Chiara Luce at WYD 2011
Thousands of young people from all over the world in Madrid for the 11th WYD. The events will take place this summer on the streets, auditoriums, public squares, colleges, schools, and parks of Madrid. There will be concerts and exhibits, museum tours, theatrical performances, and a cultural program entitled: “Youth Festival”. Among all the events, there is one that is particularly special – as shown by the great interest of the organizing committee. This is the presentation of Chiara Badano, a young Italian girl, better known as Chiara Luce, who was recently beatified. She will be presented during a show that will weave together music, theatre, acting, and dance. It will be held on 17 August at 22:00 in the Pilar García Peña Auditorium, located in the Pinar del rey Park. Three-thousand persons will be able to attend this event which promises to be unforgettable. 
This presentation would like to manifest that “Love” with a capital “L” that gives happiness, as shown in the life of Chiara Luce who Benedict XVI called a “ray of Light” at the Angelus of 26 September 2010, the day before her beatification. It will be a feast for young people, “who can find in her an example of Christian living,” as the Pope said. Pablo Alcolea, a music professor who is actively involved in the preparation of the event, tells us that it has been an experience of God for him: “It involves a lot of work, matching the tasks to the volunteers, but it’s a beautiful opportunity to let ourselves be taken by the hand of the Father and trust in Him.” Another Spanish youth, Pablo Garrido, who is co-responsible for the music assures us: “The first word that came to my mind was “folly”. In my opinion attempting to prepare something of this caliber falls into the realm of the miraculous, but it’s very gratifying, seeing how everyone immediately got to work in building this experience of unity.” Another member of the music group shares with us how this is something very personal for him, “as if Chiara Luce herself had asked me to participate in this with my own two cents, helping to communicate her lifestyle, her ideal of living for unity even beyond time and space.” “What a fantastic opportunity,” continues Pablo Alcolea, to contemplate through music the life experience of Chiara Luce Badano.” Other events which everyone is looking to are the Gen Rosso concerts, an international musical group of the Focolare Movement whose performance “Indelible Dimension” will be held on the 16th and 18th August. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akWjPRkdgJA.
Indonesia: Focolare Centre inaugurated in Yogyakarta
Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world, with some 240 million inhabitants, living in the 17,000 islands that comprise the Indonesian Archipelago. The house was inaugurated with a Mass and house blessing on 2 July 2011. It will be the first stable centre of the Focolare in Yogyakarta, a city on the island of Java, with some 3 million inhabitants and it is known as a centre of Javan art and culture. Why did the focolarini from nearby Singapore (one of the richest countries in the world) decide to move to a country with one of the lowest GDP index in the world, leaving behind excellent professions? In arriving at our decision, we took many things into consideration,” says Nicolas, one of the focolarini. “especially our decision to spread the charism of unity, and Indonesia, where the majority of the population is Muslim, is a land of great religious tolerance. It’s enough to recall one of the supporting columns of their Constitution which goes more or less like this: ‘We are many but one’, that is, unity in diversity. But it would be a long story to explain how God brought us to this point.” We came to know the people of the large Archipelago due to the frequent natural disasters which Indonesia has undergone in the past few years: tsunamis, earthquakes and the latest eruption of one of its volcanoes. The focolarini were generous with the local people, bringing forward a project for the victims. In this way many relationships were begun which, little by little, created a community, beginning with the youths. “Moreover,” Nicolas continues, “it’s a country that’s on the forefront, very open to interreligious dialogue, and our spirituality helps us to construct relationships of friendship and fraternity among members of the different religions who live in the country.” In fact, the population is comprised of Muslim faithful, Buddhists, Hindus and many other religions. Christians constitute 16% of the population. 
“It was moving, Xiong adds, “to see the joy in these people and how they prepared things, down to the smallest detail, with such a sense of hospitality which is their characteristic. More than 200 people came, many youths, with some Muslims among them.” People arrived from Sumatra (Medan), Java (Jakarta and Semarang), from Borneo (Kalimantan), Sulawesi, West Timor, and even Singapore and Malaysia (Johor and Penang). Hans Jurt, who is responsible for the focolarini worldwide, was also present together with a few other men and women focolarini from neighbouring Asian countries. Hans said: “We realized that leaving Singapore and moving to Yogyakarta was following God’s plan, a step that He made us take.” It is very nice to see how the community of Singapore feels that it has given its focolare to Indonesia. [nggallery id=65]
Bishop Friends of the Focolare Movement in Kenya, Madagascar and Cameroon
“Rediscovering God’s plan for today” was the theme for the three conferences of Bishops Friends of the Focolare Movement which were held in May and June. The central topic was one which was of common interest to all: the desire to experience fraternal communion among Bishops, entering more deeply into the spirituality and life of communion. Different characteristics and nuances of each country were highlighted at each of the meetings. Sixteen Catholic bishops from South Africa, Angola, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya gathered on 23-27 May at one of the Focolare’s little towns in Nairobi, Kenya, called Mariapolis Piero. They had many opportunities to share both personal and pastoral experiences, with a look at some of the challenges being faced by the African continent today. For more information about the Kenyan conference go to: Nairobi: Meeting for Bishop Friends of the Focolare. 
The May – June event in Moramanga, Madagascar was very well attended with nine bishops who had come from all over the island, the fourth largest island of the world. Among them were Bishop Antonio Scopelliti who had first arrived on the island as a young missionary, and Bishop Amgatondrazaka who for many years has been a promoter of communion among bishops, priests and laity. But there were also various bishops who are natives of Madagascar itself, such as Archbishop Michel Malo (Archbishop of Antsiranana) and the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent. The final event took place in Cameroon. It began on 7 June in Bamenda and ended on 11 June in the village of Fontem. Two Chiefs of the Bangwa tribe were there to welcome the bishops. They expressed their delight at receiving these distinguished visitors to a land that bears witness to the “new evangelization” that has been launched by the experience of unity among the Bangwa people and the Focolare. During their visit to the hospital, college, and carpentry workshop, the bishops appreciated the simple daily Gospel life, and especially the “love with which the activities are carried out.” The memory of Bishop Paul Verdzekov was very alive among them. He died last year, leaving behind a powerful life witness that was rooted in focolare spirituality. “He was a father for all of us,” said Bishop Ntep, bishop of Edéa, Cameroon. After having visited his tomb, they celebrated Mass at the cathedral in the presence of many of the faithful for whom his memory is still very much alive. The bishops used these days to discuss topics that are of great interest to them: effects of the Economy of Communion in Africa; formation of formators; and the Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini. Another important topic was that of Inculturation. In this regard, Bishop Ntalou, bishop of Garoua, Cameroon said: “Just as you need the effort to know the ‘seeds of the Word’ in our cultures, you also need the effort to know the light of the Gospel, because it is in Jesus, and in Jesus alone, that we find the fullness of salvation.” 
During the final farewell, Bishop Bushu, bishop of Buea, Cameroon, seemed to summarize what everyone else was thinking: “I thank God for this week, for having lived in His presence. . .”. “Holiness is a gift, not an activity,” concluded Cardinal Vlk, underscoring how everything is a gift from God: “Our true identity lies in living in harmony with this gift (that we have) received.” At each of the three meetings, the culminating moment was the “Pact of Mutual Love”, which the bishops made with each other during a Eucharistic celebration.
Youth for a United World at World Youth Day, Madrid
Below are listed a few open meetings, and the four events presented by youths of the Focolare, who are attending WYD with their respective diocese. WYD 2011 – Madrid
- Tuesday 16 August 20:00 Opening of WYD – Holy Mass at Cibeles Square, Madrid 22:00 Gen Rosso in Concert “INDELEBILE DIMENSION”. Pilar García Peña Auditorium (Pinar del Rey Park) – *
- Wednesday 17 August 10:00 Bishops’ Catechesis 22:00 Musical “LIFE, LOVE, LIGHT” One of us. A life fulfilled. Chiara Luce Badano, beatifiedon 25 September 2010 by Benedict XVI.Pilar García Peña Auditorium (Pinar del Rey Park) – *
- Thursday 18 August 10:00 Bishops’ Catechesis 12:00 Pope arrives at Barajas airport. Welcoming Ceremony. 12:40 Pope’s entrance into Madrid. Arrival at the Nunciature. 16:00 Welcoming Pope. Welcoming ceremony for the Holy Father. 19:30 Youths welcome Pope in Cibeles Square. 22:00 Gen Rosso in Concert “DIMENSIONE INDELEBILE”. Pilar García Peña Auditorium (Pinar del Rey Park) – *
- Friday 19 August 10:00 Bishops’ Catechesis 11:30 Meeting with young consecrated religous Pope at El Escorial Monastary. Ore 12:00 Pope Meets at El Escorial Monastarywith 1, 000 young university professorsin the Basilica. 19:30 Way of the Cross 22:00 “Adoration – Get together”, Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement. church of the Carmelite Fathers: Via Ayala, 35 (Madrid) Metro Velázquez – line 4 (15 minutewalk from where the Way of the Cross is held)
- Saturday 20 August 16:00 Preparations at Cuatro Vientos. Youths will begin to arrive at the aerodrome and take their seats. There will be activites on stage (testimoniesby youths, music, prayer, etc.). 19:40 Visitto theSan José Institute Foundation. 20:30 Prayer vigil with the Popein the Cuatro Vientos Aerodrome. 23:00 Night at Cuatro Vientos
- Domenica 21 agosto 09:00 Pope arrives at Cuatro Vientos 09:30 Sending out mass of theWYD 17:30 Meeting of Pope with volunteers 18:30 Farewell greeting from Pope
- (*) HowtoreachAuditorium Pilar García Peña (Parque Pinar del Rey) Via: López de Hoyos c/v carretera de Canillas (Madrid) Metro: Pinar del Rey- linea 8 – Bus: 9, 72, 73
Politics for the people
“Politics is made for the people – not people for politics. It is a means, not an end. First there should be morals, the person, the collective and then the party, tabling of questions and the theory of governing. Politics – in the most dignified Christian sense – is a servant, and should never become the master: it shouldn’t be the abuser, nor dominate or be dogmatic. Here lies its purpose and dignity: to be of social service, charity in action: the first form of national charity. […] Newspapers spread disrespect for politics and the political parties. We know about this from what they say and from reading what the write about us. To many it seems that politics is a base activity, confusing, leaving us to cope: and they don’t understand that if politics drifts away from honest people, it will be invaded by dishonest people: politics draws to itself all of our life, both physical and moral. Politics with dishonest leaders is drawn to war, financial instability, to the ruin of public and private wealth, to depravity, disprespect for religion, family breakdown…. If politics is dirty, then, it should be cleaned up, not deserted. […] In wheeling and dealing, a consequence of the deals made on human dignity, we cannot be free unless each one of us regains an awareness of their own self worth – their own immense value – those in politics, should decide not to allow themselves either to be pushed or lead, but to work with their own head, with their personality, defend their moral reasoning. Defending these, then, defending also their professional reasoning, reasoning on taxation: as excessive taxation results in no longer seeing people who need help but simply milking the system. Those who are to be in politics are there for the citizens, not as slaves. From such a position democracy is born. The awareness of ones own values can turn into pride, and therefore twist into antisocial attitudes of exploitation and domination: it can turn upside down. Amongst those values, above all, there is the call to be charitable, and the desire to fulfill is in service to one’s brother. Without this, every value is worthless, every victory turns into slavery: its a waste of time.” Igino Giordani From: The Moral Revolution, 1945 www.iginogiordani.info