After attending the deeply moving meeting of the Movements, new associations and communities with Pope Francis at Pentecost, Focolare President Maria Voce and Co-President Giancarlo Falletti travelled to the south of Germany.
On 24 May, in Freiburg, they met Archbishop Rober Zollitsch, the President of the German Bishops’ Conference. Archbishop Zollitsch was interested in the work and spread of the Focolare Movement in Germany and in the world. He encouraged the Movement to give its contribution to the Church and to society.
In that very friendly atmosphere Maria Voce spoke of the commitment of the international community of the Focolare in the field of ecumenism and interfaith dialogue. She explained to the Archbishop that in countries where they are, the Focolare centres always try to meet local needs. ‘For that reason our little town in Ottmaring has an explicitly ecumenical character.’
The Archbishop heard about the priests who live Focolare spirituality and he emphasized how important it can be for all priests to be involved in a living spiritual community. He was delighted with the faith formation courses that the Movement offers in the south of Germany to young people: ‘In a society where there is often a lack of courage in making decisions and taking commitments, it’s important that young people have witnesses to faith in their own environments.’
The Archbishop also said how impressed he was by the previous day’s meeting in Stuttgart of bishops from various churches and representatives of the Movements in the ‘Together for Europe’ network. Among those present at the meeting was Nikolaus Schneider, the President the German Evangelical Church. The warm relationship among the Movements and the communities that organized the meeting, one of which was the Focolare Movement, had struck him: ‘They told us about the pact, the covenant of mutual love that they made during one of their first meetings. And you could feel that this love was alive among them, that this pact shapes their relationships even today.’
The Focolare’s strong point, in the Archbishop’s opinion, was in managing to motivate people ‘not only to live and confess the faith, but also to share their experiences with one another, to speak of their faith. We lack this in Germany! Indeed, here the faith is often reduced to a private matter.’
He concluded by expressing his hopes and an observation: ‘The contribution of the Movements is an enrichment also for our parishes. The Movements, like the Focolare, can inspire a great many persons to live a genuine and active life of faith. They are a gift of the Holy Spirit for our times.’
It is the School of Civil Economy, called SEC in Italian which stands for ‘Scuola di economia civile’. Among its founders are some of the most important bodies in Italy: Associazione cristiani lavoratori italiani (ACLI, Association of Italian Christian Workers), Banca Popolare Etica (People’s Ethical Bank), Cooperazione Trentina (Trent Regional Co-operation), Economy of Communion (EoC), Federazione delle Banche di credito cooperativo (Federcasse, Federation of Cooperative Commercial Canks), the Sophia University Institute and the Polo Lionello Bonfanti (Lionello Bonfanti Business Centre). They officially established it on 19 May 2013 in Loppiano, near Florence, Italy.
Silvia Vacca, a young entrepreneur from the north of Italy, in the last few months has been in the front line in setting up SEC. She is about to become president of its administrative council. In an interview on the Economy of Communion’s website, she said: ‘It is a school that is also a research project that hopes to promote a civil and civilizing market, one that puts, at the centre of its economy activity, the human person with all his or her needs, aspirations and possibilities for flourishing. This kind of market is one where people interact for their mutual benefit and looking towards the common good, as opposed to a utilitarian approach or looking only to maximize profits which is the pattern that has spread across the world and that has led to the current crisis.’
It is, then, a study centre engaged in innovative research that redefines market relations against the background of the failure of individualistic capitalism, a failure that is no longer a theoretical proposition within academia but daily experience for many.
Its research programme is directed by Stefano Zamagni, Luigino Bruni and Renato Ruffini, who for many years have been promoting civil economy. They are flanked by a teaching community drawn from well-known scholars from the major Italian universities.
SEC’s proposal comes from the need to create awareness of a number of economic principles, especially those that touch upon the human person and the common good, in those areas of life that, because of their legal requirements or their openness to these principles, are in harmony with its principles. It offers education and training aimed in the first instance at people, currently or about to be, in positions of leadership within institutions, associations and businesses. SEC aims also at schools and intends to run study programmes for teachers and people in authority in education.
Courses begin in the autumn of 2013, following the official launch of SEC on 20 September during ‘LoppianoLab’ which takes place every year in Polo Lionello Bonfanti (Lionello Bonfanti Business Centre), which is home to its administrative centre in Loppiano.
“Before the start of the long tour in Brazil (May 16-July 27),” the friends of Gen Rosso write, “there was the long-awaited meeting with Franciscan Fr Hans Stapel and Brazilian Nelson Giovaneli, founders of the Fazenda da Esperanca community where young people in trouble are welcomed to live a lifestyle based on the Gospel. The meeting took place at their central headquarters in Guaratingueta, near to San Paulo. We felt that before beginning this challenging journey, we should take a moment to be with God and with those who, like us, had decided to embark on an adventure so rooted in the Gospel.”
The visit to the Fazenda began in the small chapel, where we remembered Chiara Lubich, whose spirituality is the inspiration behind the life of the Fazenda da Esperanca. In 2010, when the official recognition was given by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Fiar Hans and his collaborators desired to visit the international headquarters of the Focolare in order to “thank” Chiara, paying her a visit in the chapel where her body rests.
The friends from Gen Rosso asked Fr Hans what he had in mind for the months before them in Brazil: “Let’s look at the beginnings of the Focolare Movement in Trent,” he answered. “Around the table of that first focolare there was a focolarina and a pauper, a focolarina and a pauper. . . There was the spiritual dimension joined to the social dimension. This is our challenge, especially here in South America, but I think also in the whole world. When there is the spiritual dimension without the incarnation of it on a social level, something’s missing. When the opposite happens, there is social involvement that has no roots in God, and the effort is vain. The challenge is found in the unity of these two dimensions.”
This was also the plan for the Gen Rosso tour that began on May 16 with their Musical Streetlight. The Musical will involve 200 young people from the Fazenda da Esperanca and will conclude with performance at the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro on July 27. The first 3 concerts were attended by over 5000 people. “Each day we try to root ourselves in God,” Gen Rosso writes, “through reflection, the life of the Word and the mutual love that we try to have among us, which generates the presence of Jesus in our midst (Mt. 18:20). With the strength of His presence we then try to love all the teenagers who are working with us on the “Strong without violence” project.” The teenagers are often coming from experiences of abandonment and unspeakable suffering. They find a refuge in drugs: “We’d like to offer them the joy that doesn’t pass away,” they write “because Jesus opens the door to the Eternal, even in the midst of much of our own suffering and that of others in this world.”
In conclusion: “This is the message that we would like to cry out to society here in Brazil, through our shows and the media: Something exists that doesn’t pass away: God. And he loves us immensely. It is he who can make us strong without any violence!”
Fr. Vasile Bobita and Fr. Gianfrancesco Bagnulo got to know each other while serving as chaplains at the Viterbo prison and bringing solace to the orthodox and catholic prisoners respectively.
Over the years this contact developed into a strong brotherly relationship, which then involved the members of their respective church communities and led them to collaborate in organising a local event of the “Together for Europe” initiative (May 2012), of which the Focolare Movement is one of the promoters.
This led to the idea among the two chaplains to visit together the small town of witness at Loppiano (Florence), inviting also Fr. Vasile’s Romanian Orthodox community and two orthodox monks from the San Giovanni Therestis monastery at Bivongi, in the Reggio Calabria province.
On the 15th May, among the enchanting Tuscan hills, after the presentation of Chiara Lubich’s story and that of the small town, a lively dialogue was initiated within this varied group on “evangelization and dialogue”, on the Movement’s spirituality of unity, on the relationships with the Orthodox Church since the 60’s, on Jesus’ Testament: “That all may be one” (Jn 17,21). This moment facilitated the deepening of mutual understanding and the sharing of hopes, challenges, sufferings and joys, which was also enriched by the presence of a Romanian Orthodox focolarina who lives in the little town.
Fr. Vasile’s comment was brief and meaningful: “Now I know why I always felt welcome with Fr. Gianfrancesco: it’s because you live the reality of unity”.
In the end, everyone wanted to participate with the inhabitants of Loppiano in the Holy Mass at the church dedicated to Mary, Mother of God. Fr. Gianfrancesco said that it “touched us deeply because it is the place of meeting, of relationships concretely lived in the light of the gospel”.
This visit was of particular significance as it coincided with the 10th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the Shrine (2003-2013) when, in the presence of Chiara Lubich and religious and civil authorities, representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople donated some small coloured stones, from important Marian orthodox shrines around the world, to be laid together with the foundation stone as a sign of the path of communion that unites us.
Dr Gianni Caso (on the rigth) receiving the honour
Communion and Law is an attempt to discern those aspects of the spirituality of unity coming from the charism of Chiara Lubich that have significance for the world of law and let them inspire new avenues of research and new paradigms. Dr Caso, honorary Assistant President of the Italian Court of Cassation, is working at the moment in a similar field within the Focolare Movement. He has recently come back from a visit to Guatemala and Colombia where he was able to deepen his understanding of these countries. While there he was the recipient of an honour conferred by the Colombian Parliament upon the Focolare Movement. We asked his reflections.
What can the experience of Communion and Law give to societies struggling with difficult issues to do with the rule of law?
‘The role of Communion and Law in relation to what happens socially, economically and politically in such countries is twofold: it seeks to transform these areas of life and it seeks to rethink the dominant culture and its interrelationship with the society’s economic, political and legal order.
The first of these two things came into light in Guatemala. Here they asked us ideas on how to bring into effect the rule of law so that it could transform a society deeply troubled by injustice and without any guarantee of protection for citizens and for communities.
The second aspect came into light in Colombia, where there is a clear link between a society’s development of an individualistic culture and its economic, political and legal system, since individualistic culture affirms an economic order based on private profit and, at the same time, that kind of economic order promotes an individualistic culture. The consequence is a deeply divided and unequal society, with the formation of a class of rich people together with the exclusion of a large part of the population from positions of responsibility in economic, political and cultural life.’
If things are so tough and challenging, are there any positive signs or chances for change?
‘The strongest impression I had was when I compared the social and cultural situation of those Latin American countries with the current situation in Italy, and generally in Europe. In Latin America there is an extremely powerful “culture of life”. Even though socially things are very difficult because of the tremendous social inequality, leading to poverty and exclusion for a large part of the people, there is a real sense of the desire and the joy of living. This is caused by the huge numbers of children and young people generally (parents, in general, even though they are poor, have great love and care for their children). Here in Europe it looks as if we’re dominated by a “culture of death”: not many children, few young people, an ageing society, many “single” people, closed in ourselves, depressed and lack of zest for life. All of which is clear to those who visit those countries and come back here.’
Sub-Saharan Africa united in the thought of its peoples: “A land upon which to build a better future,” affirms Gisele Moulasta from Gabon, “not to stay closed in our own small world, but in order to be more and more open to the entire human family.” A statement charged with meaning, at the conclusion of the course on May 10-13, which gathered people together from several African nations.
What is the centre for inculturation? In his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii nuntiandi, Paul VI had expressed concern over the split between the Gospel and culture, seeing it as the drama of our age. He therefore hoped that this gap would be overcome by approaching the different cultures with more interest and care. The evangelization of the cultures is, as John Paul II also stressed, is the deepest and most complete for the message of Christ to enter into the consciousness and penetrate the customs of the people, the activities of the people, their institutions and structures. In line with this thinking, in May 1992, during a trip to Nairobi, Chiara Lubich founded the Centre for Inculturation inspired by the spirituality of unity, On that occasion she identified the goal: to discover the way of dialoging with the African culture and its values in order to promote evangelization among the peoples of the continent.
This year, the focus was on the human person in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was examined from the perspective of the anthropology of the African community by geographical regions; Semitic Biblical and New Testament writings; Second Vatican Council documents and the contribution of the spirituality of unity. The participants also shared a variety of experiences that greatly enriched the academic discussion.
“Examining certain aspects of our culture in the light of the Gospel involves a confrontation of values that are divergent. Jesus is demanding,” explained Vital Muhindo who is from Congo: “The challenges are there: It’s not that the Gospel must enter into our cultures, but that our cultures that must enter into the logic of the Gospel.” In this context Victorien Kone recalled the powerful moment of his six year old daughter’s death. According to local tradition, the little one could not receive a burial because she was still in the process of becoming a person. “How could we give her a decent funeral?” her father asked. “Although still small, Joelle was spiritually a giant! She had a deep relationship with Chiara Lubich. She was loved by everyone, great and small. The funeral was held and attended by many people. It was a sign of life. This way of doing things was a surprise to many, but it also gave a testimony that had an influence on the common mentality.”
This year’s course also included a group of young people of the Focolare Movement from around the world who enthusiastically launched the Sharing with Africa Project, which is one of the many projects of United World Project. Simultaneously, United World Week 2013 was being celebrated inn Burkina Faso where a project was carried out in a pediatric ward of a hospital. In Nigeria there was a Genfest attended by 1,000 Christian and Muslim youths, and in the Ivory Coast the United World Project was presented to the UNESCO National Commission.
After attending the deeply moving meeting of the Movements, new associations and communities with Pope Francis at Pentecost, Focolare President Maria Voce and Co-President Giancarlo Falletti travelled to the south of Germany.
The Archbishop heard about the priests who live Focolare spirituality and he emphasized how important it can be for all priests to be involved in a living spiritual community. He was delighted with the faith formation courses that the Movement offers in the south of Germany to young people: ‘In a society where there is often a lack of courage in making decisions and taking commitments, it’s important that young people have witnesses to faith in their own environments.’
It is the School of Civil Economy, called SEC in Italian which stands for ‘Scuola di economia civile’. Among its founders are some of the most important bodies in Italy: 
SEC’s proposal comes from the need to create awareness of a number of economic principles, especially those that touch upon the human person and the common good, in those areas of life that, because of their legal requirements or their openness to these principles, are in harmony with its principles. It offers education and training aimed in the first instance at people, currently or about to be, in positions of leadership within institutions, associations and businesses. SEC aims also at schools and intends to run study programmes for teachers and people in authority in education.
“Before the start of the long tour in Brazil (May 16-July 27),” the friends of Gen Rosso write, “there was the long-awaited meeting with Franciscan Fr Hans Stapel and Brazilian Nelson Giovaneli, founders of the Fazenda da Esperanca community where young people in trouble are welcomed to live a lifestyle based on the Gospel. The meeting took place at their central headquarters in Guaratingueta, near to San Paulo. We felt that before beginning this challenging journey, we should take a moment to be with God and with those who, like us, had decided to embark on an adventure so rooted in the Gospel.”
This was also the plan for the Gen Rosso tour that began on May 16 with their Musical Streetlight. The Musical will involve 200 young people from the Fazenda da Esperanca and will conclude with performance at the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro on July 27. The first 3 concerts were attended by over 5000 people. “Each day we try to root ourselves in God,” Gen Rosso writes, “through reflection, the life of the Word and the mutual love that we try to have among us, which generates the presence of Jesus in our midst (Mt. 18:20). With the strength of His presence we then try to love all the teenagers who are working with us on the “Strong without violence” project.” The teenagers are often coming from experiences of abandonment and unspeakable suffering. They find a refuge in drugs: “We’d like to offer them the joy that doesn’t pass away,” they write “because Jesus opens the door to the Eternal, even in the midst of much of our own suffering and that of others in this world.”
This year, the focus was on the human person in Sub-Saharan Africa. It was examined from the perspective of the anthropology of the African community by geographical regions; Semitic Biblical and New Testament writings; Second Vatican Council documents and the contribution of the spirituality of unity. The participants also shared a variety of experiences that greatly enriched the academic discussion.