29 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
“When I was 6, my mother made me sign up to the daily social assistance program at Bukas Palad, which is a social project put on by the Focolare through its AMU (Action for a United World) and AFN (New Families) organizations. She had met a teacher who worked there. I remember her telling me, ‘There you will learn to have a smile that shines.’ My mother also participated in formation meetings and started to commit herself as a Volunteer. Initially I thought that she did it because she had nothing else to do, other than housework, but then I changed my mind when I saw that she also went on Saturdays. My father and brothers noticed she was happier. I was also attracted by the spirit of reciprocal love and unity that there was between staff members. Thanks to the project I was able to complete all my studies and graduate. I can testify that Bukas Palad had a fundamental role in most of my experiences and life choices. I remember quite well all the activities that we had at school and during the weekends with all the students. The training we received helped us become people who were sensitive to others and consider being poor not as an obstacle to doing what we want, but a gift. Through the project I met Chiara Lubich and the young people of the Focolare. Growing up in this environment, I learned that dreams can be reached if we believe that God’s love has a plan for each of us in our lives. I graduated with a degree in education from the University of Cebu, and then I passed the teacher’s entrance exam. Immediately after graduating I started working, continually accompanied by my Focolare ‘family’, who were always at my side, even when I had to face the world of work and life in general. Whether in moments that were satisfying or those that were more difficult, I had one of Chiara Lubich’s sayings with me: ‘Be family.’ When I think of Bukas Palad, I know well what it is to be a family. At first I taught in a private school for five years. Then in 2014, I requested a change to teach in public school. I was assigned to a school in Mandaue, a city that is part of the Cebu metropolitan area. Here things were completely different; there was not the same structure or systems in place that I was used to. When I had been teaching in private school, I thought that being a teacher meant having a huge heart and a brave soul. Now that I work in a public school, I believe I need a heart that is even larger, a soul that is even more courageous, and even more strength. Each time I’m tempted to leave this work behind, something keeps me here – especially the children. I see in them myself and my friends, many years ago, when we dreamt of becoming what we are now. Perhaps I will not be able to give them the same help and support that my family and I have received, but I try my best to transmit that same love to them.”
28 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
In a communication issued by the local headline “Actualite.cd”, the hospital’s health department reports that “seriously ill and severely injured patients were urgently transferred to the nearest hospitals” and that the priority at this time is to rescue those people “who are still under the rubble” and to give support to those who have been affected. Significant damage has been caused to facilities, such as the destruction of the radiology department, the centre for diagnostics and other sectors.
The maternity department and pediatrics, as well as an operating theatre were inaugurated two years ago. The collapse of the silos owned by the FAD Congo company caused damage to surrounding buildings including a factory, where there have been other casualties. Several authorities, including the mayor of the municipality of Limete, have arrived on the scene.
The Focolare Movement expresses its solidarity with the victims in their suffering and assures its spiritual closeness to all families involved.
28 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
Politics as a vocation 70 years from the encounter between Chiara Lubich and Igino Giordani in Parliament. The roots of good politics lie in the deepest aspirations for common good. From the encounter at the House of Representatives between Igino Giordani and the founder of the Focolare Movement, Chiara Lubich, ensued a story that spread to every part of the world, involving the civil and political commitment of men and women who believe in the unity of the human family. The convention aims not only to commemorate this event but to actualize its message, and relaunch it to meet the challenges of today. Tuesday, 18 September 2018 – 4.30 pm Sala del Refettorio – Palazzo Dan Macuto Via del Seminario 76 ROME Contacts: Centro Igino Giordani Tel. 06/94798314 Email: info@iginogiordani.info
27 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato, Word of
for ages 4-8 | for ages 9-17 | Print | Audio
The Word of Life this month comes from a text attributed to the disciple James, who was a prominent figure in the Church in Jerusalem. He exhorted Christians saying there should be coherence between what they believed and what they did. The first paragraph of the letter highlights an essential condition that makes this possible. Christians needed to be free from all wickedness in order to welcome God’s word and be guided by it on the journey toward fulfilling their Christian vocation. The word of God has a creative power that produces fruits of goodness in both the individual and in the community. It builds relationships founded on love between each of us and God and among us all. James says this word has already been “planted” in us. “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.” One place where God clearly speaks to us is the Bible, and for Christians the Gospels are especially important. We can welcome God’s word by reading Scripture with love, and we see its fruits when we put it into practice. We can also listen to God in the depths of our hearts, where we often experience an influx of many voices and words. These might be slogans, or refer to choices we might make, or people to admire or maybe worries or fears. How can we recognize God’s word and leave room for it to live in us? We need to make ourselves still and surrender to God’s call, so as to listen freely and courageously to his voice which is usually gentle and quiet. God’s voice asks us to avoid being closed in on ourselves and to venture onto the path of encounter and dialogue with him and with others. It also calls on us to work so that human coexistence can become more harmonious and we can be increasingly ready to recognize one another as brothers and sisters. “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.” How can this be? It is surely because, from the very beginning, God stated clearly that humankind was created in his “image.” In fact, every human being is a “you” in relation to God. Every person is called into existence to share in God’s life of love and fellowship. In addition, for Christians the sacrament of baptism incorporates us into Christ, the word of God who entered into human history. God has, therefore, sown the seed of his word in every person. This word calls them to do what is good; it calls them to justice, self-giving and fellowship. When the word is welcomed and cultivated in our own “soil,” it produces life and fruit. “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.” In fact, the word of God can transform our daily life into the story of our liberation from the darkness of personal and social evil. However, we need to accept the word personally and consciously, even if it is an ongoing process and we are imperfect and fragile. Our thoughts and feelings will become more like those of Jesus himself. Our faith and hope in God’s love will grow stronger, and we will notice other people’s needs and help them. Chiara Lubich explained this in 1992: “We saw a profound unity between Jesus’ love for the Father and his love for his brothers and sisters. There was total coherence between his words and his life, and this fascinated and attracted everyone. “We too should be like him, accepting his words with childlike simplicity and putting them into practice. His words shine out in their purity, strength and completeness. By living them, we become the kind of disciples he wants us to be, disciples who are equal to their teacher, like Jesus spread throughout the world. What greater and more beautiful adventure could there be?” Letizia Magri soundcloud.com/…/word-of-life-september-2018
24 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
Mosaic by Paolo Scirpa (International Centre of the Focolare Movement, Rocca di Papa, Italy)
23 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
Drugs in school I had to take care of a student who had been using drugs. The usual punishment for this is exclusion from lessons for a week. I didn’t want this student to spend the time in bad company and so I arranged for him to work with a community and to come to school and study on his own in the library. In school, I stayed with him the whole time and helped him with the work his group were doing in class so that he would not fall behind. I found this very demanding but it helped me realise that loving your neighbour means practical action. M.M. – Spain A new way of life at home We are part of a team that runs courses for engaged couples. One day, just before leaving for a meeting, we had a row with our son. My wife and I still left the house and began to make our way to our appointment but we didn’t feel at peace about the situation. After a few kilometres, we realised that we had nothing to offer the engaged couples. I stopped the car and rang our son saying we were sorry for the way we had behaved. We continued the journey but then my wife pointed out that I had spoken in a very curt and dismissive way on the telephone and then we too began to argue. After a few more kilometres, we realised that we were not in a position to talk about mutual love and so we called one of the other couples and said that we were going home. As soon as we set foot inside the door, we explained what we had done to our son who was amazed that we had turned back. This was a lesson that has helped us establish a different way of life at home. K.E. – Czech Republic The school trip During a school journey, some of my friends threw away food from our lunches without even opening the packaging. I was really shocked. The following day, I made plans in advance: at lunch time, I collected all the food that my friends hadn’t even touched and put it in a bag. Then I took it to a centre for the homeless that was nearby. N. – Italy A new move After thirty-five years of service, the bishop asked me to move to a new parish. At first, I felt very confused and prayed a lot. Then, I realised that I shouldn’t see things only from my point of view and said that I was ready to make this move. Straightaway, all my fears about my new role and worries about my health vanished. I saw clearly that I wasn’t doing anyone a favour; it was the opposite, I was receiving a grace. This was the solid basis upon which I began life in the new parish – it was very different from when I started my ministry as a young priest many years before. E.B. – Slovenia A little act of love I heard that a colleague had been admitted to hospital. I was following a course in another town but, for a few months, every weekend when I came home I used to go to visit him. His parents also used to come from quite a distance to see him. I thought that they might like to go for a pizza with me after one of their visits and so I invited them out. I listened to all their worries and walked back with them to the place they were staying. They said they had not had such an enjoyable evening since their son had gone into hospital. A. – Italy
The Focolare Movement is closely monitoring the situation in the town of Limete, north of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. This afternoon there was 