10 years ago the children of a class started with their teacher to throw “the cube of love.” Today, 10 years later, doing so are the children of all the classes of Trent. Their “acts of love” published on the municipality’s newspaper reaches the homes of the families in this city. Even this year the appointment for everyone was in Cathedral Square.
Let’s watch the news report with images taken by Paul Holnaider and Donato Chiampi.
On June 14-15, 2013, a group of 48 focolarini from 13 Christian Churches examined some important points of the spirituality of unity in relation to ecumenism. During the meeting we listened the story of Hanneke, a Dutch focolarina from the Reformed Church. “I grew up in a family that belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church. When I was 13 years old my mother passed away and a rather difficult period in my life was begun. None of my family members went to church anymore, but I felt that I didn’t want to leave God. I always kept in contact with the local church community. When I was 21 years old I made the ‘profession of faith,’ which is quite an important step in the Reformed Church. There I committed to give my all for the building up of the Kingdom of God in the Church and in the world. On that day too, just as when I was very young, I felt that God wanted something more from me. In my searching I met the Taize community where I discovered a Christianity that was different from what I had known up until then, one that could be lived together with others. Shortly afterwards, through a colleague at work, I came to know the spirituality of the Focolare. My colleague never spoke about it directly, but I could understand from the way she lived that her life had a very strong spiritual dimI began to visit the focolare in Amsterdam. Once I arrived during a birthday party, something very simple. But there for the first time I experienced that spiritual presence of Jesus, and began to better understand the significance of the words: ‘Where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’ (Mt. 18:20). There I saw mutual love being practiced, and I began telling myself: I want to live like this too. At first I didn’t feel the difference between me (from the Reformed Church) and the majority of the others who were Roman Catholics. Only after a few years did I realize that we were different in the way we professed our faith, and many questions began coming to my mind. At times I didn’t feel understood. The key to continuing along this path I found in Jesus Forsaken. I recognized his countenance in the wounds of division between the Churches, in our different way of thinking, and this helped me to go ahead. I was transferred to Eindhoven in the south of Holland where most people are Roman Catholic. On the one hand I experienced great openness and, on the other hand, I learned to express my questions or difficulties when I saw things that didn’t that didn’t click with the mentality of the Reformed Church. This helped me in building truer relationships. Also within the Focolare Movement as a whole there are many of us from the Reformed Church in different vocations and callings. We have had beautiful experiences of coming to know each other, some trips to Rome for example. We also became aware that ecumenism is a journey that is common to us all, whether Protestant or Roman Catholic. For some years Christian leaders from several Churches and movements have been asking how they could give a witness of unity to Holland, rather than one of division. So a committee was set up that was called ‘We choose unity.’ A day of reconciliation among all the Churches was proposed, and 4000 people took part in the event. This work is being carried on today in the Dutch Global Christian Forum. What I find to be very important for Christian unity is listening, listening deeply to others. You really need to be empty of yourself in order to listen. Sometimes you think you know what the other person is trying to say, but first you must hear them out, listen well to what they’re trying to say. It’s living that teaching of St. Paul, putting yourself in the other person’s skin, in order to accelerate unity.”
A travelling exhibit entitled “Chiara Lubich:protagonist of a new age” to commemorate the founder of the Focolare Movement five years following her death.
Some of the exhibition sites include the airport, public market, town hall, the legislative assembly and some charitable organizations. There is also great expectation for the exhibit in Redemption Park just one week before the World Youth Day.
The first exhibit took place on May 13-25, 2013 in the Main Hall of the Central Library at the Catholic Pontifical University of Rio Grande do Sul. The life and work of Chiara Lubich were presented by seven banners that portrayed the origins of the Movement, its first steps and the evolution of the evangelical lifestyle that today is manifested in numerous social activities.
One banner presented the ecumenical dimension of the Movement, its deep relationship of mutual love with other Christian and non-Christian churches and with people of no religious convictions.
Another banner presented the young people in the Movement. It showed a new generation of youths who are coming up with concrete proposals for the renewal of society, convinced that the daily practice of universal brotherhood will lead to the true human fulfillment that young people are frenetically searching for in so many ways in today’s world.
The family is also key to the transformation of society for the preservation of genuine values that give meaning to life and social relationships.
The exhibit also put on display the Economy of Communion project, which was launched during a visit of Chiara Lubich to Brazil in 1991. The proposal of the project is to operate economically sound companies while simultaneously seeking to combat social inequality and encourage a new business mentality.
From economy to politics. The Movement is also engaged in the field of politics, working to promote the common good by focusing effort on the political dimension of universal brotherhood. It sees politics as a service, which Chiara once described as the “Love of loves.”
Also in the field of social action there is the Family Solidarity Association which helps hundreds of children in one of the poorer quarters on the outskirts of the city. Similar projects have arisen around the world and are a source of great hope to many families that are spiritually and materially deprived.
A video presentation on the history of the Movement was projected on a large screen. There were exhibits displaying projects by individuals and groups of people based on the Golden Rule which is present in nearly all religions.
The exhibit continues in other cultural spots in the city of Porto Alegre, showing the figure of Chiara, “protagonist of a new age” and the implications of her charism of unity in various Church and social environments.
The Verona, Italian city, had been struck with bad weather, placing waterways in danger of overflowing and flooding. On May 17th while in the basement of his home, Giuseppe was swept away by a mass of mud and water that had built up in the Mezzane Stream, causing it to burst its banks. Along with local civil volunteers and law enforcement workers, many members of the Focolare Movement were also among the first to respond in saving Giuseppe and his wife, Maria Grazia. They had both belonged to the Movement for many years.
This immediate and spontaneous response, shoveling and clearing, was also an expression of gratitude towards Giuseppe, who had given himself out of love for his wife and two daughters, for other families, at work and in the parish.
“His was a life (. . .) given in love. We would like to live this moment in the company of God who is a Mystery of Trinitarian Love. We would allow ourselves to be comforted by His Word of truth.” These words were spoken by Bishop of Verona, Giuseppe Zenti during the funeral Mass at the cathedral on May 21st.
On that day the entire region of Lavagno gathered around Giuseppe and his relatives. Bishop Zenti purposely returned from Rome where he had been working for the Bishops Conference, in order to preside at the Mass that was concelebrated by 14 priests, in the presence of the Prefect of Verona, the President of the Province, the Mayor and numerous representatives from Law Enforcement.
Giuseppe was a generous man, full of love,” Bishop Zenti said in his homily, “his family can testify to this, the parish where he helped out especially as a catechist with his wife and in civil society as well. All of you who have come here in such great number can testify to this. The inspiration behind his life given in love was the Focolare family to which he belonged, whose charism is precisely the concrete actualization, in the ordinariness of life, the Lord’s own command: ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’ I’m here with you,” the bishop continued, I am also enveloped in the dark silence of the soul, like the one that enveloped Jesus on the Cross: The earth grew dark. . . My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Upon this silence let us allow the Word of God to resound, as a lamp that illuminates our steps before this great mystery for man, especially before the great mystery of death.”
In a letter read by the Prefect, President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano expressed his “nearness and affection to the Maschi family who have been hit with such a great loss. With them, also all the citizens of Lavagno who have suffered loss and damage because of the flood that struck the region.” The same sentiments were expressed in the telegram from the President of the Council of Italian Ministers, Enrico Letta.
On the heels of Pope Francis’ continuing invitation to allow ourselves to be surprised by the love of God that is always new, thirty-two bishop friends of the Focolare from Korea, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Japan, Taiwan and Sri Lanka, gathered to meet in Seoul, Korea on May 22 – 25 in order to immerse themselves in a living experience of the “Church-communion.”
The nations of the Asian continent vary in language, ethnicity, religion and traditions, and the situations being lived by the Church also vary widely. The bishops saw in this variety of forms and situations an opportunity for mutual enrichment: “We gave much time for spiritual communion and getting to know each other,” they write. “It revealed a great wealth of life that is producing many concrete experiences that arise from living the Gospel in many different settings: seminaries, parishes, among the marginalized, the disabled and the poor. Love for Jesus in our brothers and sisters was the motivation that urged us to draw near to our neighbours, seeking to soothe their wounds.”
They also reflected on the New Evangelization. This asks us for a personal conversion and a new proclamation of God’s love to the Asian people through dialogue with the wide range of religious traditions. It also calls for radical openness to those who suffer.
The final Mass concluded with a solemn pact of mutual love and the commitment to love the other’s diocese as one’s own truly seemed to crown the sharing they had experienced. Many of the bishops promised to make better use of the rapid means of communication such as Skype and video-conferences.
Moderator of these gatherings of Bishop Friends of the Focolare, Archbishop of Bangkok, Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij, described how the experiences made in the daily conquests of life created brotherly relationships of deep communion among the participants, allowing them to experience the presence of the Risen Christ among all. This presence gave new joy and strength for taking up the ministry of service in each one’s diocese, with the love of pastors who are near to their flock, following the example shown to us by Pope Francis.
Stefano Comazzi is responsible for the projects section of the Action for a United World. Recently he visited some of the main localities of Burundi that have been reached by the projects that are being brought ahead in the provinces of Ruyigi, Kayanza and Bujumburu. he was accompanied by the local counterpart of Action for a United Worldt, CASOBU. He recounts:
“In the rural areas of Bujumbura, in the Commune of Mutimbuzi, there is a camp for displaced people called ‘Maramvya’ where one of our projects is underway that provides assistance to families. The displaced families have been forced to move two times in the course of a month, settling first in an area on the outskirts of Bujumbura – a swamp – then on land near to the airport in the Commune of Butirere. The new settlement, however, is farther from the city and more difficult to reach.
For around four months families have been assigned lots upon which they can build their houses. I was able to see that some have already begun to put up a few simple little houses made of mud and straw. But many are lacking the necessary means and the land will be sold at a low price to speculators who are interested in building large Real Estate.
At the time of my arrival a session was being held beneath a large tent, the collection of personal information by a young woman from CASOBU so that families and children could be registered in the Commune and have access to health and educational services.
This registration process is rather complicated because the people passed under the administration of two previous communes. So each individual has to be checked again in order to see if they had been registered previously or not, and the eventual changes made to their documents. This is all done manually and is therefore very tedious and time-consuming.
The water situation, there is only one public distribution point, with only one fountain about half a kilometer from the settlement, I saw a small crowd of women and children there. From what they say, it seems that the queues begin early in the morning at around three o’clock and go on for many hours. We spoke with the mayor and learned that there is a study underway on a project for the entire north region of the city, with adequate pipe diameter and flow rate, and a tank for collecting water right next to the field. Nevertheless, while awaiting the project to be realized, CASOBU will examine other possible short-term solutions that will alleviate at least some of the difficulty of the local population to provide water for itself.
Source: Action for a United World online
How to help: Burundi, Campo sfollati Maramvya