Non categorizzato - Movimento dei Focolari

First World Peace Conference For Young People

May 24, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Five hundred young people from around the world will meet online for a World Peace Conference For Young People The idea emerged from the synergy between Living Peace and its peace education projects for children, adolescents and young adults in 113 countries and Peace Pals International, an expression of the World Peace Prayer Society (WPPS), which is associated with the United Nations (UN). The project is supported by Fuji Declaration from Japan and several international organizations. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omANVR3qIDI Inspired by the Fuji Declaration, 14 Christian and Muslim speakers from 14 countries took turns online last April 30th to make known their views in favour of peace, which they backed up with concrete experiences of acceptance and reconcilliation that give credibility to their claim that world peace is possible. Edward’s presentation about his exprience of the earthquake was particularly significant. He is a member of the Focolare from the Philippines and was linked from Ecuador where he had had been in direct contact with earthquake victims. Sherook from Syria also offered her testimony about what she was living through in her country. After telling about the situation in Syria, which is still very fragile and dangerous, she was unable to hold back her tears, which produced an enormous impression and feeling of empthy in everyone. Her tears also triggered very touching words and offers of support from two Muslim young people who were online: Omar from Egypt and Abir from Morocco. The conference was an opportunity to present United World Project and its SignUpForPeace inititiative. Jules Lamore, coordinator of Peace Pals International and member on the committee that organizes the events for World Peace Day in the United Nations, telephoned from New York to congratulate us for the online conference. Two young people were awarded scholarships at Miami University of Luxembourg. The General Coordinator of Living Peace, Carlos Palma, was invited to present the conference at the Seat of the European Parliament in Luxembourg during the World Peace Forum on May 24-25, 2016. In 2015 the Luxembourg Peace Prize had been awarded to New Humanity, an NGO of the Focolare Movement. The World Youth Conference of Young People plans on holding four Conferences a years. The next event is planned for June 25, 2016 with young people from movements and organizations that are engaged in peace work. The third edition of the Conference will be held in Florianopolis, Brazil, at the Peace Forum For Young People (September 22-25) during which Peace Pals will present a gift to the city, a peace obelisk. The fourth Conference, on prospects and commitments for the coming year, is scheduled for December 2016.

Slovakia: Post World Youth Day International School

May 20, 2016 | Non categorizzato

In Slovakia (Jasná – Demänovská Dolina), 550 young people from around the world, including a group of 50 young people of the Orthodox faith – will come together in order to deepend the themes of World Youth day. Where: Grand Hotel, Demänovská dolina 72, Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovacchia Arrival: 31st July (evening) Departure: 5th August (after breakfast) Participation: 180€ Age group: 16-30 years More information: postgmg2016@focolare.org

WYD Poland – 31st World Youth Day

May 20, 2016 | Non categorizzato

At a meeting with young Argentinians in Rio de Janiero, Pope Francis advised: ‘Read the Beatitudes, it will do you good.’ Our task is to re-read the message of the Beatitudes. For three consecutive years, the Pope has chosen for us three out of the eight Beatitudes as the themes for the WYDs. Each one is elaborated on in his addresses, in which he comments on theological matters and gives the youth some tasks for the next year of spiritual work. The choice of Krakow and World Youth Day’s motto lead us to the Spark of Mercy. Since the appearance of Jesus to St. Sister Faustina, Mercy has been radiating from Krakow-Lagiewniki to the whole universal Church. Krakow is widely known as the centre of worship of God’s mercy, and young pilgrims who come will surely want to see the place of the revelations, Sister Faustina’s tomb, and the shrine – the place where St. John Paul II entrusted the world to God’s Mercy. The theme of the XXXI World Youth Day Krakow 2016 is: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy’ (Mt 5:7). Our Holy Father Francis has chosen the fifth of the eight Beatitudes, given by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, to show the importance of the Beatitudes which are at the heart of Jesus’ teaching. In his first Sermon, Jesus presents us with eight examples of qualities that bring us closer to the Kingdom of God. Among the main events there will be the Opening Mass on the 25th of July, the Welcome Ceremony with the first meeting the Holy Father (28th July), the Way of the Cross with the WYD Cross (29th July), and then the event at the heart of World Youth Day: the Vigil with the Holy Father (30th July) and the Concluding Mass (31st July). The program will also include catechesis in various languages The Youth Festival: a religious, artistic and cultural program takes place in the afternoons and evenings during the three days of catechesis, except during the Main Events. The Youth Festival is composed of open and free initiatives of an artistic, religious and spiritual character. This aspect of WYD gives pilgrims an opportunity to participate in concerts, exhibitions, workshops, sporting events, theatre events and many others. The Youth Festival is prepared for pilgrims, by pilgrims. Everyone has the opportunity to participate not only as a spectator but also as an artist or organizer. The young people of the Focolare Movement will give their contribution towards the preparation of WYD, particularly through an event held during this Festival on 27th July in Krakow, Sports Club Plaszowianka ul. Stroza-Rybna 19 (tram stop 50, 20, 11).

It is the Holy Spirit who creates unity

May 15, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Centro Ave Loppiano: Copyright Marika Tassi, ‘La chiesa’ – Roma 1962

“At the last supper Jesus uttered his wonderful testament praying: ‘that all be one.’ That certainly meant unity in the truth, unity in love. But what did Jesus mean exactly when he uttered those words? With twenty centuries behind us, it is now clearer to the Church (…) The approach of seeing Christian revelation and the Christian faith mostly and almost exclusively as truth has gone into a bit of crisis, precisely because the people hearing this truth no longer accept it as they once did. So, what is needed? Charity. Charity can be understood as charitable works, a life of charity that goes back a bit to orthopraxy, to liberation theology, social reform or the works of mercy; but we find that not even any of this creates unity, but often division. There is another understanding of charity as a spiritual reality of the souls of good will who, under the inspiration of God’s grace, love one another and are united (. . .) Yet even charity, in itself, as something human that becomes divine through the work of God’s grace, is not sufficient for creating unity. What creates unity is the Holy Spirit! What gives life to the mind, taking in the entire patrimony of the Catholic Church, taking to heart the entire patrimony of the Orthodox Church and the life of charity, is the Holy Spirit who renews the face of the earth. It is the Holy Spirit that makes the unity of the Church. We see that it has to be the Holy Spirit to renew the Church still today. We see it concretely through the charism given to our own Movement that renews the Church along with the charisms that have been given to other movements. What is a charism? A charism is the action of the Holy Spirit received by one or more people. We don’t have the charism of being apostles; we have the charism of bringing unity. But this charism is valid inasmuch as it is the Holy Spirit himself who creates the unity.” (1980) Source: Pasquale Foresi – Luce che si incarna (Rome: Città Nuova, 2014) p. 211-213.

Maria Voce: promoting women means promoting ‘communion’

May 13, 2016 | Non categorizzato

What do you feel about Pope Francis’ words on the possibility of reactivating the ancient tradition of women deacons? «I think that any openness Pope Francis shows to a greater involvement of women in the life of the Church, and also in its “leadership” roles, is a blessing. This does not mean that I am for or against the diaconate for women. I am however certainly in favour of an in depth study of the question, so as to understand better what might be the role and functions of deacons in general and whether women might have a place in this type of ministry. At the moment it seems to me that the role of the deacon, as it is practised, is more about helping the priest than the community. If instead this ministry were to be practised and recognised more explicitly as service to the community, also having the opportunity to proclaim the Gospel, to administer sacraments that are not reserved to the presbyterate or to the bishop, or being able to manage a parish community, I believe all this would be in itself an important sign of greater openness. I don’t see why women should be excluded a priori from these roles.» Can the vision of Church-as-communion help in discerning this matter? «I believe so. I am very much in favour of a study on the diaconate being done by a specifically designated commission because I believe that, precisely because decisions on the subject would be important, setting up a working group goes in the direction of the synodal approach which the Pope has established for all the most important matters in the Church. This means not only and not so much trusting in what the Pope considers to be good, but above all trusting in the experience of the Holy Spirit at work which we are aware of when addressing a problem together, in communion.» In reality, women already do a great deal in Christian communities… «Countless women have always done much to support ecclesial communities in various roles: bringing the Eucharist to places where priests are not able to go, reflecting on the Gospel, presiding at “liturgies in the absence of a priest” or undertaking administrative roles in parishes and even dioceses, without there being any need for a special title… If all that these women already do in local churches were recognised officially, I think this would indicate an openness and show that the life of the Church was being conducted in a more communitarian way. As well as being in favour of study on the diaconate, I am grateful to this Pope who wants to include women more, and more decisively, in the ongoing reformation of the Catholic Church that he has begun, by recognising what is distinctive in women and allowing them to serve the Church and humankind through their specific gifts.» Source: Città Nuova online

Living City awarded by Associated Church Press

May 10, 2016 | Non categorizzato

On 5 May 2016, The Associated Church Press (Florida) conferred on Living City Magazine two awards for last year’s February, April and October issues. It received an Honourable Mention in the category “Best in Class National/International print magazines, directed to a broad audience” (Christian Century and Sojourners were the other award recipients in this category). The judges appreciated the “strong use of colour on front covers” and the full bleed and full page pictures. For the writing, they found the first person pieces the most engaging. “Unique perspectives and a strong focus on the magazine’s purpose makes for an original and interesting magazine. Good work,” was their comment. In the category “Reporting and Writing: interview (all media)”, Living City received an Award of Excellence for the article “Peace through forgiveness” published in the December 2015 issue, written by Jade Giacobbe after an encounter with Rahel Muha, whose son was murdered in 1999 at age 18. The judges wrote, “This would be a heart-breaking story were it not for the emphasis on forgiveness, and the mother providing a powerful testimony … A well-crafted story. Good can spring from evil with the proper approach to forgiveness.”

Susanne Janssen

Living City Magazine

Award-winning article: https://livingcitymagazine.com/peace-through_forgiveness