19 Dec 2015 | Non categorizzato
https://vimeo.com/140678777 A child recounted: «I only knew about Santa Claus, but nobody has ever told me the real story of Christmas, the birth of Jesus!» Another child said, «Oh yes, people have forgotten, but we can remind them about it! Still another added «All the other kids in the world have already started!» These are the gen4 boys and girls “who love everybody the way Jesus does and want to show everyone that He is the greatest gift of all!” They learnt this from Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, who had urged them to “Let Jesus be born in your midst with your love, so that it will always be Christmas! […] We can offer Jesus in our midst to the whole world, and bring this love and joy to the streets, schools, and to the big and small… everywhere!” Years ago at Christmas, while walking through the streets of Zurich, Switzerland, Chiara had seen the shop windows adorned with lights and toys, and snow on the trees, Santa Claus… and had asked herself: But where is Jesus? He was not there. And so she wrote: «This wealthy world has taken Christmas for itself, but has dislodged Jesus.» «What does it mean to ”dislodge?”» A child asked. It means that Jesus has no place to go to, like when he was born and there was no room for him anywhere.» It was then that Chiara told us «So we must welcome him, and celebrate his coming! We, gen4 around the world, wish to do this and invite everyone to do the same.». Then came the idea of making a statue of Baby Jesus and nativity scenes to offer to those who do not know or do not remember that at Christmas, Jesus is more important than buying gifts. «We want to recall that Christmas is the feast of Jesus. And we tell people: do you want to bring him home with you? Some answer no, some keep walking on and do not even stop, but others stop and so we give these little statues of Jesus, or the nativity scenes we have made. We do this in the main squares of the big cities and in the shopping centers; we even give it to our mayors and go to the homes for the aged. We attract attention with our stands and concerts, and organise Christmas parties for many children. It is like a wave of happiness that overwhelms us all with happiness and brings the “celebrated Guest” back as the central point of Christmas.» On Sunday, 20 December, St. Peter’s Square will celebrate the Children’s Jubilee and Pope Francis will bless the statues of Baby Jesus. On the same day, the TV programme Sua Immagine (Rai Channel 1 at 10.30), will be dedicated to children, and will broadcast the reportage on the project “They Have dislodged Jesus.”
18 Dec 2015 | Non categorizzato
This year, the usual appointment promoted by the youth of the Focolare and aims to involve the greatest number of people and institutions in their journey towards fraternity, will be cantered in Quito, Ecuador. The theme of inculturality, with a manifestation of the youth at the so-called “Other half of the world,” where one can enter with one foot in the boreal hemisphere and the other in the austral hemisphere. There will be days of dialogue among young people of different cultures, through work sessions, sharing and community tourism in a setting of exuberant nature. Complete information on the Ecuador programme is given on the site, www.munodunido2016.com. “Link Cultures – un camino para la paz” is the title that expresses the core of all the fraternity initiatives that will ensure simultaneously throughout the world, uniting generations and cultures in a unique workshop and can be traced through the hashtag #4peace. Run4Unity – Another novelty this year is the involvement of the kids: the wold sports event, Run4Unity, the world relay race for peace which in the previous editions saw the participation of thousands of teens, which will be held annually from now on, and will be inserted in the United World Week. The La Run4Unity 2016 will take place next 8 May. The Youth for a United World hope that this on-the-road International Expo, now running on its 20th anniversary be also recognised by the UN. The initiatives that come about during the year, and on which the United World Week focuses its spotlight, are all part of the United World Project.
18 Dec 2015 | Non categorizzato
From 11 am to 12 noon in all the time zones, children throughout the world will run for peace (a stretch of the itinerary will be done on foot or by bike, roller skates, and canoe) with an extraordinary passing of the baton, from the cities situated in a preceding time zone to another. How? Through a phone call, or text message or at least “ideally linking up” with the others. 12 noon is the Time-Out, a minute of silence or prayer for peace. The day on which the Run4unity will be held will be called “World Day of the Golden Rule”: upon putting it into practice and promoting it, we will silently but effectively build Peace and a more united world. The web site http://www.run4unity.net is the tool which will highlight the world demonstration, in continual connection with social media, to allow all the boys and girls to be active in building and spreading the Event. There have been four international editions of this project: in 2005, 2008, 2012 and 2015. The R4U event is really quite unique since it links kids throughout the world, and who in a time span of 24 hours, from one time zone to the other, undertake to achieve a sole objective: unity of the human family. This explains the great interest of the mass media, and civil, religious and political authorities. Run4Unity is part of the activities of the United World Week and United World Project. Info: http://www.run4unity.net/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYR8R-_Rg_M
18 Dec 2015 | Non categorizzato
“Unity”, the basic point of the spirituality of the Focolare Movement, will be deepened during this meeting, with experiences of people from various cities, where the spirituality lived by many has affected the life of those regions. This is the case of the community of Szeged, Hungary, or Loppiano, in Valdarno, Tuscany and again on ecumenism in Great Britain, and the social field in Brazil. One of the many themes to be discussed is the aspect of communications as a tool used to reach unity; dialogue especially in the ecumenical and interreligious field, and the Focolare Movement’s commitment for peace. The great majority of those participating will be from Italy but also from France, Hungary, Greece and England. For information and bookings: info@focolare.org www.centromariapoli.org
18 Dec 2015 | Non categorizzato
«Unity» the basic point of the spirituality of the Focolare Movement, will be deepened during this meeting, with experiences of people from various cities, where the spirituality lived by many has affected the life of those regions. This is the case of the community of Szeged, Hungary, or Loppiano, in Valdarno, Tuscany and again on ecumenism in Great Britain, and the social field in Brazil. One of the many themes to be discussed is the aspect of communications as a tool used to reach unity; dialogue especially in the ecumenical and interreligious field, and the Focolare Movement’s commitment for peace. The great majority of those participating will be from Italy but also from France, Hungary, Greece and England. Another congress on the same themes will be held from 3- 5 March. Info: info@focolare.org www.centromariapoli.org
18 Dec 2015 | Non categorizzato
About 60 Bishops from all over the word will meet in Castel Gandolfo to go deeper in mutual communion, and share and reflect on the theme of «unity,» the element which is central to the charism of the Focolare. For those who are interested, the program will continue up to the 28th with a visit to the international town of Loppiano.
