Studying And Living: Fraternity Amidst Conflict

Jun 30, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide

I am hurt by the injustice of it all and, since my culture encourages people to respond to violence with violence, I also found this violence within me and would justify it when I saw it in others.

I’ve come to study in Italy at the Sophia University Institute. I had so many questions. I’m experiencing something new here, something powerful. I took the political direction for my course of study, and I began to enter new surroundings. I discovered, for example, that the principle of fraternity can be a true and proper political category alongside freedom and equality. I’ve understood that fraternity is a choice, an answer that repairs injustice. Here you don’t only study, great importance  is given to experience, and the more you live the more you understand what you are studying.

A few months back, I was enormously shocked by the news that Israel and Palestine had agreed on a prisoner exchange. I had seen it on the Internet that there would be 1 against 1027. It was incredible news! Many of these Palestinians had been in prison for thirty years. I would have desired so much to home in order to celebrate this moment with family and friends. I was really moved. I spoke at length with my fellow students about what was happening in my land and they, who are of different nationalities, feasted with me!

A few of us went to church and prayed for the freed prisoners and their families. But as we left the church one student said to me: “. . . I pray also for that Israelian prisoner.” I didn’t agree. How could she say such a thing! Exchanging one prisoner for a thousand seemed deeply unjust.

When I returned home, I took up my books again but was unable to study. I was furious. A thousand thoughts. . . then a question: what is the sense of a theoretical study of fraternity, if I don’t try to experience it? Maybe I should also pray for this one prisoner and his family. . . I had to overcome many things within me, it was difficult, it cost me much, but in the end I managed to really do it with my heart.

Now, months later I still feel so much gratitude towards those who shared that moment with me, the students and professors at SUI. I’m not merely studying fraternity, but now I’m experiencing it both in my relationship with them and within myself. Samar Bandak – Jordan”.

(Source: official website of Sophia University Institute: http://www.iu-sophia.org )

The Genfest takes shape

Jun 26, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide

For the first time, a year after the start of the work, 90 people in all, between authors, producers, choreographers, costume designers, technicians, artistic directors and organizing members, put together the single pieces developed by each section for Genfest 2012.

Now the programme is clear, foreseeing three days that will include a variety of activities. From a concert to the sharing of projects and experiences, from moments of prayer to a Flashmob, to the launching of the United World Project, all focused on the title of the event: “Let’s bridge!” – to activities that will actively engage those who attend in building bridges of fraternity among people.   

The 12,000 seats available are practically sold out. Even if the majority of the participants come from Europe, they are also coming from the most varied places: for example, 2 young people are coming from Madagascar and 180 from the USA and Canada, 160 from Korea, 180 from Argentina and over 250 from the Middle East. The cost for those coming from countries with more economic means has been increased to permit the lowering of costs for those who are coming from countries with less means.

(http://giovaniperunmondounito.blogspot.it/)

* FRIDAY, 31 AUGUST – Welcome to the 12,000 participants on the large square of the Sports Arena with stands, artistic performances and a sports area. The evening programme will take place inside the Arena with a concert:

• 21 original songs, chosen out of 70 songs composed by young people the world over for the competition promoted by Genfest 2012;
•  6 bands, coming from Argentina, Burundi, Costa Rica, Jordan, Italy and Portugal, will play their own songs;
•  1 band formed for the occasion, with members from Austria, Brazil, Korea, Philippines, Italy and Slovakia, will play for the interpreters of the other songs.
•  On a stage, in the middle of the audience, a DJ will alternate with the programme, with new remixes of the songs from the 9 previous Genfests.

* SATURDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER:

• During the day, at the Arena, the different phases of constructing a bridge will be followed: “Why?” “Take the Measurements,” “Dig into the Ground,” “Build Solid Pillars,” “Reach the Other Side,” “Many Ways” .
• Then the United World Project will be launched, a wide-ranging project in three phases,  with the final goal to promote the creation of a worldwide Permanent Observatory on universal brotherhood and to have it be recognized by the UN.
• In the evening, there will be a march to the Danube River, which will conclude with a Flashmob on the Chain Bridge; the actors will be the 12,000 participants.

* SUNDAY, 2 SEPTEMBER – In the square of the Basilica of Saint Stephen, in the city centre, a Catholic Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Péter Erdő, archbishop of Budapest. At the same time, in the various Christian churches present in the city, there will be liturgical celebrations for members of the respective churches. For the participants of other faiths and of non-religious convictions, there will be moments of sharing for them, which will take place in a place near the basilica.

There will be 3 hosts of the Genfest, according to the 3 official languages: a Hungarian young man, an Italian young man and a Kenyan English-speaking young woman. All the talks will be given in one’s own language, thanks to simultaneous translation via radio in 27 languages.

See you in Budapest! Will you be there?

Info: www.genfest.org – Area Stampa

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The Genfest 2012 project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Places and Trends. Yves’ Choice.

Jun 22, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide

“I’m an African studying in Northern Italy. Some time ago I read an article in a magazine in which the author spoke of a “night” that had fallen over Western culture, causing it to lose authentic Christian values. To tell the truth, I didn’t really understand the meaning of the text until something happened that opened my eyes. It was a Saturday afternoon. Some guys who live nearby invited me to to go out with them for an evening together. They wanted to do something different. There were six or seven of us. At first we went to a dance at a local place. At first it was fun, they told me that the music was in my blood and that I really knew how to dance. But I soon noticed that the people around me were dancing without any respect for themselves or for others. They weren’t dancing for the sheer enjoyment of it, but in order to taunt each other with mixed messages. I heard the subtle voice within me telling me to go against the current by dancing with dignity and with love that was sincere. A few hours later, my friends wanted to go to another place. I went along, after all, they were my friends, and I accepted their proposal. We reached a place and went in. Without any time to realize where I was, surrounded by such loud music, psychedelic lights and an acrid odour that was filling my nose, I found myself feeling quite shocked. This wasn’t a normal disco, there were young women there prostituting themselves. I felt disappointed and angry. Without saying a word I turned around and walked out. One of my friends followed me. He insulted me, calling me backward. I didn’t answer him. A few moments later another friend came up to me, not to insult me but to agree with me. Finally another friend slipped out of the place and he also agreed with me. Without saying a word about my Christian beliefs or that I believe in God, they all saw and understood. A few months passed. I never thought about the incident again. One day one of the guys came to me and apologized, telling me that he didn’t want to go to places like that. This experience helped me to more radically understand why it is necessary to risk and say “no” to certain things.” This story of Yves from Cameroon, is one of 94 stories published in “Good News” recently published in Italian by Citta Nuova, as a positive contribution to the New Evangelization. It has a preface written by Maria Voce. The protagonists of these stories are young people, families, professionals, workers, directors, consecrated religious and priests who face daily challenges with the help of the Gospel. A people that believes, lives, moves and engages others, with due respect for the beliefs and experience of all, with the awareness that every human being brings something good to the great human family. Do you have some good news to share?

Ireland: Living a Spirituality of Communion Today

Jun 19, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide

In her concluding remarks at an open meeting held by the Focolare in the Royal Dublin Society on 16 June, Maria Voce stated: “The powerful experience lived in Ireland with this Eucharistic Congress is an extraordinary grace that can give the Church of Ireland a new start, and we are all to be the protagonists.” Just before, she and Giancarlo Faletti had met with teenagers who were concluding their Run4Unity that was held in several schools. “What is your favourite mathematical symbol?” the youngsters asked. “The equal sign,” Maria Voce responded, “because in a family, sisters and brothers are all equal.” Giancarlo Faletti preferred the “plus sign”. “Every person is a gift of God, there’s a plan of God on each one of you, and this is what is totally precious.”

The program continued in the afternoon with an  open meeting for 300 people – the seating capacity of the hall, and others stood outside – with many new faces among the Irish focolarini. There were practical applications of the spirituality of communion in the family, at school, and in Church environments. Everything interspersed with pieces of music. Each musical selection was followed by a moment of dialogue on how to put the Gospel into practice and respond to the many challenges of today.

“Is it easier or more difficult to love your enemy when you become old?” on little girl asked. “I think it’s easier,” responded Maria Voce, “because God has placed a small flame in our heart, and the flame grows each time we love. Old people are much helped when they see a child who loves.”

When the word was given to some families, the discussion turned towards the economic crisis: “How can we live in a Christian way, faced with the economic problems of so many people?” Maria Voce recalled the experience of Chiara Lubich at the beginnings of the Focolare in Trent, surrounded by the misery left by the war. By setting in motion love among people, they reached the point of sharing even their material goods, or their personal needs. When they lived the words of the Gospel, ‘Ask and you will receive,’ they asked and received. The problem of one was the problem of all. God intervened through this mutual love: “And this guarantees that work and material wellbeing don’t become a myth, but a  means for loving more and for growing and increasing the communion among all.”

The final round concerned the Church and the relationship with the Church authority. When asked how to live unity with the ecclesiastical authority even in face of the abuse scandal and cover-up, Giancarlo Faletti recalled that it is the authority of Jesus that must grow in every Christian. “It was important for me recently to meet many people who have been marked by this difficult situation in the Church. I met people who felt like they had been robbed of something sacred, who had invested their entire lives in the Church, and now feel betrayed. It’s like investing all your money in one bank, and this bank fails.” “For me this is a call to live the Gospel more strongly,” he continued, “(and) this enables dialogue, a climate of love, which also permits those who carry out an episcopal ministry, to serve the Church, to continue to express a word and to guide us on the way. The moral authority of Jesus lived in His word belongs to all.” Faletti pointed out the example of Saint Catherine of Siena, who lived during hard times for the Church, and had direct contact with the Pope, strongly and decisively urging him to return. But she was able to do this only because she had made room for God in her life”.

By Maria Chiara De Lorenzo

Paraguay: Todo Brillo

Jun 16, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide

In 1993,” says Maria Elena Gonzales del Paraguay, “when I first heard Chiara Lubich speaking about the Economy of Communion (EoC), I was left feeling very surprised by the fact that she was inviting businesses to divide their profits into three parts: for the needy, for the development of the business and for the formation of young people in the values of the project based on a “culture of giving” as opposed to a “culture of possessing”. It was like a tidal wave that overturned my life.

At the time I was working in a bank where the profits – as we all know – ended up in the hands of shareholders. I began to think about my managerial qualities for I would one day have to give an account to God and to my neighbor. And so I decided to join the EoC project as a way for me to say “yes” to God, placing my abilities at the service of those around me.

I spoke about it with my children who were still teenagers at the time, and they encouraged me to go ahead with the idea. I didn’t know where to begin, but the answer wasn’t long in coming. In fact, I saw many cleaning workers around, who were being badly paid, badly advised and unappreciated. . . I decided to start a small business with some of them, a cleaning business and we found our first client who is still with us today.

Our starting budget was not prepared well and we didn’t have enough money to pay all the workers. Not to lose the trust of our clients, when I finished my work at the end of the day I would put on my working clothes and finish the cleaning jobs myself. In spite of the great effort it required, I felt I was on the right path.

The Economy of Communion places the human person at the centre according to the principle of doing to others what you would like to be done to yourself, striving – as Chiara Lubich would say – so that love may prevail over personal creativity and the finished product. Of course, there’s nothing magical about all this, it requires daily effort, striving for quality in every aspect: administrative, operative, relational, from the choice of employees who are disposed to adhere to this solidarity vision of economy, and so on.

Throughout all these years, despite countless difficulties linked to social situations and the economy in our country, every worker contributed their little share and we were able to overcome every moment of crisis. It was particularly in “stormy” moments that we felt most supported by God, our silent “partner” as we like to call Him, the “senior company shareholder”, who showed us, step by step, which path to take, through that interior voice that is always easy to hear when one is willing to listen.

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to work. My daughter also began in Todo Brillo and has now been hired by the bank,” recounts Benita S., who has been working in the business for twelve years.

“I feel important here – concludes M. Lopez. I’ve had many problems and I’ve always found support from the business and so much understanding. I continue to have problems, but now I can handle them. I feel like I’ve grown, I see and appreciate the fruits of my work. I feel part of this large family, which is Todo Brillo” .

Currently the business “Todo Brillo” has 600 employees and we work in all the major cities of Paraguay.”

A New Phase in Ecumenism: Stories from Ireland

Jun 13, 2012 | Focolare Worldwide

Kevin McKeague and David McConkey tell their story at a conference

Kevin McKeague and David McConkey are educators who have been working together on several projects for years. The interesting thing is that Professor McKeague is the headmaster of a Catholic school, and Professor McConkey is the headmaster of a Protestant school. And this is not quite the same if you live in Belfast, in Northern Ireland. For years, these two communities were separated, in distinct areas of the city, and during the years of unrest everyone was living in terror. “I heard Chiara Lubich say that the least developed principle of the French Revolution was that of fraternity. When I met David, I saw it as an opportunity to give an injection of love to our community,” says Kevin McKeague. And he proved it with facts. In 2009 when there was a period of peace, thanks to the political accords, the Protestant school was suddenly attacked. No one was injured, but there was much damage. Students from the Catholic school were the first to respond. With help from the young people from the Focolare Movement they put together a concert entitled, “All for all”. Next they held a peaceful demonstration at Stormont, Northern Ireland’s Parliament Building, along with a mixed encounter with the Parliament’s Education Commission. “Following this witness of unity,” David McConkey recounts, “the Minister of Education who for economic reasons had decided not to finance the reconstruction of the school, finally decided to rebuild it immediately: the only school in Northern Ireland to receive funds that year.”

Fr Brendan Leahy

The listening audience was the group of people that had joined the workshop on ecumenism on the day dedicated to this topic at the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin (10-17 June 2012). But what kind of ecumenism are we talking about? Fr Brendan Leahy, Systematic Theology scholar at St Patrick’s College of Dublin and member of the Irish Inter-church Meeting, reminded everyone at the opening of the event: “There are many ways to enter in to the “space” of ecumenism,” he affirmed, recalling the Greek etymology of the term “oikumene” which has the same roots as “house”. “Ecumenism is building a ‘house’ together, in the one Church of Christ”. Ecumenical dialogue as life comes first, therefore. Beginning from the treasures that Christians have in common: the Scriptures, the Creed, the writings of the Fathers of the Church, the Gifts of the Spirit, the witness of living the Gospel. An ecumenism based above all on considering the other as “part of me”, as John Paul II had written in 2001, and on allowing Christ himself to live among those that are united in his name (Mt 18:20).

Many examples of ecumenical life were given. Besides the two principals from Northern Ireland who shared their touching witness, the Reverend Bronwen Carling, a woman priest from the Church of England also spoke. She is now living in Tipperary, Ireland where she animates a group of people from different Christian denominations who meet regularly for deep sharing on the Holy Scriptures, what in the Focolare Movement is known as a Word of Life Group: “By trying to live Christ’s Gospel together, we discovered that we weren’t so different. We discovered the importance of listening to each other. This is what has enabled me to take part in such a “Catholic” event today.”  

What began as a sharing among individuals, transformed into a sharing among groups and, several people from other Movements and Communities from different Churches in Belfast, shared their experience at “Together for Europe”. These included such groups as the Community of Corrymeela, Sword of the Spirit, the L’Arche Community and the Focolare Movement. “We had the feeling that this event that united more than 250 Christian movements and communities from Europe, had taken place just for Northern Ireland.” And so it was that already in 2007 a first meeting was held in the Church of Ireland with 120 participants from 7 different Churches. It was a light of hope ignited in Belfast. And from there the path continued, until last 12 May, when 4000 teens gathered precisely in Stormont. They came from schools of the Republic of Ireland and from Northern Ireland to take part in a worldwide relay race, “Run4Unity” as sign of hope and peace.

The four communities worked together in preparing for this event, involving schools, getting to know each other also through weekend activities amid Corrymeela’s splendid scenery, one community whose scope is precisely ecumenism, reconciliation and peace. “Our sharing deepened more and more, and there was a strong sense of communion. To the point that our togetherness seemed to echo the Last Supper, the Lord’s Supper, the Holy Communion,” recounts Reverend David Godfrey, who was accompanied by his wife Heather. Thomas Kerr, from the Arch Community underscored one special moment he had lived that weekend: the gesture of washing one another’s feet. This, together with the final pact to “love one another as Jesus had loved us” sealed the journey that had been taken up by the different Movements.

Moving on: After this evening at the Eucharistic Congress: “it becomes clearer that ecumenism is not for specialists, but we can live it, through the dialogue of life, wherever we may be.” These are words of Renate Komorek from the Focolare and moderated the workshop, which echo what had been lived earlier in the Arena, where Prior of Taize Brother Alois, and President of the Focolare Maria Voce, has presented on “Communion in one Baptism” “The conclusions and positions advance also among theologians are not enough, if the people are not prepared,” Maria Voce had affirmed, going on to say: “United by this spirituality, we want to be leaven among all the Churches and to contribute to accelerating their path towards the full communion, also visible, also Eucharistic Communion.”

by Maria Chiara De Lorenzo