Feb 15, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The Focolare’s General Council, on retreat in the Holy Land, has just finished three days’ work on the communion of goods, the new generations and the 2020 General Assembly. 
“Jesus, who was buried here and rose from the dead, wants to live in our midst so that we can bring his presence throughout the world.” Those are the words of Jesús Morán, Co-President of the Focolare Movement, after celebrating Mass for the General Council in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Everyone rose at dawn to be able to enter that extraordinary place – one that seems deeply connected with their week-long retreat in the Holy Land. Standing before the tomb left empty by the Risen Jesus, they too posed questions about the future, just as the disciples must have done. Where is the Risen Lord leading the Focolare Movement today? Where should the Movement focus its strength, energy and resources? 
These questions permeated discussions on the three key subjects addressed in Jerusalem. Concerning the “communion of goods, economy and work”, the General Council noted that in all the various parts of the Movement there is a great desire to go back to the radical life of the early days and live the communion of goods with new consistency and commitment. Ways in which this could be enabled concretely were discussed. Consideration of the new generations of the Focolare Movement, the second main subject, was enriched by evaluating the Genfest held last year in Manila and the recent World Youth Day in Panama. Those two events highlighted the great potential of young people and teenagers. This is also seen in their work for the “Pathways for a United World” project and their commitment to “Zero Hunger” by 2030. Thought was given on how to give continuity to individual initiatives. 
The third subject was preparations for the upcoming General Assembly in 2020. The General Council studied ways in which the Assembly can reflect the various vocations within the Movement and their geographical and cultural diversity. They also discussed how to reconcile the need for continuity and the need for innovation that characterise the Movement at present. A commission will shortly be formed to organise the Assembly and their work will be based on these two areas. While the retreat may seem to be made up of questions without answers, that was not the case. While it was agreed not to draw up a statement or guidelines, what came to light is the journey being travelled now, the fruit of the Movement’s life throughout the world. Posing questions about the journey; being challenged by the issues of the day and seeking answers; drawing on the past to look to the future: all this can yield unexpected effects. All this can enable us to meet the Risen Lord on unexpected roads, just as happened to the two disciples who, leaving the empty tomb behind them, set off towards Emmaus.
Joachim Schwind
Feb 14, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Esther is Maori and Tom is of Irish and Scottish descent. Their story turns on its head the principle that there can be no real communication between very different cultures. Son of an Irish mother and a Scottish father, Tom was 26 years old when he arrived in New Zealand. While the Maori people were the first inhabitants of New Zealand, after numerous successive waves of migration it has become a multicultural country. Tom arrived with one of the low-cost flights that the British and New Zealand governments offered to young people willing to stay for at least two years overseas. Esther, on the other hand, is Maori and the oldest of 13 children. The two of them met at a disco and it was love at first sight. “I never noticed that we came from two different cultures,” Tom remembers. “And I didn’t really think about the fact that he was white,” Esther adds. “When I saw her I simply fell in love,” says Tom. The complications came later, when they announced to their families that they wanted to get married. His mother reminded him that he would not be able to take her to England because she isn’t white. Even Esther’s grandmother was not quite sure about Tom. She had already chosen another man for Esther, as she had done before for her own daughter, Esther’s mother. The traditions in the Maori community are strong and difficult to disregard. However, after the initial shock, Tom’s parents learnt to love their Maori daughter-in-law and Tom was welcomed into Esther’s large family. By mutual consent, the children were baptised and educated in the Catholic Church – where Esther belonged and where Tom felt the desire to belong. The first contact with the Focolare took place in 1982 through Father Durning, a Scottish priest who was Tom’s catechist and a missionary to the Maori community. Having been invited to spend a weekend with the women focolarine, Esther and Tom set off with their children. They felt a bit of trepidation… “I was trying to read the Bible – Tom recalls – but I got nothing out of it. Instead, I was struck by a phrase that one of them had said: “Try to see the presence of Jesus in whoever passes you by.” I said to her that if she knew my job at the railways, she would have agreed with me that it just wasn’t possible! I explained that it was such a difficult environment – but she insisted. So I did try it, and my faith became stronger. I had found what I was looking for – a way of living my faith in my daily life.” At their first Mariapolis Esther and Tom found themselves listening to people who shared personal experiences and events “interpreted” in the light of the Gospel – and these stories struck a chord with them. But theirs was not a simple story to tell because Tom had started drinking, a habit that had begun at work. Tom explains what happened next. “One evening, while I was about to have a beer, Esther asked me what I was doing. I understood that I could not continue to live like this; I had a wife and four children. Alcoholism was destroying our family, so I decided I had to stop.” But the life of a family like theirs is never boring and as soon as one challenge was over, another one immediately presented itself. And that’s what happened – after an accident, Tom was forced to leave his job and they decided to swap roles. “Esther went to work and I stayed home to look after the children,” says Tom. “I had to learn to do many things as well as the difficult ‘art’ of loving at home. To our friends, our choice seemed totally against the current. We can’t say that everything went smoothly, but even with our ups and downs, we always found ourselves united. Even when we have different points of view, or when I get fixed on an idea, I remember that Chiara Lubich taught us to always be the first to love, to apologize and never to lose the courage to keep on loving.” As Esther says, “For 46 years the spirituality of unity has become our daily lifestyle. I understand that God has given us a beautiful life. He has set us high goals and given us the faithfulness we need to reach them. So, for now, we keep going ahead.”
Gustavo E. Clariá
Feb 13, 2019 | Non categorizzato
At times the closest relationships turn out to be the most difficult ones. Such was the experience of Miso Kuleif and her father. “I have always had a difficult relationship with my father. Neither I nor the rest of the family have ever managed to get along well with him, and because of this we suffered a lot. Yet, there was a precise moment in my life when I discovered that my father really loves me and that I love him too”. Miso Kuleif, a 24 year old young girl, introduced her experience with these words. She was born in Jordan, but has been living in Italy with her family for more than twenty years. Miso’s father suffered from health problems for quite a long time, but the situation was at its worst about three years ago when he ugently needed liver transplant surgery. He chose to have the operation done in Jordan, as there, unlike Italy, the donor can be alive. “The problem was to find a donor”, Miso continued, “and therefore to find someone willing to undergo compatibility checks. When I got to know this, it did not take much to decide. I left with my father to undergo the necessary tests”. “From where did I get this strength? I have been living the spirituality of unity for some years and this helped” – she explained. “I met the Focolari in my hometown through the Diocesan Movement that promotes the spirituality of unity in many dioceses and parishes. During our meetings, we have often spoken about loving others as the Gospel teaches and about being ready to give our life to others. Now I couldn’t back out. If we have the chance to save a life, we cannot refrain from doing it”. Miso left Italy; she interrupted her university studies without knowing when she would be back. Her experience in Jordan was quite tough. “I was there alone, surrounded by a family to whom I did not seem to belong. If I had to undergo surgery, I could not have the comfort of the ones I wanted to be near”. But she moved on. Tests proved that Miso’s organ was not compatible with her father’s. After a short while a donor was found; it was her father’s brother, the only one who accepted to do the necessary checks. “It took me quite a while to metabolize this experience. Thanks also to members of the Movement who were quite close to me, I realized that I love my father, even though it is difficult for me to admit it. It is easier to hate someone, but it is much more harmful. The real problem was not the situation itself, but the way I dealt with it. I learned that we can always be happy, and this depends on us. The Gospel says: “Freely you have received, freely give”. Now I know how important these words are. If my life were different, maybe it would have been simpler, but I would not be the one I am today”.
Feb 12, 2019 | Non categorizzato
‘We have to work together and have the courage to make things work.’ Loris Rossetto spoke with conviction at the recent ‘Co-Governance, Mutual Responsibility in Cities Today’ where he recounted the story of ‘Bella Calabria’ a hostel which is operating from a building confiscated from the Mafia. ‘Sometimes we mistakenly tell ourselves ‘nothing ever changes’ or, ‘it’s better not to take the risk’. However, when we roll up our sleeves and work as a team, you get results.’ This is the experience of Loris Rossetto and his wife, who, having left Calabria in the 1990’s to live in Venice and then Trent. On returning to their home region in 2005, they set up activities in buildings confiscated from the N’drangheta, as the Mafia is known there. Having experienced efficient ways of working up north, they wanted to combine the warmth, natural resources and culture of the south and develop, ‘A unique kind of tourism, characterised by the welcome and friendship that is typically Calabrian. Their goal was to promote the economic growth of the region, but above all to create friendships with people from other countries. They wanted to encourage the local population to work for the common good, without breaking the law, and to believe that the rejuvenation of the area was possible. The facts speak for themselves. In Calabria there are 35 local Councils that the state has taken out of the hands of the Mafia, including the regional capital. Half the drugs entering Italy pass through the region. But as the Rossetto’s experience showed, the scourge of the Mafia will not triumph for those who have the courage to promote a new way of relating to each other. ‘We started off by founding ‘Friends of the German Language,’ explained Loris, ‘wanting to promote exchanges between our town and German speaking countries. The first project was the creation of a meeting centre. Then we had the idea of opening the ’Bella Calabria’ hostel in a reclaimed building in Cutro, a village in Crotone province. On the 11thApril 2015 the building was opened. “We created a programme of classes,” continued Loris, “48 hours at the hostel with the motto ‘a happy person is one who respects the rules’. It was subtitled, ‘Do to others as you would have them do to you.’ They absorbed this idea and understood that to work as part of a team is good thing. The students learn foreign languages through simulation and dialogue in those languages.” But the first stages in this adventure were a steep learning curve. And it wasn’t because the couple didn’t understand what they had to do regarding finance or tourism. In the summer water is scarce. They have to store water in tanks, but it is never enough. However, luckily, the following year a Council was elected that really wanted to support and help them, and now they have better water distribution. The couple saw this as a sign from heaven to encourage them to keep going. And so bit by bit the project continued to grow. People came from the north of Italy as well as guests from Europe, a hockey team from Hamm, a class from Dresden and the German Red Cross. Everyone experienced the warmth of Calabrian hospitality and the local people, who were at first nonplussed, became interested in the project. “The people of Cutro have responded amazingly,” observed Loris, “Quite often a surprised tourist told us they had gone into a bar and were offered a coffee or a neighbour brought them fresh fruit. Our guests are so struck by all this that they fall in love with the place and the hostel, and those who come once, often return. We understand we’re on the right track. We are going to open a second hostel at Crotone, and have put forward a project which involves 3 parks: at Cropani Marina we want to teach driver’s education using mini-cars. We’ll offer a mountain biking course in Isola and a course in botany in Ciro. There are still problems with these projects, but it will work out in the end.” The common denominator is strong motivation and an invitation: ‘Never stop dreaming; stand with your feet on the ground and look up to heavens if you want to love and improve your own environment.’
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Feb 11, 2019 | Non categorizzato
“Together for a new Africa” is an innovative leadership course for young leaders from across Africa. Over 100 participants attended from 13 different nations. “Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it, and let it become you and you will find great things happen FOR you, TO you and BECAUSE of you.” This famous Allan T. Armstrong quote sums up the spirit of the leadership course for over 100 young leaders from 12 nations of East Africa as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo which took place in January at the Focolare “Mariapoli Piero” centre near Nairobi. It is the first in a series of Summer Schools under the ambitious title of “Together for a new Africa”. One of the pioneers of this course is Burundian Melchior Nsavyimana, a lecturer in political studies and currently Coordinator at the Institute for Regional Integration at the Catholic University of East Africa. He described the aim of the first course as “to explore and experience an idea of leadership which is both rooted in the values of the African continent and also able to respond to today’s challenges; leadership which acts in a ‘communitarian’ way, which builds community, using the instruments and language of universal fraternity. If this is something which will affect our future, it deserves our commitment now. And we turn to the fundamentals of the culture of unity”. The effectiveness of this endeavor is facilitated by the close collaboration of a network of interested bodies: Sophia University Institute, The Politics for Unity Movement, the New Humanity NGO, with the cooperation of UNESCO and support from Caritas and Missio. The idea was first born as an initiative of an international group of African students attending the Sophia University Institute, in Loppiano, Italy. Together they decided to make a joint commitment to work for a new Africa, starting from the transformation and cultural renewal of its leadership. Twenty lecturers from East Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Sophia Institute delivered the first sessions in a three-year interdisciplinary and intercultural program covering themes such as responsible citizenship, leadership, a ‘culture of fraternity’, in order to tackle head-on the difficulties facing this continent. “The journey has just begun,” announces the program’s website [togetherforanewafrica.org]. “Africa (particularly Eastern Africa) is undergoing a very complex series of demographic, political, social and cultural changes. One of the effects of these changes is the increase of uncertainty they produce. Young people often lack the tools required to understand the changes in progress, and remain passive in the face of the conflicting demands of politicians, armed groups, multinationals etc. Having analyzed this context, we African graduates of Sophia University Institute, understood our responsibility as African young people to define actively with fellow youth the Africa we want in future as it is proposed by African Union Agenda 2063. The contribution of our initiative is to offer African young people an integral training on responsible leadership and create a network among them for acting together for the Africa they want.”
edited by Stefania Tanesini
Feb 11, 2019 | Non categorizzato
This year the Focolare Movement’s General Council has chosen a significant venue for its annual retreat: the Holy Land and the city of Jerusalem. The Ecumenical Institute at Tantur, located on the border between Jerusalem and Bethlehem, is an oasis of hospitality and fellowship. It welcomes anyone who wants to immerse themselves in the complex reality of Jerusalem, with its many cultures, peoples, religions and Christian traditions. That is why it is a suitable location for the annual retreat of the General Council of the Focolare Movement, being held there from 10-17th February. Friederike Koller and Angel Bartol, the central delegates of the Movement and organisers of the retreat, said this meeting embraces past, present and future. “A journey to the Holy Land is always a pilgrimage that calls on us to look to the past, to the historical foundations of the Christian faith and its roots in Judaism. Regarding the present, we will address one of the principle themes of the year 2019, which is the aspect of the ‘communion of goods, economy and work’. The intention is to reclaim within the Movement as a whole a radical Gospel lifestyle concerning the communion of goods, including material goods. Then, on the basis of an alternative lifestyle imbued with the charism of unity, we will seek answers to the economic challenges that present themselves today. We will also look to the future, considering two important subjects: work for and with the new generations, and preparations for the General Assembly in 2020.” Angel Bartol emphasised the importance of thoroughly applying the chosen working method, considering there are 62 participants at the meeting. “Whether we work in plenary or in small groups, we are always on pilgrimage. We feel we are continuously journeying with Jesus who wants to be present, living and active in our midst. This is possible when each one of us is ready to offer our point of view without being attached to it”. Friederike Koller added, “In this way we too can make a small contribution towards peace, which the Word of Life for this month encourages us to pursue and that the world, and especially this city, need so much.”
Joachim Schwind
Link: Focolare President Maria Voce’s greeting as the group left for Jerusalem
