The Adventure of Unity / Building the Work of Mary

19 Jan 2014 | Non categorizzato

<strong>December 7, 19443 is considered the day of the Focolare Movement’s birth, because on that day Chiara Lubich “married God” by consecrating herself to Him forever.

But the Focolare foundress had also been known to say that another date for celebrating the Movement’s birth was her October 1939 visit to Loreto where, according to a tradition, the house of Nazareth is preserved. The family atmosphere that was lived in that family was a “calling” for Chiara; a calling to silently relive the family of Nazareth, the greatest mystery in history, the life of God amongst His people.

Many exceptional discoveries followed upon that moment. But Chiara was never alone in these discoveries: Natalia Dallapiccola, Giosi Guella, Marilen Holzhauser, Graziella De Luca, Vale e Angelella Ronchetti, Dori Zamboni, Gis e Ginetta Calliari, Silvana Veronesi, Lia Brunet, Palmira Frizzera, Bruna Tomasi . . . and a few years later, Marco Tecilla, Aldo Stedile, Antonio Petrilli, Enzo M. Fondi, Pasquale Foresi, Giulio Marchesi, Piero Pasolini, Oreste Basso, Vittorio Sabbione . . . these were the first of many other who would follow Chiara. The personal lives of these men and women who followed the path opened by Chiara show how necessary each of them was to God’s plan in bringing about the Movement and its structures, as the charism took flesh. It couldn’t have happened in any other way for a charism characterized by a unity that is an expression of life of the Trinity. These companions were people from very diverse backgrounds and professions, all guided by the same voice to place their talents at the service of others.

The Focolare Movement’s development over these 70 years seems to explain the assertion of Gregory the Great that the Sacred Scriptures “grow with the one who reads them” and “Like the world, the Scripture is not created once and for all: the Spirit still “creates” it each day, you could say, little by little, as he “opens” it [to us]. Through a marvellous correspondence He “dilates” it according to the measure in which the intelligence of the receiver welcomes it”[1]. For the members of the Movement it was the sharing of how each person was living the Gospel that nourished the understanding of Jesus’ words. Living the Word and communion was a practice that would lead to a collective form of asceticism.

The life of Chiara and many others who welcomed and accepted the Word in times of epochal cultural transformations demonstrates what the work of their life had been: “to be partakers in God’s plans for humanity, to embroider patters of light on the crowd and at the same time to share in each neighbour’s shame, hunger, troubles and brief joys.” Today more than ever, the real attraction is to live “the highest contemplation while mingling with everyone, one person alongside others.”

Chiara’s early companions experienced what the Second Vatican Council explains regarding to the Church: “By the power of the Gospel [the Holy Spirit] makes the Church keep the freshness of youth. Uninterruptedly He renews it and leads it to perfect union with its Spouse” (LG, 4).

Vancouver: A Workshop of Unity

18 Jan 2014 | Non categorizzato

In Vancouver the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is prepared by Christian communities from different Churches, building relationships of mutual understanding and cooperation through concrete action and looking upon one another as brothers and sisters to be loved.

These are the ideas that have marked the work of Marjeta Bobnar who has been in charge of coordinating ecumenical and interreligious relations or the Archdiocese of Vancouver since 2012. The region where she works is scattered with many Churches: Anglican, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Mennonite and more.

She recounts: “The first step was to establish new relations with the different communities, as well as to sensitize Catholic environments to ecumenism.” Marjeta was supported in this effort by Archbishop J. Michael Miller and by the Focolare community to which she belongs.

This effort already produced many fruits during last year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Marjeta explains: “The majority of Catholic parishes didn’t have any contact with the other churches in their area, but expressed their desire of inviting the members of neighbouring Christian communities. This led, for example, to a contact with one Lutheran pastor who was very open to ecumenical dialogue.”

During the moments of prayer many testified to joy of being together, and to the desire of dialogue and knowing one another better. Many wanted to stay in touch and to involve more people in successive gatherings.

Together with the Anglican diocese we’ve scheduled several events for this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that will allow Anglicans and Catholics to share experiences, but also questions. At the beginning of 2013 a mixed work group of 3 Anglicans and 3 Catholics was formed. It turned out to be a beautiful experience in preparation for this year’s events.

We are also in constant contact with leaders from Lutheran Churches and ecclesial communities, the United Church of Canada, Mennonites, Pentecostals and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

As we prepare the moments of sharing and prayer, we are met with an enthusiastic response and also much gratitude for the unity we already experience.”

Young People Launch A Challenge in the Northeast Region of Brazil

17 Jan 2014 | Non categorizzato

“Living together for something that can reinforce the good in the world is unifying and strengthening; it encourages us to keep pushing toward a more united world,” says Igor who is one of the Youth for a United World from the Northeast Region of Brazil.

What is Desafio?

St. Mary School

Igor explains: “Desafio (Challenge) is three days of encounter, celebrating and sharing many of the projects that we Youth for a United World in this region (with its seven states) have been bringing ahead in our cities. Every year around 350 young people meet at Mariapolis Santa Maria in Igrassu, Pernambuco. The programme includes discussions for delving deeper into topics of interest, reporting on the projects and other activities that have taken place in different cities, several workshops and forums. It was very helpful to learn more about some of the social projects that are carried out by the Focolare, and the concrete help that we were able to offer during those days, as a sign of love to the local people.”

It was quite a demanding schedule . . .

“Obviously,” says Igor “there were also evenings and other moments for games and recreation. One evening is dedicated to ecumenical prayer for peace. This is always one of the most well received moments in the programme. You feel that we are all connected and that it would be enough to pause and make room for prayer which immediately creates like a spiritual bridge that unites us to God and with one another.”

This year you held the 4th edition with the slogan: Go towards others. What were the results?

“What was most evidenced was the importance of relationships: in the family, in society, in the virtual world and in the various initiatives and social projects. The great novelty this year was a project that we launched some time ago. Everyone felt quite strongly about this particular project which we named First the least. It involved the groups in each city in discerning who the least were so we could start living for them. Many concrete initiatives in favour of those most in need were born from this effort in several places in the Northeast Region of Brazil. Igor concluded: “Desafio is the moment in which we engage the greatest possible number of young people in building a more united and fraternal world.”     

The Joy of Discovering we are Brothers and Sisters

15 Jan 2014 | Non categorizzato

You have had contacts with many non-Catholic Christians. How do you see them now as compared to before?

«When a bottle is three quarters full, you can have two different reactions. You can say, “Oh, a quarter is still missing,” or you can say, “It is already three-quarters full!”

The first expression describes how I used to view my non-Catholic brothers and sisters about 15 years ago, before I began to work for ecumenism with the whole Focolare Movement.

The second reaction is one which I have had in my heart during these last years.

In fact, I cannot thank God enough for having put me in touch with Christians of the most varied and important denominations.

They willingly established with us a relationship of mutual charity in Christ. So living and working with them and, above all, getting to know them better, has given me a great sense of awe and gratitude towards God’s Providence, which has watched over the many riches of faith, of hope, of other liturgies, of the value of God’s word within these Churches or ecclesial communities (Continue Reading)

When dialogue leads to welcome

14 Jan 2014 | Non categorizzato

Three years ago I started a journey as a volunteer in a Community of Rome which takes care of addicts. The Centre, that started in 1978 as a support group for drug addicts, has today widened its scope of operation and is no longer limited only to drug addiction.

The journey of the clientele within the community includes not only those who have addiction problems but also their families or relatives who are involved in the situation which at times have reached the limits of human endurance. I do my volunteer work precisely for these least of our brothers, taking care of their basic needs, and also of their support or self-help groups.

In both these instances: welcome and self-help, I had the chance to concretely experience the importance and the validity of dialogue that is made up of communication and listening, that I bring ahead in the Focolare Movement among persons who have faith and others of different convictions just like me.

The welcome or reception is the most difficult moment for those who arrive feeling lost, confused and who, with great effort, try their best to open up and share their situation to a person that they have never met before. This is the most complicated step of the entire journey; if the person who tries with great effort to overcome the fear and the shame, does not feel listened to and welcome, then the work that follows could become useless.

Even in the diversity of situations, the dialogue allows – thanks to the reciprocity that arises from it – a union and an exchange from within that is truly profound. The positive points of one and the sufferings of the other confront each other in an enriching sharing. The burden in a person that in the beginning seemed to be unbearable, becomes lighter and the sufferings less heavy. There will be many difficult moments along the road, but knowing that one is not alone helps; when one falls there is a shoulder to lean on.

One morning, a lady arrived asking to talk with one of the staff. I was alone, so I offered to listen to her. Even before we sat down, she already set the conditions for our conversation: this meeting must remain secret (because if her son would come to know about it he would probably kill her); she would not tell me her name and even the name of her son; I cannot tell the police anything nor file a case.

My first reaction was surprise and then anger, many of her conditions irritated me. But when I was able to detach myslef from my role, I saw two people who were were definitely not trying to dialogue: one was weak and burdened with suffering and fear; the other was strong, but locked into his duty as saviour.

I perceived the impossibility of working and the incapacity of concretizing the theories that I had learned in the three years of my service in this community. The technical instruments are useless in this situation, the methods used by me in the past are fruitless, I had to change my strategy.

The moment had come to apply the dialogue that I usually carry out with my friends of the focolare! Only I can change the situation. The tone of my voice, my attitude changed; I invited the lady to sit down and I put all my technical knowledge at her disposition, but above all I lent my humanity, forgetting the many usual bureaucratic procedures.

There was a simultaneous explosion of tears and of joy; she sat down and begging forgiveness for her tears, she started to share with me her story. The need to share the drama that she was going through, finally found a space where it could be shared freely without shame or fear of being judged.

My opening finally became a listening that was able to welcome her suffering, process it, make it mine and give back to her my contribution in a mutual enrichment. (Piero Nuzzo)

The Focolare Movement and interreligious dialogue/2

10 Jan 2014 | Non categorizzato

An interview with Maria Voce by Roberto Catalano, of the centre of the Focolare Movement for interreligious dialogue, on the occasion of the 9th World Assembly of Religions for Peace, held in Vienna, Austria at the end of November 2013. (second part) Chiara Lubich had understood that dialogue was the solution to many challenges of our time … «As I was also able to say in my talk here in Vienna, Chiara has placed us before a very clear and simple vision: we are all children of God and, therefore, all brothers and sisters to one another. In the beginning, it was not a prospect aimed at the great religions, but rather a consideration of the human person. This attitude then led to dialogue and relationship with the followers of other religions. I think this was prophetic. Indeed, Chiara began to open the Movement to dialogue even before the Second Vatican Council when, later, the dialogues were taken as one of the paths of the Church precisely because they were part of this prospect towards the human person. Moreover, Chiara prepared the means and tools for these dialogues. Becoming acquainted with people of other religious traditions, she understood that it was necessary to learn more how to continue these relationships. For this reason she founded some special centres, … where we try to go more in-depth so as to get to know  Christians of other churches, faithful of other religions and people of different cultures. In fact, a possibility of greater love and openness arises from a deeper understanding of one another. We discover the values and we don’t take a defensive position, but one of a dialogical attitude, as it should be. … Today we find ourselves with Buddhists, Muslims and people of other religions who are an integral part of the Movement and we cannot say that we dialogue with them. They are part of our Movement and so, together with us, they dialogue with others. We have, therefore, passed the stage of dialogue arriving at a stage of unity and full cooperation also with them.» What are the prospects of interreligious dialogue for the Focolare Movement? « We see that when we meet and dialogue, there are always new people of various religions who are attracted by the relationship they have seen between members of different faiths. This testimony opens up the possibility of extending the dialogue. This means that tolerance, understanding and friendship are possible, all aspects which are often compromised by many judgments. We need to drop prejudices so as to discover the beauty that there is in every person, especially highlighting that the most precious thing is to belong to a religion. This makes it possible to shed light on the relationship of each person with God. … The dialogues allow us to grow in the ability not only to understand those people with whom we live…, but also to take in others who come from spiritual traditions and inspirations that are different from our own. … Our Movement aims … at ut omnes [‘That all may be one’ asked by Jesus to the Father] and, therefore, must encompass all dimensions as much as possible. The Movement cannot be satisfied with the Catholic dimension in which it was born and which also has a universal perspective within itself, because Catholic means universal. In order to be truly universal, we have to discover all the beauty that there is in humanity». Read the complete interview on Città Nuova online (in Italian)