Focolare Worldwide - Movimento dei Focolari

Madrid celebrates the beauty of the family

6 Jan 2008 | Focolare Worldwide

“These last few days greatly exceeded all our expectations. The whole celebration was marked by an atmosphere of deep communion and joy. Each contribution demonstrated the real difficulties faced by families today, while at the same time witnessing to the hope and the strength that the life of “Christian families” can bring to the Church and society” This was how it was described by members of the Focolare Movement in Madrid who, together with members of Neocatechumenal Way, Saint Egidio, Charismatic Renewal, Communion and Liberation, and other movements, had taken an active part in the preparation of this event, in communion with the dioceses of Spain. Beyond all expectations, it attracted a million and a half people. Talks by five of the leaders of founders of these ecclesial movements and communities, including a message from Chiara Lubich, and the witness of families, acclaimed the beauty of united families, where each generation has its own essential and specific contribution. There were numerous children, young people and adults of all vocations, all the way to grandparents testifying to the value of fidelity. A moving moment was the direct linkup with the Pope during the Angelus in St Peter’s Square. His was a strong encouragement for “families, inspired by the love of Christ for all people, to be witnesses for the world to the beauty of human love, of marriage and of the family”.

Gen Rosso land in Morocco: from the University to the Sultan’s Palace

3 Nov 2007 | Focolare Worldwide

The international music group Gen Rosso have just spent five intense days in Tangiers, overwhelmed by their welcome from a people steeped in the Islamic tradition. There was a wide variety of events: at the faculty of economics and commerce; at an arts and music student club; at a meeting in the old town with a group of ethnic Senegalese, who through music want to hand on their traditions; in the main hall of the University with a concert for the students; and finally, in a setting reminiscent of the “Arabian Nights”, a concert at the Sultan’s Palace. In the Main Hall of the University their message for the students was of love, forgiveness and welcome for the other, to build together a huge “constellation”. Gen Rosso made an “immediate impact” on the 400 students, said the national papers, who, surprised by the level of enthusiasm, wanted “non stop” interviews. One of their muslim friends said, “You have touched the hearts of muslim youth, you have the language to speak with them”. And a student said, “You brought your hearts, and you have reached ours” At the Moulay Hafid (Sultan’s) Palace, there was a joyful response from the audience, who listened attentively to the message. Enthusiasm led to spontaneous dialogue, and to the desire to meet again and strengthen friendships, which although just begun, have the DNA of universal fraternity. Gen Rosso – the background. From the time it began up till now, Gen Rosso has involved over 200 performers and technical staff, and has visited 44 nations in Europe, Asia, North and South America. In 220 tours they have performed 2500 shows, taken part in 60 important international meetings, and held 250 workshops, singing in 24 different languages, reaching in all over 5,000,000 people. They have produced 54 albums and published 320 songs. Their shows have been performed in a wide variety of religious and cultural settings, and often in unusual places, for projects of solidarity, humanitarian aid, and for prisoners.

The Prague Ecumenical Spring

2 Oct 2007 | Focolare Worldwide

“We have witnessed a Prague Ecumenical Spring“. These words by the Romanian Orthodox bishop from Serbia, Daniil, express well the experience of intense communion, lived from the 20 to the 27 of September by 43 bishops from 18 churches and 17 nationalities of the four continents, convened in Prague, crossroads in the heart of Europe, for their 26th International Ecumenical Meeting. Next dates and locations: 2008 in Lebanon, with its ongoing tensions; 2009 in Wittenberg (Germany), the symbolic protestant town. The bishops concentrated – in the services and meditations during the meeting – on the actual historic shift with a conviction that the contemporary sufferings of humanity can lead the churches to an even greater commitment to bring the light of the Gospel in the world. “My Night has no Darkness: Beginnings of culture of the Resurrection” was the theme of the meeting, inspired by a lecture prepared by Chiara Lubich. In the final dialogue the bishops agreed that the challenge and wish to “live in the Light“, as expressed to them by the foundress of the Focolare Movement, was affirmed in the meeting. The Ecumenical Sunday celebrated in the Czech Republic on September 23, was the culmination of a week rich in meetings, reflections, visits to a variety of Christian communities and excursions to artistic and cultural treasures of Prague. In the Centre dedicated to Mother Theresa of Calcutta, the bishops met four hundred public and ecclesial representatives of the city. Among them: Catholics, Orthodoxes, Lutherans, Evangelists, Methodists, Baptists, Old Catholics, Pentecostals, Hussits and members of the Church of the Brothers. “Europe has emerged from the 20th century with many outer and inner wounds – said in this occasion Christian Krause, former president of the Lutheran World Federation, and – while still in office – signatory of the Joint Declaration between the Roman Catholic and the Lutheran churches on the Justification – but God intervened”. In his remarks he remembered, beside the “Velvet Revolution” and the fall of the Berlin Wall, the signing of this 1999 Augsburg Declaration, which removed a centuries-old barrier between the two denominations. An example is the commitment for reconciliation and for a common witness of the Christians, without rivalry spirit, in the post-communist society, expressed by the President of the national Ecumenical Council of Churches, Dr. Pavel Černý, and the catholic bishop of Pilsen, František Radkovský. The testimony of a number of bishop-participants on the topic of communion, which unites them in mutual love with “Christ in their midst“, was met by a long applause. Anglican bishop David Murray from Perth commented: “On my return to Australia I will keep other churches in my heart and continue hand in hand with other bishops“. “We experience a ‘dialogue of life‘ – Cardinal Vlk, archbishop of Prague and promoters of the Meeting, pointed out – “focusing on the realities we share, starting with baptism. Without ignoring difficulties that there are within and between churches, we are convinced that through the evangelical love and above all through love for Jesus crucified and forsaken, this gives us the strength to build the communion, there where we do live.” The main theme of the afternoon programme was the contribution of Christians in the process of the unification of Europe, as discussed in two previously held fora: the 3rd European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu (Romania), organised in early September by European churches (Council of European Bishops‘ Conferences- CCEE, and Conference of European Churches- CEC) and attended by 3000 participants, and the 2nd meeting of Christian Movements and Communities entitled “Together for Europe” held in Stuttgart (Germany) on 12th May 2007. During the weekly program the bishops had the opportunity to listen to the testimonies of priests and lay people, who have lived according to the spirituality of the Focolare movement during times of persecution (some since 1960s‘), and have supported the Church in former Czechoslovakia by spreading the life of the Gospel. Another spiritually profound moment was the visit paid to the Cathedral on Saturday afternoon where Catholic mass was celebrated in the historical chapel of Saint Wenceslas. The bishops commemorated the saints and martyrs from the historical beginnings of the Czech peoples and outstanding individuals from the Nazi and Communist eras resolving, both in their private lives and in that of their churches, to recognize the face of Jesus crucified and renew their love for Him, the only One who can bring the christians together to the so longed communion.

“My night has no darkness: towards a culture of the resurrection”

19 Sep 2007 | Focolare Worldwide

The spirituality of communion is highly important for the ecumenical process and the future of the faith in the 21st century. This conviction, backed up by experience, is shared by the 40 bishops, from 18 countries, from Australia to India, from Lebanon to Sweden, from Germany to Italy, and the Czech Republic, “friends of the Focolare Movement” of different Churches and cultural backgrounds, who have gathered in Prague for their 26th annual meeting. On September 23, which in Prague is “National Ecumenical Sunday”, the bishops will meet with religious and civil leaders and share their experience of living dialogue. As part of their programme they will also visit communities of the various Churches present in the city, to hear about their life, and their stories of times of repression, and persecution for practising their faith in public. The main theme of the meeting is, “My night has no darkness: towards a culture of the resurrection”. It is an invitation to look squarely at the symptoms of the cultural and collective “night” that affects a large part of the world today, including believers. They will also look at the many signs of life and hope, among which the recent ecumenical events in September in Sibiu (Romania) and in Stuttgart (Germany) in May. There will be many moments for sharing experiences among the bishops, and with representatives of the social economic and cultural world. These meetings are inspired by the spirituality of unity, characteristic of the Focolare Movement. Press Office in Prague: Irena Sargankowa – mobile. 00420604935872 Focolari Information Service – Rocca di Papa (Rome) tel. 0039.06.947989 – Carla Cotignoli mobile 348.8563347

“A peace that no one can take from me”

18 Sep 2007 | Focolare Worldwide

I am twenty six years old and I study electronic engineering. When I was eight, I had an illness, wrongly diagnosed initially as a tumour on the brain, but which left me with a damaged optic nerve, and badly affected my eyesight. As a result I often wondered about suffering and the reasons for it. When I was eleven, I was advised by doctors that I would never be able to compete at the highest levels in sport. I could play sport, but only as a pastime. I began to play basketball, but because I lacked 3D vision I was not a good player and the others made fun of me. At school, when teams were picked, I was always the last to be chosen because no one wanted me on their side. Increasingly, I asked myself what life what about. When I was eighteen, I got a driving licence! It was a special one, renewable every two years, but it was hard to drive, because you have to foresee what other drivers are doing, and more than skill you need good eyesight. I saw how easy it was for my friends to “get up and go”, while I was unable to do so. It was hard to take and it still is. There was something, however, that helped me believe that suffering has a purpose. When I thought of Jesus who died on the cross, I said, “Jesus, you had many ways of saving us, why did you choose the cross? Suffering must have a high priority, otherwise he would have solved the situation in another way!” I was able to experience that the words of the Gospel, lived in a radical way, are really true, “to whoever loves me, I will show myself… give and there will be gifts for you…”. The times when I was able to live them in a serious way, I touched with my own hands the truth of everything that Jesus promises. And I experienced an immense, silent peace within, that no one could take away from me. This inner peace, that comes as a matter of course in those moments, leads me to believe that Someone up there loves me and has a plan of love for me. And everyday problems have become an opportunity to exercise charity, patience, faith and other virtues. After fifteen years, the device they put in my head wore out and stopped working. I knew that this would happen sooner or later, but the doctors took two weeks to discover that the valve was not working. In the meantime my field of vision deteriorated even more. I worked it out that if each time the drainage valve was blocked, my sight would worsen by a certain percentage, then by the age of 45 I would need a guide dog… When I left the doctor’s after that terrible news, I tried to listen to what Jesus was telling me. But all I had was an huge emptiness, a cosmic silence. I went ahead, loving in the only the moment I had, the present. My sense of justice was transferred into doing things for others. In the university there is an office that helps students who for various reasons cannot follow the lessons and study. For me, this was more a gym than an office, a place to love those in the worst situations. They gave me a camera and a portable PC so that I could video the most difficult lessons, for which there are no suitable textbooks, or which require the guidance of a teacher to explain them properly. This whole experience is like a gym where I can train day after day in patience, and humility, but most of all it opens a direct communication channel with those who suffer. The discovery of God who is Love gives me the strength and the joy to not close myself in my own problems, but to turn my gaze outside, towards my neighbours. (M. T. – Italy)

“On the journey to the unity of humankind – Christian and Gandhian views”

16 Sep 2007 | Focolare Worldwide

The title of this Symposium is an apt description of its aim. For three days, experts from Gandhian academic and social institutiuons – Sarvodaya Illakiya Pannai, Shanti Ashram, and the Gandhigram Rural University from Tamil Nadu in South India – will meet at the Mariapolis Centre of the Focolare Movement at Castelgandofo (Rome) , The first part of the Symposium will offer an exchange of ideas and practical projects in the field of education, economics, politics, and ecology. It will be a further step in a journey that began a few years ago, involving experts in the culture inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and that inspired by the charism of unity of the Focolare Movement. On Wednesday the group will attend an audience with the Pope, after a visit to the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. Afterwards they will have a series of meetings at Focolare’s little town at Loppiano, and in Florence, a city with a special calling to interreligious dialogue and peace among peoples. Leaders of the City Council and the Region of Tuscany will be present. These events will show that India, in spite of occasional signs of religious intolerance, and stories of persecution of one group by another, is covered by a network that brings Christians and Hindus together to positive effect in social and cultural life. From September 20 to 23 the Indian delegation will be in Tuscany for an intense programme: – An exchange of experience of life between the little towns of the Focolare Movement and the Shanti Ashram, at the Focolare’s little town of Loppiano (Incisa Valdarno Florence) from the 20th until the morning of the 21st. – A convention on “Cities and Peace” at the Cenacolo di S Croce, on September 21 at 17.30 promoted by The Movement for Unity in Politics (Focolare), the Centro Regionale Toscana, the “Giorgio La Pira” International Centre for foreign students, Youth for a United World, and with the patronage of The Region of Tuscany, and the Province and Council of Florence. – A meeting with the Regional Consultation on Interreligious Dialogue and Peace between Cultures at the Presidenza della Giunta Regionale Toscana, via Cavour 18, Florence, at 10.00 on September 22.