New to the Bookshelves: latest publications on Chiara Lubich
- To bring You the World in my Arms (PortarTi il mondo fra le braccia)
Armando Torno, Rome: Città Nuova Experiences told by Chiara’s first friends who accompanied her in her spiritual and human adventure and a large range of unpublished material were Torno’s inspiration when writing this biography on the life of Chiara Lubich (1920- 2008). Whilst being a chronological account, it doesn’t wish to be hagiographic and wants to distinguish the founder and her work. For the first time in a book that everyone can read, an extraordinary and yet extremely simple existence is mapped out; a life where the undisputed reference point was the Gospel.
- The Will of God by Chiara Lubich (La volontà di Dio)
Comp. Lucia Abignente, Rome: Città Nuova A collection of thoughts, diary excerpts, letters and messages where the founder of the Focolare Movement addresses one of the fundamental themes of Christian Living. This book, containing a lot of unpublished material, is just one of Città Nuova’s new publications for March. Chiara Lubich often spoke and wrote about the Will of God proposing it as a road to sainthood for everyone, as an aspect to be lived in every moment of our lives, but above all as a possibility to respond to God with our love. “To a God that loves us immensely, we respond by trying to love him immensely. We would have no meaning in the world if we weren’t a little flame in this infinite blaze: love that responds to love”, commented Chiara in her later years describing the experience lived with her first companions at the dawn of the movement.
- In Trent with Chiara Lubich. Places that speak (A Trento con Chiara Lubich. Le parole dei luoghi)
Franco De Battaglia, Trent: Il Margine A book inspired by a walk through Trent; a visit to the streets, squares, houses and churches that marked Chiara Lubich’s early experiences. Eighty odd pages which, for the first time, narrate the interweaving of two stories: the history of various architectural landmarks in Trent and the life story of Chiara Lubich and her first companions. “From the ‘casetta’ (or little house) that saw the birth of the first focolare in Number 2 Piazza Capuccini, to the woodland ‘Gocciadoro’ (Golden Drop); from the Androne neighbourhood where she visited the poor, to the city’s cathedral; the journalist Franco de Battaglia reconstructs the map of Chiara Lubich’s Trent. A unique guide for the discovery of the city’s landmarks wedded with the existential itinerary of one of the most important religious leaders of the 20thcentury”. From her beginnings in Trent, Chiara was an constant builder of unity among Christians and a protagonist of interreligious dialogue across all five continents. Her story and choices have now become a part of millions of people’s lives.
[:it]PortarTi il mondo fra le braccia. Vita di Chiara[:de]Ich bringe dir die Welt auf meinen Armen[:pt]Com Chiara Lubich – Novos livros
[:it]Riflessioni su Le Ceneri [:de]Gedanken über den Aschermittwoch[:es]Reflexiones sobre Las Cenizas[:pt]Reflexões sobre “As Cinzas”[:zh]聖灰禮儀的反思
Action for a United World: “For the common good; to treasure the heritage of humankind”.
2nd International Conference for Young Lawyers and Legal Practitioners
180 young law students and legal professionals from 13 nations discuss the challenges of the current hot topics on the theme of respect and dignity of every person. This is the second international congress for the group who met first in Rome in 2009 where they considered the theme: law in search for justice.
The congress opened with a message from Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement (also the co-ordinator for Communion and Law) who, at the time of the congress was in the Holy Land. “We need courage when faced with these challenges; strong commitment, coherence, the ability to see and recognise the signs of our times that give hope and show the way to be followed together in order to build a united world where human dignity is really considered and respected”. Dr Vera Araujo, as a sociologist and jurist, gave a lecture and touched on the value of norms for civil society.
Underlying question for the congress: can there be a ‘common denominator’ for dignity, in a universal dimension and for each person? And how can it be protected? The answer seemed to grow from the words shared in 2006 by the Vice President of the Italian constitutional court, Paolo Maddalena, which were quoted by Professor Adriana Cosseddu (University of Sassari, Sardinia): “Individual dignity is the essence and the identity of the whole person. Without it there cannot be equality or freedom.”
She invited the young people present to look at and consider the current situation in North Africa: the spreading demonstrations and signs of revolt by large swathes of the population, the grave economic difficulties experienced where the cost of essential goods continues to rise uncontrollably, “its proof that the protection waited for and the guarantees that are given are also requests for the recognition of liberty and dignity.”
This was the basis, on which three intense days unfolded of Congress unfolded. The young participants were also the leaders of their congress.
There were 5 study groups which created enthusiastic debate on the following topics:
– Dignity and the European Constitution
– Humanity dignity and new forms of slavery
– Dignity of the embryo
– Dignity within the penal system and prisons
§ Human dignity and respect for the environment
Added to these points for consideration were experiences of people working in the field of law: from the criminal lawyer to the public prosecutor; the legal adviser to a voluntary visitor to prisons.
On the last morning Prof Vincenzo Buonomo (Lateran University), as an introduction to Chiara Lubich’s talk from 1977 to the United Nations, underlined the proof of that the expected protection and guarantees that are claimed are so many applications for recognition of freedom and dignity: “… If more people accepted suffering for love, suffering which asks for love, it could become the strongest weapon to give humanity its greatest dignity”.