May 8, 2020 | Non categorizzato
A day for communities, movements and countries to meet and witness peace and solidarity among peoples May 9 is the feast day of the European continent, celebrating peace and unity among peoples. This year the Covid-19 pandemic prevented people from seeing each other in church, city squares, gatherings or conferences and prayers. This does not mean that this day’s activities were cancelled. On the contrary: with a lot of creativity, digital conferences, prayers, discussion groups and online dialogues between communities, movements and political representatives were held, for example, in Utrecht, Graz, Rome, Lyon or Esslingen. This year’s events had the papal blessing, through a letter from Pope Francis that arrived on 22 April. The pope appreciates the service to the common good that the Together for Europe network operates through committed communities and movements, inspired by the values of solidarity, peace and justice. The Together for Europe network emerged from the historic signing on 31 October 1999 of the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” between the leaders of different Evangelical and Catholic movements and ecclesiastical communities from Italy and Germany. It has been a journey together to rediscover the old continent’s values of peace and fraternity. For the Feast of Europe, together with Graz, the Together for Europe committees in Italy organized and promoted an online event dedicated to a “yes to creation,” defending nature and the environment, entitled “Holistic Ecology: A Sustainable Utopia for Europe” on May 9. Through the reflections of Stefania Papa, professor and ecology expert, and Luca Fiorani, climate physicist, and a video of three messages from Pope Francis, Patriarch Bartholomew I and Antonio Guterres (UN) for the 50th World Earth Day, we are becoming more aware of how we can work together for a better present and future, respecting our Earth, in a culture of respect, cooperation and reciprocity. One of the objectives of Together for Europe, in fact, is a “culture of reciprocity”. In it, different individuals and peoples can welcome each other, get to know each other, reconcile, and learn to esteem and support each other. This includes many activities in favour of reconciliation and peace, the protection of life and creation, a fair economy, solidarity with the poor and the marginalized, the family, the good of cities and brotherhood on the European continent. Diversity should not be a reason for fear or separation, but rather a wealth that is developed and harmonized for a united, living, fraternal Europe.
For more information visit together4europe.org.
Lorenzo Russo
May 7, 2020 | Non categorizzato
Message sent by Rev. Prof. Dr.Ioan Sauca, Acting General Secretary of the World Council of Churches. We would like to thank Rev. Prof. Sauca for his support and encouragement for this edition of United World Week. We make ours his urge to be always builders and promoters of unity in everyday life for the whole world. Greetings to United World Week 2020 Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca Acting General Secretary It is a joy for me, as the acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches, to greet and encourage you in your celebration of Unity Week with the resounding Easter affirmation: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! The worldwide fellowship of churches stands in solidarity with you as we pray for healing and recovery of humanity and all of God’s creation, especially during this time of uncertainty and fear caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In such circumstances, we realize all the more just how united we are as one humanity: we share the same fears, the same challenges, and the same yearning for the well-being of our one human family. Yet, in light of the resurrection of Jesus, we have cause also to share one hope for renewed life, working and walking toward God’s reign of justice and peace. Focused so clearly on uniting humanity, you, the youth of Focolare, reveal the true breadth and ambition of Chiara Lubich’s vision for the ecumenical movement: not simply to bridge ancient divides among Christians but also to live Christian discipleship in such a way as to heal the world. You are a gift to our communities. Your passion and desire to change the world inspire and motivate the rest of us as we confront the realities of today. In ways big and small, this generation is stepping up to meet the daunting challenges of climate change, economic inequality, the needs of migrants and refugees. And, as we see today, your generation’s digital expertise leads us in new ways of reflecting and reflecting on our common vision for Christian unity as expressed in Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21. There Jesus prayed “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jesus’ vision is not limited to our Christian family. Rather it is inclusive of all of humanity and of God’s creation. So, despite uncertainties and fear, ours is also a resurrection time of enormous opportunities to come together and serve one another, sisters and brothers. Jesus’ prayer reminds us that unity grows to serve a greater need. In John 20:23 Jesus appeared to his self-isolating disciples in a locked room. Jesus assured them, saying, “Peace be with you.” But he didn’t stop there. Imparting peace a second time, he added, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” The task and call to work for peace are clear. As you begin this Unity Week series in different parts of the world, I invite you to reflect on the words of Jesus in the context of today’s need for unity and peace: how do we live out God’s unity in a hurting world today? As young people, how do we respond to the disparities and needs of the world, so that God’s peace resides in all of humanity and the entire creation? Geneva, 28 April 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p39HC8PmYM&feature=emb_logo
May 6, 2020 | Non categorizzato
He was one of the first members of a religious order to adhere to the spirituality of the Focolare Movement. A contemplative in full action; a man of God immersed in humanity. What does “contemplation” mean and what is the point of contemplation today? And how does one contemplate in the 21st century? In times like these, closed in for Covid and pressed by concerns about the future, taking time to get in touch with the Absolute may not seem a priority. A few days ago, however, I had to think again: I encountered the extraordinary character of Father Ermanno Rossi, an Italian Dominican, a pioneer of the Focolare Movement in the ’50s who left for heaven last Easter Monday. His existential parable says that only an intimate relationship with God could make it possible. This is confirmed by one of his writing, on the occasion of his 90th birthday: “The events of my life have been many! I only remember an inner conviction that guided me in all my choices: ‘Ask for nothing and refuse nothing’. This meant for me: evaluating well the task entrusted to me, putting all my strength into it with the certainty that God would take care of the rest. For this reason, I never asked for anything or refused anything, whatever task was asked of me, even though it was almost always contrary to my feelings. At this age, however, I can assure you that it was worth trusting God. (…) Along with the difficulties I have had some extraordinary graces. Among these, the meeting with Chiara Lubich and her Movement has a very important place. This meeting was the beacon of my life“. And his life was intense to say the least: from 1950 to 1955 he was in charge of the young aspirants to the Dominican Order; he wrote that his cell was his car: “I was always travelling around central Italy”. It was in those years that Father Ermanno came to one of the first Roman communities of the Focolare Movement and met Graziella De Luca: “I asked only one question: ‘Now while you are alive, everything is all right; but when the first generation has passed, won’t there inevitably be decline, as happened to all the foundations?’. Graziella answered me: ‘No! As long as Jesus is in the midst, this will not happen’ “. From that moment his life intensified even more, if that’s possible: he was rector and bursar of a seminary; he taught Moral Theology at Loppiano; he travelled around Europe to make the spirit of the Focolare known to many members of religious orders. He was responsible for the Missionary Centre of his Order’s province, then parish priest in Rome and superior of a small community. With what spirit did Father Ermanno live all this? He himself explains: “In all these events one thing was constant: every time I had to start over; I had to “recycle “myself. It was as if they had entrusted me with a new job every time. Another constant: at the first impact, the new situation always turned out to be painful, then I saw it as providential. Now I have the certainty that what Providence arranges for me is the best that can happen to me”. In the spirituality of Unity Father Ermanno found the way to a new relationship with God. Until then, God had been sought in solitude. From Chiara Lubich he discovered that the brother is the direct way to go to God; a way that does not necessarily require solitude: it can also be achieved in the midst of people.
Stefania Tanesini
May 4, 2020 | Non categorizzato
The following writing by Chiara Lubich leads us to the heart of the Christian faith. “We have come to believe in God’s love: in these words the Christian can express the fundamental decision of his or her life” [1] It is a choice that proves to be very daring in these times, but no less true for that. This time we want to speak about prayer once again. It’s the life of our soul, the oxygen of the whole of our spiritual life, the expression of our love for God, the fuel for every activity we do. But what kind of prayer will we speak about this time? We will speak about the prayer that – with its infinite and divine riches – is completely contained in one word, in just one word which Jesus taught us and the Holy Spirit put on our lips. But let us go to its origins. Jesus prayed. He prayed to his Father. For him, the Father was “Abba” and that means “Daddy”, his “Dad”, to whom Jesus spoke with words of infinite trust and boundless love. He prayed to the Father from within the Trinity where he is the second divine person. It was precisely because of this special prayer that he revealed to the world who he really was – the Son of God. But since he came on earth for us, the fact that only he could pray in this privileged way wasn’t enough for him. When he died for us and redeemed us, he made us children of God, his brothers and sisters. Through the Holy Spirit he also gave us the possibility of being taken into the heart of the Trinity, in him, together with him, through him. So we too can make the divine invocation “Abba, Father” (Mk 14.36 and Rm 8:15) – “Daddy”, “my Dad”, “our Dad” with all that this entails. We are certain of his protection, we feel secure, we are able to abandon ourselves blindly to his love, we have divine consolations, strength and ardour – an ardour that is born in the heart of those who are certain that they are loved. This is Christian prayer, an extraordinary prayer. It cannot be found anywhere else, or in any other religion. At the most, if people believe in a divine being that can be venerated, adored and beseeched, they do this from outside the divine being, so to speak. For us it is different: we enter into the heart of God. And so? Let’s remind ourselves, first and foremost, of the dizzy heights to which we are called as children of God, and, as a consequence of this, of the exceptional possibility we have of praying. Naturally, we can say “Abba, Father”; with all the depth of meaning of this word only if it is the Holy Spirit who pronounces this word in us. For this to happen, we have to be Jesus, nothing other than Jesus. How? We know how. He is already living in us through grace but we have to do our part. This means to love, to be in an attitude of love towards God and our neighbour. The Holy Spirit will put this word on our lips with a greater fullness if we are in perfect unity with our brothers and sisters wherever Jesus is among us. Let’s make “Abba, Father” our prayer. … In this way, we will fully correspond to our calling to believe in love, our calling to have faith in the love which lies at the root of our charism. Yes, Love, the Father, loves us. He is our dad: what should we fear? In the plan of love he has for each one of us, a plan which opens up for us day by day, we cannot fail to see the most extraordinary adventure to which we could be called. “Abba” is the most characteristic prayer of the Christian and, in a special way, of us in the Focolare Movement. So, if we are sure that we are living our Ideal, that is, if we are living love, let’s speak to the Father in the same way as Jesus did. What will the effects be? We will experience them in our hearts.
Chiara Lubich
(Taken from a telephone conference call, Rocca di Papa, 9th March 1989) [1] Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas est, 1.
May 2, 2020 | Non categorizzato
Apr 30, 2020 | Non categorizzato
United World Week (May 1–7) has never been such a local and global event at the same time. More than 400 micro and macro events are being held in 65 countries, all strictly online. Live streaming of the #InTimeforPeace event will be Saturday 2 May at 12 noon (UTC +2). This United World Week sees us spoilt for choice: you can start by participating in Run4Unity in Australia or Texas, then join a prayer for peace in Cuba, before checking out the “political café” in Argentina. There’s an interesting webinar series promoted by the United World Project, and for lovers of World Music, there are concerts in various African countries. The great thing is, you don’t even have to choose: you can participate in everything from the comfort of your own home. Covid-19 could have driven this year’s United World Week, and instead it isn’t just about that. The title and motto for the more than 400 events in close to 65 countries around the world is #InTimeforPeace. This means that for at least one week, peace, human rights and legality will be the topic for reflection and action, for 24 hours a day at the different latitudes. It also means that an increasing number of people believe that building a world governed by rules, economies, and cultures inspired by peace in all its forms can no longer be put off. It all starts on May 1 and goes until May 7. As the young people say, peace is for everyone. The United World Project’s homepage shows a wide choice, which says that there is no single way to support peace, to fight for human rights, to practice legality. Whether we make masks, distribute food, keep company with those who are alone or simply do our part by staying at home, every neighbourly gesture of solidarity and support at a distance falls under the great umbrella of peace. Among the key activities this United World Week is a petition calling for an end to the embargo against Syria, promoted by the NGO New Humanity and signed by many celebrities. The appeal will be sent to the UN Secretary General and to the President of the European Parliament. It has the force of a global call to save a country that is already on its knees after 10 years of war and now risks falling into an abyss because of the Covid threat. HOW, WHERE AND WHEN TO FOLLOW UNITED WORLD WEEK EVENTS The place for the #InTimeforPeace multimedia marathon remains unitedworldproject.org, where you can also see a calendar of local events. The main events On Saturday 2 May at 12 noon (UTC +2), the #InTimeForPeace web event will be live streamed and connect a number of cities across the planet. There will be sharing of stories and actions, as well as hosting debates and artistic performances. On Sunday 3 May from 11am–12 noon in each time zone, there will be a virtual Run4unity, a non-stop sports relay that will embrace the globe, with games, challenges, experiences and commitments to symbolically spread a rainbow of peace on Earth.
Stefania Tanesini
unitedworldproject.org
This year’s events had the papal blessing, through a letter from Pope Francis that arrived on 22 April. The pope appreciates the service to the common good that the Together for Europe network operates through committed communities and movements, inspired by the values of solidarity, peace and justice. The Together for Europe network emerged from the historic signing on 31 October 1999 of the “Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification” between the leaders of different Evangelical and Catholic movements and ecclesiastical communities from Italy and Germany. It has been a journey together to rediscover the old continent’s values of peace and fraternity. For the Feast of Europe, together with Graz, the Together for Europe committees in Italy organized and promoted an online event dedicated to a “yes to creation,” defending nature and the environment, entitled “Holistic Ecology: A Sustainable Utopia for Europe” on May 9. Through the reflections of Stefania Papa, professor and ecology expert, and Luca Fiorani, climate physicist, and a video of three messages from Pope Francis, Patriarch Bartholomew I and Antonio Guterres (UN) for the 50th World Earth Day, we are becoming more aware of how we can work together for a better present and future, respecting our Earth, in a culture of respect, cooperation and reciprocity. One of the objectives of Together for Europe, in fact, is a “culture of reciprocity”. In it, different individuals and peoples can welcome each other, get to know each other, reconcile, and learn to esteem and support each other. This includes many activities in favour of reconciliation and peace, the protection of life and creation, a fair economy, solidarity with the poor and the marginalized, the family, the good of cities and brotherhood on the European continent. Diversity should not be a reason for fear or separation, but rather a wealth that is developed and harmonized for a united, living, fraternal Europe.