Non categorizzato - Movimento dei Focolari

Gen Rosso Music and Arts Village

21 Feb 2018 | Non categorizzato

The GEN ROSSO (INTERNATIONAL PERFORMING ARTS GROUP) is presenting the 1st edition of the Gen Rosso Music and Arts Village, a residential in-depth artistic experience with the sharing of values in the light of the charism of unity. The project addresses young professionals and students preferably from 18 to 30 years of age, in disciplines such as music, dance, singing and theatre. The didactic method is designed and handled by Gen Rosso tutors having the qualified artistic capacities and experience. The program will include the study of specific themes. Exchange of experiences, dialogue sessions and practical labs will be exhibited in a final performance. The evening sessions will be enriched with interesting artistic contributions. The first edition of the Village will take place from 25 March (arrivals in the afternoon) to 1 April 2018. A participation certificate will be issued at the conclusion. Gen Rosso, through the Village secretariat, is at everyone’s disposal for further information and all the documentation needed for enrolment. (limited number). Contacts Secreteriat VILLAGE: +39 0558339821 (9.00-13.00, Italian time) Franco Gallelli cell +39 3806592166 Email secretariat VILLAGE: village@genrosso.com

The network of love created by Gis

20 Feb 2018 | Non categorizzato

Gis and Ginetta

The youngest of three sisters, including Ginetta who would also become a focolarina, Gis was born in Lavis, Italy on April 18, 1920. Thanks to their mother’s many sacrifices, the three girls were able to continue their studies after the death of their father at an early age. When war broke out Gis and Ginetta moved to Veneto for work, where Gis would sometimes receive news from a schoolmate. With strong and incisive wording, the friend would describe the singular experience of the Gospel that was taking place in Trent among a group of her peers. Her words deeply struck Gis’ sensitive soul, who returned to Trent for Easter and wanted to meet Chiara Lubich. She soon discovered her own path in that experience of the Gospel. Without delay, she told Venetian owner that, although very grateful for the job, she would not be returning to the business and, to the young man to whom she was attached with a promising feeling, she wrote: “I’m not leaving you for another man, but for God.” From then on any reason was good to stop by the “little house” in Piazza Cappuccini, a small apartment that was being lent to that group of girls. “I lived a few kilometres away,” Gis recounts, “and the road was uphill all the way. I got up at five to attend the Mass with them, and for meditation in which Chiara made us enter into the fire of the words of the Gospel that changed the whole sense of everything: there was no difficulty whatsoever putting them into practice.” In the city everything was lacking because of the war. Gis remembered a land holding owned by her family where they grew fruit and vegetables. But how were they to get to them when only armed armoured tanks were allowed transit. Out of love for the many people who were knocking at the door of the “little house” in search of something to eat, they armed themselves with courage and stood themselves at the side of the road, hitched a ride from the soldiers who were driving the heavy tanks. They drove by them without even noticing them, but then one stopped and, at hearing the reason for their being there,, allowed them to climb up onto the tank. The same guy drove back with them to the “little house” with two huge baskets filled with good things from God. When the war ended Gis and Ginetta asked their mother to let them live in the focolare. Ginetta got permission, but the little one no. She didn’t give up: she knew that her decision was final and it would only be a matter of time. The solution was found by Igino Giordani who, knowing Mamma Calliari to be one of his passionate readers, offered Gis a job in Rome. On December 6, 1949, the mother was happy to opt for Giordani. She let Gis leave for Rome, oblivious to the fact that besides being the judges secretary, she would open the first focolare at the capital of Italy with Chiara and others. From then on Gis lived at Chiara’s side with a few short interruptions to start up focolares in several places around Italy. Speaking of those 25 years with Chiara, in 2005 she confided: “It’s very simple, limpid, profound: all that is hers is mine, all that is mine is hers.” It was a remark that fully represented who Chiara was for everyone in her focolare: “Philadelphia is more than a reality,” says Chiara. “It’s here where I take strength to face the daily crosses (after the personal union with Jesus). Here you go from Divine Wisdom that’s shared spontaneously, to practical advice on health, a dress, the house, the food; to constant little helps, every day, with sacrifices that could never be counted. Here […] The blood that flows between us is of a home, but a heavenly home.” FNFOC-20180123-091

“In her office,” Gabri Fallacara recalls, “she telephoned everybody, building a network of love, incisive, open and understanding. With absolute trust she placed herself in the most favorable conditions for discerning what the charism of unity asked, day after day, of Chiara and of us.” Following Chiara’s death Gis continued living for everyone, in spite of her failing capacities, she was a gushing fountain of tenderness and affection. In July 2017 her worsening health transformed her room into a crossroads of heavenly encounters. On January 2018, Gis peacefully left this world. “Right to the end she continued to give of herself in order to make Chiara continue to live in the Movement today. She gave me a big lesson of simplicity, radicality, trust in God’s plan and unity with all.”

The Roman Colosseum will be lit red

20 Feb 2018 | Non categorizzato

In remembrance of persecuted Christians around the world, on Saturday 24^th of February the Help to the Suffering Church (ACS) will colour the Roman Colosseum red. In the same context, two other symbols of the recent persecutions of Christians will be painted the same colour: St Paul Cathedral in Mosul, Iraq, and the Maronite Church of St Elia in Aleppo, Syria. After the Trevi Fountain lit up in red on April 29, 2016, ACS returns again to offer this “sober provocation” in the capital, as the director of ACS-Italia, Alessandro Monteduro explained during the press conference held for the event. The main event will be held in Rome, in Largo Gaetana Agnesi, starting at 6 pm. The general secretary of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Mgr. Nunzio Galantino, and the president of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani confirmed that they will be present. Source: SIR

United World Ambassadors

17 Feb 2018 | Non categorizzato

Since the deadline is set for 1 March, there is still time to participate in the #FraterniTALES contest organised by the United World Project, and become “United World Ambassadors.” The Ambassadors selected will cooperate with UNESCO’s National Commissions in the presentation of the good practices promoted during the United World Week in their respective countries. “Besides promoting peace actions and projects, the youths will have to show their talents in tracking down facts and choices for brotherhood,” explained Marco Desalvo, president of the NGO New Humanity, promoter of the contest, and the more extensive United World Project together with the Youth for a United World of the Focolare. Young people aged 18 to 24 may participate in the selection, and must have the skills, passion and interest in issues like universal brotherhood, global citizenship, sustainable development, education in human rights, functions of international institutions and ethical leadership. All the #FraterniTALES will be published on the contest’s Facebook and Instagram pages. The 30 most outstanding candidates will become true and proper spokespersons of the United World Project in their countries of origin after a training course to be held in two phases, the second of which will be at the Genfest in Manila. For information and sending of documents (video or text) see United World Project

From a Manger to the Cross

17 Feb 2018 | Non categorizzato

Foto: Pixabay

Jesus is the poor person whose life began in a manger and ended on a cross. When he, a carpenter’s son, began his public life, he had nowhere to stay, nowhere to lay his head, nothing to eat. His actions don’t touch upon human suffering and emptiness or from the outside; he personally enters into them, carries our burdens and bears them all the way to abandonment and death. He doesn’t destroy his enemies with a powerful lightning-bolt from the sky; he lets himself be scourged and taunted— and he forgives those who hurt him. He doesn’t turn the stones into bread to satisfy his hunger, but raises in us a hunger for the Word of God, a hunger for life, justice, and truth much greater than those things which fill us up with a momentary sense of wellbeing. Whenever he encountered the small, the poor and suffering, Jesus never passed on by because he had more important things to deal with than helping them. The child, the sick, the sinner, the grieving mother—they upset his plans and programs. They touched his heart. Jesus doesn’t have hidden interests, he doesn’t harbour something mysterious behind the scenes . . . he is totally forthright and transparent. Whoever sees him, sees the Father in total transparency. Before the sin of the world, before our misery, Jesus never says: “Ah, look at that!” He takes it all on himself and, in this way, establishes peace in his own blood. Jesus doesn’t run away from contradictions, but bears them to the very end—he, the first in the infinite human chain of persecuted and disinherited human beings. That’s Jesus, and people who follow him feel an immediate freedom, a joy and a depth in their own humanity that they find nowhere else and have never found before. (From a homily on November 1, 1979) Klaus Hemmerle – La luce dentro le cose – Città Nuova 1998 pp. 49-50

Engaged couples: The strength of personal witness

15 Feb 2018 | Non categorizzato

The international conference for engaged couples held in Castel Gandolfo (Rome) has just ended. It was organised by the New Families Movement of the Focolare, and attracted the participation of 65 couples. Besides addressing the issue of personal choice and identifying and overcoming crises in relationships, with a special focus on communication, affection and spirituality, what impressed most were the real-life stories shared by couples. One example was the experience shared by Massimo and Francesca from Rome, married for 17 years, both managers in a Telecom company and the latter, also a teacher of Italian to foreign students. Francesca: According to the doctors, we would not be able to have children, and even if there would be a pregnancy, the certainty of success would not be assured. It was a sentence without appeal. After a prior moment of distress, a reassuring conviction made its way: fertility lies not only in a biological capacity, but in being able to generate love around you. So we continued to bring ahead, with unchanged enthusiasm, the initiatives that had accompanied the choices we had made in our youth to work for others. We would also be open to life, albeit the fear of serial and traumatic miscarriage. Two years had not passed when we discovered that we were expecting a baby. As foreseen, the pregnancy was difficult, and progressed despite the verdicts of the doctors who continued to remind us of the serious risks entailed and the care we had to take. In those difficult moments we prayed to God, the author of life, which made us even more conscious of the preciousness of that little bundle which wanted to grow inside me despite the severe opinion of the doctors. The doctors were astounded when at the end of term, Alessandro was born very healthy, and I too was well, though they even told us: now you have a child, do not dare venture beyond. Massimo: Instead we were still open to life and after a few years, a new pregnancy came up, followed by a new wave of amazement, skepticism and recommendations of the doctors. At the advanced stage, there was a suspicion of the Down syndrome, to be ascertained through an amniocentesis. Once again, despite the trauma of this news, we felt that the certainty of God’s love was stronger for us and our baby, to whom we wanted to give an unconditional welcome. Those were months of fear and distress which we again overcame by targeting not to remain entangled by the suffering but to live it as an occasion to love one another and all around us. At Matteo’s birth they told us that he did not have the Down syndrome, but a heart malformation which required hospitalization until when he could be operated, at four months of age. Francesca: In those four months, the fatigue, and above all the inability to face the pain of an innocent child, brought moments of misunderstanding between us. That propensity to love one another at times seemed to disappear, also because I wanted to stay in the hospital with Matteo and Massimo at home with Alessandro or at work. We saw each other only in the ward and often a wrong word sufficed to flare up. Massimo: One evening, after visiting them in the hospital, upon saying goodbye in the corridor both of us felt the need for a sincere, beneficial, heart-to-heart dialogue. We understood that among the many worries, the only one which should be heeded was that of loving each other. And even now, when the inevitable daily tensions seem to take the upper hand, we go back to remembering those moments of light in which also as a family, suffering has regenerated us to a truer love.