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A Church for young people

A Church for young people

2 Jul 2019 | Non categorizzato

Interview with Guilherme Baboni, Focolare representative at the recent International Youth Forum of the Catholic Church “We want to bring the light of the Gospel to all, to be witnesses of Jesus’ love, going beyond our own environments to reach those furthest away”. With these words, Guilherme Baboni, a 26-year-old from Brazil, describes his enthusiasm for the 11th International Youth Forum hosted by the Catholic Church’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, 19-22 June in Ciampino, near Rome. Effectively a continuation of last October’s Synod of Bishops on the Youth in the Church, it was a meeting of 250 18-to-29 year olds, representing 109 different countries and 37 ecclesial communities and movements. They focused on the Pope’s recent “Apostolic Exhortation” for all youth, the document Christus Vivit. Guilherme, representing the Focolare at the forum, reflected, “The image of the Church is often projected as an old, dying institution, out of touch with real life. However, at the Forum we experienced a living, creative, universal Church, formed of many youth people who’ve encountered Jesus in their lives. Moved by the Holy Spirit, we young people want to bring the light of the Gospel to others, whatever their age. We see a Church with many different forces within it, working to achieve this aim”.

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In the center Guilherme Baboni

What specific contribution can young people give to the life of the Church? “Young people bring energy and dynamism. As Pope Francis emphasized during the Synod on Youth last year, being young is above all a state of soul, an energy that comes from within, a desire to change and to bring ‘fire’ on the earth”. Pope Francis is encouraging the Church to journey together, to act as a ‘Synodal Church’. What does that mean for you? “For me, it’s an outward-looking Church, which reaches out to people, ready to welcome and accompany everyone. It’s not enough to keep the door open, it must actually change direction and bring itself out to the people, especially to those who are far away from it”. As a young person, what does it mean to be an expression of an outward-looking Church? “It means being a witness through my own actions, in my family, with my friends, at school or at work. It’s not so much about talking, you can do that later, but what’s important is to be a shining and living example of the Gospel. Only in this way will anyone around notice anything distinctive about my behaviour and want to know my motivation. That’s the moment to speak about God”. Do you think there is a specific contribution the Focolare Movement can make towards this more ‘Synodal Church’? “Pope Francis is asking us as young people to be examples of unity in a divided world. This example of unity is precisely what the Focolare Movement can contribute, born as it is from the charism of unity communicated through Chiara Lubich. This desire to bring the light of the love of God to everyone is an expression of the Movement’s spirituality, which can, I believe, be of light not only for Catholics, but for all Christians and the faithful of other religions, as well as for those without a religious affiliation”. The Forum focused a lot on the Pope’s Christus Vivit document. Did you make any resolutions on how it may be implemented in the Church? “As young people, we pledged to work creatively with the Church in order to bring the content of this document to all; every Movement expressing its particular charism, each group with its own specific contribution to make. We move as different parts of the one body of the living Church”. How do you see the contribution of the Focolare Movement in implementing ‘Christus Vivit’? “Listening to young people, enabling them to be protagonists. This is not something new for the Movement. For example, the forthcoming Focolare Youth Assembly is being prepared as an opportunity to listen to young people and promote our initiatives. Every year the Focolare promotes a ‘United World Week’ of youth activities around the world to facilitate experiences of unity and Gospel-inspired love. Pope Francis emphasized the importance of ‘accompanying’ young people. And earlier this year, the Focolare held its first training program on ‘accompanying people’ throughout the various stages and states of life. It was held in Castelgandolfo, near Rome, attended by 500 from 60 different countries”.

Claudia Di Lorenzi

The beauty of the family

The beauty of the family

30 Jun 2019 | Non categorizzato

01/07/2019 Broken families, divorced couples, people in subsequent relationships, or living together – what’s the best attitude to have towards these situations? New Families is committed to married couples and families in crisis. “Family is an exchange of love – sharing, support, reciprocity. It’s caring for children and a privileged place to grow, even for parents. Family means continually starting over.” That’s how Massimo and Lucia Massimino describe it. They’re in their forties, have been married for 17 years and have three children. They live in Collegno, near Turin, and through Focolare are involved in the New Families Movement, which offers a space for couples to upskill and dialogue. They answered some of our questions. famiglia MassiminoToday people seem to only talk about the sacrifices that building a family takes. What’s missing is anything said about the beauty of the family. Let’s start with that. Lucia: The beauty of the family is the feeling that you are taking care of someone and that someone is caring for you. It is that someone is thinking of you, fond of you, and that you are part of a community. Massimo: It is also sharing joys and sorrows, even with our children, so that they can see beyond the words you say. It is great when your life moves forward in your children. Today many families are in crisis, torn or divided. In New Families you take in the pain of many couples – which way forward do you suggest? Lucia: Certain crises call for us to support them through difficult moments. Couples ask to be able to confide in us – as friends who can understand them because they have gone through something similar. These are only some of life’s transitions. When faced with more serious crises, however, we try to walk with the couples towards choices that include professional help, motivated by important values. Massimo: As a movement we emphasise training a lot. Lucia and I work with young couples and organise meetings where we invite educators and psychologists, with the goal of providing solutions, such as how to manage conflict. These are meetings that are open to all couples, whether engaged, married, living together or separated. The training is inspired by Chiara Lubich’s spirituality of unity, which was born in the womb of the Catholic Church, but it is open to people of other faiths or those who have no ties to religion. Famiglie 2Broken families, divorced couples, those in a subsequent relationship, or living together. What’s the best attitude to have towards these situations? Lucia: In the Focolare Movement we have them truly at heart. New Families tries to get to know them, investing in personal relationships. This is the only thing that can really help, and it allows us to understand the reasons for the breakup and the pain. The days we have dedicated to families are privileged spaces where there is an atmosphere so that advice can be given and there can be the opportunity to start again after a relationship breakdown. When you talk about family you talk about love. Do you always end up referring to God in your reflections? Massimo: We feel that marriage brings the presence of God in the family, and because of this presence the family has love circulating through it. As Chiara Lubich says, it recalls the love between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We feel that this presence sustains us, even through moments you wouldn’t want to go through. It is an experience that cannot be taught; you just have to do it, and we openly say this to couples who are not married or believe. Many ask themselves, “Can love end?” Is there a recipe so that “forever” can truly last forever? Lucia and Massimo: Falling in love does indeed end, but the key is to begin again, and to know how to forgive. What nourishes a couple is being able to share the path that marriage brings with other couples, sharing important values, and common projects. It is also important to remember to be a husband and wife in love, not just “Mum” and “Dad”.

Claudia Di Lorenzi

Following in the footsteps of Zwingli in Zurich

Following in the footsteps of Zwingli in Zurich

28 Jun 2019 | Non categorizzato

29/06/2019 Sixty people from different Churches came together to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in Switzerland. A journey through history and remembrance, through knowledge and the dialogue of life to understand the roots of the Reformed Church and the challenges it faces today.  “This weekend I experienced how a ‘life of fullness’ really is possible in the Reformed Church and the Catholic Church through Jesus present in the midst of those who love one another. I want to contribute in a completely new and more conscious way to building bridges between the two confessions. This is how one of the participants summed up the three days dedicated to “Reformation Zurich” promoted by the Focolare Movement in the Swiss city to understand what caused the Reformation in this city. Five hundred years ago in January, Huldrych Zwingli (1484-1531), who at that time was still a Catholic priest, started preaching in the pulpit of the Grossmünster interpreting the Gospel of Matthew. This is what many consider to be the starting point of the Reformation in Zurich. The aim of these three days was to bring people of different denominations together and introduce them to the history and particular richness of the Reformed Church. To love “one’s neighbour’s Church as one’s own” (Chiara Lubich), you first need to get to know it. Sixty people came to the weekend from Germany, Austria, Italy, Slovakia and various parts of Switzerland. IMG 1418The simplicity of the Reformed Church in Baar, all centred on the Bible, the baptismal font and the pulpit formed the setting for the first of the weekend’s events. Dialogue with the local pastor enabled the participants to have a deeper understanding of reformed spirituality. He did not hide the difficulties that his Church was experiencing but he shared his passion for seeking guidance and support from the Word of God alone, not from an institution. Successive events took place in Zurich. At the Theological Seminary, Dr. Gergely Csukás, Senior Assistant at the Institute of Swiss Reformation History, described the social, political, and religious situation in Zurich during the Middle Ages, highlighting Zwingli’s aspirations as a reformer, and emphasizing its relevance. “Reformed Christians are closer to me than ever before”, said one of the pariticipants. “Through the history and everything that has been communicated to us, the beauty, and also the suffering caused by what happened, have made a deep impression on me. It is about the life of Christians together. I want to start again and go ahead”. Another said: “Never before have I received such a clear explanation and understanding of Zwingli’s aspirations which are still relevant today. I have learned to appreciate him, his first companions and the reformers who offered their lives for the Gospel. Despite the unfavourable weather forecast, the participants still managed to walk through the places where Zurich’s Reformer worked – from the Grossmünster to the Wasserkirche, from the Lindenhof to the plaque marking the place where the first Anabaptists were drowned in the Limmat River. Pastor Peter Dettwiler spoke specifically about the work of reconciliation with the Anabaptists and the Amish in the United States, while Pasteur Catherine McMillan presented a picture of the Reformed Church in the world today. At the end of the visit, prayers were offered up in the crypt of the Grossmünster. “When I walked into the stark church in Baar on that first evening I was shocked” – said one of the participants – “That space did not seem to radiate anything solemn or sacred to me. Then, in the dark crypt of Grossmünster where we had gathered for prayer as sisters and brothers in Christ, it was as if an interior light suddenly illuminated the grey, secular walls. I felt deep joy and reverence.” On the last day, writings from St. Nicholas of Flue, patron saint of Switzerland, and Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare, were read out which formed the spiritual basis for the celebration of Holy Communion. “Being the one body of Christ in diversity” – as one of those present commented – “showed us what the visible unity of the Church looks like. It was an encounter with Christ! I hope that with life and theological dialogue coexisting we will continue to grow closer to one another”.

Stefania Tanesini

Protection of minors: updated version of guidelines

Protection of minors: updated version of guidelines

26 Jun 2019 | Non categorizzato

The Focolare Movement has released the new version of its “Guidelines on the promotion of the well-being and protection of minors and vulnerable persons”. The updated text, which has just come into force, can be downloaded from our website. The Focolare Movement has updated its “Guidelines on the promotion of the well-being and protection of minors and vulnerable persons” in the wake of Pope Francis’ “Motu Proprio” on the protection of minors, published on May 7, 2019. A number of new policies have been introduced in the text, which also incorporates principles declared by the International Law and provides the policy guidelines for the Permanent Central Commission for the Promotion of the well-being and protection of minors (Co.Be.Tu.), the Supervisory Body and local members entrusted with this responsability.

Orazio Moscarella

Dr. Orazio Moscatello

When we asked Dr. Orazio Moscatello, a member of Co.Be.Tu to speak about these new policies, he said: “The new guidelines reaffirm the general principles that regulate all activities where children and adolescents are concerned, the legal duty of members responsabile for the Focolare Movement to take all the measures necessary to prevent abuses in the Movement and the moral duty of all members of the Movement to report any form of abuse and ill-treatment they may come across. The new guidelines do not only address sexual abuse, but they consider all forms of abuse and ill-treatment, stalking and bullying. The text speaks about transparent procedures to ensure fairness and impartiality to all those involved in the matter. It establishes that all internal investigations are not to last longer than 90 days, a period of time considered sufficient to listen to the victim and to the accused person, and to gather the information necessary to attest the abuse. Assigning a time limit for the investigation is a way of doing justice to the victims”. What are the plans with regards to prevention? “Training is a priority. The new guidelines, just as the previous ones, establish the requirement of a basic course to train adults entrusted with the care of children in subject-matter related to childhood, from the psychological, pedagogical and legal point of view. The new guidelines specify that these courses are to be repeated every two years, and that the suitability of the adult, where activities with children are concerned, is to be checked at the end of the course. Moreover, one needs to strengthen skills that assist with indications on the environment, relationship with families and formalities in emergency situations”. The duty to report to the judicial authorities is provided for only in certain countries. The Focolare Movement is present throughout the world; what is its position on this subject? “As already mentioned, all adult members of the Movement have a moral duty to report cases of abuse to the internal bodies in charge. This applies to all countries, and we believe in a ‘zero tolerance’ policy. When it comes to reporting the abuse to the judicial authorities, the Movement follows the indications of the Episcopal Conferences and national regulations, after an internal procedure has been effectively concluded and on the basis of an ascertained plausibility of the facts reported. Then, as required by a legal or moral duty, those responsible will submit a report to the competent judicial authorities, giving a detailed account of what has been ascertained, ensuring their closest cooperation and passing on all the information they possess. As with regards to this aspect, it is important to note that the Episcopal Conferences in various countries are orienting themselves towards recognizing the bishops’ moral duty to report the abuses ascertained in their dioceses. The Focolare Movement guidelines say that one may refrain from reporting to the judicial authorities only if parents are against it because they want to protect their child. In this case, however, we feel duty bound to accompany the parents through legal and psychological assistance. It is evident that the complaint will be reported to the judicial authorities in any case, where the law of the country requires all persons to do so. When the internal procedure reveals situations of abuse within the family, it will still be necessary to bring the matter before the competent authorities, and thus ensure greater protection of the child. Every member of the Focolare Movement will always retain his/her own autonomous right to file a complaint or report to the competent judicial authorities”. What is the procedure in the case of an internal assessment of the abuse? “As provided for by the Canon Law, where members of the clergy are concerned, the Movement informs the bishop of the diocese where the abuse occurred, so that the competence to ascertain the facts will be left to the ecclesiastical authorities. In such cases, the Movement does not initiate its own internal procedure, but follows the decisions taken by the ecclesiastical authorities. Internal measures will be taken: those convicted may be made to resign, be removed from their duties or given lighter sanctions depending on the seriousness of the fact. Where lay persons are concerned, the plausibility of the accusation is verified through an internal procedure and if facts are ascertained, sanctions are imposed. Our new guidelines also speak about children who abuse other children, not only through bullying but also sexually. In this case, besides verifying the facts, we need to help the child start a process of awareness about the seriousness of the acts performed, a process that allows the child to be able to participate afresh in the activities. The family is asked to collaborate in this process. Serious cases are reported to the juvenile judicial authorities. In all three cases, once an alert is received, precautionary measures need to be taken. And while one verifies to see whether the facts are true or not, it is very appropriate not to let the accused be involved in any activity with minors”. What kind of support is provided to victims? “When the Movement becomes aware of any sign of abuse, it offers all the support needed to the victims; it offers both psychological and legal assistance through its experts.

Claudia Di Lorenzi

To read the new Guidelines click here (See also Child protection: training, prevention and zero tolerance)

He gave his life for his town

He gave his life for his town

26 Jun 2019 | Non categorizzato

Condolences to the family of Mayor Emanuele Crestini and to all the residents of Rocca di Papa (Rome, Italy) from the International Center of the Focolare, on behalf of the whole Movement. “Mayor, friend, hero”. This is how the municipal webpage of Rocca di Papa, near Rome, described the mayor, Emanuele Crestini, who died on 10th June in a fire caused by a gas explosion during maintenance work on the mains. The international center of the Focolare Movement is located in Rocca di Papa, and the Focolare has enjoyed a warm relationship with their local Mayor, and with all the councillors in the Castelli Romani region. Local councillor Vincenzo Eleuteri also lost his life in the fire. The two men were the last to leave the burning building after checking no-one was trapped inside. This act of exceptional courage and selflessness towards colleagues with whom Mayor Crestini had been working that day characterises an official who was prepared to defend “his” people with extreme dedication, not even sparing his own life.

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On the right of Maria Voce, the mayor Emanuele Crestini

Focolare President, Emmaus Maria Voce expressed her profound condolences on behalf of the whole Movement in a message to the Deputy Mayor of Rocca di Papa, Veronica Cimino, describing Emanuele Crestini as “a luminous example of generosity demonstrated so dramatically in his last moments which witness to his greatness of heart and the guiding values which animated his political commitment and action”. Condolences were also received from the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Matterella. Rocca di Papa, home to the International Center of the Focolare Movement, has long had a special relationship with the Movement. In fact it was the first town to confer an honorary citizenship on Chiara Lubich. The relationship has developed and deepened over the years, expressed in numerous opportunities for collaboration. Most recently, on 16 April 2019, Mayor Crestini participated in a programme to welcome a delegation from the Trentino region in preparation for the forthcoming centenary celebration of Chiara Lubich’s birth. On that occasion, the Rocca di Papa council website posted Mayor Crestino’s reaction, which illustrates something of his worldview: “It’s been a real honour to accept the invitation from President Voce and a great pleasure to welcome the delegation from Trentino to our town. In a friendly and constructive atmosphere, we’ve got to know each other and exchange our experiences and many moving memories linked to Chiara Lubich, which highlighted the spirit of this great protagonist of our times. We joined in this work to make the Centenary celebrations as inclusive as posssible. “Inclusion”, in fact, is one of the key words in Chiara’s teaching, promoting union of intentions, unity of communities and of humanity as the best possible way ahead. In the local dimension of our own towns and cities, this big idea could and should lead us towards listening more to one another, approaching each other, sustaining those in need, without any social discrimination at all.”

Patrizia Mazzola

Journey to Syria (part I) – Damascus

24 Jun 2019 | Non categorizzato

A report on a journey with Egilde Verì who came back to Syria after 14 years and after a terrible conflict. We travel to Damascus with her to meet and hear from the Focolare community there. https://vimeo.com/343238285