21 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
“I thought you were asking for help and stumbled into this embrace. Your large, chilly arms awaited my warmth, an exchange of a kind gesture. Like earth awaits rain, a temple breathes prayer, a smile longs for lips, baggage hopes for a trip.” “This can’t end here, it can’t be. If you have completed this journey and reached my door, I hope you live on, always. If my path ended up with you, I want you to come along for the next stretch. I want to see you grow old, hear you speak my language better and better. I want to hear you confiding with my wife as if she was your mother and laugh with my children as if they were your siblings. I want to be there when you hug your mother, she who gave birth to you, your sisters, your brother. “I beg you. Listen to me. Open your eyes. Smile. I will teach you another magic trick. Put your curdled cells in my hands: I will make them disappear like coins, like paper. In their place I will put them back, healthy. And your body will once again start to work like a delicate, unbelievable mechanism. “I don’t have important things to tell you, thoughts to remember, memorable acts. I have rejected words, concepts that were forgotten even before they were born, meaningless signs. We’re never ready for detachment, it’s never the right time, and we can’t even conceive of absence. Even though you told me how your radiant God awaits, that death is but a natural threshold to cross in order to reach the next phase of existence, and that since you never treated anyone badly you will be rewarded in the afterlife. Even if I strongly believe that dying is going back to one’s origins, as Mary taught me: a marvelous, unending losing oneself in God. “Despite all of this, I don’t want you to go. I need to talk more with you, listen to you, solve problems together. With you I need to dare, to challenge the headwind, to demand, dialogue, and aspire to heaven while living through hell, promising each other, supporting each other. “There’s no point turning back: I am not ready to see you die, to watch you as you turn the dark corner of things we see and enter into that tunnel of light that we do not know. I am not ready and am only able to take you by the hand and guide your lips and mine in prayer to our one Father. Because what is natural to the divine is murky to people. We assign different names, we build up rules. Yet in the end, what counts is love toward others. “We met by chance, through those minimal circumstances that change the direction of our lives, to breathe a bit longer, through a revolving door that opened in a moment like any other. Yet now I feel you are like a brother and, as I hope with all my strength to see you awaken, I start to say with you: ‘Our Father…’”
Watch the video https://vimeo.com/204141968
18 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
The world renowned Italian tenor, active in various charitable commitments, will take centre stage in the “Festival of Families” in Croke Park Stadium (Dublin). The musical event will be held at the end of the World Meeting of Families with Pope Francis, from 21 to 26 August, on the theme “The Gospel of the family: joy for the world.” Andrea Bocelli who had said that “singing before the Pope is a privilege for the soul, also said: “It is a joy to be able to offer my modest contribution on the occasion of this grand meeting and moment of reflection on the family. The family remains the strongest building block of society, a cluster of affection and privileged space in which one can teach and learn – in every action – how to choose a life that leads to the greater good.”
18 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
In 1994, in conjunction with the International Year dedicated by the United Nations to the Family, John Paul II announced the “World Meeting of Families”, which took place in Rome 8-9 October of the same year. Since then, the event has been repeated every three years. The past editions were held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) in 1997, in Rome in 2000 (during the Jubilee Year), in Manila (Philippines) in 2003, in Valencia (Spain) in 2006, in Mexico City in 2009, at Milan (Italy) in 2012 and finally in Philadelphia (USA) in 2015. A few days before ninth edition, which will take place in Dublin (Ireland) on August 25-26 2018, with the title “The Gospel of the family: joy for the world”, thousands of families from 196 countries of the world are preparing for the meeting with Pope Francis. Half a million people are expected to attend the Mass. Promoted by the new Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, the event will be preceded by a three-day pastoral conference attended by 37,000 families.
17 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
Photo © CSC Audiovisivi
17 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
The celebration of the World Humanitarian Day, chosen by the UN Assembly in 2009 on the anniversary of the air raid of 19 August 2003, at the seat of the United Nations in Baghdad, is an occasion to pay tribute to the humanitarian operators who daily risk their lives worldwide to deliver their services in difficult and dangerous conditions. According to international law, this service is based on a series of principles, such as humaneness, impartiality, neutrality and independence. The operators are guaranteed access to countries affected by humanitarian crises, conflicts or climate disasters, to furnish immediate assistance, which for many, makes the difference between life and death, and through time a psycho-social support to rebuild the communities and maintain a durable and sustainable peace in the areas of conflict.
16 Aug 2018 | Non categorizzato
“Our Mariapolis in Calgary,” wrote Alizza and Norio from Canada, “was attended by about 120 people, particularly young people and families, mostly from the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, but also from Manitoba and the British Columbia. The program included the presentation of Pope Francis’s Apostolic Exhortation on the call to sainthood today (“Gaudete et exsultate”), followed by an open dialogue. The presentation, prepared by Rev. A. Martens of the diocese of Calgary, aroused in all the desire to read it personally. Another novelty in the “city founded on faith,” as a participant defined, was the prayer for peace soiree. The community of Chicago wrote: “We are at the conclusion of our Mariapolis which was held for the entire Midwest community. Already last year, we had felt the need to change the location and style of our traditional event, which has been held up to now always in a university campus in the city. The choice fell on the pleasant banks of a lake. 
The program entitled: “Mary: her experience, our experience,” reminded us that no one is immune to the trials and uncertainties which Mary of Nazareth had undergone, and showed us how to face them. The results?“The atmosphere of the Mariapolis seemed like that of a family luncheon: relaxed, with a lot of flexibility, improvisation (which also meant having a good sense of humour) and an overall sense of peace.” “The themes focused on and the sharing of experiences helped me to understand Mary more deeply, in the difficult times in which she lived and the way in which she managed to overcome the trials. I liked the group which shared about ’knowing how to lose’. This type of mentality is not popular in today’s world.” “Our Mariapolis was held in West Virginia, wrote the Focolare community of Washington DC, with 160 participants. The youth, who made up more than half of the participants,from being guests turned into protagonists and placed their numberless talents in the technical field at the service of the reception and management of the groups.” In Tennessee, USA, around 70 participants were from various southeastern States: Maryland, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, and Texas, besides those from Indiana and New York. “We dedicated much time to building relationships, and even watched some soccer world championship matches… The presence of the little ones was a gift, and they were always among the first one to recount their concrete acts of love. We delved deeper into Mary’s ‘yes’, and her “bring Jesus to the world.”During the final closing program, a boy who was accommodated in the same centre wanted to give his share of experiences. A Father said: “I was struck by the love of my son, who is 7. While I was busy preparing the final program, he went to fetch dinner for me.”And a child: “Why don’t we stay for a whole month?” From Bulgaria, a letter full of photos arrived: “It is the second time we are holding the Mariapolis in the central Balkan region, with about 80 people from 1 to 85 years of age. Before it started in the next-door Orthodox Monastery, there was a feast dedicated to Our Lady. Upon meeting us there, the Abbot insisted on meeting all the Mariapolis attendants on the next Sunday. We were a sole family: Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants (Baptists).” In Bolivia the Mariapolis, characterized by the numerous presence of young people, concluded with the young people’s Genfest. “The great mutual love between adults and the youth enabled the success of the two events. In the Mariapolis we held workshops on ecology, the economy of communion, dialogue and even choreographed dances and games for the last day’s Genfest, a great occasion to go well beyond our limits as the title of the event said, and to speak of God to many young people!”
