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26 Nov 2014 | Non categorizzato
«Any spontaneous impression on what you have lived these days? It was a meeting of real, profound communion. This was emphasized even more if we think of our beginnings. In 1998 at St. Peter’s square, Pope John Paul II almost had to ask the Movements to agree amongst themselves, to love each other, to get to know and esteem each other and to collaborate. Now we have reached the point that we no longer really notice to which Movement we belong. There was so much fraternity among all.
It was wonderful to see the recently born Movements going to the older Movements, not to be examined but to ask for their help, their thought and even their judgement on their works, to see together how to bring things ahead. The older Movements going to the newer Movements, the last born, not so much to see whether they are functioning, if all was going well and so on, but to rejoice that a new life had been born. Thus it was a full celebration of all their fruits and experiencing this being united in the Church. I thought it was really a very important step, a real communion and fraternity, where we were all brothers and sisters, older and younger but all brothers and sisters.
When we then went together to the Pope, he understood this aspect and he even expressed it in his talk; we felt his joy of having been able to participate and experience this communion that there had been among us.
After all, this was the gift we wanted to bring to him: this communion, and he strongly highlighted it in his talk, inviting us to bring it ahead and defining communion itself as the seal of the Holy Spirit. Thus it was a confirmation and a strong encouragement to go ahead in this direction. Then the Pope returned to the topic of going outwards, not to remain in our own circle. This is a fundamental idea that is in all his talks.
So I asked myself: what could this mean for us as Movements? We have to discover how to take this new step. Certainly, there should always be more communion with the Church. However, precisely because we have reached this profound unity among Movements, perhaps God is now asking us to expand more this going out towards the Movements of other non-Catholic Churches. They also have very strong experiences of people who live the Gospel like us and who bear witness to this life. We should get to know them too, and opening ourselves more could contribute to a vaster communion (why not?) as well as drawing closer to the moment of unity among all Christians.
This could perhaps be a path that should still be opened.
Another thing I would like to emphasize is this: going out towards a more vital unity between the “shepherd” and the “flock”, as much as possible. There were, in fact, many pastors, bishops and priests present, belonging to Movements and not. I think that the going outwards that God is asking of us now is to bring about a much deeper communion between laity and clergy, with the clergy that belongs to the Movements, who therefore are already strongly united to their own Movement, but perhaps not yet among all the clergy of all the Movements. I think God is also asking us to look for more suitable forms, thus we shouldn’t separate the ecclesial part from the lay part in various Movements and not even in the Movements as a whole.»
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25 Nov 2014 | Non categorizzato
Situated just a few kilometres from Postojna, in Slovenia, a crossroads between Eastern and Western Europe, today Planina is a tourist destination with stunning scenery, but with a history behind it of the tragedy experienced in Europe with the millions of dead of the two world wars. The horror of the war is well portrayed, for example, in some of the works by the Slovenian artist Ivan Rupnik, in particular his ‘mosaics in the woods’ situated on the site of some mass graves.
With this historical consciousness as a backdrop, the three days spent together by the “Friends of Together for Europe” took on a new significance of European reconciliation, being prepared to face painful wounds some of which are still open: and this highlighted the relationship of mutual love at work between Christians of different denominations and origins.
There were 14 European countries represented, from Portugal to Russia, from Sweden to Croatia. A commitment to a reconciled Europe was the common denominator, in the belief that 500 years of separation between the Churches is ‘sufficient’ and that it is time to fulfil the dream of the founding fathers of the European Union, building ‘brotherhood’ between peoples.
The conference programme focused mainly on preparing a major event scheduled for 2016, in Munich, in Bavaria, with the desire to offer religious and civil society a powerful witness of a reconciliation that has been achieved, that is visible, the fruit of knowledge, esteem and collaboration in many common social initiatives, and which has grown over the years, starting from 2002, when the experience of Together for Europe began.
The 108 participants, from 41 movements and communities of various Churches have expressed a genuine ‘passion’ for unity and a full commitment to the project, showing a willingness to share ideas, responsibilities and organizational burdens.
“Beside the ever new surprise and joy for the progress made – writes one of the participants – which is evident in the great ability to listen and of mutual acceptance, there was a general enthusiasm and belief that, with the help of God and ‘together’ it is possible to work towards bringing about the ‘dream’ of a Europe without divisions, that has found again its roots and which could even be a model for other continents.”
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24 Nov 2014 | Non categorizzato
«To create a network of women, going beyond the diversity of religion and culture; to make an in-depth study of the sacred texts so as to regain the place of the woman in today’s society; and to promote interreligious dialogue with a more human dimension»; here are some of the conclusions of the International Symposium that took place last November 12 and 13, in Rabat, the capital of Morocco.
Organized by the Centre for Women’s Studies in Islam, affiliated with the Moroccan Council of Ulama, the meeting took place within the framework of the Strategic Dialogue between Morocco and the United Staes under the patronage of King Mohammed VI.
Around a hundred experts were present coming from 25 nations, the majority of whome were Muslim, but there were also some Christians and Jews, all of them scholars and involved in the juridical field and in organizations working for women’s rights.
The meeting, entitled “Women at the heart of the monotheisms: a pluralist history”, tackled the important contribution of women in interreligious dialogue, where often their voice has remained marginilized.
The meeting started with a presentation of the role of the woman in the history of the three monotheistic religions. And therefore, the importance of starting from the sacred texts was underlined instead of the logics of the split, with the objective of finding once more the dignity of the woman, aiming for a greater equality between man and woman, both on the spiritual, as well as moral and social levels. From this point, the correct interpretation of the texts on the female person was seen as necessary since it was often conditioned by the customs of the times and by other factors: political, economical and social.
Christina Lee, co-responsible for interreligious dialogue of the Focolare Movement, presented the experience, in interreligious dialogue, of the Focolare Movement founded by a woman, Chiara Lubich. She spoke of the “feminine genius” – as John Paul II defined it – which is the ability of women to live for others, to take care of the others and to connect relationships among people. This vision was appreciated for its depth, for its spirituality and for its future prospects.
There were other important interventions on the various forms of dialogue being carried out by women of today with their difficulties, hopes and testimonies. Professor Aicha Hajjami of Morocco asked why in many Islamic nations unjust laws towards women still exist. «It is a situation that calls for a profound reflection – she added – on how to be able to modify such laws with values supported by Islam». Yolande Iliano, president of the Religions for Peace Europe, gave her testimony on how feminine sensitivity gives rise to collective interreligious involvement on a social and political level.
The presence of the youth was not lacking with their experiences and expectations, that highlighted the crucial role that the woman plays in building the unity of the human family. Just as Prof. Asma Lamrabet, diretor of the Study Center, affirmed «the symposium was already a reality and a challenge, and no longer just a dream».
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22 Nov 2014 | Non categorizzato
Jes
ús Morán, Spanish philosopher and theologian, was elected co-president of the Focolare Movement in the General Assembly 2014, which was held last September. These pieces are taken from a conversation with him:
“I met the ideal of unity – he begins – when I had just finished my studies at high school and I was preparing to join the faculty of philosophy at the Autonomous University of Madrid. It was a time of great political and social unrest in Spain. The desire for change was very urgent. Society and in particular young people were demanding freedom and democracy. The reason I chose to study philosophy was because the religious at the high school where I had studied had inculcated in me a Christianity that was engaged in social transformation. The encounter with the spirituality of Chiara Lubich was like finding the figure of what I wanted to be. This spirituality, in addition to changing society, could change myself as well and this was what I basically wanted most. I found in the freedom to love the answer to all my needs.”
“I have lived in Latin America most of my life,” Jesús Morán continues, “When I arrived in Chile I was 23 years old and when I left Mexico I was 50. I made my first work experiences there and saw first hand the history of these age-old peoples with their contrasts, their immense cultural wealth and their identity dramas. From Latin America, I learned the immeasurable value of life, of nature and interpersonal relationships. It was like a school of sociality. That continent gave me the sense of organic thinking, of culture becoming daily practice and history, of a religiosity that touches the deepest fibres of the heart.”
The experience of recent years at the centre of the Movement, he confesses, has enriched him with a more universal vision, as well as being a period of intense human and spiritual maturation.
“In my life, there have been some particularly bright moments lived with Chiara Lubich in which I felt her motherhood towards me.”
Only a little over two months have passed since his election as co-president and he tells us that he is living “a very strong and at the same time simple experience of God. I’ve never before felt so deeply loved by so many people. Of this I am very grateful to God.”
Asked if in his opinion something new has happened with Assembly 2014, he replied: “The Work of Mary is living a crucial moment for its future. It is a question of verifying the extent to which this first generation has really understood the charismatic gift that God has given to the Church and humanity with Chiara Lubich. Because this determines the actual level of the incarnation of the charism. It is a moment of a strong and new self-awareness that must result in a radical life on a par with the early days of the movement, even though different. It is the time of “creative fidelity”. The more faithful the more creative, and vice versa, the more creative the more faithful. Obviously, this means living out the charism on all fronts, a new apostolic outreach, and an expansion of the capacity for dialogue at 360 degrees. It seems to me that the Assembly, with its policy document and with the final touch of the message of Pope Francis, is oriented in this direction.”
As for his thoughts on possible conflicts between spiritual formation and cultural formation: “In Chiara there has never been any contrast between life and thought. She, in fact, would take up her books again immediately after a mystical experience. For me that is very significant. Chiara is the founder of the Abba School and the Sophia University Institute. Like all great founders, she was fully aware that a charism that does not become culture has no future.”
We ask, finally, what to ask for him and for the Movement: “A gift that I ask every day is that of discernment and docility to the Spirit, without fear.”
Aurora Nicosia
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19 Nov 2014 | Non categorizzato
Cielo Lee, Young-Hee is a visiting nurse for a hospital in Seoul (Korea). The percentage of suicides among people over 80 is the highest in the world. “After reading some statistics, I began working in prevention, since 80% of my patients are over 80.” Following one negative experience with a deeply depressed patient, Cielo Lee decided to organise a course on the prevention of suicide, for 100 geriatric workers and 30 parish volunteers. “While visiting 40 patients each week with one of my colleagues we evaluated their mood and state of mind according to national health standards. Based on those results we decided to make twice-a-week visits to the 10 patients who were most at risk.” The Gatekeeper Project is a public service promoted by the government in Seoul. It operates in all the quarters of the capital for the prevention of suicides, and in close collaboration with local health services. “In this project,” Cielo Lee explains, “we also train the elderly as gate-keepers. These same-age men and women accompany the nurses visiting patients and offer helpful health advice.” Because of my desire to protect the life of even just one person, at work I shared my intentions with a religious sister, the head nurse. Then sixty of my nurse colleagues decided to attend the suicide prevention training.” One patient has suffered with a serious illness for 10 years: “When I went to his home,” she says “before going in I would pray, and I tried to listen deeply to everything he had to say. For a while now, this patient has returned to prayer and is becoming more stable.” A friend was suffering from insomnia after the death of her eldest son. She was only able to sleep with the help of sedatives. But after attending the course she has begun to care for an elderly neighbour with no family. Now she is able to sleep without the help of medication, and she is grateful that she can do something for other people. “One day the phone rang,” Cielo Lee recounts. “It was the mental health centre that I work with. The person from the centre told me that the Mayor of Seoul would be giving a prize to one person from each quarter and that I had been unanimously chosen! The next day I received a additional prize from the director of the hospital.” Members from the Focolare Movement in Seoul who attended the course wrote that it was “a precious opportunity for deepening our awareness of the mystery of life, and for going towards the existential peripheries.”
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18 Nov 2014 | Non categorizzato
«First of all I thank His Eminence, Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko, for having invited me to take part in this press conference. I take this opportunity to publicly thank the Pontifical Council for the Laity for having promoted this 3rd International Meeting. With this I think that I am also expressing the feeling of many Ecclesial Movement and New Communities that enrich the Church and today’s society.
What does the Focolare Movement – and perhaps also the other Movements – expect from this Meeting?
First of all, I believe that this Meeting has been convoked at a suitable time and for many reasons: We are in the midst of the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. We find the whole Church, therefore all of us, faced with its great intuitions and teaching. Vatican II, especially for us laypeople, continues to be, and today more than ever, an encouragement and example of our role, vocation and responsibility towards the Church and the contemporary world.
Another reason for encouragement is the person of Pope Paul VI, who came to the fore on the occasion of his beatification, with his clear and often prophetical teaching, as the Pope of dialogue and the Pope of the laity.
Another great reason are the challenges that Pope Francis constantly presents to the whole Church, as an institution and the people of God. This is why us too, who belong to the Focolare Movement, feel the duty to be interrogated by his words and his choices. It’s not enough to appreciate, but we are working so that they may challenge us deeply, when it comes to strong convictions, openness and practicality.
The programme of the forthcoming 3rd Meeting, for what we know at the moment, will go over the important demands of the Evangelii gaudium. With these Pope Francis encourages and accompanies the Church towards the widest diffusion: he makes us penetrate all the “outskirts,” for which we live, with the duty of offering – with our being and our work – the light that comes from the certainty that “God loves us immensely”.
I would like to briefly mention our General Assembly, which took place two months ago. The participants included about 500 representatives of 137 countries, of all the branches, generations and dialogues that constitute the Movement. It practically concluded last September 26th with the private audience with Pope Francis.
On that occasion, going through the journey of the Church called to a new evangelization 50 years from the Second Vatican Council, Pope Bergoglio wanted to give three “verbs” to the Movement. I noted a perspective in these words that – I think – can inspire, spur and interest also other associations of the Church.
First: to contemplate. To contemplate God and live in the company of men and women; to persevere in mutual love, said the Pope citing a writing of our foundress Chiara Lubich, who «inspired by God in response to the signs of the times» – he said – wrote: “The great attraction of modern times: to penetrate the highest contemplation while mingling with everyone, one person alongside others.”
Second: to go out. I quote: «To go out … to generously communicate God’s love to all» with respect, gratuitousness and creativity. «In order to do this, we must become experts in that art which is called ‘dialogue’ and which is not learned cheaply. We cannot be content with half measures,» but «with God’s help we can aim high and broaden our gaze.» To go out with courage where there are «the moans of our brothers, the hurts of society and the questions of the culture of our time.»
Third: to teach. Pope Francis remembered the expression of Pope John Paul II in the Novo millennio ineunte, with which he invited the whole Church to become “the home and the school of communion” (cfr n. 43). And he added: «You have taken this instruction seriously. It is important to form, as the Gospel requires, new men and women and to that end a human school according to the measure of Jesus’ humanity, is necessary. … Without an appropriate formation of the new generations, it is illusory to think that a serious and lasting plan in service of a new humanity can be brought about.» We must form “global persons,” he said citing an expression «that Chiara Lubich coined … which is especially relevant today … men and women with the soul, the heart, the mind of Jesus and therefore capable of recognizing and interpreting the needs, the concerns and the hopes which are harboured in the heart of every person.»
These three verbs blend with the three words that emerged from the General Assembly of the Focolare. We were trying to gather the essence from the 3,650 proposals that arrived during the preparatory months from the communities of the Focolare throughout the world and to offer guidelines for the future. They are three words that synthetically indicate the commitment and perspectives of the Movement in the next years: “going outwards, together, suitably prepared.”
This upcoming 3rd Meeting of the Ecclesial Movements and New Communities is part of a common and fruitful history, which has witnessed Movements be born, develop and give their own contribution to the Church and humanity, according to the specific charism each one possessed. Not only this. Very often, especially after the founding moment of Pentecost 1998, it has also seen various Movements and/or Communities collaborating together in various projects and on different moments.
The Pontifical Council for the Laity has always been alongside us in this working together. In this way it gave us the guarantee that what each Movement brought was needed for the fulfilment of a project for the good of the whole ecclesial body. It always watched over us with love and discernment appreciating the good and knocking down all the secondary things there could have been. Many times the Focolare Movement, with its charism of unity, felt sustained in promoting all kinds of meetings that at times were complex, as for example the youth day meetings or the Laity Meetings, like the one held in Korea…
Following this history, we hope that the upcoming Meeting may mark a step of maturity. May the reflections, exchanging of views, the sharing of successes and failures, the experiences and projects create the conditions for God, Lord of history, to draw from this not only fruits of communion and mutual enrichment, but the fruit of making everyone, all together, focus better, to look and always live with renewed joy for the only great goal of the Church of Christ: “That they may all be one … Father” (Jn 17:21). This is “God’s dream.” We hope to be able to respond to the deepest longings of men and women today and help make humanity one big family. In this way we prepare ourselves to meet all the participants at the Meeting.»
From the speech of Maria Voce at the press conference presenting the 3rd Meeting of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities
