Sep 28, 2017 | Non categorizzato
When my husband John was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s my life changed dramatically. I felt really frightened because there were times when he was hallucinating all night. I had no medication to give him, I wasn’t managing and there was no-one to turn to. John’s care manager was on maternity leave, the psychiatrist had discharged him, the GP was on holiday. After a lot of phone calls John’s new care manager placed him into respite care for a week. I wasn’t coping anymore. I didn’t feel up to the task of being his main carer and I was angry that things had deteriorated to that point. There was so much to do and finances to sort out. I was going downhill and my health was deteriorating. In the New Year I went to the HELP shop in the town and was told that a Carer Support Worker would contact me. It was about four weeks later that she came to see me. I told her everything and she understood. She was very sympathetic, helpful and supportive. A few weeks after this I went to a four-day meeting with people from the Focolare and my husband went into respite care. One evening I was with a group of about ten people and someone said, ‘What do you do Pam?’ I didn’t want to tell her anything so I ignored her question because I didn’t want everyone to know how I struggled and how weak and helpless I felt. But then I thought how rude I was because I would be very upset if someone ignored me when I asked them a question. I started telling the group how it was and when it came to the bit where I went to the HELP shop, I started crying. There was such a change in the dynamics even though I didn’t want attention at a time like this. Everyone was warm, caring and loving and tried to comfort me. They understood my misery and they loved me, they had compassion for me. I thought I would feel ashamed after my outburst but I told myself that these things happen and the great thing is I felt the burden had lifted and I had been healed. It was a grace that God had given me to help me with my difficulties. My situation hadn’t changed but I had. Looking after my husband had become the most important thing in my life but it had become a burden. Didn’t Jesus say, ‘My yoke is easy and my burden is light’? I needed to be reminded that God loved me immensely. Once I put God in the first place in my heart, mind and soul then everything was put into perspective. It was no longer a burden and I became confident looking after him. Some people advise that in situations like this we should pray more. This is true but what helped me in that moment was the presence of Jesus in that group who enabled me to experience the love of God. Now I know that I can count on everyone’s love as my experience with John continued to unfold. Source: New City Magazine (UK), August-September 2017 issue
Sep 27, 2017 | Non categorizzato
I am delighted to have the opportunity to greet all those attending the launch of the book:Qui c’è il dito di Dio” (“Here is the hand of God”). It is the second volume in the series “Studies and Documents” published by the Chiara Lubich Centre. The title of the book recalls words well known to the members of the Focolare Movement. They were spoken by the Archbishop of Trent, Most Rev. Carlo de Ferrari, who recognised that the new life coming about in his diocese, which was both edifying and opposed at the same time, did not come from human beings but “from the hand of God”. Clear insight allowed this pastor not to be influenced by judgements and considerations that were purely “human” but to enter more deeply into the surprising action of God made manifest through the life of a group of young women. All this took place 20 years before the Second Vatican Council, and history proved him right. As members of the Focolare Movement, we feel special gratitude to Archbishop De Ferrari for his wise discernment, which allowed the little fire that was burning to grow and later spread throughout the world. Looking back after 70 years, this work by Lucia Abignente helps us understand the extent to which the Archbishop’s perception was deeply rooted in the life of the Word of God and his action imbued with humility, perseverance, readiness to pay the price in person, and with prophecy. In reconstructing the events, which in this volume are derived from a multitude of sources, we can discover a golden thread. Both favourable and adverse circumstances allowed Chiara Lubich and “her” bishop to forge a relationship of communion that was living, and real. This relationship gave meaning to the alternating times of “hosanna” and “crucifixion” – to use words we find in their letters – and enabled Chiara to live out of love for God and the Church. These pages offer us an authentic and engaging witness to this love. 
Today in addition, this witness represents an invitation to us to be newly aware of the gift of the charism we have received and of the potential of a foundation that, as is recognised today, opened up a pathway followed by other ecclesial realities. I am glad to note that the publication of this book occurs in the year the Focolare Movement is dedicating to deepening our understanding of Mary. Mary who represents one of the key points of the spirituality of unity. It was during the period of light lived during the summer of 1949 (in which the Holy Spirit enabled Chiara to contemplate the greatness of the Mother of God and to admire her in her unique beauty, all clothed with the Word of God) that God’s plan for the new Movement itself became clear; it was the Work of Mary. The “marian” vocation and hallmark of this Work are evident in these pages and given unconfutable proof – I would say – thanks to Chiara’s perennial renewal of her yes to God’s plans. Chiara said yes to her calling, yes to proclaiming the Ideal that imbued her whole life, yes to her readiness to offer and sacrifice the fruit born from it, during the years when the Movement was studied by the Church of Rome. In Mary’s “let it be” at the Annunciation, and in her yes in desolation at the foot of the cross, she is the model, the mould in which Chiara lived her divine adventure. In our time, there is “a new and more explicit awareness of the Marian principle in the Church, as a sacrament of unity”. I trust that the witness and the message conveyed by the book launched today, may be a gift for the whole people of God and help the Work of Mary to express the vocation that the Church confirmed in the Statutes: to be “as far as possible – a presence of Mary on earth and “almost” a continuation of her”.
Sep 25, 2017 | Non categorizzato
https://vimeo.com/233854454
Sep 25, 2017 | Non categorizzato
In September, the Shalom Catholic Community celebrated its 35th anniversary. The Community, with which the Focolare Movement is strongly bound by a deep friendship, was born in 1982, from the initiative of some university youths led by Moysés Louro de Azevedo Filho and with the encouragement of the Archbishop of Fortaleza. Even if it’s main objective was that of hosting the youths and announcing the Gospel to them, in a short time, it spread also among families, children and people from different socio-cultural backgrounds, united by the call to live in prayer, fraternal life and service. It is currently established in South America, North America, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Asia. Besides numerous prayer groups, the Community has opened art and culture centres, schools, homes for the aged, sick and homeless people and set anti-abortion projects, rehabilitation of drug addicts and shelters for homeless children. All our best wishes to the Shalom Community!
Sep 23, 2017 | Non categorizzato
Bishop Klaus Hemmerle
Sep 22, 2017 | Non categorizzato
On the 30th anniversary of the conferral of the St Catherine of Siena Silver Medal to Chiara Lubich, the Community of the Dominican Fathers of Siena, Italy, will hold a gathering in collaboration with the International Catherinite Association and the Focolare, in the Focolare town founded by Chiara Lubich in 1964. The event was titled: “The Myticism of Fire in Catherine and Chiara”. Presenters included Dr Piero Coda, president of Sophia University, Sister Elana Ascoli O.P. from the International Catherinite Association and Father Alfredo Scarciglia O.P. , Moderator and Prior of the Convent of St Dominic of Siena and ecclesiastical assistant of the Catherinites. A message from Maria Voce, president of the Focolare Movement, will also be read. During the gathering a DVD recording of the conferral of the St Catherine Badge to Chiara Lubich will be shown, and actress paola Lambardi will read some writings of St Catherine. Programme
