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Apr 24, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
“Patterns of unity: an interdisciplinary dialogue on the thought of Chiara Lubich”, was the title of the seminar held from the 12th-13th April at the Fu Jen Catholic University (Taipei).
Organised in tandem with the Sophia University Institute and two other Catholic universities from Taipei, the event sealed a rapport that the Focolare foundress had been cultivating with the Church and the academic world of the island since the ‘50s, and that reached its apex, as Maria Voce recalled in her greetings on the occasion, in the event organised by the Catholic University of Taipei that conferred on Chiara the Honorary doctorate in Theology in 1997.
Today’s event hosted in the very same place, highlighted Chiara’s charism and her legacy. In his goodwill message to the participants, Pope Francis encouraged them “to renew the joy of the meeting with Christ and to witness His presence in the world” through this very charism.
The opening address by cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, highlighted a challenge faced by the Church: to combine unity that is “it’s essential feature” and catholicity. “In other words”, he specified, “how to reach oneness within the great variety of cultures, traditions, spiritual and theological experiences”. In this journey towards the fullness “of unity in diversity”, Chiara’s charism entered as a “greatest gift”.
Papers were presented by Piero Coda and Luigino Bruni in the fields of theology and economics respectively, along with contributions from local speakers, in a fruitful synergy and bright prospects of further collaborations in the future, as evidenced by the memorandum of understanding signed with Sophia.
Taiwan parliamentarian, Yu-Xing-yang, shared an enthusiastic testimonial of how Chiara’s charism was also a source of inspiration in his own political life.
The significant presence of members from various Buddhist schools of thought, as well as the representative of the Taiwan Orthodox Church, added an interfaith and ecumenical flavour to the event.
We conclude with the words of P. Ramon from the Providence University, that best summarise the illuminating days of the conference: “Chaira visited Taiwan in 1997. Today she came back a second time and we should never let her go”.
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Apr 23, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
“Above all its a tale of friendship”. These words opened the meeting jointly organised by the Muslim community in Sicily and the Focolare Movement at Catania on the 14th April. “Some of the Focolare Movement members had met the Imam of Catania, and their friendship grew to include other Muslims and members of the movement, especially families. There were moments of sharing together the values of universal brotherhood through concretely lived experiences.” This was shared by Giusy Brogna of the Focolare, an expert in interfaith dialogue with Islam after having lived for years in the Middle East, who had organised the event together with journalist Roberto Mazzarella, Kheit Abdelhafid, Imam and President of the Muslim community in Sicily, and Vice President Ismail Bouchnafa. Nearly 500 people attended the event: it included entire families coming from various cities of Sicily, wherein a bond of friendship has already been built between the Focolare Movement’s local community and some Muslim families. 
The Christian vision of the family and the enrichment brought by the Muslim family in the Italian society were among the main speeches, respectively presented by the couple Gaetano and Grazia Maria Amore, and Imam Kheit Abdelhafid. The latter voiced his satisfaction with the event as well as the long preparatory work involved. The family is a central reality in both our religious traditions, especially with regard to the future of our children, whom we would like to live in a world without barriers, which considers diversity as an enrichment”. The lived experiences confirmed what was spoken: they were shared by a family from Scicli; Giosi and Zanja, school mates from Ispica; Fatima and Hamed from Rosolini with their daughter Rabia and some Catholic friends. Among them were people who have been hosting education programmes for immigrant women in their parish premises since years. The afternoon programme was conducted by the youth. Christian and Muslim youth had shot a short movie in the earlier weeks to depict with irony, the common prejudices encountered when one does not know the different cultural and religious traditions. 
The archbishop of Catania, H.E. Monsignor Salvatore Gristina, who was present at the event, encouraged the organisers to continue on this endeavour. He said, “Let’s trust in God’s help. Let’s hold hands and go ahead.” Among the public figures who spoke, there was also the mayor of Catania, Raffaele Stancanelli, who thanked the organisers for having chosen his city to host this important event that is “capable of positively influencing our national community”. The 14th April event at Catania forms part of the experiences of fraternity promoted since a while between some Muslim communities and the Focolare, as part of the Progetto Italia (Italy Project), and which figured significantly last November at the event at Brescia.
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Apr 22, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
Focus on Sweden: This Scandinavian country with a strict Lutheran tradition has been marked by widespread secularism, like in the entire peninsula, which is expressed not only through a scanty participation at religious celebrations, but also by a lifestyle that seems to have put aside any reference to the transcendent. The experience of the “Court of the Gentiles” to open a dialogue among believers and non-believers, which was launched by the Pontifical Council for Culture, has contributed in these years to a greater mutual understanding among Lutherans and Catholics, and it can be strengthened and enriched by putting the gospel into practice, and sharing the fruits it produces. In this context and keep this end in mind, we would like to situate two initiatives promoted by the Focolare Movement to mark Chiara Lubich’s 5th anniversary. 
““May none of those you meet be deluded, but may each one find in you light for their own lives, warmth for their own hearts, support for their own steps; (…) Remain faithful to your charism and witness to Christ in this world that is so confused, and at times weary and without enthusiasm”. These were the words of entrustment and exhortation directed by the Apostolic Nuncio in Sweden, Mons. Nowacki, to the Focolare Movement’s members. During his homily at the mass on the 14th March on the occasion of Chiara Lubich’s fifth death anniversary, he remembered her as “an extraordinary woman who (…) inflamed the world with the fire of Christ’s love and who discovered in Jesus’ cross a fundamental reason to live in intimate union with Him (…), each day as an expression of love for God and neighbour”. 
Is the gospel still relevant today?”. Testimonies and life experiences were shared at this meeting, together with updates on activities of concrete solidarity, and a spiritual deepening with artistic contributions. Some of the feedback received best express the tone of the evening: “I had thought of going back to work on Monday and asserting my point of view, but after hearing the experience in the hall I understood that I must be the first to love”; and another: “I realised that it’s possible to live the gospel even today. I want to try it out too”. The next Focolare Movement appointment in Sweden will be the Mariapoli at Kumla (Örebro) from the 27th – 30th June.
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Apr 21, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
During 4-7 April, the young people from Metro Manila, Aklan, Baguio, Cavite, Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, Masbate, Tacloban, Tarlac, Palawan, and Rizal gathered together in Tagaytay City for a different kind of adventure. As they left the comfort of their hometowns and distanced themselves from technology, they braved the challenges of facing diversity and opted to be in touch with nature, while making new friendships from across the islands. With the theme “The other… an Other me,” they were exposed to four full days into discovering what living in unity must be like through a life led by love.
During the “Let’s Colour Our City” activity, the youth campers visited various social institutions like orphanages and the local prison. They also went to remote villages in the city of Tagaytay, where youth campers planted about a hundred trees in coordination with local village leaders. The whole exercise was a concretization of the very theme of the Youth Camp, especially in living the Gospel phrase, “Whatever you do the least of your brother, you do it to me” (Mt. 25:40).
The “Let’s Colour our City” activity left an indelible mark on the campers, as one of them commented, “I understood how much I am taking for granted the privileges and gifts that I have”, after he had served persons with cerebral palsy in the San Rafael Hospital for the Disabled. After spending a few hours with the orphaned children residing with the Augustinian Sisters, a camper commented: “In the short time spent with these children, I felt that I had become a father to the child who had no parents”.
At the Tagaytay City Jail, those who visited the prisoners were very touched by the testimonies of the inmates who were striving to pick up their broken lives; they even advised the youth campers to lead a moral life and to avoid major mistakes so as not to end up in jail and destroy other people’s lives. Workshops were provided as campers engaged in arts, theatre, dancing, music, journalism and sports. Moving life experiences were also shared like that of the family of Lito Bulan: in spite of difficulties like the illness of his wife, he had faced life with much love and perseverance, and so did his daughter who tried to live the art of loving, by being the first one to love in the family so as to keep their unity in the family intact. She affirmed that trials in life serve like filters for a stronger and deeper bond of love in the family.
An Amazing Race type competition took place during the camp. Actually, it was a race to test the unity and teamwork of the 15 groups as they played the various games, the most challenging of which was the mudslide which proved to be a great lesson in trust and courage in life, and the obstacle course which was a real test in perseverance.
The last day was dedicated to prayer, reflection, and to the sacrament of confession. It was a moment to recollect and to ponder on the four-day camp, as well as to integrate all the learning experiences of these meaningful and adventurous days. As in every youth camp, held over the past 5 years, it was always hard to say goodbye to one another but the challenge to love our neighbour and to colour the dark corner of our cities was stronger in most participants. Echoes in the social media had filled the Facebook pages of the campers exchanging pictures, stories, and experiences which described and expressed that this was “the most unforgettable and memorable summer” of their lives! Now, 300 young Filipinos will transpose the experience of unity lived at the Youth Camp within their own environment.
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Apr 20, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
LIVE STREAMING EVENT 1 maggio: http://live.focolare.org/uww2013/
Video of May 1st meeting at Loppiano
The explicit motto “Let’s Bridge” of the Genfest in Budapest last September, was chosen by the Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement as the title for the United World Week 2013. The main event will be the 01st May with 4 major gathering locations: Jerusalem, a symbol of peace; Loppiano, which had always been linked with the Youth for a United World’s history; Mumbai, on the route to interfaith dialogue; Budapest, the capital that hosted 12,000 youth for the Genfest. During the 01stMay event, there will be live link-ups among these 4 cities to render visible this worldwide network that is already in place.
To be bridges then, to build bridges of brotherhood on the United World Project (UWP) guideline, which was launched precisely at the Genfest. In these months, many youth have undertaken this journey in various parts of the world, recognising the “brotherhood afoot” in their own lives and around them, increasing activities and initiatives to raise public awareness in their own countries, contributing as active citizens to bring about a culture of peace and dialogue that welcomes diversity and multiculturality. Such as in Chicago, where the Youth for a United World together with the Mosque Cares association met at the Ephraim Bahar cultural centre to prepare 150 meals, “survival kits” and a selection of men/women clothes to distribute to the homeless in the neighbourhood. Or as in Montevideo, where a Youth for a United World delegation from Uruguay together with some professionals involved in the field of education, were received by María Paz Echeverriarza, responsible for the area of Education at the UNESCO Representation for the governments of Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. It was an occasion to present the UWP and to share about the network that has emerged around the Nueva Vida social project, which has seen the successful onset of small businesses, despite the context of marginalisation. And also the “Goodwill Week” in Serbia: in an alternative cultural centre, the youth held forums on social initiatives, film projections, initiatives to help people in difficulties, which also included a blood drive, besides the collection of provisions.
The United World Week will be an occasion to take stock of the situations, and many activities will simultaneously take place during those days in various parts of the world. In the Holy Land, 120 youth from various countries will meet together from the 24th April to the 02nd May. There’s a intense programme planned that includes a “Forum on universal brotherhood” at the University of Bethlehem with Muslim and Christian speakers, a meeting with the mayor Vera Baboun, an interfaith evening, a desert outing, workshops in singing, music, dance, and percussion with the Gen Rosso and the Gen Verde who will be present for the occasion. These workshops will showcase together in a concert planned for the 29th April in Haifa. The 01st May event will end with a flashmob at the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem where Jews, Christians, and Muslims will meet up.
However, the project will continue, and the subsequent phases will take place in Africa, and precisely at Nairobi, where the Sharing with Africa site will kick-off with the “Inculturation School” on the value of the person in African tradition.
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More information:
Be the Bridge website
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Apr 19, 2013 | Focolare Worldwide
«Many of my companions at school ask to borrow my sharpener as it’s a good one that sharpens pencils well. I always lend it but one morning they had asked me many times. So when another companion asked me again I said “NO!” quite strongly. He returned to his place quite sad and in that instant I remembered: “But Jesus is present even in him. I can’t refuse him!”. I called him back and gave him my sharpener with a big smile. He was happy and I too felt a joy within me. In the evening, I along with my father and brother were watching a football match sitting on a sofa. My mother entered and said: “Don’t any of you care about me. I’ve just come home from work and I have to get dinner ready. Now, who’s going to help me set the table!?” I wanted to watch the game but I thought: “I need to love Jesus even in my mum!” I got up and went to the kitchen to set the table. I made my mother happy and then our team won 4-0!!! ». (E.M. 8 years old, Italy) 
«We kids like to collect and play with cards of games like Pokemon, Yu-gi-oh and of football players. We carry them with us to school. I have 83 of them and some are rare. One day I was returning home with the school bus and I took out my Yu-gi-oh cards. One of my friends Lorenzo asked me to gift him a super rare card called Steelswarm Moth. At first I didn’t want to because it was really important to me. But then I gave it to him to do an act of love and he was overjoyed.» (V.F. – 7 years, Italy) «One day I returned home tired from the swimming pool. My mum asked me to tidy up my room and I didn’t feel like doing it just then as I wanted to rest. Then I thought that there’s Jesus also in my mum. I began to tidy the room and I felt so much joy in my heart that I didn’t get more tired.» (L.A. – 8 years, Italy)
