Jan 13, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Natives and migrants live side by side in this vast territory characterised by its cold and dry climate. This is Patagonia, in the extreme south of Argentina, where there are various communities of the Movement and where there has been a focolare centre since 2010. 
It’s an enchanting landscape with rivers, lakes, the sea, mountains and glaciers. It’s populated by many species of animals: whales, penguins, mara (or hares) of Patagonia, guanaco (similar to llamas and common in South America) and Darwin’s rhea, a large flightless bird endemic to this region and known locally as the “choique”. In this scenario with its cold and dry climate, the southernmost focolare centre in the world opened in the city of Trelew in 2010. The territory of Trelew, inhabited by the native Mapuche-tehuelche peoples, was named after the arrival of Welsh immigrants in 1865. The city is almost a natural “gateway” to the vast territory of Patagonia (1,768,165 km²), which was already home to lively groups of members of the Movement. 
Today the focolare accompanies the communities of Neuquen, Rio Negro, Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego. There are five focolarinas in the focolare – Angela Correia of Brazil, Emma Murillo of Mexico and three from Argentina: Silvia Deramo, Mónica Reina and Maria Ángel. “I am very happy to be here where Don Bosco sent Salesian missionaries, after he saw a land that he recognized as Patagonia a dream,” explains Mónica. Emma introduces herself: “For me to meet the Focolare Movement was to experience the immense love of God. The more I knew God, the more I wanted to love him, to follow Him to bring Love to the ends of the earth. And in fact … that’s where I am – right at the end of the world!! How do we live here? We try to put evangelical love into practice: at work, on the street, in the parish and in the communities of the Movement scattered throughout Patagonia.” Angela, a professor of Portuguese language at the state university, continues. “ I have experienced that trying to convey the values in which I believe, not through words, but through the way I live, has created relationships of friendship and trust with colleagues and students. I have seen many individualistic attitudes change.” Assisting the local Church in pastoral activities, engaging in the dialogue between the Churches and with people of other convictions, as well as assisting in activities to support needy families are among the activities of the Movement in this culturally rich environment and very varied society. The population is made up of people from different countries and cultures. Many move from neighbouring regions and countries in search of work and a better future. This enriches the population, but it is also a challenge, because many of these people stay only for a period of their lives, and then they return to their places of origin.
Jan 11, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Archbishop Armando Bortolaso died on January 8, after almost 70 years in “his” beloved land, the Middle East. For 10 years he was Apostolic Vicar in Syria. How can someone manage to live for almost 70 years in such a long-suffering land? “For someone in religious life, it’s not a question of how long, but of mission. You need to be there where people most need to be loved.” That was how Archbishop Armando Bortolaso described his vocation in 2013 – explaining the deepest meaning of his choices as a person, priest and bishop. He left us on January 8 at the age of 91, at the El Houssein house of the Salesians in Beirut, after having lived almost 70 years in “his” land, the Middle East. Born in the Veneto region in northeast Italy in 1926, he went to Jerusalem in 1948. He had joined the Salesians and celebrated his first mass in 1953 in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre, before taking on various roles in Israel, Lebanon and Syria. “A man of dialogue,” “a front-line bishop,” “builder of unity”. Those remembering him describe him in a number of ways that offer profound insights into this humble, open man. He had an unshakable faith in unity, which he lived and preached as the one destiny of all peoples, especially his beloved Syrians. He lived with them for 22 years, 10 of which were as Apostolic Vicar. “Syria is my second homeland,” he affirmed in an interview. “To know that ‘my’ people are wracked by suffering; to see Aleppo, a blessed city, reduced to ruins, and the churches destroyed, these cherished ancient Christian churches, makes my heart ache. This is also because of the widespread indifference to this tragedy as it is happening.” Due to his vast knowledge of the Middle East, Archbishop Bortolaso was able to analyse the causes of conflicts clearly and soberly while identifying ways toward solutions. He also had an enlightened and prophetic approach, the result of his firm faith in the love of God, who never forsakes his children even in the most desperate of circumstances. Following the war in 2006, he wrote from Lebanon to Fr. Arrigo, a priest in Vicenza. “Amid the many disasters in this war, we have witnessed something wonderful and new. Many Muslims are searching for and finding refuge with Christians who, setting aside the painful scars of the civil war took in the refugees and befriended them. This living together as brothers and sisters is something very new and would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. For now it is just a small seed, yet tomorrow it could become a giant cedar, extending its branches throughout this land famous for its cedars.” Armando Bortolaso learned of the Focolare spirituality in Belgium at the end of the 1960s. You could say that unity and dialogue became his life’s compass. For many years he was committed to the life of fellowship among the bishop friends of the Focolare, to the point that a group of bishops in the Middle East grew up around him in Lebanon, also wanting to go deeper into the spirituality of unity. In another interview about the complex situation of the war in Syria, he said, “I always thought that those who direct their lives towards unity are cantered on the heart of Jesus. So I said to myself, ‘you are not the only the Bishop of the Latins, but the bishop of Jesus, and Jesus has 22 million people here in Syria.’ I have tried to live in unity always and with everyone – my priests, the religious, the faithful, with the bishops and with Christians of the Orthodox and Protestant Churches, and with Muslims.”
Stefania Tanesini
Jan 8, 2019 | Non categorizzato
400 administrators, citizens, economists, experts and professionals from all over the world will meet at Castel Gandolfo, Rome, from 17 to 20 January 2019 for four days of discussion and study on urban management, networking and models of sustainability and living together. Among the experts and protagonists that will participate in this conference and share their thought and experience in a “post-democratic” era, one finds Emilce Cuda, a politologist from Argentina well-versed in Pope Francis’ thought, the Hon. Sunggon Kim (김성곤), Buddhist, former General Secretary of the Korean National Assembly, Ximena Samper, an architect from Colombia and the Hon. Ghassan Mukheiber from Lebanon, Chairman of the Arab Region Parliamentarians Against Corruption. The Mayor of Katowice, Poland, where the COP 24 has just taken place, Angel Miret, coordinator of the operational committee for refugees in Catalonia and Izzedin Elzir, the President of the Islamic Community in Florence and Tuscany are also expected to participate. Urban management has always been a complex task, but today it is even more so. It needs to answer to a continuously changing society, that faces local and global problems and is conditioned by an uncontrollable technological development that causes the risk of great economical chasms and unprecedented areas of new poverty. Decisions need to be taken today, but these determine the future. Cities have a very strong strategical, political and cultural importance; they are “home” for more than half the world’s population (source UN), and this is not a free choice but it is often linked to lack of food and work. In this era dominated by sovereignities, cities are becoming real social hubs with an endless number of connections: civil, political, anthropological, economical, communicative. They express a new identity model, marked not by exasperating localism or nationalism, but by participation and sharing in the same common affair, as we all belong to the same human family, even before we participate in it. Co-Governance is being organized by “New Humanity Movement”, “Movement for Politics & Policy for Unity” and “Associazione Città per la Fraternità”. For further information: www.co-governance.org
Stefania Tanesini
Jan 7, 2019 | Non categorizzato
For more than three years, the Focolare community in Wallis- Futuna has been collaborating with the local authorities in an ecological initiative to restore the island of Wallis to its original beauty Wallis, Futuna, Alofi and another twenty small islands in the northern Pacific Ocean form an archipelago, which has been part of the French overseas territories since 1961. Wallis is the largest and most densely populated island; it is surrounded by lots of smaller islands and by an enormous coral reef. This area of outstanding natural beauty is being gradually spoilt by the increase of rubbish that is accumulating there. Everything from drinking straws, scrap, plastic bottles to tyres, glass and old furniture is either being dumped on the island or being washed up by the ocean, polluting the beaches and marine life. Eva Pelletier from the Focolare community said, “The problem has become more serious and has attracted a lot of attention from the media, including coverage by the RFO Wallis and Futuna channel. In 2015, in response to Pope Francis’ encyclical ‘Laudato Si’, we decided to launch a series of initiatives, aimed at both adults and children, to create greater awareness of the problem on our island. This ecological action created opportunities to collaborate and dialogue with a range of local organisations and groups. The problem has caused division and tension among the three leaders in the area and even in the Governing Assembly. In fact, we were very surprised when, in November 2017, at the beginning of the week dedicated to waste reduction all over Europe (SERR), our Prefect, with the support of the Department of the Environment, wanted to take part in one of our initiatives on the little island of Nukuloa, to the north of Wallis. Given the significance of the occasion, they were joined by other ministers, the leader of the northern district and the governors of Vaitupu and Vailala. After the opening speeches and ceremony offering garlands and typical food to the participants, a child very spontaneously handed out gloves to wear during rubbish collection; the first people to be given these gloves were the Prefect and the Prime Minister. That day we cleared 500 kilos of rubbish from the beaches. The Department of the Environment has supported this initiative since 2016 and has provided boats, lorries and workers. In May last year, we realised that we should not limit our work to just the collection of rubbish (more than 2600 kilos) but that we should focus on the prevention of an epidemic of dengue fever that is spread by infected mosquitoes. We began to clean up the canals, drains, riverbanks and even a very deep well. Everyone needs to do their part and even if they do not, we are not going to lose hope. As Chiara Lubich said, ‘In loving, want counts is to love.’”
Chiara Favotti
Jan 6, 2019 | Non categorizzato
For months we’ve been following apprehensively as the situation evolves at Fontem, the first of the Focolare’s little towns in Africa. We were able to reach Margaret Long and Etienne Kenfack, who speak for the community there and let us know the latest. “For Fontem, 2018 was a difficult year,” explains Margaret Long, “because the conflict that is still ongoing in the northwest and southwest regions of the country shows no signs of calming. Many residents have been forced to leave their houses and take shelter in the forest or in nearby cities. The college has been closed for some time, and the hospital is running on a skeleton staff. “Ever since we focolarini left Fontem last October – a difficult decision, but taken together, we were certain it was the right thing to do – many others left as well, especially families who wanted to give their own children the chance to go to school, which was no longer possible in the little town. “Unfortunately we can’t say when life will be able to get back to the way it was. We are in daily contact with those who have stayed: Aracelis Nkeza and Mbe Tasong Charles are carrying on the life of the Focolare community there. “As far as the hospital is concerned,” continues Etienne Kenfack, “the current level of danger does not allow us to guarantee the security and protection of those who work there. We therefore turned to the health authorities to try to understand how to proceed. “Based on their advice, we communicated the situation with employees and concluded our working relationship according to the legal norms there in Cameroon. Those who chose to continue working did so freely under their own personal responsibility. This is why the hospital continues to maintain a minimal level of service for the population.” To the question of what the future holds for the little town, Margaret responds that everyone greatly hopes that people can begin again and life can return to normal. “The closeness of many people around the world who are praying or write to us gives us a lot of strength.” Doubts may arise as to whether the conflict, other than destroying human lives, material goods and even dreams, is compromising Fontem’s mission as Chiara Lubich saw it — to be a beacon of unity and intercultural dialogue for the African continent. Etienne explains that since the early 1960s Chiara compared the little town to a light that originated from the reciprocal love lived by everyone. “Today, 50 years later, it seems that this love and solidarity between everyone has grown. You could even say that the more precarious and dangerous the situation becomes, the more it increases.” Margaret adds that many things have changed in Africa since the beginnings. “In those days the spirituality of unity had only reached Fontem, while today it is in every country on the continent. There is the little town of Man (Mariapolis Vittoria) on the Ivory Coast, which gives witness to intercultural dialogue, and there is also Mariapolis Piero in Kenya, which is a training center for all of Africa in the spirituality of unity. In addition, many focolarini who were at Fontem have now gone to support other focolares on the continent. Despite continual challenges, the uncertainties of each day, and not knowing how it will all end, we are sure that God’s plan for Fontem has not been interrupted. As Pope Francis says, we are only at the beginning, and the Holy Spirit, who renews all things, will surely also remake Fontem.
Stefania Tanesini
Jan 4, 2019 | Non categorizzato
In some countries children receive gifts on the feast of the Epiphany. What about the Child Jesus? Who thinks of him? Here’s a story that really happened, as Chiara Lubich told it to children in the little town of Loppiano (Italy).
My dear gen 4, I have to tell you a true story about something that happened at Christmas time, in a city called Vicenza in Italy. It’s a true story. There was a parish priest in that city who hadn’t been there for long and he taught the girls and boys … the art of loving. … But Christmas was coming up and so the Parish priest said to these children: “Look it is going to be Christmas soon so all of you have to try and do many, many, many acts of love for Baby Jesus”, and the Children said, “Yes, we will”. And they started to do many acts of love. On the night before Christmas, before Baby Jesus was born, the parish priest put the manger out in front of the altar, but it was empty because baby Jesus hadn’t been born yet. That evening the children saw the parish priest coming in with a very big parcel filled with a great many little rolls of yellow paper. There were 277 of these little rolls of yellow paper and on each one was written an act of love. So all together there were 277 acts of love. Now what did the Parish Priest do? He took these little rolls of paper and put them into a big sack, he filled up the sack and put it in the manger. He told the children, “Your acts of love will be like a pillow and a mattress for Baby Jesus when he is born. And the children were very happy to hear this. And so Christmas day came. Sometime in the morning, before midday, maybe at 10.30, the parish priest asked the children, “What do you think should we do with these acts of love? Do you know what we can do? We’ll tie them up into little parcels and then tie the parcels onto lots of balloons. We could even make two bunches of balloons and tie on the little parcels full of our acts of love. Then we will send them up to heaven and they will go to Baby Jesus. So all the children started to help. They had to buy the balloons and blow them up. They had to tie up the parcels with their acts of love and tie them onto the balloons and send them up to heaven. And the parish priest helped them send the balloons up into the sky. The children were really happy. They stared up into the sky and saw the balloons floating up higher and higher and becoming smaller and smaller, smaller and smaller until they couldn’t see them anymore. They started to say, “Maybe they will burst. Some of them said, “I bet they have all burst”. Some of them said, “Who knows?. Instead the balloons didn’t burst. Up there, high, high in the sky a strong wind blew up. A very strong wind. And what did the wind do? It tossed the balloons here and there, it blew them higher and further. For an hour, two hours, three hours. And the balloons kept on going where the wind was blowing them. And it kept on blowing them for four hours, five hours, six hours and more. I forgot to tell you that the parish priest had written his phone number on the little parcels. He just stuck it in at the last moment. Anyway at nine o’clock on Christmas night in a city far, far away from Vicenza, 100 miles from Vicenza and 100 miles is really a lot, in a city called Reggio Emilia there was a big house surrounded by a beautiful garden. Six little children were playing in the garden. They didn’t know anything about the Art of Loving. They were just 6 ordinary children who were outside in the garden playing. But they were very sad because their Christmas party was over. All of a sudden, even though it was quite dark, they looked up and saw many balloons floating down and all these balloons had lots of little parcels tied onto them. When they saw all the little parcels these children were really excited. This was much better than Santa Claus. This was Baby Jesus who was sending them all these balloons. It was really a miracle that the bunches of balloons made it and didn’t burst. They didn’t hurt anyone. They just floated down into this garden. The six children were so excited! They ran inside shouting, “Daddy, Mommy! Look what has happened! A lot of little parcels rained down from heaven and look at what is inside them!” And so their mother and father went outside in the garden to look. They looked in amazement and they saw all these little parcels filled with little rolls of yellow paper. They unrolled them and started to read. One of them opened the roll of paper and read what was written: “I said sorry to one of my friends out of love for Jesus”, that’s one. And another, “Jesus, I offer you the effort it takes me to get up in the morning and go to serve as an altar boy at mass. And another one, “I did something nice for someone even if it was very hard to do”. And then another one, “I always say I am sorry to God when my grandfather swears”. And then another one, “This week I helped my parents set the table, carry in the shopping, wash the kitchen floor, and sweep my room”. So that child did a lot of things. And then listen to this one, “I dried the dishes even though by mum didn’t ask me to, and I also helped clean the house”. That one did two acts of love. And another one, “When my little brother Sebastian doesn’t want to sleep, I pick him up and carry him to my bed or my parents bed and I put him to sleep by singing him songs or telling him stories”. And another one, “When we went swimming I lent my bathing cap to my little brother because he forgot his”. Just a minute, I have got another one, I have only brought some to them with me because there were 277 of them and that’s really a lot! Listen to this one. “I peeled an orange for my grandpa because I know his hands hurt — and I tied my cousins shoe laces because my grandma’s back was sore”. This boy was really caring for everyone. And there is one more. It’s the last one. “I did what the cube told me: “To be the first to love” because when I went to confession there were lots of children in a long line waiting and I let them all go ahead of me.” That’s just a few experiences these children had written. So what happened to all these little rolls of paper? Well, like I said, those 6 children took them to their mom and dad who noticed that among all those experiences there was also the phone number of the parish priest. So what did they do? It was nine o’clock at night, so quite late. But they picked up the phone just the same and called the number. The parish priest answered and they asked, “Are you Father John”? “Yes, that’s me.” “Well we are in Reggio Emilia and all these balloons floated down into our garden, with all these acts of love from the children in your parish. What will we do with them?” So they decided that the children would take the 277 acts of love to their school to show their teacher and their friends. In that school now all the children are writing to the children in Vicenza, so these 6 children and their friends will learn to do acts of love. Source: Chiara Lubich Center
