![Family Life: a year of the Gospel]()
Sep 28, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide
‘From the moment I learned that last year was going to be dedicated to living the Word,’ Maria told us, ‘I thought about when I got to know the Movement as a girl. Chiara Lubich encouraged us to write the Gospel with our lives. In the month of March we were living the words: ‘Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life’ (John 6:68) and in her commentary Chiara affirmed that when the words of Jesus are lived they change our way of thinking and acting. Well, some workers came to do a job in our garage. One of the people in our apartment block, who did not know they were coming, was upset and moaned at the plumber. By chance I found myself in the middle of the discussion and I tried to make peace. I spoke with our neighbour to explain why the work needed doing and I spoke with the worker to explain why my neighbour was complaining. The tension was broken and calm restored.’
Luigi continued, ‘One of our daughters was having difficulty in one subject when the teacher changed. The problem affected a lot of them in the class, and many parents got involved criticizing the teacher. We thought we should do something to quieten things down. The words from the Gospel: “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49) helped us to have the right attitude with everyone – our daughter, the other parents and the teacher. We took on the responsibility of writing letters, meeting with parents and the principal, speaking to the teacher, listening to everyone’s explanations and trying to get everyone to move to a constructive dialogue. It would appear there was no happy ending, because about half the class fell behind in the subject. It seems to us, though, that it was a chance to bring a different spirit into the school and, above all, we shared this “defeat” with our daughter, helping her overcome the obstacle, ready with her to respect her teacher and praying also for him every evening.’
Maria spoke again, ‘In May one of our daughters was diagnosed with a dangerous tumour. It was a shock: why does God ask this of us? We were confused … it was not easy to go beyond our pain. The Word was a help to us yet again and bit by bit we tried to accept deeply what God was asking of us. My relationship with Luigi and with our daughters grew stronger. We felt the love of many people who shared the suspense of this experience of with us. The operation went well. In the room with Letizia – I was able to be with her the whole time she was in hospital – there was a woman whose family lived a long way off. She hadn’t eaten for days because of the treatment she was having. The Word of Life for that month was: “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (John 6:27). I felt I could offer her this “food” through what I said and little acts of service. One day I lent her the magazine New City and later on I saw that she was reading the Word Life column in it.’
‘When summer came,’ continued Luigi, ‘we went back to the town where we were born. There was family trouble awaiting us. One of Maria’s aunts needed a lot of medical treatment and her was husband sick in hospital; both of them were elderly and they had no children. Maria’s uncle was fully aware how ill he was. We stayed with him right up to the moment of his death. We spent several moments in the last few nights whispering prayers in his ear. It seemed to us that bit by bit he was prepared for his meeting with God.’
![Family Life: a year of the Gospel]()
Sep 25, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide
Three halls linked together, 3000 people and live streaming – these things show the tremendous sense of expectation caused by the launch of a book-long interview with the Focolare Movement’s President, Maria Voce. She gave a full response to questions across the board from the journalists Michele Zanzucchi and Paolo Lòriga (respectively the director and the chief editor of the twice monthly magazine Città Nuova). ‘What are the focolarini thinking after Chiara Lubich’s death? Are there progressives and conservatives? Do they seek positions of influence in the Church and in politics? Are they just superficial “hail fellow well met” types who smile too much?’ The title of the book, La scommesa di Emmaus, translates as Emmaus’s Challenge. It was previewed and presented on 22 September in a conversation between the Focolare President and Lucetta Scaraffia (historian and leader writer for the Osservatore Romano) and Marco Politi (author and leader writer for Il Fatto Quotidiano). Scaraffia and Politi were eager to grasp the opportunity of speaking with Maria Voce in person and the interview ranged over the most varied topics: how the Movement can cope with developing a public image after a period of going unnoticed; the need for the Focolare to be involved with big issues such as the promotion of the laity; ecumenism; inter-religious dialogue and dialogue with people with non-religious convictions; women; euthanasia; the family; work; Muslims in Europe; Chiara Lubich’s charism as a woman seen as a gift for the Church; the diminishing number of focolarini making a radical life choice in comparison with the numbers of people in the whole of the Movement; and still more items. 
Maria Voce seemed to feel she was in her own living room with a couple of friends. She was unruffled and replied without hesitation and with clarity: ‘We are not suffering the sickness of trying to hide ourselves, we just don’t think it important to seek publicity for ourselves. We would prefer, in fact, people to get to know whatever positive things we manage to inject into human affairs. As Maria Voce I don’t feel that I have significant things to say, but as the Focolare Movement I do.’ ‘Lay people don’t need encouragement, rather they need to be left free to act in the Church context with greater trust,’ she says in the book. This statement, particularly appreciated by Scaraffia, was the basis for reflecting upon the laity and upon women: ‘Chiara liked to say that women have, as their specific characteristic, a greater capacity for loving and suffering. This is seen most clearly in motherhood. And so I would say that women have, in a particular way, the capacity to build the family…. In a Church that wishes to be more and more a family, to be communion, the summary of all the aspirations of humanity, women have an important role. But, as Chiara always said, I am convinced that women and men are equally responsible before God. In the Gospel it is written: ‘There is neither man nor woman, neither Jew nor Greek’ and so the important thing is that both women and men should become what they should be, that is, Christ in the Church.’ After a musical break Marco Politi suggested that ‘a focolare of dialogue’ (that is, a space to discuss in the spirit of the Focolare) should be set up. Here there would be the possibility of reflecting regularly upon the big questions. Maria Voce fired back, ‘This is a challenge more than a question. It would be more in keeping with our style, our way of doing things, because it wouldn’t be so much sharing big ideas together, but experiences, as has been done lately, for instance, in the two-day “LoppianoLab”. The witness we would like to give is of our relationship with the person next to us, not with great systems of thought.’ 
On the ‘question of the construction of mosques, for example, I believe that the most important thing is that Muslims feel they are welcomed and understood by Christians also in their way of expressing their religious life.’ Maria Voce continued saying that the Movement does indeed think about the big questions, according to its own style, which brings people together, in a living experience. ‘For instance, in a school, in a hospital, people from the Movement get together and they share their experiences of doing things in a Christian manner. From life itself there comes about a reflection that generates the specific initiatives to be taken together and an outline of the thinking behind them that can then also be offered.’ ‘The charism in itself has the answers. The questions change according to the times. New questions demand new ways for formulating the answers which, nonetheless, are present in the charism.’ On ecumenism: ‘I believe it is a difficult journey. It’s shameful for all Christians to be divided. If we are aware of it, we suffer. And all of us sharing in the same suffering cannot but make us do what is needed to overcome the division. Like this it is possible that steps towards unity, despite the effort, will be made. To reach unity it is necessary, for all of us, to know how to lose things, and this costs. We believe that the Movement’s role is precisely to put itself into the crack of this division.’ ‘We must keep on the journey! I believe it is something we all have to search for together.’ On the small number of focolarini: ‘Precisely because it is a radical choice, being consumed in unity – which means loving one another, losing oneself completely in the other, so that God may be among us – is a demanding choice and not everyone is called to it, even if the choice of God is made by everyone in the Movement.’ And in conclusion: ‘What interests us is that the idea of universal brotherhood should progress. It is God who guides history, so we shouldn’t be afraid.’ The hour passed in a moment. Among the three of the stage and the 3000 in the hall a sympathy had been built up and no one wanted to disturb. But by this time ‘Emmaus’s challenge’ had been offered and had been accepted.
![Family Life: a year of the Gospel]()
Sep 24, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide
Four days to talk about economy, culture, politics, the region and the young. Many concrete examples of “active citizenship” were shared at LoppianoLab in a programme that unfolded in workshops, seminars, testimonies by business people, an area for the Economy of Communion, courses on political involvement by the Political Movement of Unity and the Sophia University Institute. A close-up on “what the focolarini think now that Chiara Lubich is gone” through a presentation of the new book, La scommessa di Emmaus (the challenge of Emmaus), an interview with Focolare president Maria Voce. An early count of the participants places the number at around 3,000 people from every Italian region, plus another 5,000 who were linked up via internet with the different moments of the programme. Some came to Loppiano for the day. One social network had allowed the social network public to interact in the events, involving 300,000 contacts.
The major topics that were discussed included electoral law, interculturalism, legality, art, sustainable development and many others that were presented in fifteen laboratories that led to the Saturday afternoon event, entitled “Italia Europa. Un unico cantiere tra giovani, lavoro, innovazione” (Italy, Europe, a single field between youth, work and innovation). A lively discussion followed with experts on economy, training and Europe in which the young people were very involved in making a contribution toward the rebirth of Italy.
Regarding the realtionships among the generations, journalist Tiziana Ferrario riterated the importance of growing together – young people and adults – in a mutual exchange between passion and experience. “There is a more need for a Europe of the citizens,” declared Paolo Ponzano, counselor of the European Special Commission. His words were echoed by economist Stefano Zamagni, recalling the need for a more mature democracy at an international level, in which the citizens participate daily in the management of public affairs.
A high moment was the double interview with Maria voce, president of the Focolare, who has just been named an auditor of the upcoming Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization, who responded to the questions of Lucetta Scaraffia (Osservatore Romano)and Marco Politi (Il Fatto quotidiano), on issues facing the Church and society: the role of women, interreligous dialogue and relations with those of “different beliefs”.
At LoppianoLab citizens, experts and professionals spoke of Italy in crisis, but also of Italy on the rise, with the same common denominator: a passion for civil participation. The laboratory entitled “The stalling of the parties. A politics for the technicians. And the Citizens?” in which the issue of electoral law was discussed, which is a very hot topic in Italy. In full harmony with this was the seminar offered by the Courses on participation in politics, twenty four such courses underway throughout Italy today, involving 500 youths. “Provide us with true educators and we’ll provide you with a better world” was the title of a laboratory that pointed out the centrality of education as one resource for a better future. Stories of hopes and battles enlightened the laboratory on legality, such as that of business man Salvatore Cantone, who is engaged on the front lines with an anti-racketeering association and Giuseppe Gatti, anti-mafia magistrate and undercover, which which highlighted that a new legality can only be born from fraternity. The workshop entitled
Comunic@ando presented a series of projects: civic workshops, critical use of the media and a European project that involved Italian young people in a partnership with citizens of four other nations. The 3rd National Convention of Economy of Communion (EoC) was held in Loppiano at the Polo Lionello (Lionello Industrial Park). The novelty this year was the birth of AIPEC, an Italian association of the EoC and the voice of the young people: an overview of the year’s activity at the industrial park that was the incubator for 52 business projects; the Policor project in response to the high rate of unemployment among the young people in Italy. Now that the event has ended, the workshops continue at local sites across Italy. Active participation is the key in looking toward 2013.
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![Family Life: a year of the Gospel]()
Sep 22, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide
Young people, who have made a decision to proclaim the Gospel by music, started the bands Eis (meaning ‘one’ in Greek) and Hope. They come from Teramo and Fermo in Italy. They see themselves as part of the Focolare’s Diocesan Movement and are working in their dioceses. Already they have met thousands of people.
‘Hope started in 1995,’ Fabio says, ‘when Pope John Paul II held the “Eurhope” meeting for young Europeans. It was an unforgettable event and has been followed by many other occasions where Hope has given, as it continues to give, its contribution in the diocese of Fermo and beyond.’
‘Eis, on the other hand, only started three years ago,’ Alice explains. ‘It was during a youth summer camp run by the diocese of Teramo. The group has already met more that four and a half thousand people in 17 concerts.’
What about publicity?
‘The bands are getting known spontaneously,’ says Alice. ‘Someone really likes a concert and then invites us to their own town. Perhaps a journalist writes an article, a local radio asks for an interview… and then shows follow on, one from one another, everywhere from church halls to stages set up in the squares for the whole town. The blogs of the two bands are full of enthusiastic people, some quite young, who really like what we’re doing. It’s not just people liking it though. Often there are chances to meet and even real changes happen in people’s lives!’
But the ‘bands don’t want to be only about the things they do,’ Alice and Fabio both point out. ‘Before all else,’ says Fabio, ‘we strive to be united, so that each of us who makes up the group tries to live with mutual love at the basis of everything. And then we do what needs to be done – we prepare the show, gather everyone’s ideas, take time to do numerous rehearsals…’
It can’t all be easy?
‘Of course nothing’s simple,’ Fabio immediately says. ‘But every time we try to start again, expressing our ideas and, at the same time, being ready to put them aside if they’re not needed. We want everything to be born from the unity of our group, from the unity that makes Jesus present among us (Matt. 18:20).’
Hope and Eis at the moment are doing two separate musicals on the life of Chiara Luce Badano, a young person from the Focolare beatified in 2010. The shows speak of a modern person, one who can be copied. They show a young woman who knew how make her life into an amazing ‘work of art’, managing to accept illness and death at 18 years of ago as God’s love for her and for her family.
‘The written impressions that we have from the concerts are extremely positive,’ Alice says. ‘For someone called Giuliana, of example, the figure of Chiara Luce managed make a whole town wake up to the issue of holiness.’
Chiara Lubich suggested music to young people, at the end of the 60s, as an instrument for evangelizing. The two well-known groups, Gen Rosso and Gen Verde, were started. Other bands also began, like Gen 70 in the parish of Vallo Torinese (in Piedmont). One of the people who formed it, Maria Orsola (who died when she was 15) is currently in the process of being beatified.
![Family Life: a year of the Gospel]()
Sep 17, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide
“Seated within a large tent we listened as the people who had lived through the earthquake shared their adventure, never losing hope and already making plans for the future,” writes Tomek Mikusinski from Gen Rosso on the evening before the show.
The group was welcomed in a large tent next to the church that was still unusable. Images of the controlled demolition of the bell tower of Poggio Renatico (Italy) have already fill the web. “But we are also the Church,” continues Tomek. “They give us an opportunity to share our life, the path that leads us here, our choice of God and the way we follow Him, experiences from our lives and the expectations that guide us on our way forward.” One person confided to us: “I thank everyone in the musical group for your testimony of life and love that you have brought among us. Recent events had us a bit discouraged, and we were really in such need of this! It is such a great joy that we were able to realize this great dream.”
The day before on 14 September 2012, there was another mild earthquake whose epicentre was quite close to the area of Poggio Renatico, but this did not stop the show from going on. On the evening of 15 September 2012 there were a thousand spectators on the sport field. Considering the size of the local population, this meant one out of every three families was there. Some people also came prepared to spend the night in a camping site that was set up on one area of the field.
“Sharing, admiration, hope, gratitude, love, unity, and friendship are just a few of the words that express what we lived this week,” Tomek continues. “’Cities and hills may fall but love never fails, love never fails. And so many people are helping, offering hope and serenity. . .’ These words from one of our songs had a strong resonance among our listeners. They rang very true especially in this area around Poggio Renatico. We lived days of true brotherhood! Because wherever there is love and hope that is founded on love, there is God and Life returns! So much life!”
“I’ve been recharged and am ready to set out once again on my journey, which so often filled with obstacles and difficulties,” shared one girl when it was time to leave. “Thank you for showing that we can go far when we walk together.”
“An historic international music group contributes to reconstruction” was one of the headlines in “Ferrara24ore” news. “This group that defines itself as an international performing arts group, has been performing since 1966 with a deeply social focus, and this is why it has enthusiastically accepted the invitation to do a show in our region, in order to help revive the spirit of the people that has been disturbed by recent events. They have come in order to be involved in resolving the problems and difficulties of this painful moment for so many people.” “The group fights for the construction of a more liveable world, a world of justice, solidarity and peace. There couldn’t be a better idea for getting Poggio Renatico back on its feet again.”
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Sep 16, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide
“When I was ten years old an event occurred that turned out to be a turning point in the life of my family and in my personal life. My father underwent a very serious liver operation. I remember some mornings in the summer when I would accompany him, with my mother, to the promenade of Syracuse, Italy, for a walk. After a brief period in which he appeared to be recovering, suddenly as a storm came the crisis. And one night he fell asleep forever. When I saw his motionless body, his face paler than usual, I couldn’t cry. I was like stone. At ten years old, the thought of asking why never entered my mind, neither was I able to pray. In later years I realized that all my friends had a father who protected them, but not me. And the situation of orphan-hood weighed on me a lot.
Five years later, through a friend of mine, I met people who had made the Gospel their code of life. In their apartment – the Focolare – one evening I met Marco, the first young man who had followed Chiara Lubich. And he told me about the adventure of unity. His words so full of life, of the living Gospel in daily life, really hit me. I was no longer an orphan, I now had a Father who took care of me. In fact, in the years that followed I found a hundred fathers, a hundred mothers, a hundred brothers and sisters (see Mt. 19:29). I suddenly realized that I had to put the Gospel into practice, so I began at school, listening with love to that somewhat boring teacher, sharing my notes with my classmates who needed them.
A few years later, prompted by this wonderful discovery of God’s personal love, there began to grow in me the desire to give myself to him, and the experience of the Focolare was opened up to me. I lived for twenty six years in the Focolare in Vienna and then there were continual short visits to Czechoslovakia and Hungary to meet with people of the Movement there. These were the years in which there was a wall between us but what united us was the Gospel, because this is what they were thirsting for more than for freedom.
And we had our share of adventures during those trips. Once in the border area, opening the boot of the car for the usual checks, I realized to my horror that we had accidentally loaded a large suitcase full of videos, writings and slide photos of our communities. These were all “forbidden” materials. Strangely, the police gave a superficial glance (not noticing my terrified face) and told us that we could proceed. Everything turned out fine for our friends in Budapest who were able to have the necessary means to know about the spread of the Gospel around the world. On this and on many other occasions I saw God’s love watching over my steps, even when I didn’t do things as well as I should have.
The Genfest was held in Budapest in the beginning of September. It was such a joy for me to see. I remembered the days when we were meeting in the ‘catacombs’ with the young people, in a family home. It was officially prohibited to gather together groups of more than five people. In the midst of the tourist season we would be able to meet sometimes on weekends at a country cottage or at Lake Balaton. There, surrounded by tourists, we would be able to talk about the spirituality of unity and about our experiences of living the Gospel.
Today many of those teenagers, families and priests are actively involved in this new life in the Movement. Jesus in His powerful strength is the Light that always shines through, even when the doors are all closed, even now, as He did then.”
