At home in Algeria

17 Feb 2012 | Non categorizzato

‘Having Maria Voce was like rain that refreshes everything, now everything is flowering again,’ said one young Algerian, summing up in a few words the visit of the Focolare President to the people of Algeria who share the Focolare spirit. In the ’90s, when the community was just beginning, Chiara Lubich, answering someone who had asked her to visit, said, ‘It’s necessary to work for this.’ After that there was a journey of dialogue spanning the years that still carries on. The visit of Maria Voce, from 9th to 14th February, was therefore an extremely important event for the Focolare community in Algeria. But not only for them. Dialogue with the Muslims in this country, in fact, is well-developed and recognized by the local Church and further afield too. This was confirmed by a visit from Mgr Ghaleb Bader, the Archbishop of Algeria. Algeria is no longer a tourist destination. The image of Islam has been obscured nowadays by many things that have very little to do with religion. Maria Voce’s visit went beyond all this. As Chiara used often to recall, dialogue is a ‘highway’ towards a united world, and this small community of Muslims, which has made Focolare spirituality its own, raises questions. How are these things possible? ‘We have to live in order to understand,’ Maria Voce said at one point. The Siberian cold that had gripped Europe did not spare North Africa. Tlemcen at 900 metres above sea level is used to the cold. But this year has been exceptional. To this city with its rich cultural and religious history (where the first focolare in Algeria was opened in 1966), on the late afternoon of 10 February, arrived the Focolare President. She was met by a welcome typical of Tlemcen, with two riders on superb Arabian horses who gave her a guard of honour, children in traditional costumes who offered milk and dates according to the custom of the nearby desert. Maria Voce joined in willingly and embraced everyone. The firing of guns made her jump; feelings ran deep. Indeed, feelings were no less on the following day, when she went to the small hall of the Mariapolis Centre. There were 130 people there, all Muslims expect for the members of the focolare, four African students, two bishops and two Dominican friars from Tlemcen, who had been specially invited. Some people had also come from Morocco and Tunisia. After the telling of a brief history of how the Focolare Ideal had arrived in the Maghreb, there was a conversation that marked the beginning of a ‘spring’: ‘The leading figures in this hour were the young people,’ Maria Voce commented on her return to Italy. They were the first to start, speaking of their experiences and asking questions. Maria Voce answered in French with great clarity. The adults present were deeply moved, feeling the certainty that the future was assured. And the answers were helpful to everyone, ‘even to bishops,’ affirmed Mgr Henri Teissier, the Archbishop Emeritus of Algiers, who is in his retirement lives in the Tlemcen Focolare’s Ulisse Mariapolis Centre. The questions revealed the difficulty of spreading the Ideal in the daily life of young people, in Algiers and in other parts of the world, with the necessary commitment to going against the tide. In her answers Maria Voce often spoke of love, the summary of Focolare spirituality: ‘If we are in Love towards the other person, there is nothing any more to separate us.’ She therefore stressed the importance of interpersonal relations: ‘The crisis in the world today, before it is about economics and politics, is about relationships.’ For this reason it is important to have ‘an unconditional love, that expects nothing in return, completely disinterested, totally Love for God through our brother or sister.’ This culminates in joy. Algerian music, in the Andalusian style, is very popular in Tlemcen and traditional dress decorated an afternoon of celebration. The words of many of the songs give praise to God and show the profound religiosity of this people. Following Algerian tradition, everything finished with a dance. Tlemcen, the international capital for Islamic culture in the year 2011-12 and host to numerous cultural and religious events, showed itself in all its beauty. The sun shone when, at the end of the visit, the moment came to see it. Fouad, the guide, himself from Tlemcen, is in love with his city. He presented it and pointed out its legacy of Muslim saints, the most famous of whom is Sidi Boumediene, well-known in all the Islamic world. At his tomb Maria Voce prayed that all the Muslims of the community in Algeria would be able to follow the example of these saints. When they left, Fouad chanted some verses of song containing the saint’s teaching: ‘All is from God, we are nothing.’ And Maria Voce rejoined, ‘Yes, but we belong to God.’ Fouad said, ‘That’s it, that’s the word: “to belong”.’ Algeria – Maria Voce visits the Focolare community (9-14 febbraio 2012)

The Gospel gives no guarantee of rest

17 Feb 2012 | Non categorizzato

The Gospel is pleasant to read; but putting it into practice provokes scandal among respectable people. The Gospel will not tolerate immobility, gives no guarantee of rest. He, the One who is the ‘sign of contradiction’, does not offer any sinecures: ‘I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!’ The history of Christ on earth, in twenty centuries, is a series of gallows, between the galleys and the pillory: we do not always see the the wave of hidden tears. All the same, in the context of that sorrow and darkness, faith is worthwhile. Believing without seeing is worthwhile. It brings to mind His warning: Fear not, O you of little faith, I have overcome the world. For a short while He disappears and we are in pain, left alone, but then he comes back. For mystics these dark nights end in a blazing eruption of sunshine. It is a trial: and whoever undergoes it with strength gains victory. It is a suffering that produces life: of a grain of wheat dying in the clods to bear fruit in the sunlight. ‘For just as the sufferings of Christ are abundant for us, so also our consolation is abundant through Christ.’ (2 Cor. 1:50) Those who welcome Jesus crucified, welcome suffering out of love: and just by doing that they do an act of love, and they find joy. We need training by the Holy Spirit for this. And so existence takes on the appearance of a tough drama, with apparent defeats and appalling  disillusionments: but we must resist. Nothing is wasted of what we give in suffering: the fruit of resisting in rationality and faith, with virility and charity, brings benefits both to the civil realm and to the spiritual realm, in which people become, also through this, the Social Body of the Mystical Christ. We sow in tears, when we reap we rejoice.

A Focolare Logo: How would you like it?

9 Feb 2012 | Non categorizzato

For several years we have seen the yellow four pointed star against a blue background. It was also the basis of the graphics of www.focolare.org up to 22^nd January 2011. All of us have seen the yellow four- pointed star on a blue background. But Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement had seen this symbol more as a flag for the Movement’s  Mariapolis towns. In 2000 she clarified: “I’ve understood from within, that the logo of the Focolare Movement is not the star. It is that image of Our Lady whom you often see on the walls of medieval churches, with people of all callings gathered beneath her mantle. This is our logo. And so let’s look into it. Let’s find someone with some artistic talent who can design it for us.” Chiara refers to an image of the Mother of God that is sometimes portrayed in sacred art. She is wearing a mantle with a variety of people from various professions gathered beneath it. It is meant to represent Mary who continues to welcomes everyone into her arms. Chiara’s guidelines should also inspire the graphics of the official international website of the Focolare. However, we are aware that the task of searching for a logo that identifies the meaning of the Focolare on an international level may take a bit more time. For this reason, a competition has been launched for the realization of a logo for the Focolare Movement. A panel of seven professionals from different continents will judge the submissions. Everyone is invited to send their ideas or designs to: azzurro.co@focolare.org For further information:

• Advert of the competition
• Form of the international panel
• Info: azzurro.co@focolare.org

Benedict XVI: the light of Chiara Badano

6 Feb 2012 | Non categorizzato

It was on Sunday 5 February at the Angelus. Before beginning to pray, the Pope reflected upon that Sunday’s Gospel, which spoke about the Jesus healing the sick. He said, ‘Even in the face of death, faith can make possible what is humanly impossible. But faith in what? In the love of God. Here is the true response, the thing that radically overcomes evil.’ And he also said, ‘As Jesus faced evil with the power of love that comes from the Father, so we too can face and overcome the trial of sickness by keeping our hearts immersed in the love of God.’ It was at this point that the Pope recalled the example of Chiara Luce Badano, the young girl from Sassello (Italy), a member of the Focolare Movement beatified on 25 September 2010. The Pope spoke of Chiara Luce among those ‘people who have borne up under terrible suffering because God gave them a deep serenity.’ The Pope has a real affection for Blessed Chiara Badano who was ‘struck down in the flower of her youth by an incurable illness. How many people went to see her and  received light and encouragement! All the same, in sickness, we all need human warmth. To comfort someone who is sick, what counts more than words is having someone near who is serene and sincere.’ This is not the first time that Benedict XVI has offered the example of Chiara Luce as an example to the Christian community of trust in the love of God. He did it in Palermo where he urged young people to find out more about her. ‘Hers was a short life,’ he said, in which she managed to give ‘an amazing message…. She lived 19 years full of life and faith. Two years of these, the last two, were full of pain lived in faith and the joy that was born from a heart full of God.’ This was the light in the heart of Benedict XVI at the Angelus on 5 February when he recalled that next Saturday 11 February, the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Church will celebrate the World Day of the Sick

• Related articles at Focolare.org

Marisa has left us

2 Feb 2012 | Non categorizzato

In these moments of pain and dismay, we would like to assure our heartfelt closeness to the relatives and all those who, in these years, experienced Marisa’s friendship and the warm welcoming attitude she always had for everyone. Marisa Baù, born on May 12th, 1963 in Asiago (Vicenza/Italy), second-last child of eight siblings, lost her mother at 15 years of age and she did her utmost to look after her siblings who were still at home. She was hard-working and creative and after two years of working in a factory, together with two ex-colleagues, she started up a small garment industry. She met the spirituality of the Focolare Movement in 1980, adhering to it with readiness and generosity. She felt her vocation to consecrate herself to God as a focolarina and left her family in 1991, going first to the focolare of Padua, where she concluded her studies in accounting, and in 1992 to the international little town of Loppiano (Florence/Italy), always maintaining a close bond with all her relatives. After the period of formation Marisa went to the Focolare Centre of Montet (Broye), Switzerland, where she worked in the atelier of children’s clothes. She was in charge of the production section since 1994. In 1998, because of her human and spiritual gifts, she assumed the task of educator of the Focolare Centre. Marisa had a creative and strong personality and was esteemed by everyone for the quality of her relationships, her sense of responsibility and her altruism. During these years, Marisa met and was fond of many people. This is proven by the shower of messages which have arrived from all over the world on the social networks: “She has also left us, she who gave so much to others and will continue to give from Up there!”; “So much sadness… we can only pray for her, her family and all those in Montet… I knew Marisa and what I will always remember is her smile!”; “Marisa is very special to me. She is a part of my story!”. The mother of a focolarina writes: “I anxiously followed the whole story, identifying myself with Marisa’s family… I will always pray for her and for all the focolarine of the world.” And a person who worked with her: “I am with you in this suffering, I pray especially for her family, feel me close to all of you. I worked for three years with her in Montet and I thank God for every minute we spent together”. We want to remember her as «A marvellous person – these are the words of Marithé Vuigner who is co-responsible of the Focolare Centre of Montet –, always ready to welcome the other(s). A person you could always count on, pleasant and delicate. She had very strong ties with her wonderful and numerous family.» For more information: (link to the press section)