Focolare Worldwide – Page 94 – Movimento dei Focolari

Together for Europe

Nov 16, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide

100 leaders and delegates of the “Together for Europe” network gathered in the Netherlands during 12-14 November. Together they published the following statement in answer to the terrorist attacks in Paris. “We heard with dismay of the dramatic attacks in Paris as we were gathered together in Marienkroon, in the Netherlands. Presnet were more than 100 representatives of different Christian movements and communities from 13 European countries and belonging to different churches. For us Europe is the continent in which people of different cultures and religious beliefs are welcome and where they can live united in freedom and peace. We interrupted our conference proceedings in order to have a moment of silent and to pray together. The tragic events urged us to work with even greater commitment to uphold Europe’s values. Our Christian faith too calls and obliges us to do this. We are close to the families of the victims and we are united in solidarity with the politicians who will make serious decisions in these days. We live as friends in Europe and in this moment we experience a deep closeness with all the French people. We pledge to pray for peace more than ever before and to live for it, to spread it wherever we are. We want to live mutual love and trust in greater depth and to derive strength from this. Through its human face and and the faithfulness to its values, Europe will continue to hope and to share in a common future.”

More information about “Together for Europe” can be found at: www.together4europe.org

The initiative “Together for Europe” is an international network of about 300 christian movements and communities from all over Europe. It originated in 1999 and connects evangelical, Roman Catholic, Anglican and Orthodox Christians as well as members of free churches and new communities. 70 communities constitute the group “Friends of Together for Europe”.

Congo: rappers for peace

Nov 16, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide

“Just try to imagine 2,000 kids rapping in unison: “Peace! Peace! War is death, peace is love.“ https://vimeo.com/148206731 And to think that all this has been happening for decades in a country torn apart by armed conflicts, the victims of which are mostly children. Now you don’t need to dream – Martine recounts – because all this really happened last 7 November in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.” The art of loving for peace was, in fact, the title of the day meeting which the children of the Focolare Movement in Kinshasa held with the schools of the Petite Flamme social project which had thought of organizing an event to say: no to war and yes to peace and love, and involving their friends and other 20 schools of the city in this undertaking. On Saturday morning, under a dark sky that seemed to forecast rain but which later cleared out to a burning sun, a storm of children invaded the playgrounds of the main Petite Flamme School. Songs, dances, poems and sketches then unfolded to shout to the world that Peace is love, war is death. Also the various civil authorities, diplomats and ecclesial figures who sat in the audience were overcome with enthusiasm, along with the representatives of the Italian and German Embassies, the coordinator of the evangelical schools of Kinshasa, and about 300 children, not to mention the coordinator of the Catholic schools. “Upon casting the Dice of love and explaining its significance – continued Martine – the children demonstrated that “peace starts with ourselves.” And the many dices that brightened the stage were them solemnly delivered in the end to every school present, as a sign of a path and commitment to peace which all had initiated together. The 22 Evangelical school directors that we involved in this initiative, expressed their enthusiasm and desire to continue working with us in these types of activities. The children were the real protagonists in the preparatory activities right from the start, with their capacity to involve everyone in the rehearsals of the songs and presentations, and the courage with which they announced and presented the meeting in a TV transmission… It was all so full of joy, enthusiasm and serious work, not to mention that even God showed his benediction through his Divine Providence! In addition there was our communion of goods and presents from parents and embassies, and even a bank sponsored the event and financed the building of the stage and sound system! The event was then broadcasted on the national TV channel, the same one that had launched the initiatives some days earlier. And we, aged 0 to 99, lived this wonderful day for peace. What remained in the depth of our hearts after seeing the joy on the faces of these children? Hope. An unwavering hope. Because the future is in good hands.”

Paris: New Responsibilities for Peacebuilders

Nov 14, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide

“In the face of the dramatic events that took place in Paris last night, in addition to those in many other areas of the world, we stand in mourning with those who have lost loved ones and with those who believe that the unity of the human family is possible. As we stand in dismay and in the firm condemnation of such acts against human life, a question becomes very clear: have we taken every step and every action possible to build the necessary conditions for preventing violence and terrorist acts – including the encouragement of equality, of more solidarity, more communion of goods? In the face of events that appear perverse, it is obvious that there is no single answer. But it is also obvious that an uncontrolled reaction to violence will not deter those who want to destroy the life forces of peoples and their aspiration to coexist in peace. Paris_02 The conviction that the world can walk towards unity, and overcome confrontation and armed violence, remains alive in the spirit and in the actions of those who have love for every person and the future of the human family at heart, and want to bring it about through political action, through the right use of economy, and the rule of law. The Focolare Movement, while it weeps with those who weep, continues to believe in the path of dialogue, of acceptance and of respect for the other, whoever that may be and from whatever background, religious belief, and ethnicity. Therefore, together with all those working for peace, in various posts of responsibility and often at risk to themselves, the Focolare renews its commitment to intensify and multiply acts and gestures of reconciliation, opportunities for dialogue and communion, for encounter and sharing at all levels and in all parts of the world, so as to embrace the cry of humanity and transform it into new hope.”

The Church in Italy and the Courage to Be Human

Nov 14, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide

The Fifth National Ecclesial Convention in Florence, Italy, (November 9-13), Foto: Cristian Gennari/Siciliani

The convention in Florence has ended. “A New Humanism in Christ Jesus”. How are we to read the deeper significance of this event for the Church in Italy? “It could be read in many ways, but I think it was a decisive and historic moment for the Italian Church: first of all, because of the strong message that Pope Francis delivered to the 2000 delegates in the presence of the entire Bishops Conference. The event occurs in the heart of the pontificate, in a moment when reform is pressing and concrete. With Pope Francis’s desire for reform as its mirror, the Church in Italy is inexorably called to reform itself. The Pope’s speech is above all a call to conversion at every level: conversion of people, of communities, of structures. . .” What were the main points the Pope made in his speech? “The first was the image that the Pope presented: the Ecce Homo (Behold the Man): A Christ who has been stripped down, who does not entrust himself to procedures, nor to organisations; who does not pretend to occupy places of authority, but who takes on the sufferings of humanity. That is Jesus in his true essence, in his mission as the one sent by the Father for the salvation of all. This was the first point. Then, the Pope invited the Italian Church to be more in keeping with the Gospel, to be more as the Holy Spirit wants it to be at this moment in time. As he put it, only a Church that is able to be humble, disinterested, and reflect the Beatitudes can resemble this Teacher, this Ecce Homo, and present itself to society as love.

Pope Francis having lunch at the soup kithen. Photo: Ansa

On the other hand, the Pope radicalised Christian humanism while warning of the two risks that he mentioned: the risk of Pelagianism, which is the temptation to want to do it on our own, trusting solely in our own ability, in our own tools, in our power and in the ability to programme. He also warned of the risk of Gnosticism, the risk of disembodiment, of one’s own non-incarnation. That would be presenting a Jesus whom you cannot touch with your hands, whom you cannot hold on to. The actualisation of Christian humanism must begin from Jesus. It must be centred in Him, not in our strengths. It must be incarnated, embodied. It cannot be left in the documents, in the proclamations nor even in the beautiful works of art that we have seen here in Florence. Christian humanism has to be incarnated in the life of the people.” Fifty per cent of the people attending the event were laity. That indicates a force of the Church that wants to join the game. What was new in the work groups? “One of the novelties in Florence was methodology. The day and a half devoted to work groups made it possible for more people to participate actively, to give themselves. But if, out of 2000 people, a half is still clergy, then it is not yet sufficient, because Italian society is not like that. There are women, yes, but still too few; young people, but still too few. Let’s hope that we continue along these lines, towards better representation.” Any hot impressions after having attended the Convention? “There was a beautiful climate of openness, cordiality in the deepest sense where everyone mixes in with everyone else, bishops and priests sitting down and having lunch with the participants…. That in itself created a great family atmosphere and therefore enthusiasm, happiness, sharing and communion, a deep desire to listen that makes us hope.”

Migration: A signal from Malta

Nov 13, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide, Senza categoria

European Union and African nation leaders present at the Valletta Summit on Migration (Malta, 11-12 November 2015)

On November 11-12, Malta hosted the Valletta Summit on Migration promoted by the European Council, during which 28 countries of the European Union met with 35 African countries and representatives of the United Nations. Its goals, as expressed on the Council’s website, include “addressing the root causes by working to help create peace, stability and economic development; improving work on promoting and organising legal migration channels; enhancing the protection of migrants and asylum seekers, particularly vulnerable groups; tackling more effectively the exploitation and trafficking of migrants; working more closely to improve cooperation on return and readmission.” But, meanwhile, it was the Maltese themselves who stepped up and dealt with the situation, also becoming involved in welcoming the migrants. Anna Caruana Colombo, a Volunteer from the Focolare Movement, told New City Magazine how she and her friends engaged over thirty people in a process of learning about the conditions and the needs of the migrants – thanks to the Jesuit refugee service – and then visiting the welcome centres where people who have already obtained refugee status can find lodging. In one centre they held English classes; provided useful information about Malta; and simply spent time with the migrants. In another centre that welcomed families, they provided child care and tried to meet the basic needs of the little ones. Later, when they received permission, the Volunteers also went into the detention centres, Anna recounted: “The refugees were in rooms with bunk beds, even twelve per room, and there was not enough room for everyone. At first they were shocked, but seeing that we only wanted to befriend them, they overcame their mistrust. From English lessons we also moved on to more enjoyable moments with music and dance; and the guards remarked that they had never seen them so happy.” The young people of the Focolare Movement also became involved, inviting the refugees to events for teenagers such as the Run4Unity; and to the Mariapolis for a few days of meetings with Focolare friends and sympathisers. “Our project is beginning to gain visibility,” Anna concluded, “and we were asked to present our experience to the other Ecclesial Movements.”

Solidarity with the Central African Republic

Nov 11, 2015 | Focolare Worldwide

The Molu family

The escalation of serious political-military uprisings has not changed the programme of Pope Francis. An authentic messenger of peace, he announced in his sermon on All Saints Day that on 29 November he will be visiting that troubled country which has been experiencing one of the many war hotspots of the planet, for more than three years. The International Community seems to have ignored these fratricidal, forgotten wars. It all began in 2012 with the occupation of vast areas of the country by a segment of the group of rebels, who destroyed not only the institutional offices but also all that bore the mark of Christians: a new factor for the prevalently Christian Central African Republic, with a minority of Muslims and people of traditional religions who peacefully coexist. There were outright profanation of churches, and raids of social work centres, schools, hospitals, dispensaries, shops and homes of Christians, leading to a n immense food and health emergency situation. Out of a population of five million inhabitants, 820,000 have had to leave their own homes. Construction works can no longer continue, children cannot be sent to school, and farming activities have stopped. Even that parcel of community land, which an Italian Foundation had bought a few years back for the families of the Focolare, forcedly remains uncultivated and still consists of a fenced lot, a well, the keeper’s guardhouse and year by year, resources for the acquisition of seeds. A project that has helped to feed the families and also earn something through the sales of some products, have all gone. What remains active is the AFN (www.afnonlus.org) which gives support from a distance to children and adolescents. But the subscriptions total 89, and are like a drop in the ocean. In 2013 Petula and Patrick Moulo, with three kids and two adopted ones, hosted 34 people in their home, sharing with them all they had. Even if the food, space, and blankets were limited, love made up for what was lacking, making all experience that “A piece of dry bread shared in peace, is better than abundance amid strife” (Prov. 17,1). Among these was also a Muslim woman with her small children. Also the other families of the Focolare opened out their homes and hearts. The population is trying to keep a peaceful attitude of non-resistance, with the hope of lightening the repression. But this is not so. When it seemed that all had been resolved – with the so-called “liberation” of December 2013 – the warfare sparked up again, leaving a trail of devastation behind it. Many bodies remained unburied. After two months, bodies of the tortured and killed people were still seen flowing down the rivers. There are those who take refuge in the field, in the cold and without food. Every family has suffered the killing of one member. This is a hidden, deceitful war that has caused more than 5,000 victims, overwhelming the entire population with hunger, diseases, insecurity, and delayed salaries. At the start of 2015 there was a truce, but the recent bloodshed of 26 September and 29 October reignited the terror: deaths, wounded, and burnt homes. In a night all the refugee camps that had been slowly emptying out were again filled up. In the Focolare “camp” 96 adults sleep in the open while their children are placed in the tiny guardhouse of Irene and Innocent, the project keepers. The Focolare community puts together the little it has: clothes, food, and blankets to be shared with those who have lost all their belongings, also helping the evacuees gathered in the various centres. The people are at the end of their tethers. Pope Francis will soon be in their midst “to represent the solidarity of the Church in prayer (…) and to urge all the Central Africans to be always testimonials of mercy and reconciliation…” We will all accompany him with our prayers, together with our small but concrete, gestures of solidarity.

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