people from the religious field and representatives of Movements and communities from different Churches present in the Holy Land. For their part, the Bishops also heard about constructive initiatives, often initiated by lay people, to improve relations among the Churches and the non-Christian communities of their country.
The visit every day to various holy sites made the life of Jesus feel even more present. This was especially true in Bethlehem, where the local community of the Focolare Movement gathered for a small event which, in the words of Helmut Sievers, “allowed everyone to experience the luminous presence of the Saviour in today’s world.”
Watch video (Franciscan Media Centre) “Love one another as I have loved you”—the 32nd Bishops’ Ecumenical Conference
![Bolivia: the Children’s Home (“Casa de los Niños”)]()
3 Dec 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
A considerable boost for the ecumenical movement was the impression of the Secretary General of the WCC, Rev. Pastor Olav Fykse Tveit at the conclusion of the 10th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches which is held every 7 years. The Assembly was attended by 2, 760 registered participants (Church delegates, councilors, partner organisations, visitors, journalists and guests). But more than 5000 people from Korea also showed up to take part in the unique ecumenical experience. Also among those present were Patriarch Karekin II Supreme Catholicos of all Armenians, Archbishop of Canterbury Welby, and Ecumenical Patricarch Bartholomew I who sent a video-taped message. Although the Catholic Church is not a member of the World Council of Churches, it collaborates actively through the Pontifical Council for the Unity of Christians which is represented in Busan by a delegation of qualified persons. Cardinal Kurt Koch read a message from Pope Francis. Joan Back from the Focolare’s Centro Uno secretariat for ecumenical dialogue represented the Focolare Movement with Reformed Pastor Peter Dettwiler from Switzerland, who is in charge of ecumenism for the Reformed Church in the Zurich canton. The Focolare has collaborated with the WWC since 1967. Chiara Lubich was invited three times to speak about the spirituality of unity at the headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. This time the important and continuing contribution of the Focolare was once again recognized by Rev. Tveit as he thanked Focolare president Maria Voce for the message she had sent. “There was such a beautiful fraternal atmosphere among the Churches,” says Joan Back. “Even though they don’t share identical positions concerning ecclesiology or morality, they are still able to meet, pray and even work together.” A very important document was presented: La Chiesa: verso una visione comune (Toward a common vision of the Church) which was produced by the Faith and Order Department, edited by theologians converging ideas about ecclesiologies that are very different from each other.
Joan Back and Peter Dettwiler (centre) together with a group of participants at the Assembly.
30 Nov 2013 | Focolare Worldwide, Senza categoria
For several years now Dominga, a volunteer of the Focolare Movement of Valencia (Venezuela), has been managing an open canteen for the elderly in her neighbourhood. The iniziative was born to allow the elderly people living in poverty to have a balanced diet in a welcoming environment. The elderly already arrive in the morning and they can stay with people of their age, playing dominoes or watching television, but above all to be in an environment where they are looked after with care. Dominga is always attentive towards all the elderly who come to the canteen and, when one of them stops coming, she personally goes to visit him or her, often finding them in a pitiful situation and unable to move. Lately the foodstuffs to prepare the meals were no longer arriving regularly; so much so that the elderly wanted to organize themselves to go and complain to the regional government and to tell them that at the canteen they not only received food but were also listened to and loved personally. In the meantime, a new coordinator for the canteen was just appointed. As soon as she arrived, she removed some of the elderly from the list of those allowed to come to the canteen, saying that when she did her inspection they were not present and so money was being spent for people who were not making use of this service. Dominga, pushed by the love for these people, firmly explained that the elderly who were being removed from the list were precisely those who were the weakest and most in need, because of their serious health problems she would ask their relatives to bring the meals to their homes. The list of the coordinator would also have been used to include those in it in a new pension scheme of the national government, and so not being ont he list meant that a grave injustice would be committed. Once a destitute person came to the canteen hoping to receive some food. Naturally meals are given only to those who are registered, but Dominga felt that she couldn’t close the door in his face. In fact, she had learned, listening to the story of Chiara Lubich and her first companions, that in every poor person there is Jesus. So she invited this poor person to her house, where he was able to wash himself, she offered him some clean clothes and finally she gave him something to eat. Dominga shares: “One day two men were fighting among themselves, I tried to calm them down but I wasn’t able to do so. I remembered a sentence that I heard in Church: “Where there is peace and love, God is there”. I shared this with them and immediately they fell silent and calmed down”. In these past few weeks there have been some difficulty regarding the documents of the Declaration of Profits that the canteen, as a non-profit organization, must prepare. The procedure is quite complicated. Recently a sensitive person, who came to know that the elderly were well treated at the canteen, offered to help Dominga to deal with the complicated documents, each time she needed help.
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