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Chiara Lubich sheds light on family life

Chiara Lubich sheds light on family life

14 Mar 2017 | Non categorizzato

20170310-173707 -© Caris Mendes - Archivio CSC Audiovisivi

Copyright CSC Audiovisivi – Caris Mendes

“You are entrusting the family with an explosive mission, a reform that families can initiate in the world” – these were Igino Giordani’s words to Chiara Lubich in 1967, when she founded New Families, a branch of the Focolare Movement. After fifty years, precisely on the ninth anniversary of the founder’s passing away, the branch that blossomed from that seed manifests itself in the various events and initiatives in many cities worldwide. That prophecy has found ways and means to become a reality. More than a thousand people, of all ages, coming from 50 different countries, participated in the three-day Loppiano event. They were mainly Christians but there were also Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus. The fruits of a story were visible in the interaction between the different generations: grandparents, children, grandchildren. The live-streamed programme, translated into 19 different languages, was based on three main themes: the family, a net of relationships; love as a response to critical situations in the family, and the family, a creative resource for all humanity. Parents and children shared their experiences. A teenager shared her suffering and that of her younger siblings and family caused by their father, a victim of alcohol. She transmitted hope that came from sharing. “The family is the most important thing”, she said, “and we must not be afraid to take the first step. It may be hard to do so, but if it is done out of love, it can cause change”. A couple related all about the search for their “prodigal” son, who destoyed the family business, entered into big debts and fled from the country. Their pain was excruciating but they realized that mercy had to win over anger. They decided to set off in search of their son until they found him. Their embrace meant the beginning of his new reconciled life. Basma, a Muslim and Tatiana, a Christian went up on stage together and related how they built a very strong sisterly bond between them by sharing the ups and downs of everyday life after Basma’s husband died and she found herself alone in a foreign country, with two children and without  support. Their story spoke of the encounter of peoples and indicated that it is only through mutual acceptance and hospitality that peoples can become a family of families.
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Photo: SIF – Loppiano

In her address to the participants, Maria Voce commented on the richness of these stories. She recalled that the charism of unity “offers a light and a key to look at the world and its history, to understand the bond of each one of us with the whole of humanity”. She quoted words of Lubich, written in September 6,1949, which sounded like a new call:”My I is humanity with all the people that were, are and will be. I feel and live this reality: because I feel in my soul both the joy of Heaven and the anguish of humanity that is all a great Jesus Forsaken”. Maria Voce repeated Chiara Lubich’s initial appeal made to families when they were entrusted with that portion of the world that seemed “the most shattered, the most like Him Forsaken”. She reminded those present that the irreplaceable task of families “is to keep love always alive in their homes, giving new life to the values God gave the family, and to convey them generously and tirelessly everywhere in society”. And she continued:“This is a tough task, but we cannot let hope escape us, as Pope Francis would say”. The families at the Loppiano event expressed their commitment and determination to be witnesses of universal brotherhood – even though their share might seem a drop in an ocean – by two symbolic but concrete gestures: a moment of prayer and personal commitment represented by the flower every family stuck to boards outside the auditorium; and the twinning between families from two different parts of the world, to be extended to other families in the respective territories, in order to strengthen a network of relationships which answers to the needs of different parts of the world. Academics and experts in family support services, counselling, in pedagogical and psychological research and in other subjects about the family, participated in the Cultural Seminar on “The pact of reciprocity in family life, generating trust and relationships”. During this event, which took place on the first day, the hundred participants explored the reality of the family from the theological, anthropological, social, pedagogical and political points of view. Reflection on the value of the family as a resource for humanity, brought to light that the family’s future and the value of human life stem from within the family itself. At the end of the Seminar, the outline of a high level research centre emerged. Run by the Sophia University Institute in synergy with other institutes of international level, this interreligious, interdenominational, intercultural and interdisciplinary research centre aims at studying about this wealth of family life to be able to express it at universal level. Press Release https://vimeo.com/208162616

Maria Voce: The family – a creative resource

Maria Voce: The family – a creative resource

11 Mar 2017 | Non categorizzato

20170311-184047 © Caris Mendes - Archivio CSC Audiovisivi

Photo credit © Caris Mendes – Archivio CSC Audiovisivi

“This evening I invite you to dream with me about a different world, the one we would like to live in” Maria Voce said, having heard the stories and commitments of many families from the stage. They seek to live the charism of Chiara Lubich, in their daily lives. It is a spirituality that “encourages us to look at the world and history from a different point of view. It helps us understand the bond that connects us with the whole of humankind, and which is not merely personal. This bond embraces the whole of our being, our affections, our relationships, our weaknesses, emotions, sufferings, commitments and dreams.” She reminded us that: “When Chiara founded the New Families Movement on the 19th July 1967, she said: “… it is important that you (…) have in your own family life an experience you can share with others“[1], (to be) another Jesus: Jesus who looks at the world, at the crowds, and has pity on them. Because within this section of the world … I place upon your shoulders those most broken, most like Him forsaken.[2] Today I believe we can say that this invitation to families is being made once more, to every family. “What kind of family can create a world imbued with brotherhood?” Maria Voce asked. “Only families renewed from within in this way, despite being weak and imperfect, as we all are, can give the world the healing light and love it needs, so that society can find genuine models to follow.”
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Photo credit © Caris Mendes – Archivio CSC Audiovisivi

She invited them to do this “By sharing material and spiritual goods, freely”, by “accepting others for what they are, caring for them, living alongside one another happily”, “handing on values from one generation to the next”, and practising “the forgiveness and correction which are so necessary for human development”, and “meeting the needs of those in need” those nearby. After stressing the essential tasks of families and their commitment in the New Families Movement, she mentioned some concrete examples: “In a town near Chicago, Carole realised that other families struggled with the same problems she faced in caring for her severely disabled son David. She organised a series of activities bringing young disabled people together, engaging many families from her part of the town and involving the town council, which was then awarded a prize for social development.” She ended saying: “t might seem a dream. These experiences show it is already a reality, which might be very small or just beginning, but which contain the overwhelming power of life.” Read full text ___________________________________________ [1] C. LUBICH, talk given to the first school of married focolarini on the occasion of founding the New Famililes Movement, Rocca di Papa, Italy, 19.7.1967, Trascription. [2] Ibid.  

Domenico Mangano

10 Mar 2017 | Non categorizzato

Dated March 9, 2017 the Official Edict from the Bishop of Albano, Italy, Marcello Semeraro: “His authentic Christian witness is a constant invitation to the collective holiness, which finds maximum expression in reciprocal assistance while following the same path of holiness. Becoming saints out of love for one’s neighbours.”  The Volunteers of God of the Focolare Moviment joyfully welcome the bishop’s initiative. Read a short biography here Contact: postulazionedomenicomangano@focolare.org                

Families: Eric and Lut’s dream

Families: Eric and Lut’s dream

10 Mar 2017 | Non categorizzato

DSC_0745-02The long-awaited time for retirement arrives for Eric, who lives in Belgium and has spent 37 years teaching at an elementary school. After working for a living with the children, Eric asks what could be done for those who did not receive an education, for those who live in difficult situations and in distant lands. After all, all children are equal, have the same curious eyes and the same infectious laugh. This is how, together with his wife Lut, he decides to commit his free time to solidarity action. Eric, already a supporter of a child, began to promote the AFNonlus programs for long-distance support. With the help of the youngest of his daughters, Maria-Laetitia, he involved friends and acquaintances, helping to make more alive in each one the need to also donate a small sum for a noble cause. “For us, as for many people, the situation of many children in the world is unbearable: they are the first victims of all violence and poverty,” says Eric. The couple receive many opportunities and experiences for thought: a young father from Romania said that thanks to long-distance support he was able to finish his studies, which have allowed him to get a job and start a family. A woman who has lived for many years in Congo, being in contact with the Petite Flamme project has been able experience first-hand the help that long-distance support offers children. These testimonials feed in Eric and Lut the certainty of having committed themselves to something big. DSC_1612-01“Our dream,” says Eric, “was to find at least 10 people over the course of 2016 who would take the step of supporting a child. It seemed like a mountain because in three years we’d found only two supporters (namely us and my father!).” But clearly the commitment and time spent promoting the news from the various programmes paid off. A couple decides to support a Haitian child and to continue the action of solidarity. Even Eric and Lut’s children want to do their bit. As well a man with a friend of his, a nephew who lives in Switzerland, glad to be able to ”do something for humanity”, a young couple of newlyweds, a businessman who wants to support a child with his company, a young dad, and Lut’s parents who want to support a child while living in a nursing home. And so on, so many beautiful experiences around this kind of support! The projects for disadvantaged children around the world are moving forward thanks to supporters, their sensitivity and their support. In addition to Eric and Lut, we also find Enzo and Fiorenza, whose support has accompanied Jessica, a Brazilian girl, for most of her life. But assuming a long- distance support means above all to create a bond with the child, a thread of solidarity that runs through the world to connect distant countries. That’s why now as an adult Jessica wanted to contact her supporters for Christmas, offering them the best gift that can be placed under the tree: the gratitude for a life redeemed from poverty. Source: AFNonlus – Spazio Famiglia

The EoC and One Entrepreneur’s Story

The EoC and One Entrepreneur’s Story

9 Mar 2017 | Non categorizzato

20170309-01While waiting to meet Pope Francis in Paul VI Hall the anticipation of the 1200 members of the Economy of Communion (EoC) was calmed by several testimonies from entrepreneurs including Clem Fritschi who began like this: “Mine is not the story of a successful man of business, but a love story. After finishing my studies in Switzerland I worked as a warehouseman in London, to learn English. That’s where I met Margherita. We fell in love and, since she’s from Turin, I decided to find work in Italy. Two years later we got married and had two children. All of a sudden the company I was working for decided to close down. Then a few colleagues and I put together our settlements in order to keep the place going.” That’s how Ridix began,  a company that has been offering cutting-edge products on the Italian market in the field of precision engineering since 1969. insegna3“In 1974 my family and I took part in a Focolare Meeting in Bergamo, Italy. It wasn’t a happy time, we had just lost our first son10 years old, in an accident. The encounter with the spirituality of unity was like a cure-all for us, to the point that even amidst our tears Margherita and I said to each other that we had met God-Love. We went home with only one word in mind, the verb: LOVE. Love everyone, love even at work. One of the young men that I met in Bergamo asked if there would be a position for him in the business I started. That’s how Ugo, then Paolo, and then Michele got on board. All three became associates. The company slogan is: “Seek first the Kingdom of God and his riteousness, and the rest will be given to you as well.” All of us want our relationship to be deep and sincere. We allow each other to make mistakes and to argue, but to experience the presence of God we also have to hurry ourselves to recompose unity with one another. The success is overwhelming: Today there are 9 associates and 70 collaborators, many highly qualified in selling, contract signing, commissioning, maintenance and management. We have an annual turnover of more than 30 million Euros. Loving one another and trying to love everyone, even our enemies: that’s the success of Ridix that I will try to describe with a few short phrases.

  • 20170309-02Inclusion of people affected by addiction or in difficult relationship problems, people from immimgrant backgrounds and from poor countries.
  • Stable employment opportunities for young people.
  • Overcoming moments of crisis through a 20% reduction in everyone’s salary, partners included, so that jobs don’t have to be lost. The sense of belonging that is generated with this practice always turns out to be a factor of success.
  • Following the takeover of a client by a multinational, there was a loss of 20% of the annual turnover. Because of a totally unforseen occurance, in one week the entire amount was recovered without losing a single employee.
  • In seemingly irresovlable situations, the correct inspiration arrived at just the right moment to simplify everything and overcome the difficulty.
  • The ability to support and carry out new entrepreneurial initiatives.

One part of the profit is donated to the poor. Thanks to this sharing, Muslim teachers on the outskirts of Tangeri, Morocco opened a kindergarten in a garage that allowed 40 children to be ready for primary school. The secret to our success? Communion. Which means transparency, sincerity, truth even when it is hard to say, devoting time to building positive relationships. The “promised land” we’re all heading for is a company where everyone is happy. Happy employees because the company is healty and the atmosphere collaborative. Happy clients because of just relationship betewen quality and product pricing, and purchasing services. Happy providers, because of long and prolific collaboration. We may be tired at the end of a day, but we’re happy and satisfied because we’ve done our job well.

Pope Francis to the Bishop Friends of the Focolare

Pope Francis to the Bishop Friends of the Focolare

8 Mar 2017 | Non categorizzato

P1300604_bThe conference of Bishop Friends of the Focolare, which is currently underway at the Mariapolis Centre of Castel Gandolfo, is titled: “If the world only knew him…” referring to the mystery of the abandonment of Jesus on the cross as the key to encounter among cultures. In a hand-signed message Pope Francis wished to express his closeness and encouragement to entering more deeply into this topic that urges us to “go towards the existential, cultural and social peripheries” and to “strengthen the bonds of communion and collegiality.” The message, which is addressed to the moderator of the gathering, Archbishop Francis X. Kovithavanij, had great impact and aroused much gratitude among the bishops. _____________________________________

To Cardinal

FRANCIS XAVIER  KRIENGSAK  KOVITHAVANIJ

Archbishop of Bangkok

“On the occasion of the meeting of Catholic Bishops engaged with the spirituality of the Focolare Movement, I wish to extend my cordial greetings to all of you, assuring you of my spiritual closeness. The theme around which your days together revolve goes to the very heart of our faith and ministry as pastors, helping to turn the eyes of the heart and of the mind to Jesus crucified. This gaze, fixed with persevering love and sincere gratitude, urges us to “go to him outside the camp” (Heb 13:13), to the existential, cultural and social peripheries where our people live. It is there, in fact, that we meet His face in a way that is significant, and take care of His wounds which we find gaping in the countless wounds of our brothers and sisters. In this way we will sow the joy of the Gospel, caring for the wounds with the balm of God’s mercy which flows from the Risen Jesus, who is the source of life for everybody. Dear Brothers in the episcopate, I wish you that this pause for reflection and sharing may strengthen the bonds of communion and collegiality. I invoke the Spirit of the Lord upon you and, as I ask you to pray for me, I affectionately extend my Blessing to you.”

Fraternally,

Francis

Vatican, 2 March 2017