9 Aug 2015 | Non categorizzato
«Working in the fields, and taking care of the life of the plants, in an immense silence marked by the solar and lunar cycles, and sharing the work of creation of natural life, are also like priestly tasks, and call for concentration and sacrifice: the courage to tune in with one’s own soul, and be one with the expectation of the universe, in contact with nature which is a miraculous nursery, feeling oneself, without fainting, in the presence of God.» (FIDES, July 1938) « Man needs beauty and purity that surpasses human ideals in order to rise up to the contemplation of Mary. She was the one who lifted him up: in contemplating this, the most beautiful aspirations of the soul blossomed, and tried to capture through expressions of art, the highest ever achieved. Maternity is womanly tenderness, the most beautiful passion, the moment wherein one is able to lift oneself beyond brutality, through a surge of divinization.» (FIDES, March 1938) «The Christian revolution came about without conspiracy and did not overturn institutions, nor did it kill tyrants, but penetrated into the obsolete organisations of the old world, into the worn family, in the decrepit juridical institutes, and into social relationships intoxicated by lust. It was love that was stirring up again, to regenerate all and by which suddenly, slaves were able to transform themselves before their masters, and woman assumed a new value in the eyes of man, and heathens and labourers bridged the immense gap between them and the Greeks and Romans. ». (FIDES, February 1943 «The aware Christian – the saint – is one who uses his time carefully and is able to achieve a lot in a short time, to honour the Head of the house, for the common good and wellbeing of his brethren. This activity and ability, in the current language is called apostolate. A Christian that does not act in the manner and time assigned, is a Christian who ignores his role in the Church: he is unaware of the Church that lives because it acts and produces action. We say it produces Catholic action. In a thousand ways, all are involved. A poet can do it and likewise a half wit, a hermit and a monk, the head of a family and a department head, the city wayfarer and the cobbler in his workshop. ». (FIDES, October 1938) Source: Igino Giordani Centre
7 Aug 2015 | Non categorizzato
https://vimeo.com/131558378
5 Aug 2015 | Non categorizzato
The 2014-2015 Course for Seminary Educators that ended in Loppiano, was attended by around 20 priests from Brazil, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Indonesia, Thailand, Italy, Holland, Spain and Malta. “In giving a comprehensive assessment of the course, I think I can say that the objective of enlightening the world of education in seminaries with the charism of unity was substantially fulfilled.” Some of the participants shared their impressions: “Attending the course has made me focus on the significance and value of my ecclesial service as an educator, especially within the perspective of the Church as communion, and also because of the fact that the Church of the future depends on the type of education given in seminaries.” “This course challenged me to live this model of life we contemplated on together and let myself be moulded by the circumstances and by my brethren, and change my way of praying and thinking. I will keep in contact spiritually and try as much as possible to concretely keep up a direct dialogue with the team that has promoted this event, and also with all the participants.” The course structure was divided into four weeks within a two-year period. The second half which was held this year dealt with the concrete aspects of education, divided into seven major parts: The Gift of oneself and communion; Openness toward the other: dialogue and testimonials; Union with God: interiority and sanctification; Life and the mystical body and corporeality; Personal harmony and building the community; Wisdom, studies and culture; and Communication and media at the service of communion. The course was guided by the keywords: prayer-life-thought. It successfully achieved the mutual involvement of participants and course supervisors. Similar courses were also held in Bangkok in 2013, with around 60 participants from Southeast Asian countries. Other similar courses have been programmed to be held in the Philippines, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Brazil and Colombia. Over the last eight years, there has been a total participation of about 200 seminary educators from about 30 countries of the four continents.
28 Jul 2015 | Non categorizzato, Word of
Love is the fulfilment of our life, the one secure guiding principle we can follow. The whole of Christian ethics is contained in these words. Human behaviour, if it wishes to be according to what God thought when he created us, and so genuinely human, must be animated by love. If our ‘walk’ (which stands for our life) is to reach its objective, it must be guided by love, the summary of the entire law. The apostle Paul is speaking to the Christians in Ephesus when he makes this exhortation. It is the conclusion and summary of what he has just written to them about the Christian way of life: going from the old self to the new self, being true and sincere with one another, not stealing, knowing that we are forgiven, doing what is good, in a word ‘walking in love’. It would be useful to read the couple of sentences that give us these incisive words which will be with us throughout the month: ‘Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.’ Paul is convinced that our every move must be modelled on God’s way of behaving. If love is God’s distinguishing feature, it must be also for his children. They must imitate him in this. But how can we know God’s love? For Paul it is extremely clear. God’s love is revealed in Jesus, who shows how and how much God loves. The apostle experienced it at first hand: Christ ‘loved me and gave himself for me’ (Gal. 2:20), and now Paul reveals this to everybody so that it may become the experience of the whole community. ‘Walk in love’ What is the measure of Jesus’s love which should be the model for our love? It, we know, has no limits, no exceptions, no partiality. Jesus died for all, even his enemies, those who were crucifying him, just as the Father in his universal love makes his sun shine and his rain fall upon all, good and bad, sinners and righteous alike. He knew how to care above all for the little ones and the poor, the sick and the excluded. He loved his friends with intensity. He was particularly close to his disciples… His love spared nothing and went to the extreme of his giving his life. And now he calls all to share in his same love, to love as he has loved. This call could scare us, because it demands too much. How can we be imitators of God, who loves everyone, always, taking the initiative? How can we love with the measure of Jesus’s love? How can we live ‘in love’, as this Word of Life asks of us? It is possible only if we ourselves have first had the experience of being loved. In the expression ‘walk in love, as Christ loved us’, the word ‘as’ can also be translated ‘because’. ‘Walk in love’ Walking means acting, behaving, which means to say that everything we do must be inspired and moved by love. But perhaps it is not by chance that Paul uses this dynamic word to remind us that we learn by loving, that there is a whole road to go before reaching the wideness of God’s heart. He uses other images to point out the need for constant progress, such as the growth of infants to adulthood (see 1 Cor. 3:1-2) or races in the stadium to win a prize (see 1 Cor. 9:24). We are always a work in progress. Time and constancy are required to reach our goal, without giving up in the face of difficulties, without ever letting ourselves be discouraged by failures and mistakes, ready always to start again, without giving in to mediocrity. Augustine of Hippo, perhaps thinking of his own painful journey, wrote: ‘You always dislike what you are, if you want to reach what you are not yet. In fact where you feel at ease, you stop, and you say, “That’s enough,” and like that you sink. Build up continuously, walk ahead always, go forward without ceasing; do not pause long on the way, do not look behind, do not leave the track. The one who goes not ahead, stays behind.’ ‘Walk in love’ How can we walk most swiftly upon the way of love? Since the invitation is given to the whole community (the word ‘walk’ is in plural form), it is a good idea to help one another. Indeed, it is sad and tough to go on a journey alone. We could start by finding the opportunity to declare to one another again (with our friends, families, the members of the same Christian community) our will to walk together. We could share our positive experiences about how we have loved, so as to learn from one another. We could share with someone able to understand us the mistakes we have made and our slips along the way, so as to be corrected. Prayer together too can give us light and strength to go ahead. United among us and with Jesus (who called himself the Way!) in our midst we will be able to travel along the whole of our ‘Holy Journey’. We will sow love around us and we will reach the goal: Love. Fabio Ciardi
22 Jul 2015 | Non categorizzato
In the waiting room – “Our son and his friend were jailed for drug dealing. During the long waits before visitations with inmate relatives, we got to know a young foreigner with a sad face. For three years she had to travel a great distance on foot, to be able to visit her friend regularly, who was in jail. When she heard that she could count on us in the future to give her a ride in our car, she finally smiled and couldn’t thank us enough. On the following visit, to lighten the wait especially for the small children who had come with their mothers, we brought along some toys, sweets and fruit. When he learned what was happening in the waiting room where there was a more serene atmosphere, we saw a positive change in our son’s relationship with us.” (Italy) Pardon – “I had gone to live with a colleague, leaving behind my wife and four children. While the eldest of my children took it badly and left the house, my wife and the other three began to ask God for the grace of my return. Little by little I found the strength to leave the other woman; to avoid seeing her at work (since we work in the same company), I also left my job. I returned to my family, unemployed until I was able to find a very simple job. Living humility was good for me. I thank God for the support I received from other families and especially for the forgiveness I received from my wife and my children with whom I have begun a new path.” (USA) On the phone – “Years ago my wife died at the age of 23 in an automobile accident. Since that day I felt a subtle bitterness towards the friend who had been driving and remained uninjured. I held him responsible for that death. He’s now married with children. With trembling hands I dialled his telephone number. His wife answered surprised and embarrassed when I told her it was me. I opened my heart to her: ‘I’ve been thinking about all of you for the past few days. I wanted to see you, to know your children. . . I’d be so happy if you’d come and visit me.” She was overcome with emotion and promised me they would visit. . . I found myself feeling so happy and light. (Switzerland) The numbers do add up – “A mother of five children with health problems, drugs and alcoholism, life choices that have led to irregular families, amidst tension and fights, now I’m a widow. Alone, in the face of problems that people could never even imagine, since I look so calm. I should say that I’m helped by my character, but I was able to react to certain situations thanks especially to the gift of faith and the support of friends. Now I’m living on my pension, but I manage just the same to help some needy people every month. At times I would like to say ‘no more’. Indeed it was be easy to put something aside for when I’m old. But it’s more powerful than me. And I see that Divine Providence continues to arrive right on time every time, and the numbers do add up.” (Italy)
14 Jul 2015 | Non categorizzato
Lack of communication and the incapacity to comprehend the other, see the positive side of the other person’s diversity, and establish the right distance with the families of origin, are often the causes of the crises, in an individualistic society that does not believe in marriage and the commitment for a long-lasting relationship. The 7th edition of the course in Loppiano this year (20-27 June) was organized by the New Families and aimed to strengthen the unity of couples. The course allowed participants to demonstrate willingness to put themselves to the test, together with a deep sharing with the course guides and other families, and avail of the advice of experts that could help dead-end relationships to start anew. With these factors, also the greatest difficulties could be overcome, as was demonstrated by the moving testimonial of unconditional forgiveness by a couple that was reunited after nine years of separation. However, the path towards “encounter” is complex. «Upon their arrival, the tense features and sad expressions of the couples conveyed their deep suffering, more than words,» recount Marina and Gianni Vegliach, course guides of the New Families. «Some spoke about the need to find a meaning, some spoke about an estranged partner, some doubted having a future together, while others referred to the impossibility of dialogue and some confided of “not being able to forgive themselves.». «As we went deeper into the course programme entitled A course of light for the couple – continued Vegliach – the Focolare’s spirituality of unity, together with the psychological path, sharing of experiences, practical exercises, personal talks, and moments of recreation, helped to transform hearts and souls. And this showed through the changed expressions of their faces and eyes, which became more serene.» «When we arrived we were empty, obsessed with the word “end” and now are going home with the words “start again,” a couple said. Among the course-guide families were two couples who had done the course in the past, and decided to put themselves at the service with commitment, seriousness and competence, and who managed to enter the tunnel with those who were in the dark, and encourage and support the couples with their own experiences. The course covered themes on self-knowledge, diversity, conflict, and acceptance of others, and helps the participants to identify their own particular suffering which has to be faced, possibly also with the psychological support of an expert. The sharing of experiences with other couples helps one to view his own personal situation from various standpoints, find the courage needed to rebuild a quality relationship, and escape from that solitude which makes the crisis seem irreversible. The daily appointment at the “Theotokos” shrine and the special atmosphere of Loppiano, the international town of the Focolare in Incisa Valdarno (Florence) – where the inhabitants learn spontaneously to put themselves in others’ shoes and live in fraternity – contributed positively to the success of the course, and opened new possibilities to “look to the future together, share the ups and downs, rediscover dialogue and hope, and start caring for one another.” As someone said: «Now we have the means to leave the closed shell of our own selves and hope to continue using these tools at the right moment.» To consolidate these results, a week-end verification and assessment event has been organised for the winter. Furthermore, a meeting has been set in Castelgandolfo from 24 to 27 September 2015, which will be open to not more than 60 course guides and experts to discuss the possibility of holding additional “enlightening” courses also locally.
«Working in the fields, and taking care of the life of the plants, in an immense silence marked by the solar and lunar cycles, and sharing the work of creation of natural life, are also like priestly tasks, and call for concentration and sacrifice: the courage to tune in with one’s own soul, and be one with the expectation of the universe, in contact with nature which is a miraculous nursery, feeling oneself, without fainting, in the presence of God.» (FIDES, July 1938) « Man needs beauty and purity that surpasses human ideals in order to rise up to the contemplation of Mary. She was the one who lifted him up: in contemplating this, the most beautiful aspirations of the soul blossomed, and tried to capture through expressions of art, the highest ever achieved. Maternity is womanly tenderness, the most beautiful passion, the moment wherein one is able to lift oneself beyond brutality, through a surge of divinization.» (FIDES, March 1938) «The Christian revolution came about without conspiracy and did not overturn institutions, nor did it kill tyrants, but penetrated into the obsolete organisations of the old world, into the worn family, in the decrepit juridical institutes, and into social relationships intoxicated by lust. It was love that was stirring up again, to regenerate all and by which suddenly, slaves were able to transform themselves before their masters, and woman assumed a new value in the eyes of man, and heathens and labourers bridged the immense gap between them and the Greeks and Romans. ». (FIDES, February 1943 «The aware Christian – the saint – is one who uses his time carefully and is able to achieve a lot in a short time, to honour the Head of the house, for the common good and wellbeing of his brethren. This activity and ability, in the current language is called apostolate. A Christian that does not act in the manner and time assigned, is a Christian who ignores his role in the Church: he is unaware of the Church that lives because it acts and produces action. We say it produces Catholic action. In a thousand ways, all are involved. A poet can do it and likewise a half wit, a hermit and a monk, the head of a family and a department head, the city wayfarer and the cobbler in his workshop. ». (FIDES, October 1938) Source: Igino Giordani Centre