Jul 12, 2022 | Non categorizzato
On June 8, 2022, Margaret Karram and Jesús Moran, along with some members of the Focolare Movement, were received in an audience by His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. The meeting, which was held at the Fener, headquarters of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, focused on the productive friendship between the movement and the patriarchate. This began 55 years ago with Chiara Lubich’s visit to Bartholomew’s beloved predecessor, Patriarch Athenagoras, and the shared path taken to work together for the unity of Christians and all peoples on Earth.
Maria Grazia Berretta
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y2cV4qLtC4
Jul 11, 2022 | Non categorizzato
The Word we have chosen to live by during the month of July 2022, taken from Luke’s Gospel, says: “There is need of only one thing.,. We know only too well how much need there is for charity nowadays, as there was in Jesus’ time. We need love of neighbour, love for everyone, without excluding anyone. God who is Love. Believing in God’s love, responding to his love by loving; these attitudes are urgently needed today. People today are awaiting these two essential things. Without them, the world risks being like a train running out of control and coming off the tracks. Discovering, or rather rediscovering, that God is Love is the greatest adventure for people today. In the encyclical Ecclesiam Suam, [His Church] Pope Paul VI stated: “We are convinced that charity should today assume its rightful, foremost position in the scale of religious and moral values, and not just in theory, but in the practice of the Christian life. And this applies not only to the charity we show toward God, … but also to the charity which we in turn should lavish on … the whole human race. Charity is the key to everything. It sets all to rights. There is nothing which charity cannot achieve and renew. Who is there among us who does not realize this? And since we realize it, is not this the time to put it into practice?”
Chiara Lubich
(Lubich, Chiara., “Scritti spirituali /2, L’essenziale di oggi, [Spiritual writings/2 The essential for today] Città Nuova, 1978, p. 160)
Jul 6, 2022 | Non categorizzato
Peace is a choice. This is the message conveyed by ‘We Choose Peace’ (© Gen Verde), the new track by Gen Verde. The international band explain its origins together with Naya, one of the young people who took part in the video clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAUIeJe0SEE&t=101s
Jul 5, 2022 | Non categorizzato
Since 2017, in lands confiscated from the mafia in San Vito dei Normanni (Puglia- Italy), “XFARM Agricoltura Prossima” has hosted training camps organized by “Libera”, a network of Associations, involved in a commitment against the mafia and in favour of social justice. This year, some young people from the Focolare Movement took part. 
You see them handling the red earth of Puglia, in southern Italy, you observe them knead it with straw, you watch them shape the material to create something ecologically sustainable. And you think that what they are doing also has the force of a metaphor. They are aged 13-17 years old. They met in San Vito dei Normanni, in Brindisi, to contribute to the rebirth of an asset confiscated from the mafia gangs. They are mostly children of this land caressed by the sun and at this time of year, invaded by tourists. But they also come from Piedmont and Lombardy, where some people think that the mafia is only something to do with southern Italy. Not these young people. They came down here to Upper Salento to spend part of their holiday in a different way and to make a contribution to change. There are twenty of them, full of the energy and fun-loving, typical of their age. They’re spending 4 days here, protagonists in a project organized for them by Libera and the Focolare Movement. 
For a few hours a day, they work in the fields of social cooperatives that manage 50 hectares of olive groves and other structures taken from the “bosses”. And in their genuine commitment, you can perceive a desire to get their hands dirty, to roll up their sleeves, to actively bring something new, even in a land marked by the arrogance of the mafia. “This is our land, given back to the community”, they seem to say, as they work with clay, sand and silts to build wooden structures designed for a society in which everything can be circular. To guide them, the young people of the “Ex Fadda” urban laboratory and the “XFarm” project, a handful of enthusiasts of civil economy, active citizenship, and good practices in agriculture who after various experiences around the world found themselves here, in the land where the United Sacred Crown once ruled, to experience a new model of coexistence, to try to realize the dream of communities actively involved in regenerative processes. A utopia created here, a stone’s throw from the wild beauty of Torre Guaceto (Brindisi, Italy), thanks also to the “strength of the We”. Many different associations, secular and Catholic, trade union forces such as the Italian General Confederation of Labour, contribute to provide a common ground wherein to engage with the construction of a more united society, more attentive to preserving the environment and to working for social justice. “Memory is hope, commitment, it is something that characterizes us and pushes us not to repeat the mistakes of the past”, say the children, when the “E! State Liberi” project managers encourage them to reflect on that concept so central to the history of the network of associations created by Don Luigi Ciotti. Memory that becomes alive with the touching testimony of the Fazios, a couple whose son Michael, the same age as the listeners, was killed at the age of sixteen in the alleys of Bari Vecchia because he ended up in the middle of a settlement of accounts between gangs with which he had nothing to do. “Io stoc do”, “I’m here”, Lella says today, as she proudly did before to the wives of the mafia bosses who thought that after the murder they would leave the neighbourhood and the city. They remained, to obtain justice, to identify and then grant forgiveness to those who killed Michael, but also to try to offer a different future to that region of Italy, stained with the innocent blood of their son. “We are here”, repeat those fresh faces who today work in the fields, taking a stand to remind us that a better world is still possible. Just start by taking some land and try to do something worthwhile with it. One mother, when her son returned home after the camp, said, “I saw a light, a brightness in his eyes that I have never seen before. He told me that he had never experienced anything like this before”.
Gianni Bianco
Jul 4, 2022 | Non categorizzato
Chiara Lubich spoke to young people in very clear terms. This is what happened at the 1992 Supercongress at the Palaghiaccio in Marino (Italy) when they asked her what they should do to limit consumerism. We need to live and spread the “culture of giving,” of giving. If you want my advice, it is this. At the beginning of the year, each of you should make a small bundle, as we call it, of all the things you have that are surplus to your needs. You might only have a few, but you will have something. It might be a book, a toy, a pencil, a knapsack that you don’t use anymore, some clothes… something, anything that’s over and above what you need. Gather these things together and take them to your centers, either to the Teens for Unity centers or the Gen centers. Then since you are very industrious and organize so many projects and so on, you can sell these things at a mini market, a raffle, or other opportunities you can create, to raise some money to give to boys and girls who are in need. … Bear in mind that you should keep for yourselves only what you really need, just like plants that absorb from the earth only the water, minerals, and other things they need, and no more. Likewise, each one of us should have only what we need. Everything else should be given away, to be put in common with others. Of course, you will experience that by giving, you will receive all kinds of things. This is the experience of our Movement all over the world. Why will you receive? Because the Gospel says: “Give” – this is the culture of giving – “and there will be gifts for you” and it goes on to say, “… a full measure” – like having an apron full of wheat – “a full measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap.”[1] In other words, you will receive many things from all over, from a man you know, from a teenager, from your teacher, from your mother – you’ll be given many things. … So, spread the culture of giving. You can tell your experiences, as you already do, which is so edifying for people. You can say, for example, that you gave away one thing and then received another…. Tell your experiences, all these gospel events, that you see the Gospel promises coming true. You could talk about them or write about them; make drawings or videos, short videos, or on the television news programs you are already doing for children. By doing all this, you will create a mentality in everyone, the mentality of the culture of giving.
Chiara Lubich
(Lubich, Chiara. “Ai Gen 3, [To the Gen 3] 1981 – 1995, Città Nuova, 2006, p. 66-68) [1] Lk 6:38
Jul 1, 2022 | Non categorizzato
The Encyclical, “Laudato Sì” helps us to look for ways to relax and rest in respectful harmony with the planet and the cultures it hosts, collaborating for greater sustainability. What are the choices we make when planning a trip? Do we only think of beautiful scenery, a place where we can rest or do we also think about the encounter with the environment, with people and their cultures? Here are some tips to live our holidays in a sustainable way.
- Rediscover our relationship with nature, noticing all its richness. When we visit places other than the one in which we live, we are invited to become aware of our Common Home, its beauty, its variety and breadth. It is important to take care of these places where we will live for a while and take the opportunity to integrate with the local people and the surrounding nature. It is always enriching to be open to an experience of encounter, of discovery of biodiversity, of natural resources (LS 151).
- Discover the local culture.Sometimes the riches of the place are set aside for the pursuit of conveniences for tourism. Respect for the culture of each place is central so that its identity is not lost. Before going on a journey, it can be helpful to do some research on that place, its people and its ecosystems, to get to know the local organizations that look after the conservation and protection of nature; to go there, aware of the value of its people and its territory and, since you only love what you know, we will be able to enlarge our hearts to an increasingly planetary dimension. The disappearance of a culture may be as or more serious than the disappearance of an animal or plant species (LS 145).
- Appreciate the wisdom of the original populations.Pay attention to indigenous communities and their cultural traditions. They are in fact fundamental interlocutors to get to know how the land is used and their customs. Many of these cultures respect the earth as a gift from the Creator and take care of the heritage of their ancestors as sacred spaces. It is necessary to respect them and interact with them to uphold their identity and values (LS 146).
- Support the conservation of natural areas and minimize the damage caused by our stay.Sometimes, it seems that many attitudes that we try to have throughout the year, are put aside during the holiday season. It is important to take care of the environment with actions such as: avoiding the use of plastic and paper material, reducing water consumption, differentiating waste, cooking only what you will eat, taking care of all living beings, turning off unnecessary lights. These are just a few examples to be able to have a generous attitude that shows the best of the human being (LS 211).
- Moderate energy consumption (air conditioning and heating).We can carry out small concrete actions in our daily life, as we mentioned in the previous point. Protecting energy resources is vital for our planet. Therefore, in summer, use air conditioning only as necessary. In winter, cover yourself a little more instead of turning on the heating. With these small savings, we contribute to a global movement that helps reduce the use of fossil fuels (LS 211).
- Try ecological transport: walks, bicycles, public transport.The quality of life in cities is associated with the development of good public transport that allows the movement of those who need to travel for work or leisure. It can be an enriching experience to use the means of transport of the local population. It can allow us to better understand their reality, avoiding adding other vehicles to the roads and may even be a better way to reach the places we want to visit (LS 153).
- Enjoy the simplicity to live in freedom.Sobriety does not consist in living every moment less, but in living it more intensely, enjoying simplicity, taking the time to get to know the place and its people, which allows us to value and respect every living being. We can leave our opinions and suggestions with the locals who have hosted, nurtured and/or guided us on our tours. This dialogue generates the reciprocity and motivation that these people need to improve and better welcome visitors (LS 223).
- Contemplating the cultural and technological works of every place.Find out about the museums to visit, the technological initiatives, the buildings that tell the identity of the place. “Technoscience, when well directed, can produce important means of improving the quality of human life” (LS 103).
- Fully integrate these moments of rest into our personal and community life.The value of rest is part of the spiritual life of many religions. Incorporating contemplative activities favours our spiritual growth in this path. It means to move onto another level, towards a fruitful dialogue with others and with nature. This rest motivates us not only to take care of the environment, but also to be generous and help the people most in need of the place we visit (LS 237).
- Consider the destination of our holiday and our trip a privileged space to experience interiority.Through the practice of worship of all kinds, we can embrace all the realities of the world. The hand that blesses is an instrument of the Creator’s love and a reflection of his closeness in the journey of life (LS 235).
EcoOne Southern Cone *
*Network of professors, academics, researchers and professionals working in the field of environmental sciences. **LS: Excerpts from paragraphs of Laudato Sì interpreted to take responsibility for tourism and rest.
