1 May 2006 | Non categorizzato
Dear young people gathered today in Loppiano, My heartfelt greetings to all of you on this May 1st 2006, feast of young people and a new leg along our journey towards a united world! The program you plan to follow is timely and demanding, almost a challenge: “One city is not enough.” You have asked me to say a few words. Dear young people, you know that when I was your age I received from God the gift of giving my life to him and of contributing to the development on earth of a new people born from the Gospel. We began in our city of Trent. What about you, today? If you wish to change a city, unite with some friends who have the same ideal that you have. Put God before everything else. Promise each other mutual love to the point of being ready to give your life for one another and hold on to this Pact at all costs: he present in your midst will suggest the steps to take, he will support you in the inevitable difficulties. Then, size up the city. Go together to look for the poor, the abandoned, orphans, prisoners, those who are on the margins of society, and give, give always: a word, a smile, your time, your goods…. Your giving will draw the hundredfold that Jesus promised. Do not leave anyone alone. Share everything with your friends: moments of joy and victory, suffering and failure, so that the light is not extinguished. Pray and forgive, because going against the current costs, but it is the deep root of success. But “one city is not enough.” No, with God, one city is too little. He made the stars, he guides the centuries to their destiny. With him we can aim farther, at everybody’s country, the entire world. Let our every breath be for this goal, for this our every gesture, our relaxation as well as our activity. Let us live now in such a way that at the end of our life we will not have to be sorry for having loved too little. Take courage! You know how much confidence I have in you! The world is in your hands and it will be as you build it today. Chiara Lubich
1 May 2006 | Non categorizzato
The big youth meeting in Loppiano this year has targeted the city as the place to build and experience brotherhood that overcomes all divisions. Also the appointment at the little town “Arco Iris” (“Rainbow”) of Portugal had the aim of building a united world in these times marked by conflicts and fear of the “other”.
Loppiano (Italy) – The city: a place and a laboratory of brotherhood at that ranges 360°. This was the focal point of “Loppiano – May 1st 2006” – the annual appointment of thousands of young people from Italy and other European countries. This year’s was the 36th edition.
Program – Chiara Lubich’s message, “One city is not enough” was at the core of the program. The many experiences shared include those of youth coming from the world’s flash points, or from places where “forgotten wars” are still being fought: Colombia, Iraq, Burundi, Belarus and Korea. Their stories were living witnesses of peace, solidarity and social reconstruction. The Economy of Communion was given a special place, particularly dialogue with Italian entrepreneurs who plan to transfer part of their respective business activities to the new “business park” which will be inaugurated next October and will be the site of around ten business enterprises that adhere to the EoC system.
The meeting “doubles up” – This year, the Loppiano meeting lasted for 2 days. Starting April 30 at 3 p.m., workshops were held for those who wanted to know more about the Economy of Communion, interreligious and cultural dialogue, ecology, sports, music, architecture, communications – the “areas of interest” proposed by young resource persons, not only for reflection but for concrete action as well. Present in the workshops were experts in the different areas. Much room was given to dialogue; videos were widely used to illustrate the topics treated.
Arco Iris (Portugal): ‘Link para a unidade’ (‘Link for Unity’) was the title chosen by the Portuguese youth who proposed to their peers of the Iberian peninsula a new way of communicating through the means technology offers today – the kind of communication geared towards dialogue in order to build a world of peace. Around 1,500 youth were expected to attend, a progressively increasing number since the first encounter in 2002.
The “little town” of Loppiano is the first of Focolare’s 33 little towns now existing all over the world. It is located in the Tuscany hills, in the municipality of Incisa Valdarno near the city of Florence. It is made up of schools, business enterprises, art centers. Today it counts 700 inhabitants coming from 70 different nations – students, professors, professionals, artisans, agriculturists, artists, families, religious order priests and sisters and diocesan priests. Also present are Christians from different Churches and followers of other religions. Its international character renders it an ideal place for dialogue among peoples and cultures.
The little town of Arco-Iris is situated in Abrigada, 45 km away from Lisbon, Portugal. It was started in 1997, and continues to develop, thanks to the generous contribution of a large number of people. Since the beginning, it has enjoyed the support of civil and religious authorities, since the mayor’s office considers it a project of “public interest.” Not only is it a place particularly fit for dialogue with people of non-religious convictions and cultures, but is also a suitable meeting place for young people. What is common among the inhabitants is the commitment to put into practice evangelical love – the law of the little town – to show that it is possible for people of the most diverse ages and social conditions to live together in harmony. (for information: www.focolares.org.pt)
30 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato, Word of
How immense God’s heart is! The divisions between peoples and nations, with their various languages and ethnic groups, simply do not exist for him. For him, we all are his children with equal dignity. Even the very first Christians of Jerusalem had a hard time understanding this mentality which is so open and universal. Being members of the same people, with the awareness of being the chosen people, they found it difficult to have a relationship of true brotherhood with people of other nations. And they were scandalized when they heard how Peter, at Caesarea, had entered the home of Cornelius, a Roman official, a foreigner. One should not socialize with foreigners! But for God, no one is a foreigner. He “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Mt 5:45). God loves everyone, without making any exceptions. This is what Peter had affirmed in front of the Roman soldier, thus overcoming all prejudices that kept him separated from people of other nations:
«God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.»
If God acts in this way, then we his children ought to act as he does and open our hearts, break down the barriers, and free ourselves from every form of slavery.
Yes, because we are often slaves to divisions between rich and poor, between young and old, between people of different races, cultures, and nationalities. How many preconceived ideas circulate about immigrants, about foreigners in our midst. How many commonplace judgments fall on whomever is different from us. This gives rise to insecurities, to fear of losing one’s own identity, to intolerance.
Even more subtle barriers may exist: those erected between our own family and families nearby, between members of our own faith community and those of other convictions, between neighborhoods in a city, and between political parties and teams in sports. This gives rise to distrust, silent but deep grudges, and deep-rooted antagonisms.
With a God who does not discriminate among people, how can we not have universal brotherhood at heart? As children of the same Father we are able to discover a brother and a sister in every man and woman we meet.
«God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.»
If we are all brothers and sisters, we ought to love everyone, beginning with whoever is next to us, without holding back. Then our love will not be merely platonic and abstract, but concrete and made to serve others.
It is a love that enables us to go out to meet others, to begin a dialogue, to make ourselves one with others’ difficulties, and to take on their burdens and their worries. As a result other people feel welcome with all their differences and free to express all the riches they possess.
This type of love keeps relationships alive and vibrant among people of the most diverse backgrounds. It is based on the “Golden Rule” – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” – which is present in all sacred books and written in the human conscience.
It is a love that moves our hearts to the point of sharing possessions of all kinds and of loving another's country as our own. It is a love that builds new structures, with the hope that it is possible to end wars, terrorism, conflicts, hunger and the thousands of evils in the world.
«God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.»
This is the experience one of my first companions from Rome named Fiore had with a youth from Guatemala named Moira. Moira was a Catholic, a descendent of the Maya Kacjchichel, and the eldest of 11 children. The indigenous people of her country are often discriminated against. As a result, they often feel inferior when face to face with people of mixed color and especially with white people.
I would like to quote what Moira said about her meeting with Fiore, whom she saw as a person free of prejudice, a person who spoke right to the hearts of the people, dissolving every barrier: “I will never forget the warm welcome that Fiore gave me. Her love towards me was a reflection of the love of God.
“My indigenous culture and upbringing instilled in me a rather closed stern outlook and I often distanced myself from those around me. Fiore became a teacher, a guide and a model for me. She helped me to come out of my shell and reach out with confidence towards others.
She also urged me to go back to school to finish my studies. Then she supported and encouraged me when I was tempted to give up because of the difficulties of a different culture and method of study. With her help I was then able to attain my diploma as a business secretary.
Above all, Fiore instilled in me a sense of my human dignity. She helped me to overcome that sense of inferiority I harbored as a native person, as though I had been branded. Since I was a young girl, I dreamed of fighting to win back my people’s rightful dignity, but I understood from Fiore that I had to begin by changing myself. I had to become ‘a new person’ if I wanted to see a ‘new people’ come to life.”
By loving in the way of the ideal of unity, with a God who shows no preferences among people, we can have new dreams as Moira did and say with her: “Through my ‘yes’ to God, I understood that I could open up a new road for the ideal of unity to reach my people. I can now already see it in part come true within my family.”
Chiara Lubich
24 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato
Panama – the “Giving” Clubs: trip to Cebaco The Teens for Unity are carrying out a host of activities to support their projects. Among them a Spring Fair being held in Panama for several years now. They are the “Giving” Clubs, where practicing the culture of giving is a requirement for membership, which starts with giving away an object that one treasures dearly. In 2005, Panama’s Ministry of Education learned about the initiative, and decided to include it in the scholastic program as one of the activities that can be undertaken during the hours dedicated to mandatory social service projects. The Teens for Unity of Panama write: “It is no longer necessary for us to obtain the principals’ permission to address a school assembly. We only have to refer to the Education Minister’s circular! What’s even more beautiful is that also the professors participate.” Something new this year: A delegation of teenagers, accompanied by their parents and teachers, went to the island of Cebaco – 8 hours by boat – in order to bring the food items they had collected during the year to the needy families. They received a joyful welcome from the inhabitants, who offered them the best they had. “We have built a very beautiful relationship with them during these 8 years. All of us have experienced that we go there to give but we receive much more; we came back with so much joy in our hearts.” One of the teenagers named Jorge remarked: “Many times, we wish for things we don’t really need. After having met the people of Cebaco, I do not want to stop; there is so much to do! I’m glad I don’t have to wait to grow up to be able to give!” Germany – € 1.443 earnings In Mannheim, Germany, the students of the 8th grade were required to create a project for their Economy and Law classes. An idea: why not look for a part-time job to earn money for the Schoolmates project? Everybody agreed, but the first difficulty promptly came up: how to find a job. One of the teen-age boys who was finally employed after applying for 30 jobs, commented: “Now I know how difficult it is to find a work.” Whether as bakers, electricians, grocery cashiers, public transport employees, gardeners, office clerks, waiters, in the end each one in the whole class found a job. The result? A total of € 1.443 earned by everyone and joyfully donated to help send other teenagers to school.
