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16 Sep 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
Available from Living City Magazine Store
Nick & Friends. Nick and his forty friends from around the world write songs with appealing rhythms, but meaningful and appealing lyrics as well. “You changed me when you came into my life, I only want to love you; you are my new beginning.”
New Beginning is the title of the CD and of the song by the same name that mixes soft melodies and rap written by Canadian, Nick Cianfarani. The idea began because, for Nick, music, friendship and relationships are a means of solidarity. The 2010 earthquake inHaiti was the reason for the CD. Hundreds of thousands died and millions were left homeless. It was a catastrophic event that only worsened the situation of one of the poorest countries in the world, where half of the people live on less than one dollar a day.
“I’m not rich,” says Nick “and I don’t have any financial resources, but I know how to play and write songs, and I belonged to Gen Rosso Band for three years. Why not involve some of the musicians I’ve known over the years, I thought.” Nick & Friends compose their songs for free, and all of the profits are put into a project promoted by the Focolare to build public housing inHaiti.
Already in 2009 some friends of the Focolare recived some land and began to collect funds. The earthquake made the project take off and thanks to the support of Action for a United World they were able to build 20 studio homes, a community centre, a kitchen and a small storage building. Some of the earthquake victims have found a home and today 17 extremely poor families live in the studio homes. 175 children are supported through a support-from-a-distance programme of the Movement, as well as three schools, and one kindergarten, totaling some 1000 children. It has contributed to helpingHaiti on its feet again.
Continua la raccolta fondi, anche attraverso la vendita di A new Beginning, perché è in progetto la riforestazione di un’area con piante di mango, aranci, limoni e ananas che darà possibilità di impiego a molti lavoratori. “As soon as I mentioned the idea,” Nice recounts, “everyone was in agreement: Giovanni from Italy, Maria and Brian from New York, Renan from Brazil, the Chinese Leonard, Jane, Adrian and Eva who are now Canadian citizens and belong to the quartet. The last song on the CD, Risalet Salan, is sung in Arabic by four musicians from the Jeel Band inJordan: Yousef, Lith, Anwar and Amer who have become quite popular. Their video clip won a national award for the best song promoting peace.
Link video Gen Rosso Haiti
For more information: livingcitymagazine
nick.cianfarani @ focolare.org
Source: Città Nuova online
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11 Sep 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
Watch the video on YouTube
One young woman wrote to her peers from the Meeting 20013 at Caserta, Italy: “I return home enriched with each of you in my heart.” “Working shoulder to shoulder, understanding one another, struggling, dreaming, working deep into the night, feeling discouragement and beginning again, believing . . . All of this done TOGETHER has deeply united us. It’s impossible to turn back!”.
Meeting 2013 “Legality – the protagonists of our land” turned out to be a benchmark event for the 500 young people who took part, due to the deep awareness and involvement. The words of Pope Francis in Rio echoed over the miles: “The youth are the window through which the future enters the world. Don’t be left standing at the window of life!” The participants were convinced: “to trigger a change, we need to begin from ourselves.”
For young people from northern to southern Italy it was an opportunity to face up to the wound of illegality that spreads throughout the country and heal it with love. Challenges and a call for proposals emerged from the discussion with journalist Roberto Mazzarella.
Three afternoon sessions: “Legality and the Environment; Legality and Welcome, and Legality and Work, involved a close discussion between the young people and presenters who are on the front lines in giving their witness in the struggle for Legality. Among these was Enrico Fontana, in charge of the Ecomafia of the Lgambiente Party; Fr. Maurizio Patriciello, parish priest from Caivano and stron defender of legality in the “terra dei fuochi;” Dr. Antonio Marfella, oncologist, and Ivan Vitali, economist and director of the conVoi Association.
“Legality is not the objective. It’s not a value, but an instrument for reaching the goal that is justice.” These words, spoken by national president of the Libera Party, Fr. Luigi Ciotti sent a thrill through the crowd. “How can love become connected to legality?” the young people wanted to know. Strong words followed: “There’s no legality without equality,” “if people’s personal human dignity is not respected, then legality becomes an instrument of power and exclusion.” He went on: “A well-founded allegation is also a proclamation of salvation,” but “the great sin of today is called delegating;” whereas, every individual “should assume personal responsibility,” which is the third leg of the democratic stool.
“What are we willing to pay for our choices to remain faithful to our ideals?” asked the young people in a loud voice. The answers were measured against the events of the mornings in 11 work fields of lands confiscated from the mafia: we need to create community, to become an us that brings back legality. Temporary Procurator of the DDA of Bari, Giuseppe Gatti and RAI journalist Gianni Bianco gave testimony of this us in the book they co-authored, “La legalita del NOI” (The legality of “us”).
Sociologist Vera Araujo, from the Focolare Movement, coined a term that summarized the experience and content of the Meeting: the culture of relationships, which pre-supposes and goes beyond legality, but demands action and interaction for the building of community wherever there are people on the fringes of life.
The young people also signed a manifesto summarizing their commitments in five points. The next appointment is at “LoppianoLab 2013” (September 20, 2013 – September 22, 2013) for “Safeguarding Italy, creating the future together” and Project “Slot-Machine” which rewards civil virtues in regions that have given up gambling. This project will begin a tour of Italy at the end of September.
A memento of the Meeting was left at Caserta, a 120m² mural which the young people took turns painting for 90 hours. It depicts an explosion of colour spewing from a simple pipe.
By Victoria Gómez
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10 Sep 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
Education, the privileged pathway for seeking peace. This was the idea that brought together: families, schools, group animators, educational researchers and also some young and even very young people from many cultural backgrounds who are working daily to face the educational challenges of our times. They met at Castelgandolfo, Italy (September 6, 2013 – September 8, 2013) for a workshop entitled Learning Fraternity. The two days were very dense and occurred at a very dramatic moment when a blare of voices was raised to heaven in prayer for peace and brotherhood. In a letter to Pope Francis the 650 educators from around the world wrote: “As Christians and citizens we feel it is our obligation and task to begin rebuilding relationships on love and justice through personal witness and with educational action that is aimed at building and spreading the culture of encounter and dialogue as the only pathway to peace.” They came from 35 countries with 20 national and local stands, plus 35 workshops (from social media to sustainable development), which provided rich insight to how the principle of fraternity is being integrated into every dimension of the most diverse educational experiences. The projects ranged from preventing violence at early ages to school projects in the poorest outskirts of Santo Domingo, Nairobi and Recife. 
One project was the Strong without violence project, which was developed through collaboration among the international Gen Rosso Band, the Starkmacher Association, Caritas of Cologne, the German Federal Ministry of Work and Society, local social institutes for youth at risk, immigrants, prisons and orphanages – in all involving more than 25,000 young people. There were also people from the Dalwal School in Punjab, Pakistan with its 209 students only four of whom are Christian. “We strive to avoid irenism in our educational approach,” says school director Valentina Gomez, “to form consciences that are open to universal values such as the respect for religious freedom, forgiveness, sharing.” There was a group from Egypt. Elhamy Naguib is an artist who has been giving workshops on mural painting. Her project is part of the Koz Kazah Foundation. She shared how she also used this art form on February 7th during the protests in Tahrir Square. “I went to the Square and began designing murals that depicted the great aspirations of the Egyptian people.” It was in this way that social justice was given the form of a scale of justice, and liberty the form of a bird. “Let us never give up the hope of a democratic future for our country where everyone is equal.” 
The promoters of the initiative included New Humanity, the Eucation and Unity Association, Action for a United World (AMU) and the Teens for Unity Movement, as well as the educational agencies of the Focolare Movement, including families and children. Therefore, the project does not end with Learning Fraternity, but continues through educational practices at many levels, forming people who are capable of forming relationships with others in the ever-more complex age in which we live. Their commitment was written down in a 10-point manifesto, an educational pact, which was presented to Pope Francis: to educate with life; to learn together so as to teach together; to create networks of relationships; to assist each person in fulfilling his or her own path; to accept limitations, transforming them into opportunities for dialogue and growth and always beginning again. Replay streaming: http://live.focolare.org/ Photo album: flickr.
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10 Sep 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
““Please accept my gratitude and joy for allowing me to be here with you, and for your Christian presence in this land. I feel honoured to be somehow part of it too.” These were the opening words of Maria Voce as she met with representatives of the local Church on September 5, 2013 at Rosary College of Amman.
Archbishop Giorgio Lingua, Apostolic Nuncio in Jordan and Iraq was joined by Bishop Salim Sayegh, Emeritus Latin Bishop, Archbishop Yasser Ayash, Greek Catholic Bishop, Salomone Warduni, Chaldean Auxiliary Bishop of Baghdad, several archimendrites, men and women religious – including the superiors of the Christian Brothers, Sisters of the Rosary and Dominican Sisters – and by lay people from the Catholic Church (Melkites, Latin and Chaldean Rite) and by the Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican Churches. These more than 300 people offered a picture of the ecclesial reality of the country. The evening, which was part of an ecclesial programme within the context of the Year of Faith, had been organized to present the contribution that the spirituality of communion can bring to the faith.
Two young people presented the United World Project with the most recent experiences in Amman, that aimed at engaged the city with mostly ecological and environmental projects. One couple shared their Christian experience of involvement in marriage, which was marked in the early years by suffering, due to the absence of children but also of involvement in the ecclesial field, especially with families. “After 6 years, during which many other couples were praying with us, our daughter was born. In the Movement we have learned that everyone is called to holiness and we are committed to follow this path.”
The last to share her experience was Zena, an eighteen year-old who shared her expierence with a tumour when she was seventeen years old. “Everyone pitied me, but I felt fortunate that God had chosen me to carry his cross.” She admitted to being fearful, but in hospital she tried to cheer up others, especially the children who were there with her: “I saw many people suffering and how great was the faith of some of them. One day I felt all alone. I telephoned the focolare and they reminded that Jesus had also felt abandoned.” Now Zena is doing better, life pouring out of every pore. She left the hall amidst a loud round of applause, especially when she said that in spite of the demanding treatments she managed to pass her high school examinations with a 95% average.
During her presentation Maria Voce underscored several points of the spirituality of unity that highlighted how the spirituality of communion enables a person live the Year of Faith in a deeper way. She recalled how “deeply Pope Benedict XVI’s invitation to give public witness of the faith had found an echo among us, “a public witness of living the Word, the experience of having received love,” “and sharing this as a joyful experience of grace.”
The president of the Focolare, who is visiting Jordan from August 28th to September 10th, told how several aspects of this spirituality seemed to be truly prophetic on the ecclesial level. “In the first years of the Focolare Movement communion of the experiences of living the Word was quite a novelty. And these were irrefutable because they were ‘life,’ they were fruitful too, capable of generating a true and living encounter with Jesus, making people who were scattered into a community.” She then underscored what Pope Francis had recently written in his Encyclical Letter Lumen Fidei: “It is impossible to believe on our own. Faith is not simply an individual decision which takes place in the depths of the believer’s heart, nor a completely private relationship between the “I” of the believer and the divine “Thou,” between an autonomous subject and God. By its very nature, faith is open to the “We” of the Church; it always takes place within her communion.
Maria Voce concluded: “Thanks to this spirituality of communion we have also seen communion blossoming in the Church among the various Movements that enrich her, charisms both ancient and new. Moreover we see how this contributes to the unity of Christians and opens dialogue with people of other religions who present the more urgent and challenging frontier of the third millennium.”
One priest commented on a message that was posted on Facebook: “My heart is Christian but my mind does not believe in religion. Don’t consider me an atheist, because I don’t accept your evaluation. Who are you to evaluate me?” “And how are we to answer our young people?” the priest asked.
Focolare co-president Giancarlo Falettisuggested the life option. “What this girl writes is interesting: a Christian experience divided between heart and mind. When the Christian experience is lived together with others it brings the presence: the presence of Christ in the community. So then we can answer: my secret is a Person, it’s Jesus who came to life for me and the others. I think that this is the witness we should give, also with the modern means of communication.”
By Roberto Catalano
Visit to Jordan
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9 Sep 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
“Let the sounds of weapons cease! War always marks a defeat for humanity.” Severe words from Pope Francis during the vigil of Saturday, September 7th in Saint Peter’s Square, where he prayed for peace inSyria and throughout the world. In the days preceding the vigil there had already been much response from many parts of the world, also from Amman, Jordan, where Maria Voce had gone to represent the Focolare Movement. A hundred thousand people prayed with Francesco for four hours of awesome silence. The quiet atmosphere of composure and recollection was interrupted only by the sound of prayer. The Pope venerated the icon of the Salus Populi Romani, Mary Protectress of the Roman Peoples. Then the Rosary was recited by the crowd in a single voice. As the conversation with Mary unfolded, a sense of trust in the Mother of All and Queen of Peace filled everyone’s soul. Amongst the crowd, just outside the barriers, a group of Muslims recited verses from the Koran. In an atmosphere of universality, everyone raised prayers to the one God. 
The meditation offered by the Pope was very dense; his face concentrated and serious. He began with the Book of Genesis, speaking of God’s desire for harmony in Creation, and of the chaos that was unleashed by man through violence and dispute: “Where is your brother, Abel?” “The same question is asked of us, and it would also be good for us to ask ourselves: Am I my brother’s keeper? Yes, you are your brother’s keeper! Being a human being means caring for one another!” But when we break this harmony, “the brother to be cared for becomes an adversary whom I must fight and eliminate.” “Still today we raise our hand against our brother.” “We have perfected our weapons, as our conscience fell asleep, we have sharpened our thinking to justify ourselves . . . Violence and war bring death only. They speak only death! Violence and war speak the language of death!” “Can we get out of this spiral of sorrow and death?” the Pope asks. “Yes, it is possible for everyone!” And a loud applause confirmed his words. “I would like us to cry out from every corner of the world: Yes, it is possible for everyone! Indeed, I would like each one of us, from the smallest to the greatest, including those who have been called to govern the nations, to respond: Yes, we want it!” 
Then he went on: “How I wish that all men and women of good will would look to the Cross if only for a moment! There, we can see God’s reply: violence is not answered with violence, death is not answered with the language of death. In the silence of the Cross, the uproar of weapons ceases and the language of reconciliation, forgiveness, dialogue, and peace is spoken. Then the praying continued. Long silences followed by prayers and songs. A long period of silent adoration. Everyone was focused on the white host in the golden monstrance, focused on that God who appeared to be like the heart of the world in that moment. On the next day, the 8th of September, during the Angelus he spoke again about peace “in this moment as we are so strongly praying” for it. He exhorted everyone to “say ‘no’ to fratricide and to the lies it makes use of, no to all forms of violence, no to weapons proliferation.” Then without hesitation he strongly added: “This war here, that war there – because there are wars everywhere – are they truly wars because of problems or because commerce, for selling the illegal selling of weapons?” It’s time to say “no” to conflicts, to hatred, to violence towards our brothers and sisters. But to say this “no” “it’s necessary that each one of us strongly and courageously decides to renounce evil and its seductions, and choose good.” “Let us carry on with prayer and works of peace” so that “the violence and devastation inSyriamay immediately cease, and we may work with renewed commitment for a just solution to conflict and fratricide. The search for peace is long. It requires patience and perseverance.” By Victoria Gómez
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9 Sep 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
These are the testimonies of Syrians that have been gathered by Roberto Catalano, our correspondent in the Jordanian capital during a meeting among Focolare members with the Movement’s president, Maria Voce.
How are the tragic events that are tearing the country apart being perceived by Syrian Christians? Does it make sense to speak of dialogue among religions in such a context?
“There has always been dialogue in Syria at an official level, promoted by Mufti, other religious Muslim leaders and by the Churches, and they have always been respected for their work. In this respect, nothing has changed. In these past three years Syriahas paid the price for Islamic fundamentalism, which has manifested itself in the killings of moderate Sunni Islamists. These were persons of great value, such as the chekr El Boudi, president of the International Council of Islamic Law Scholars. Friends already in their forties have been telling me how since childhood they willingly went to hear him preach on Friday afternoons, because his teachings were infused with feelings of love, compassion and mutual respect. This is how it was up until the barbarous killing a few months ago inDamascus.”
And Christians?
“In terms of the people, when the violence began fear began to spread among Christians, the result of what we might call the historical memory of this religious element in the country (i.e. the Lebanese war). On the other hand, we must not forget the entrance of armed Syrian terrorist groups into Syrian cities, who are openly hostile to Christians, killing them just because they bear the Christian name. Not that it was all rosy before, but even when the reins of power were in the hands of the Muslims, Christians were respected and could also hold positions of responsibility in public administration and in the academic world. In any case, although the events inSyriaare not a directed attack on Christians, it does place them in front of the drama of emigration, which is the only way to escape the violence and ensure a future for their children. Interreligious dialogue is not only a Syrian issue.”
“How do you live your daily lives under attacks and bombardments?
“In Aleppo prices have gone up. In areas controlled by the Syrian army bread is nowhere to be found, because the roads leading to flour storehouses are in the hands of the rebels. The Aleppo-Homs-Damascus road is extremely dangerous, especially the beginning of the road. But travelling anywhere in the city has become a gamble. Roadways that before required two or three hours to traverse now require up to 36 hours. Ten days ago terrorists from Jabat el Nouszra came down from Krak des Chevaliers towards the Christian zone of Wadi Nazara, they eliminated the soldiers at two road blocks, went into the first Christian village where a feast was being celebrated and mowed down all the people they saw passing by, especially the young. This instilled terror in the families, and many have fled to other places inSyria.”
Is there hope at any level for a peaceful or political solution to the conflict?
“I don’t think there were any positive signs this week. On the contrary, the fighting has intensified in several parts of the country and, as a consequence fear has grown among the public. Last week inDamascusthe words of Isaiah were echoing in my ears: “Like a lamb he was lead to the slaughter” (Is. 53:7). Never before had I understood the innocent Lamb who is helpless in front of impending death, unjust death. This is the reality among the people, especially following the threat of attack by theUnited States. They’re fearful, appalled, desolate. They looked into our eyes in disbelief: “Are they really going to attack us?” The mortars and rockets from the suburbs to the city were much more numerous, and army attacks just as heavy.”
Source: Città Nuova online
