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Maria Gloria Huille

Maria Gloria Huille

7 Apr 2011 | Non categorizzato

Teacher of social studies and home economics; at the age of 50 she meets the Focolare and starts a new life beside Chiara Lubich: a summary of Maria Gloria’s radiant 100 years.

100 years old and Maria Gloria still has that same look in her eyes, that same smile, that same simplicity and solemnity, not to mention her clarity of mind and readiness to smile. On 13th March, the day of her 100th birthday, when the other focolarine asked her, “Will we too reach 100?”, she answered, “Luckily it only happens to few!”

Leafing through the pages of her life, we discover that Marie Louise Celine Huille comes from a numerous family of nine children, three of whom entered religious orders.

She started to work at 21 years of age as a Home Economics teacher in Paris (a job that, at the time, had a higher status than that which we give it nowadays). Then she worked as head-mistress and teacher in various social service institutes in France, Portugal, Morocco, USA,…

She dedicated herself to finding new systems for simplifying women’s labour and, with a friend, she developed a project which was revolutionary for its time: applying principles of scientific organisation- like those used in a factory – to housework.

In August 1963, at the age of 50, she met the Focolare Movement. A revolutionary breakthrough in her already committed and worthy life. With the freshness of a young girl she dedicated herself completely to the focolare community and Chiara gave her a new name “Maria Gloria” as a particular encouragement to imitate the Mother of God. When Jean Marie Villot, the Cardinal Secretary of State at the time, asked Chiara if she could send some focolarine women as assistants, Chiara didn’t hesitate to send Maria Gloria.

This surprise-filled adventure later continued when she went to work in Chiara’s house after the Cardinal’s passing. She and the other assistants who had worked for the Secretary of State continued their task in Rocca di Papa (Rome) in Chiara’s focolare right up until the Focolare’s founder passed away.

During those years, Chiara found solace in Maria Gloria’s extraordinary life experience and often listened to her advice. With Maria Gloria, Chiara discovered that things done with care and love are not only beautiful but useful.

To commemorate a century lived in such an extraordinary way, ‘Casa Verde’, the focolare where Maria Gloria now lives with other elderly focolarine women, hosted a celebration. The Mayor of Rocca di Papa joined the festivities, presenting her with a valuable book containing photograph’s of Rocca di Papa along with a parchment that read: “Maria Gloria, a women whose dedication to women and to others kept her young. She shared her talents and strength with the admirable aim of discovering the beauty of creation and helping others do the same, transforming this beauty into daily tasks”.

What happens when we die?

7 Apr 2011 | Non categorizzato

One of the girls in the class I taught was always withdrawn. They had told me she had Aids.

“What can I possibly do for her?”, I thought.

I started offering her a lift home at the end of the school day. Bit by bit I realised that she was being eaten away by desperation. One day I decided to call her father who I’d never met him before. I was sure that something could be done for this young girl.

When I met him I listened to his tragic life story: 20 years of drug abuse, prison, the death of the girl’s mother… The day after he sent me a note: “I understood that you care for my daughter at school”.

Whilst trying to handle the situation with great care, I managed to create an ever more trustful relationship with her and, engaging others, a chain of solidarity was formed. The teachers found a million and one ways to help her actively take part in school activities. Bit by bit she came back to life.

One day she came to me with a question: “What happens when we die?” I felt compelled to share my life treasure with her. I told her about paradise, about love, about my experience with Jesus. When I’d finished she said, “I too want to live like that”. It was a moment of light for both of us. Her mysterious suffering and pain had a meaning.

Source: http://www.focolare.se

Maria Gloria Huille

A time set aside for Life

5 Apr 2011 | Non categorizzato

I don’t know what the word “possible” brings to your mind but for me it means one thing: these 40 girls in front of me, these “possible focolarine”.

We can make lots of choices in life, wonderful choices. These girls decided to come and spend some time together- “a time for life” as we called it with a precise slogan: “Here I am”, meaning ‘I am ready for anything’.

I have to say that they were invigorating days for me too. The Lord God has a great imagination and each of these girls’ life stories is more beautiful than the other; unfledged and with room for development but budding signs for a promising future.

Micarla from Recife, in the North East of Brazil came not only to look for the truth but to find it; it’s always been the bee in her bonnet. Today she is happy!

Grisel, 27 years old, from Mendoza (Argentina), loves revolution and discovered that Mary of Nazareth is the greatest revolutionary of all time. “I wanted to be like her”, she told us. “What fascinates me about the vocation to the focolare? I see men and women who are completely fulfilled, people who give God to those they meet. Giving my whole life to God was a logical consequence: if He loves me immensely how can I not give him everything?”

Vida, a 24 year old from Lithuania: “I have had a lot of doubts, common doubts: can I manage to follow God completely for my whole life or should I start a family? What gave me peace and assurance was the freedom I felt every time I said my yes to Him: freedom to love the whole world.”

Emma is Mexican: “It’s not easy to follow Jesus”; she confides, “It seems that everything goes against a life given to God: from the world of communications to some aspects of education and the values proposed to us. We think that if we don’t have “extreme” experiences we get bored. This led me to think that I had to give more to God because nothing quenched my thirst, nothing satiated me.” She considers life in a focolare to be like a rollercoaster ride: a breathtaking, fascinating and at times tortuous journey, but a journey where your gaze is set on a goal : being face to face with God. “This is what I want more than anything.”

Priscilia from Geneva, is 23 and studies French literature. She is here to understand if God is really calling her. She wants to give everything to Him so as to live an adventure that “is, in my eyes, beyond compare: contributing to building a united world,” and she then concludes, “I want to have God as my Spouse as of right now”:

Nuam comes from a small village in South East Asia. She was fascinated when she saw the simple yet extremely deep life of a focolare house. Then in 2005 during a Genrosso concert “those songs, though sung in another language that I didn’t know, transmitted God and His love to me. I felt that I had to respond in some way. Now I want to give Him everything so as to be able to bring Jesus to everyone; I want to do my part so that humanity may become more and more like one family. The Ideal of Unity has helped me open my heart to the whole world”.

What comes to mind is an excerpt from Chiara’s commentary to March’s “Word of Life” that helped us do the Will of God. Chiara Lubich wrote: “Let’s say before every action, ‘May your will be done.’ By doing so, we will accomplish — one moment at a time, one piece at a time — the wonderful, unique and unrepeatable mosaic of our life that the Lord has always had in mind for each one of us”.

Now, in the meeting hall beside us there are about 40 boys who also want to give everything to God and who have wonderful things to tell us. Keep your eyes open for their upcoming article.

But now it’s time to catch up with the groups who are off to visit the little town of Loppiano.

All the best to these wonderful girls!

Sharry S.