Travelling from Damascus to Aleppo, you go through Homs. We saw for ourselves what is happening there: the rebuilding and the people’s determination to go back to a normal life in a country where the war is not yet over and rubble blocks roads and hinders lives. We saw what the Focolare is doing through projects run by the Action for a United World (AMU) and the New Families Association (AFN). https://vimeo.com/343238660
An interview with Lucia Abignente, co-author with Giovanni Delama of ‘A Golden City’, the story of the first Mariapoli, to be published by Città Nuova in September. The first Mariapolis happened 70 years ago in the Dolomites in the Trentino province of northern Italy. It was the summer of 1949 and Chiara Lubich had a few years earlier made her definitive choice to live the Gospel, a choice already shared with a group of companions. Together they went to the mountains, to Tonadico di Primiero, to rest. It became a key moment in the history of the Focolare Movement. During this time, through a mystical experience Chiara gained a new understanding of God’s plan on the emerging presence in the Church: the Work of Mary. Since that time, similar gatherings, which came to be called Mariapolis (“City of Mary”), take place every year in summer time, in countries all around the world. In the story of Mariapoli, the years from 1949 to 1959 have particular significance. Can you explain in what way? Those years mark the origins of Mariapolis, years in which the power of the charism of unity, given by God to Chiara for the Church, was producing new fruits. A very strong sense of communion was generated among the participants who were of all ages, social backgrounds and even from different countries. (The 1959 Mariapolis was visited by 12,000 people from 27 countries!) It emerged as a profound experience of God, a way of sanctity lived together as a family. It has been described as a “people of God”, to use a term the Second Vatican Council would later promote. Why is it called “Mariapolis”? In fact, this name first appeared in 1955, and it emerged from the life of these gatherings over the years, which developed as a kind of small city, a people who identified themselves as being guided by Mary. The Gospel-inspired love lived among them generated the presence of the divine, in the sense of Jesus’ teaching, “Where two or more are united in my name, I am in their midst” (Mt 18:20). And this enlightening experience inspired the title of our book on the Mariapolis phenomenon. How would you define the key elements of these gatherings which are still taking place today? I would summarize them in one word: “communion”, or rather “communions”. Meaning, communion in the Eucharist, renewed each day; communion with the Word of the Gospel; communion with our sisters and brothers. This is what characterized the Mariapolis experience of 1949, and this is what we find in the Mariapoli which continue to this day. From this communion, people draw strength to continue to live this experience in their daily lives, to cooperate in the design of God on Creation and on the social environment around them. What is the most important thing you learnt from those who participated in the very first Mariapoli? Meeting those “witnesses”, I saw how their Mariapolis experience is not a memory for them but a vivid and vital reality to this very day. From the written testimonies I’ve gleaned the authenticity of a life lived as a “body”, in the quest for unity. Those early Mariapoli have sparked off some notable long-term effects … First of all the “Città Nuova” magazine (“New City” or “Living City”) came to life during these first Mariapoli as a way of keeping all the participants in touch with this life once they got back home. Then there are the permanent “Mariapoli” small towns which have been established in different countries – Chiara first spoke about these in 1956. The Focolare’s experience of dialogue among members of different Christian Churches was already part of the Fiera di Primiero Mariapolis in 1957. The presence of charismatic figures within the Catholic Church indicated pathways of communion which were later developed in the Second Vatican Council and by successive Church leadership. It’s also possible to identify the precursors of the Movement’s impact on social and political fields. In the permanent Mariapolis towns, people of different ages, countries, cultures and Christian traditions live together, putting the Gospel into practice. Diversity lived in a context of unity. Do you draw any message from these Mariapolis towns for today’s Europe fragmented by nationalist and populist pressures? Pope Francis made a very important point when he visited the Mariapolis town of Loppiano, Italy, last year. He spoke of the “mysticism of ‘us’” which propels us to walk together through our part of history. This is something which was very alive in the first Mariapoli. For example, in 1959, despite being so close to the end of the second world war, participants from Italy, Germany and many other countries overcame their own personal barriers, to consecrate their peoples to Mary. They wanted to do this together, as a demonstration of love for one another, forming the “one people of God”.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Chiara wrote in 2006 «Throughout the Gospel Jesus invites to give. To give to the poor, to whoever asks, to whoever needs a loan. To give food to the hungry, a coat to the one who asks for a cloak, to give freely….He himself was the first to give: health to the sick, forgiveness to sinners, life to all of us. He encourages generosity to combat the selfish instinct to hoard, to focus on the other so as to overcome the focus on our own needs; to give so as to combat the culture of having”. The wedding One of my daughters was getting married and given our limited family economy it was difficult for us to cover all the expenses. With ten days to go I still did not have a suitable outfit for the day. Furthermore it was not easy to borrow from someone given my size. Just at that time a container arrived from Florence with clothes and household goods. It had been prepared and sent by some families in Italy for our community. A friend decided to look through the many things to see if she could find something for me. She was delighted to find a beautiful piece of material and even thought of the style of dress to make with it. On the wedding day whenever I was complemented on my outfit I replied that God’s providence made use of friends near and far. (M.A. – Paraguay) On Dialysis For three years now I have to have dialysis three times a week as I wait for a transplant. It’s not easy at the clinic and I try to build a relationship with each patient. If someone likes talking about food, I talk about food. If someone is interested in sport, we talk about sport. However one day I was particularly tired of fighting and my spirits were low. I hadn’t the energy to smile nor to greet people. A nurse who knew me well said “ You too, Aracelis?” Immediately the anguish and discouragement disappeared and I began to think of the others and not about myself. (Araceli J. – Brasil) Adopted I was always ashamed not to know my biological parents even though the family which adopted me did everything to fill the gaps. When I fell in love and then married K my problems, which seemed to have disappeared, surfaced again. In fact when it came to educating our children we had opposite opinions. I left her without giving any explanation. For those who have had a family it is difficult to understand someone who feels existentially alone. Now, after a long time, trying to draw out love from a dry heart is helping me to recover. (T.A.F. – Hungary) The challenge One day a colleague offers me a sheet of paper explaining that it is a phrase from the Gospel with a commentary to help live it. I read: “Love your enemies”. I reflected and the next day I am ready to take up the challenge. I found my mother in the kitchen. We haven’t spoken for two months. I sit down and have a coffee with her. “Did you sleep well?” I ask her. In the afternoon my brother comes to my room and asks me if he can borrow a jumper. “Open the cupboard and choose the one you want” I reply. These are small deeds but I already feel different. (A.F. – Italy)
by Chiara Favotti
The event will be held from 26thto 28thMarch. Present among others: Yunus, Frey, Meloto, Petrini, Raworth, Sachs, Sen, Shiva and Zamagni Registration is underway for the three days commissioned by Pope Francis for young economists, entrepreneursand change-makersfrom around the world. From 26th to 28th March, Assisi will host the international event The Economy of Francis: young people, a commitment, the future. The invitation to participate comes directly from the Holy Father and is addressed to young people up to the age of 35. You can submit your application by 30 September via the website www.francescoeconomy.org. The Economy of Francesco event will consist of workshops, artistic and plenary events with the best-known economists, experts in sustainable development and business people who are engaged today worldwide in a different economy and will reflect and work together with young people. Nobel laureates Muhammad Yunus and Amarthya Sen have already confirmed they will attend. Other participants include Bruno Frey, Tony Meloto, Carlo Petrini, Kate Raworth, Jeffrey Sachs,Vandana Shiva and Stefano Zamagni. It is not a traditional conference but an experience where theory and practice engage to build new ideas and new ways of working together. A programme where time slows down to leave room for reflection and silence, for stories and meetings, for art and spirituality, so that the thought and economic action of young people will emerge. The meeting is aimed at young people under 35 involved in research: students and scholars in Economics and other related disciplines (master’s students, doctoral research programmes, young researchers); and in business: entrepreneurs and managers. Participation is also open to change-makers andpromoters of activities at the service of the common good and of a just, sustainable and inclusive economy. The proposal is to make a commitment with the young people, beyond differences of beliefs and nationalities, to change the current economy and give a soul to that of tomorrow so that it is more just, sustainable and with active engagement by those who at present are excluded. 500 young people will be chosen from among all the candidates to attend apre-event scheduled for 24th and 25thMarch: it will be an opportunity for work and study that will continue during the days of the event (26-27-28) together with all the other participants.
(source: press release)
The first European Mariapolis, sponsored by the Focolare Movement at Tonadico, in the Dolomites, has begun and runs through August 8. Within the historical and political context of a Europe divided and in conflict, this event aims to show that the dream of brotherhood among peoples is not some faraway utopia. The original intuition that Focolare’s founder, Chiara Lubich, had last century during the 1940s and 1950s has carried through to various fields of knowledge, and to the heart of relationships between individuals and peoples. We discussed it with Fabio Ciardi, who is responsible for the movement’s interdisciplinary study centre, the Abbà School. What is the link between Chiara Lubich’s mystical experiences in 1949 and 1950 during and after the first Mariapolises, and the birth of the Abbà School? “The Abbà School began in order to go deeper into what had happened during those years. Chiara had the opportunity to write her experience little by little as it happened, aware that within it was a teaching – values so profound and rich that they could nourish not just the movement but the Church as well. Later she felt the need to take up those pages yet again, so she began to call on people with a certain amount of culture to go more deeply into her experience and help the doctrine that was already within it flow.” Among the fields represented in the Abbà School are history and political science. Can the group’s reflections in these areas help us understand the reasons that the European Union was founded? “The experience that Chiara had in 1949 gave her a vision from on high of God’s designs for humanity and history. So you can find values there that are at the foundations of Europe. The Abbà School hopes to bring them to light and show how current they are. Today the Mariapolis helps us discover those designs and understand what God’s plan for our history is and who we are.” In the early days Chiara had an intuition that Europe was called to be united at its core. Igino Giordani, one of the movement’s co-founders, hoped for a “United States of Europe” that would present itself as a federal entity of peoples in the global context. Today, however, we are far off from that vision, and nationalism and populism run through Europe. How can we find that passion again and make it contagious? “It seems to me that the initial experience of 1949 has all the elements to expand our hearts; to grow that sense of fraternity, hospitality and sharing; and to promote a way forward together. At the beginning Chiara’s reflections were focused on Italy, and she spoke of Saint Catherine and Saint Francis as its patron saints. Yet soon her horizons expanded when people from other European countries and continents joined the movement. She saw the charism of unity resonate for all of them, and each found their deepest values there. She saw all of humanity moving towards unity. I think this could be a fundamental ideal that can be realised today as well. We need to reflect culturally in a way that combines God’s great plan for humanity with the current political, economic, and historical situation.” What message does the experience at the European Mariapolis send to the citizens of Europe? “The idea that European unity is not uniformity or an obligation, but it is a richness that comes from having great diversity – not only from the historical European peoples but the new ones who arrive as well. Europe is something we build; it has been in continual construction since its origins. It needs to know how to combine these two elements: promote fraternity, sharing, communion and unity; and at the same time, value the great cultural diversity and the particular history of each people. I think that the Mariapolis could be the new melting pot in which we learn to respect and love each other, and live together.” So the Mariapolis is a “lab” of unity for Europe. Someone might object that this is outlook is simply utopian… “Utopias are located in imaginary places where you dream up a reality that does not in fact exist. A Mariapolis, instead, is a different place that is not utopian but real. I think we need to put forward experiences like this one once again – meaningful, despite small, which show how the world could be if we truly lived the laws of fraternity, love and unity.”
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Seventy years ago it was Chiara Lubich herself who defined as “Paradise ‘49” the mystical experience through which God conveyed to her and, through her, to the Movement during its early times, the full understanding of the charism of unity and of the Work that would be born of it. This experience has been studied for years by the “Abba School”, the cultural centre of the Focolare which is currently engaged in a study seminar on “Paradise ’49” together with other scholars. Jesús Moràn, co-President of the Focolare Movement, is also taking part and we asked him to explain its relevance and vision. https://vimeo.com/348249423 “What we in the Focolare Movement, and I think others too, know as ‘Paradise ’49’ is a mystical experience that was in some way unprecedented and unique, because God never repeats himself. It was new and unique in both form and content. It all started with a pact of unity between Chiara Lubich and Igino Giordani: a woman and a man; a girl to whom a charism had been given by God and a politician actively engaged in society; a virgin and a married man. That already says much. Furthermore, the context preceding the event must be kept in mind and is very important. The background to this experience was a very deep life of the Word – the human logos united to the divine logos; Jesus crucified and forsaken who unites heaven and earth and therefore fills every void; Eucharistic communion as a symbol of universal fraternity, of universal communion and fellowship. Those who study this experience tell us that everything started there; everything arose out of that context. It is understandable that, if that is how things were, what came of it was a wide-ranging ecclesial and social movement, with a methodology based on a 360° dialogue: dialogue within the Catholic Church, ecumenical dialogue, interreligious dialogue and dialogue with culture. It is a movement that, in turn, was able to initiate important social movements such as the Economy of Communion and the Movement for Politics and Policies for Unity and also important cultural realities such as the Città Nuova publishing house or the Sophia University Institute. What we are celebrating today is this particular event that occurred in a marvellous context where nature blends with culture, where the divine shines out in what is human and the human shines out in the divine and in social relationships. Certainly, in a world like this, which is so fragmented and marked by extreme polarization, I believe this experience is extremely relevant and can make a significant contribution to humanity’s journey today.”
Immagine: © Fabio Bertagnin – CSC Audiovisivi
