Philippine Emergency/2

Nov 16, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide

The victim count of the displaced and injured, left behind by Typhoon Haiyan in many areas of the Philippines, continues to rise. “We had strong winds in Manila that carried away the roofs from our houses. Many people’s homes were completely destroyed, but this is nothing compared to what happened in Tacloban City and Cebu City. We’re trying to offer some concrete help to them.”

These words were written by Tita, regarding the Bukas Palad Project (New Families) that is carried out in the Tramo and Tambo quarters of the capital. Begun in 1987 with a group of doctors, dentists and nurses from the Focolare, with the help of local people, it currently runs 12 childhood development projects (kindergarten and elementary schooling, nutrition, health care and recreational activities). It also provides support for families, psychological care, micro-credit for home improvement and it runs a social centre with a clinic and several types of labs. “We’ll go to distribute food, clothing and first aid supplies in the cities of Sigma and Aklan,” writes Ding, a focolarina from Cebu. “We felt it was important to begin by rebuilding the homes that have completely destroyed in these two cities.” This project will be taken ahead with the help of the Focolare’s New Families Movement and  Action for a United World (AMU).

“We would like to inform those who support the children in the Distance Support project of Tambo, Tramo, Sulyap and La Union that fortunately Metro Manila and Luzon were spared from the typhoon. Our local communities are helping the victims through several projects: a concrete expression of love and solidarity among all.”

“We were just recovering from the earthquake when this terrible typhoon hit!” Gina writes. She works for the solidarity project of Mabolo in Cebu. The islands of Leyte and Samar were especially hit by the typhoon, with real devastation. There are countless dead . . . and everything is lackcing, everything!! In Tacloban there are many Focolare members in the headquarters of the island of Leyte. With gratitude to God, we are finding them all still alive!”

“We haven’t had news from some people yet,” Alessandra informs us. She is also a focoalrina from Cebu. “But we continue to search. It’s not easy because there’s no communication, transport, and it’s just not safe. People are desperate and many have raided stores in search of food and necessities. The strongest experience for me has been to share such suffering with so many people, the painful suspense of not having any news of loved ones, the loss of everything. Against this sorrowful background the love between us emerges so strongly, the concrete help that we can give to others.”

In Tagaytay, Salib is the contact person for a project providing food and preventive care. it is also active in nursery schooling and a Social Centre: “Thanks for all the prayers, beginning with that of the Holy Father, we are safe and sound. Many people have lost everything, and are in need of food and water.

“In Davao, Southern Philippines, we are all well,” Mercy assures. She coordinates a project in the San Isidor quarter. “We heard this morning that some of our friends are save, but we haven’t heard from everyone yet . . .”

For anyone who would like to contribute financially:

Associazione Azione per un Mondo Unito – Onlus

presso Banca Popolare Etica, filiale di Roma

Codice IBAN: IT16G0501803200000000120434

Codice SWIFT/BIC CCRTIT2184D

Causale: emergenza tifone Haiyan Filippine

AZIONE per FAMIGLIE NUOVE Onlus

c/c bancario n° 1000/1060

BANCA PROSSIMA

Cod. IBAN: IT 55 K 03359 01600 100000001060

Cod. Bic – Swift: BCITITMX

Pope Francis visits the Quirinale Presidential Palace

Nov 15, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide

News of the Pope’s visit to the Italian Government on November 14, 2013, where he was welcomed by Giorgio Napolitano, has filled the headlines of news agencies around the world. The meeting which took place in the Quirinale Palace was cordial and simple and marked by the shared values that were expressed in their speeches. There was a noticeable presence of leaders from the civil sector, as well as hundreds of Italian citizens who were in front of the presidential palace to welcome the papal automobile. Inside, to welcome Pope Francis, there was a government delegation and representatives from the business and academic world, as well as several representatives from the world of solidarity who are actively involved in projects for the poor, suffering and least. Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti also attended, representing the Focolare Movement. Maria Voce recounts: “Everything took place within an official and at the same time cordial atmosphere. I especially liked the President’s opening remarks, both for how he cited the Pope for his particular ability to reach people’s hearts and for that personal dimension that he brings to the relationships he establishes. The president felt that he had to underscore also the Christian heritage that can be seen in the values that have formed Europe, and the situation that Italy is undergoing in overcoming the tragic situation that is overwhelming politics. He expressed his expectation that a message of the Pope would help to move beyond particularisms in view of the common good. Both men spoke of the fact that we find ourselves in front of questions that call on us to work together and for which there are also common answers, even if in different frameworks and through different methods.” Co-President Faletti mentioned his impression of finding himself inside “a page of human history,” which is certainly linked to the history of Italy. It was evident from the words and testimonies of Napolitano and Pope Francis that having an impact on history will fundamentally depend on the ability to enter into dialogue with others.” As he cited the “distinctive characteristic” of the Pope’s pastoral approach, the Head of State stated: “See each person one at a time.” Pope Francis invites us to “a strong consideration of the human person,” knowing how to “communicate with simple people,” transmitting to “each individual and to all the values of Christ’s message, “above all, love for others” to prevent the “spreading of egoism.” The Pope concluded with wish for Italy: That the country “drawing on its rich patrimony of civil and spiritual values,” would find “the creativity and the unity necessary for its harmonious development, to promote the common good and the dignity of each person, and to offer on the international stage its own contribution to justice and peace.”

First ‘Combined’ Doctorate in Theology

Nov 12, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide

The Great Hall of Sophia University Institute, on the morning of October 8, was filled and festive, as on great occasions. In fact, the conferring of the first joint doctorate granted by two academic universities: the Pontifical Lateran University and the SUI, was taking place.

It was about the first combined doctorate in Theology, in virtue of which,  Fr. Stefano Mazzer, a Salesian, has contemporaneously obtained doctorates in Theology conferred by the Lateran, and in the Culture of Unity conferred  by the SUI. He passionately defended the dissertation of his thesis:  “He loved them until the end”. For a theological phenomenology of the non-being of love: historical pathways and systematic perspectives.

Through a rigorous and engaging historical overview re-proposing the outline of the Western philosophical thought from Parmenides to Schelling and that of Christian mysticism from Frances of Assisi to Chiara Lubich, Mazzer, in fact, was able to illustrate the novelty of the love lived by Jesus Forsaken on the Cross as the opening of a new relational space between the I and his other, in God and in the world.  He argues that – it is – about that “trinitization” (as defined by Chiara Lubich) of ties, which is at one and the same time. «gift, coming from the trinity in virtue of the incarnation of the Son and of his death and resurrection» and «real experience of the participation in the life of God himself» in the living out of interpersonal relationships.

Underlining the singular academic value of this event was the presence of the Co-president of the Focolare Movement, Giancarlo Faletti, Mons. Brendan Leahy, professor of Ecclesiology at the IUS and Bishop of Limerick, in Ireland, as a few months ago, and Andrea Bozzolo, rector of the Turin section of the Faculty of Theology of the UPS, along with many others.

As the Dean of the SUI, Mons. Piero Coda, underlined, the weight of the research and its existential and interdisciplinary, as well as the theological quality, make Mazzer’s thesis, which will soon be published,  the happiest and most appropriate debut for doctorates in theology, in synergy between the IUS and the Pontifical Faculty of Theology such as the Lateran’s.

Similar agreements of combined doctorates are already in effect,  with the  Theologic Faculty of Central Italy (Florence), the Pugliese Theologic Faculty (Bari), and the Faculty of Theology of San Miguel (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

Source: Sophia University Institute online

Typhoon Haiyan devastates Philippines

Nov 11, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide

“We’re in need of everything, because the city of Tacloban practically no longer exists.” This news arrived directly from the Focolare community in the Philippines during the dramatic hours following the passage of typhoon Haiyan and the destruction it caused on November 9, 2013 especially on the islands of Leyte and Samar. It was one of the worse typhoons in history: communication and electrical power were down in many regions and with the passage of time the death toll continues to rise.

Tacloban is the was the worst-hit city. It is the capital of Leyte Province, an island in the central southeast. 10,000 of its 200,000 inhabitants are thought to be dead, and the number continues to grow. As in many of the islands, there is a Focolare community also in this city. Many of the inhabited regions are unreachable: “We’re trying to make contact from the other islands and take supplies, but communication is still quite difficult.,” write Carlo Gentile and Ding Dalisay from Cebu. “One focolarino doctor, Himmel, along with Rey and Ladyliz attempted to rech Tacloban through the port of Ormoc, on the island of Leyte, but that city was completely destroyed and the roads were unusable.”

On the evening of November 10, 2013, some young people (Gen) from Tacloban, who were in Cebu at the moment of the typhoon, went with a coast guard boat to see how their families were, and check out the local situation.” “Also other relatives of persons with whom we are in contact on the island of Panay, in the path of typhoon, had their homes destroyed or greatly damaged.”

The central region of the Philippines, with the large group of Visayas islands was most at risk both because of the frequency of tropical storms and the construction of dwellings. The devastating typhoon hit the poorest islands of this region, the ones that are most difficult to reach. Aware of the risk, the government evacuated over 600,000 people and collaborated in the construction of refuges. Archbishop of Cebu, Jose Palma, invited everyone to pray, to ask for God’s help. Thanks to all this it seems that human damage was minimal compared to other times, even though the number of deaths is going to rise.”

Assistance arrived from around the world, thanks also to the prayer offered by Pope Francis at the Sunday Angelus. “In Cebu we are already receiving help from all over the Philippines and also from overseas (Hong Kong, Jordan).”

WHERE TO SEND YOUR DONATIONS

FOCOLARE MOVEMENT IN CEBU – see also Emergency Aid poster

Payable to : Emergency Typhoon Haiyan Philippines

METROPOLITAN BANK & TRUST COMPANY

Cebu – Guadalupe Branch

6000 Cebu City – Cebu, Philippines

Tel: 0063-32-2533728

Bank Account name:  WORK OF MARY/FOCOLARE MOVEMENT FOR WOMEN

Euro Bank Account no.:  398-2-39860031-7

SWIFT Code:  MBTCPHMM

Payable to:  “Help Philippines– Typhoon Haiyan“

Email: focolaremovementcebf@gmail.com

Tel. 0063 (032) 345 1563 – 2537883 – 2536407

Association for a United World (Associazione Azione per un Mondo Unito – Onlus)

BANK:  Banca Popolare Etica, Rome branch

IBAN: IT16G0501803200000000120434

SWIFT/BIC CCRTIT2184D

Payable to: “Emergenza tifone Haiyan Filippine”

New Families Movement (AZIONE per FAMIGLIE NUOVE Onlus)

c/c bancario n° 1000/1060

BANCA PROSSIMA

IBAN: IT 55 K 03359 01600 100000001060

Swift: BCITITMX

Great Britain: 50 years on the ecumenical journey

Nov 9, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide

On Saturday, 26 October, Liverpool Hope University welcomed a 400-strong gathering to mark the 50th anniversary of the Focolare Movement’s arrival in Great Britain in 1963. The participants came from Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle and Wales representing various christian denominations and faith beliefs.

The story goes back to Canon Bernard Pawley who had just returned from the Second Vatican Council, which he attended as an observer. He suggested to the Dean of the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool that he invite the founder of the Focolare Movement, Chiara Lubich, to speak at the Cathedral to a group of Anglican clergy. He had already mentioned the idea to Paul VI during a private audience and gained papal approval for this event which took place in November 1965.

Reverend Kirsty Thorpe, Moderator of the United Reformed Church, pointed out to those present: “It’s easy for us, 50 years later and living in such a different climate for inter church relations, to underestimate just how radically unusual this event was.  For a woman to address a gathering of men was relatively rare in those days, wherever it happened …  and in early 1960s, clergy were not known to sit and listen to a lay person as a main speaker …”.

In her diary, on that November 17th, Chiara Lubich remarked on the poignancy of the name, Hope Street, which connects the Anglican Cathedral to the Catholic Cathedral (still under construction at that time) and expressed a heartfelt prayer that, with faith, the ‘mountains’ of lack of understanding between the churches might be moved (cf Mt 17:20).

Professor Gerard Pillay

Today too, the word ‘hope’ continues to link Focolare very much to Liverpool.  In his keynote address to Saturday’s gathering, Professor Gerard Pillay, Vice-Chancellor of Liverpool Hope University, reminded those present that the last honorary doctorate Chiara Lubich received, just two months before she died in March 2008,  was from Liverpool Hope in recognition for her work of dialogue in ecumenism, in interfaith and with contemporary culture.

He paid tribute to her work describing the Focolare as “not institutionally focused, not empire building but part of the spreading out goodness all over the world … Chiara Lubich, from the very  beginning was outward looking.” He recalled the words of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople who said: “There are some people whose life touches lives so universally that upon their passing away they remain an indelible inspiration of grace. One such life, a life worth living and well worth remembering is that of Chiara Lubich”.

Professor Pillay went on to outline the strong bonds between the University and Focolare’s charism saying: ‘We at this university are drawn to a charism of seeking unity because of our ecumenical commitment (…). It is a peculiar Liverpool achievement for which we are all grateful (…). Chiara Lubich believed that dialogue (which for the university is rational discourse and living in peace) is the privileged way to promote the unity of the Church among religions and non religious people, without syncretism.  It is not just a muddling together of everything for something palatable.  It is the openness to all people while being faithful to one’s own identity.  That is the deep wisdom of Chiara Lubich’s vision.”