Dec 14, 2022 | Non categorizzato
God’s faithfulness is unshakable, like a rock, and this is the revelation of salvation not only for the people of Israel after the exile, as Isaiah announces, but for each one of us. Trusting in the Lord therefore means building our existence by going right to the root, because the deeper the foundations, the higher we will be able to build; the more we trust in Him, the more solid our actions will be. Family tensions When my brother D. who was angry at how he had been treated by R. (another brother) decided he no longer wanted to see him, I felt that at our age – we are all over 70 – we ought to be more merciful. That is when I had the idea of bringing the family together for a picnic in Jells Park, on neutral ground. But R. did not show up on the date agreed. All I could do was pray that his stubborn heart would mellow. A few days later I called him. I discovered he had not been well and had not eaten for some time. I replied that I would bring him a good soup. When I arrived at his place, he was grateful above all because I had not judged him. Later that day when I got home I called D. to let him know and he said he was prepared to visit his brother if I arranged it. The following Sunday, when the two of them met, there was some initial awkwardness but after a while they started talking quite normally. In the end R. invited us for dinner. I am really happy with the result and hope that my small contribution might heal certain tensions in the family. (Gill – Australia) Tipping Before the recent increase in salaries for doctors and medical staff, it was common practice in Hungary for doctors to be given a tip for their services, like a predetermined fee. As a chief surgeon, as a matter of principle I did not want this to happen, not least because I knew that lots of people of limited financial means were having to borrow the forints for the doctors. That is why I refused to accept, even though everyone else was, until a colleague pointed out that not accepting a tip could be taken by the patients as a sign that I had not done the operation well. One day, seeing an elderly lady pull out the usual envelope for me, I said to her: “I as a doctor am at your service and I’m paid for it, but if you would be more comfortable to accept my offer, I suggest you give it to a family in need”. She thought about it for a while, then taking my hand said: “Doctor, what you’ve just said to me proves to me that you really care about people. I thank you and, if you agree, I would be happy to help someone in need with you”. (P.M. – Hungary)
Edited by Maria Grazia Berretta
(taken from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, year VIII, no.2, November-December 2022)
Dec 7, 2022 | Non categorizzato
Imagine a young girl in love, in love with a love which is the first love, the purest one, a love which is still undeclared, but which begins to enflame her heart. A joy which is so special, difficult to experience again in a lifetime, a joy which is secret. A few days before December 7, I was told to make a vigil the night before, beside a crucifix, in order to prepare myself the best way I could for my marriage with God, a marriage which was to take place in the most secret manner. That evening I tried to make this vigil, kneeling beside my bed before a metal crucifix which my mother has now. The next morning, I woke up at about five o’clock. I put on the best dress I had, a simple dress, and I set out on foot crossing the city towards the church. A storm was raging, so that I had to walk my way pushing my umbrella ahead of me. I felt that it expressed the fact that in the step I was taking I would meet obstacles. When I reached the church, the scene changed. An enormous door opened. I felt a sense of relief and of welcome, almost like the open arms of that God who was waiting for me. The little church was beautifully decorated. Against the background stood out the statue of Mary, the Immaculate. Before Communion I saw, in an instant, the meaning of what I was about to do. I could never turn back to the world. I was getting married. I was marrying God. I remember that opening up my eyes to what I was doing was something immediate and brief, but so strong that I shed a tear which fell on my missal. I made a long thanksgiving. I think I ran all the way home. I only stopped, I think, near the bishop’s house to buy three red carnations for the crucifix which was waiting for me in my room. They were to become the sign of the feast day of all of us. This was it. Even with the most promising predictions on December 7, 1943, I could never have imagined what I see today. Praise to God, glory to Mary, Queen of a Kingdom which has literally invaded the world.
Chiara Lubich (Extract from “Today the Opera turns thirty”, Rocca di Papa, 7 December 1973)
Activate English subtitles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2i80L6Srdh8&list=PLKhiBjTNojHqNPFPXKJgyiqn8c7NKZ0ME
Dec 6, 2022 | Non categorizzato
A volume of Chiara Lubich’s works entitled “Letters” has been on sale in Italian bookshops for several months. We spoke to Florence Gillet from the Chiara Lubich Centre, a theologian and scholar of the Focolare Movement’s founder who edited the publication.
Florance Gillet
Carlos Mana
Dec 3, 2022 | Non categorizzato
On 21st November, 2022, at the International Centre of the Focolare Movement (Rocca di Papa- Italy), a meeting entitled “People of God, Crossroads of Diversity. Many nodes, one network” took place. It brought together the different ecclesial realities linked to the charism of unity. “We are a portion of the Church with different colours, with different shades of colour, as many colours as there are charisms, ministries, places of birth and peoples. Our task is to build unity in this diversity, above all to give rise to communities in which the Gospel is lived in a full way”. These are the words of Sister Tiziana Longhitano, of the Franciscan Congregation of the Poor, Coordinator of the Centre for consecrated members of the Focolare Movement, who was one of the participants at the meeting, which brought together people from many countries and vocations. There were about forty present in person and about 600 connected via zoom. It was an opportunity to share and to discern what the next steps on the beautiful journey which began in April 1982, in the Nervi Hall, in the Vatican, with the Congress “The Priest today, the Religious today”. About 7,000 Priests and Religious participated in that event in which, through testimonies from all over the globe, they highlighted the fruits of meeting the charism of unity and the renewal it brought to many religious communities and parishes. Today many realities continue to reap those fruits, a symptom of an ongoing process, not only within the Focolare Movement, but throughout the Church; realities illuminated by a “prophecy”, as Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, defined it, in her intervention: “a prophecy that has made its way and continues to mature to increasingly become a reality which is shared (we hope) and practiced throughout the Church”. Throughout these 40 years, dioceses, parishes, priests and various charismatic communities have shared experiences and generated communities in the light of the charism of unity, presenting themselves no longer as individual pieces of the Church but as a single body, a people that lives the culture of communion, listens to each other and walks together. Suffice it to mention the important development of the Parish Movement and the Diocesan Movement in recent years and the commitment of priests, religious, consecrated persons and lay people in the Synodal Journey. There were many experiences shared during this event. From Brazil, Desi, a married Focolarina and Matheus, a seminarian, told how the call to synodality and to work in synergy with all the realities of the Focolare Movement led to the birth of some pastoral Congresses that focused on listening, knowledge and formation. Desi said, “Our hearts are expanding towards our aim, ‘May they all may be ONE’. From Ecuador we heard the testimony of the Apostolic Nuncio, Msgr. Andrés Carrascosa and of some priests of the Archdiocese of Quito who, following a retreat, decided to start a group to meditate on the Word of Life: Father Ramiro Ramirez said, “I have had a deeper experience of the Word. It has become more alive in me, I have learned to understand the Gospel better (…) and also my brother priests (…). Father Charles Serrano added: “I heard that there would be a meeting of about 15 priests and that the Nuncio would be there. When I arrived I met priests in need of healing, fragile, suffering and broken-hearted. I felt like that too (…).The first time I attended, I thought I would be mad to go back, now I think I am mad, because on the second Tuesday of each month I cannot wait for the meeting (…). The Church today needs to live fraternity in order to strengthen itself, as Sister Maria Inês Vieira Ribeiro, connected from Aparecida (Brazil), said, “to form a people at the service of the Kingdom of God, protecting life, especially in the places where there is most suffering”. This is why the diversity of each reality becomes the true wealth of the Church which, despite the difficulties of this time, regards her children as the possible saints of tomorrow. This is the experience of the young people of the “Charisms for Unity” Movement, who, from getting to know the Ideal of Chiara Lubich, wanted to put their charisms in contact. From this idea, during the pandemic they had a series of Zoom meetings, a kind of workshop, to share experiences, put the Gospel into practice and encourage each other to live out their consecration with enthusiasm. They called it, “Saints together, on Earth as in Heaven”.
Maria Grazia Berretta
To see the full meeting click on: (3) PEOPLE OF GOD, CROSSROADS OF DIVERSITY – YouTube
Dec 1, 2022 | Non categorizzato
The World Council of Churches (WCC) hosted Focolare president Margaret Karram and co-president Jesús Moran, as well as other members of the Focolare community, on 28 November, offering a guided tour of the Ecumenical Centre, and discussing unity, reconciliation, inter-religious bridge-building, Faith and Order, and communications, among other issues of interest. WCC acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed appreciation for the many past collaborations between the WCC and the Focolare, most recently the Focolare’s participation at the WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe. Sauca said the WCC recognizes the importance of cooperation and mutual support between the WCC and the Focolare to serve together under the new paradigm of the pilgrimage of justice, reconciliation, and unity. “Christians of different churches belonging to Focolare have been part of delegations of their respective churches and in other capacities at WCC assemblies,” noted Sauca, who summarized a long history of cooperation between the two groups. “Your commitment to promoting the dialogue between Christians, Jews, and Muslims as well as your engagement in a sustained dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians are inspiring assets for the worldwide movement of Focolare and beyond,” said Sauca. Staff from the WCC and representatives from the Focolare movement also discussed past and future areas of collaboration, and shared their experiences related to unity and ecumenism. Karram shared her warmest greetings and expressed great joy to be visiting the WCC, 20 years after the last visit of Focolare founder Chiara Lubich visited the WCC. “Twenty years ago, Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare movement, came here at the invitation of the then-general secretary Konrad Raiser and Prof. Ioan Sauca,” said Karram. “I am very grateful to be with you all here today to commemorate this anniversary. I give praise to God because I am aware I am walking on ground that I hold sacred.” Karram assumed the WCC of the willingness and of the ability of the Focolare movement to continue walking together. “I want to add not only walking together—but we have to hold hands—not only walk together but hold hands, side-by-side. I want to promise this.” Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay WCC general secretary-elect, commended the many ways in which the Focolare community and the WCC have exchanged ideas and insights over the years. “Our collaboration has been on different levels,” he said.
Source: WWC
Full speech by Margaret Karram Photo gallery on the Focolare leadership visit to the WCC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lx8IklNEPQ&t=53s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7OMciDbHA8&t=1s
Nov 25, 2022 | Non categorizzato
This is one of the pages from the diary of Irene, a young editor of Teens, a magazine of the Città Nuova publishing group, which is made by teenagers for teenagers. Through her eyes and her words we learn of a journey in a country marked by divisions and we get to know the project “Harmony among peoples”, which, thanks to art and dance is spreading beauty and hope to the new generations in Bethlehem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6rF91sFMdo
