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India. At the University of Mumbai and in the footsteps of Gandhi

India. At the University of Mumbai and in the footsteps of Gandhi

Feb 18, 2016 | Non categorizzato

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Traditional Hindu scriptures and the charism of Chiara Lubich were compared during a roundtable at the Sanskript Department of the Mumbai Vidya Peeth on February 7. What kind of training is needed in the current world context for making dialogue relevant? Formation oriented towards valuing otherness. The presentations highlighted years of experiences of dialogue between the Focolare and academics in the field of traditional Hinduism. This was followed by a discussion about the teachings of some recent Hindu reformers like Swami Vivekananda, Juddi Krishnamurty and Mahatma Gandhi. Several students and assistants from the departments of Philosophy and Sanskrit at the University of Mumbai were also present at the meeting. The comments were positive which, in the words of Dr Shubada Joshi, Madhavi Narsalay and Meenal Katarnikar encourage us to look forward to new developments along the path begun fifteen years ago by Chiara Lubich during her first visit to Mumbai.
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Mumbai scholar Dr Sureshchandra Upadhyaya spoke of his relationship with the Focolare, during a video interview: “I entered more deeply into the philosophy of Chiara, that of Love, and I realised it is addressed to every human being. Chiara belongs to the whole human family. And when you talk with her, when you read her books, you realise you are reading about yourself.” “Upadhyaya is a man of high spiritual and intellectual caliber,” Jesús Morán remarked during the February 13th telephone link-up, “he is a prophet in the most beautiful sense of the word.” One professor pointed out that: “The central focus of Hinduism is the divinisation of man and the humanisation of God.” And there is much we can do together towards that goal.
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In the footsteps of Gandhi. Over the years, the collaboration has taken many forms, on both cultural and social levels. There have also been informal peace-training courses and social projects. As part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Bala Shanti, pre-schools were opened in villages of the Coimbatore region thanks to collaboration between AFN and Shanti Ashram which continue to make education available also to children who are victims of class discrimination. The 21st Sarvo-Foco Roundtable (between members of the Gandhian Sarvodaya Movement and the Focolare) highlighted what has been achieved in these years, the spiritual, vital and social involvement of the people who have taken up the pilgrimage of dialogue along with their respective institutions and communities (Gandigram University, Madurai Kamaraj University, Shanti Ashram, Gandhi Museum, Bharatya Vidya Bhavan of Coimbatore, and others). In both Mumbai and Coimbatore the possibilities of collaboration with Sophia University Institute were explored: student and faculty exchange programs and studies of the mystical writings of Chiara Lubich that deal with the topic of dialogue; as well as collaboration with three Gandhian institutes of the Tamil Nadu, with the goal of inserting Gandhian studies in the course on interreligious dialogue at Sophia.
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Before leaving Coimbatore, the Focolare delegation took part in the remembrance ceremony of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, which was held at the School of Bharatya Vidya Bhavan on the outskirts of the city. Maria Voce offered a reflection on the spiritual dimension of Gandhi’s personality, highlighting the ways “in these years, we Christians have been gifted with many values and intuitions of Mahatma and been surprised by the surprising closeness and similarity with the spirit that God had given to Chiara Lubich.” Maria Voce went on to say: “In the Gandhi Memorial” – the mausoleum built over the spot where Gandhi had been murdered –“a place that speaks of violence and martyrdom, everything spoke of peace. The harmony in that place left a supernatural peace in my heart, a divine peace. It gave witness to a man who had conquered violence with non-violence. And this could also be seen in all the people who were there.” See also: India. A dialogue of hearts and minds See video news: https://vimeo.com/155503422  

In India: Dialogue of Hearts and Minds

In India: Dialogue of Hearts and Minds

Feb 17, 2016 | Non categorizzato

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Photo © Donald Dsouza

“I left expecting to encounter mystery. I return with the feeling of having encountered a far greater mystery than I had imagined.” “My impressions in these first hours . . . on one side, a greater desire for the Absolute and the inner life . . . on the other, a stronger liking for pluralism and less fear of diversity . . . finally the beautifulness of the people especially the young who are the future.” These were some of the first impressions shared by Maria Voce and Jesús Morán on a February 13th telephone link-up with Focolare members across the world, following their long visit to the Focolare communities in India. It was a complex, month-long visit with stops in New Delhi, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Trichy and Mumbai. Interreligious dialogue is a major feature of the sub-continent, and the Focolare has been engaged in this dialogue since it first arrived in the 1980s. The paths that were opened in 2001 and in 2003 during two visits by Chiara Lubich to Mumbai and Coimbatore have, over the course of the years, led to a growing relationship that was both academic, and Gandhian. Even though they had many common experiences such as symposiums in 2002 and 2004 in Italy, and 2011 in India, they developed their own unique characteristics that led to diversified types of dialogue that were all the while animated by the same spirit. The definition given by several Hindu friends to describe the dialogue between the Focolare and the Hindu world – as a dialogue of hearts and minds – remains true for all. In 2001 Chiara told a group of Hindus in Mumbai: “I’ve come to India, especially to listen, to learn from you, to possibly begin a cordial dialogue with you in whom I see many brothers and sisters.” When someone asked her what attitude was needed for dialogue, Chiara responded: “We focus on the so-called Golden Rule that is found in all religions, also Hinduism: ‘Do not do to another, what you would not want done to you.’” Another time, during that same period, in an interview with Vatican Radio: “Dialogue first of all means placing yourself on the same level, not having a priori notions, of being better than the others; opening yourself to hearing what the others have inside, putting everything aside in order to enter into their souls and then, naturally, asking them to listen to us. This process allows us to embrace our commonalities that are there – and then agreeing to live those together. That’s concrete dialogue.”    
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In Delhi, during the first phase of the visit at the India International Centre, an intense and interesting meeting was held with the participation of people from different faiths and cultures. The moderators were Mr Merchant, a well-known representative of the Baha’i in the Indian capital, and by Dr Vinu Aram, director of Shanti Ashram in Coimbatore. The programme attempted to offer plural answers to the challenges that dialogue is called to face in today’s world. The afternoon event was titled: ‘The relevance of dialogue in today’s society’ and included a presentation of the experience of the Focolare Movement in the field of dialogue. Maria Voce and Jesús Morán discussed the tension between progress towards unity and the tendency to defend and characterise respective identities, which is major feature of the times we are living in. The charismatic experience of dialogue proposed by Chiara Lubich that has opened original and articulated paths of dialogue is situated precisely in this tension that is typical of the globalisation process and, at the same time, is seeing the world rapidly changing because of the influx of immigrants and regional conflicts, Maria Voce remarked on the Golden Rule that is found in every culture and religion as a point of encounter which enables us to actualise what Chiara loved to call the Art of Loving, an authentic method of dialogue. Jesús Morán presented an anthropological aspect of dialogue describing several characteristics that reveal surprising consonance precisely in the experience between Hindus and Christians in recent years. During the course of the afternoon there were also other presentations concerning quite timely and deeply spiritual topics. Among these, Prof Satyavrat Shastri, a famous expert on Sanscript, Prof Uma Vaidya and Prof Shashi Prabhakumar who highlighted the analogies between traditional Hindu scriptures – especially the Veda Upanishad – and the dialogical charism of Chiara Lubich. Loppiano (Florence), 7th February 2001: https://vimeo.com/155508846

Training ourselves to train others

Training ourselves to train others

Feb 17, 2016 | Non categorizzato

20160217-01There was overwhelming agreement amongst the 400 youth workers who attended the conference, that they had chosen their profession because of love and not because of the career. Some of the topics discussed included: accompanying adolescents; role of the teacher; educating to do what is difficult; the community as educator. Vince and Make are from Melbourne, Australia. “I’m originally from Futuna – one more step and you fall off the globe!” Make joked. “When I went to visit a small community on the Island of Kiribati, the children were surprised by the presence of a stranger, and then suprised by the fact that I played games with them. I ran for two hours even though I’m no longer the right age that. We didn’t speak the same language, but a special relationship was created between us. 20160217-05What is their educational model? They call it a person-relationship model in which one is able to love and be loved. It is rooted in the thought of Chiara Lubich. Her influence on the field of education is being developed by a group of researchers in the area of pedagogy and by the Abba School and the Sophia University Institute whose graduates were among the presenters. There were ample offerings for every age group, covering topics such as global education; types of group animators; group dynamics; conflict resolution; investigations on faith and reason; lifestyle and the environment; gender; addiction and mass media. Several interactive activities explored expressing emotions through dance; theatre; puppetting; shaping balloons; arts and crafts; video-making; photography and using shapes and images. 20160217-06It was all a concrete opportunity to “put head, heart and hands to work,” to experience it and then live it along with the children. This educational method is particularly dear to the heart of Pope Francis (see World Congress on Education, Rome, Italy, November 2015). During his presentation, Msgr Vincenzo Zani, Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education offered Pope Francis’s vision for education to all the formators at Castel Gandolfo from February 5-10, 2015. 20160217-04Today’s educators must be master risk-takers, brave explorers, humble builders of relationships – never by themselves but as members of the community in which they operate. Today’s educators experience failures, but never give up, so that they can teach others to never give up. Above all an educator should strive to be authentic, a credible witness. Teachers often find themselves involved with children living through difficult situations. These children suffer because of family instability or violence . . . but at least there is one person in their lives who plants some seeds of hope. It is always possible to begin again, helping them to activate what in the technical jargon is termed resiliance, drawing on one’s own resources to face difficulties, to adapt and to overcome. T_Claria“There is a need to acquire more skills,” explained Argentinian psychologist Arturo Clariá “also from the fields of sociology and psychology, coming up with strategies for working together, so that we can be responsible companions for our young charges, with our gaze always fixed on the transcendent. In contrast to educators from across the world who are immersed in the problems of the current cultures, in a globalised world that has led to the loss of meaning and self-esteem, and to problems in fulfilling the plan for one’s life. At times you don’t know what to do. How are we to face such a fluid society? The educator is not the holder of knowledge, but the director of an orchestra in which each player can play his or her instrument, and the educator must draw out the harmony from each musician.” This is an educational approach that moves beyond enclosed spaces and reaches the level of feelings, social skills and values: “This is how a culture of brotherhood and peace will be created.” Photo gallery: https://goo.gl/photos/BjmCh1FPnXaxyBQh8 Facebook: In Cammino Educarsi per Educare  

I’ll love you forever

I’ll love you forever

Feb 14, 2016 | Non categorizzato

20160214-a“How will we celebrate St. Valentines? We don’t know yet. Any occasion is fine for surprising the other with something nice, hiding last-minute gifts.” Iris is a 26 year-old Brazilian. She is in Italy on an international cooperative project. She is engaged to Antonello, an Economics graduate, waiting for a job that is more in tune with his academic background. He works shifts at a call centre. When they first met, Iris was a bit reluctant about beginning a new relationship, because she had been previously disappointed by love. But Antonello managed to get her cell phone number and with his fantastic text messages, finally convinced her to give it another try. “The more we met, the more I realised I was in love,” Iris admits, “and we began to make plans.” “What kind of plans?” we asked. “First of all,” says Antonello, “I wanted to introduce her to my parents. Then we travelled to Brazil to meet her parents. Meanwhile, we were discovering each other’s cultures and different religious beliefs. Iris is deeply Catholic. I have a more humanistic view of things. But even if we come from different paths, we’re both convinced of the beauty of marriage, and that it is a profoundly human and sacred act.” Iris recounts: “That exchange – which for me, accustomed to certainties that were too often taken for granted – wasn’t easy. But it helped us to realise how strong our love was, a love that made us grow as human beings: I became more of a woman, and Antonello more of a man. It also led us to our decision that we would get married when we were financially independent.” Their certainty is disarming, considering the many couples around them whose relationships have failed, whose great love has vanished into thin air. Just the same, they want to take the big step into marriage because – as they say – “We’re sure of our love. It’s not merely a romantic dinner or a chocolate Valentine heart. “Love,” Iris explains, “is falling in love with the other’s soul. It’s knowing how to put aside one’s own thinking, to make room for the other’s thinking, and to show that for you, he matters more for what he is than for what you would like him to be.” 20160214-03Everything seems easy when you’re falling in love, but like all the other the seasons of life, it too fades away. The experts say that it lasts for a year or so; then you find yourself back on the ground. “We know it’s not always going to be this passionate,” says Antonello, “that there will be dark moments. . . In fact, we enrolled in a course for engaged couples, so that we can share our experience with other people like us. I know that we’ll also talk about the difficulties there will be, about the crisis that will come. And they’ve already told us that they’ll explain to us how to overcome that: by seeing each other new every day, and always beginning again. Regarding beginning again . . . that’s another opportunity that every couple needs, along with ongoing dialogue, seeing happiness not as a personal right, but as something to be given, healthy detachment from one’s original family, communicating with other couples, the ability to forgive, gratuitousness and tenderness . . . These are some of the topics that will be covered, including sexuality and procreation that are commonly presented in courses for engaged couples. It will be the same for this one organised by the Focolare Movement’s New Families, which will take place on April 8-10, 2016 in Loppiano, Italy. Besides, these courses are required for couples who plan to marry in the Catholic Church. So, why not take advantage of them?” For more information

Giordani: The Gospel is not a collection of words

Giordani: The Gospel is not a collection of words

Feb 13, 2016 | Non categorizzato

“The Gospel isn’t just a collection of words. It’s also a list of facts. It’s life. Jesus not only preached, he healed the sick, comforted the afflicted, raised the dead and fed the hungry. He performed the Works of Mercy because He loved. “I have compassion for these people,” He exclaimed upon seeing the hungry throngs, and He multiplied bread to satisfy their hunger. Bread takes on a sacred value in the Redemption. Jesus inserts the greatest mystery into bread, and He made the Eucharistic Banquet the core of the life of the Church community, forever uniting body and spirit, just as He had united humanity and divinity in Himself. Therefore, you love God, the Father, when you feed the hungry. All those who can offer nourishment to the undernourished and hungry and don’t do so, are murderers according to the Fathers of the Church; indeed, they’re god-killers. They cause Christ to die. From the perspective of the Gospel all those who, during the war years, forced condemned prisoners to starve to death, repeated the crucifixion. It was like murdering God. The hordes of the deported – in snow or under blazing sun, in armored cars, or in isolated ships whose monotony was only interrupted by the falling of the hungry – crossed the line of practical atheism even when it was perpetrated in the name of God. That is why Saint Vincent de Paul went aboard the galleys of very Christian kings, where the galley slaves were dropping dead from exhaustion. A Work of Mercy is not the mere distribution of food or money. It reconstitutes justice. “The Works of Mercy accomplish nothing without love,” Saint Augustine says. “If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere” (1 Cor 13:3), Saint Paul says to those Christians who shared the Bread of Angels but not that of men. The cold and reserved woman who gives Christmas to the poor but never opens her soul to them, performs nothing more than a bureaucratic duty: Christ is not pleased. Social welfare does little or nothing at all to produce the effects of a religious life, if those who carry it out don’t bring that divine nourishment of the Holy Spirit, which is love. 20160213-06No one is moved by or grateful to the faucet for the water it provides, or by the light bulb for the light it provides, Ozanam remarks. “Man does not live on bread alone,” because he is soul as well as stomach. A Work of Mercy is a moral and material duty. By feeding the hungry, I feed me because his hunger is both mine and that of the whole social body of which I am an organic part. You can’t dump grain into the ocean when in another part of the world there is someone dying of hunger. “We, though many, are one body throughout the world:” and you cannot injure one body part to the advantage of another. If you do, you’ll pay for it with revolutions, disorder and all the epidemics that are found on this side of Heaven, and with hell on the other side. It has been said that the earth is dying, that the world’s resources are diminishing and the wars increasing precisely because of hunger. Some would like to solve the problem with war and birth control, doing away with human life. But it’s not resources that are lacking; what’s lacking is love – and the intelligence – for making it circulate. Circulation is life. The stagnation brought about by accumulation is a source of hate, revolution and war. It’s death. “If your enemy is hungry, feed him, if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head” (Rm 12:20). The Works of Mercy perform the miracle of making the love circulate by making the bread circulate. It’s a miracle that transforms bread into a sort of social sacrament, in which you begin from love, God, and you nourish the body along with the soul. (From:Igino Giordani, Il fratello (Rome: Città Nuova, 2011) p.63-67.

OnCity: Network of lights to inhabit the planet

Feb 11, 2016 | Non categorizzato

“OnCity: Networks of light to inhabit the planet” is the title of a workshop on international citizenship that will take place on April 1-3, 2016 at Castel Gandolfo Conference Centre, Italy. The conference is organised by the New Humanity Movement, Youth for a United World and the United World Project which are all agencies of the Focolare Movement that are engaged in promoting brotherhood among generations, individuals, groups and peoples. We are challenged by current events: bombings, terrorism, new forms of poverty and marginalisation and a piecemeal world war. Cities are in trouble, suffering from contradictions that everyone can see. But there are also positive experiences which show that it is possible to work, believe and hope for more liveable and fraternal cities. The three-day workshop will examine changes taking place in today’s cities and present a lifestyle of dialogue. For information and reservations: oncity2016.net info@oncity2016.net 06/94792170 Download brochure: pdf ONCITY2016- reti di luci per abitare il pianeta (14.05 MB)