Nov 12, 2021 | Non categorizzato
What do heads of state have in common with Serbian young people? They are all looking for solutions to a common problem: protecting our suffering planet. While Earth’s most powerful are gathered in the UK for COP26, some young Serbian people tell us about an ecological day they had. “Is this how our story should end? The tale of the smartest species doomed by being too human to be able to see the global landscape and by wanting to pursue short-term goals.” In a grave and powerful voice, David Attenborough, 95-year-old naturalist and science populariser, spoke those words in front of Earth’s most powerful during COP26. The “Conference of the Parties,” organized by the United Nations and most recently begun on October 31, is focused as always on the theme of climate change. This year in particular is perceived by many as the great opportunity to make important decisions on the theme of ecology and integral ecology. According to many experts, if no decisive action is taken now, it will be too late. The heads of state gathered in Glasgow have great decision-making power, but it is also true that there is a need for a change that sees everyone taking a lead role. It is a change based, on the one hand, on collaboration between states, and on the other, on tangible actions at the local level involving each of us. Precisely during this second week of international agreements and negotiations, we decided to let you know about a short story, sent to us by some young people from the Focolare Movement in Serbia. During an ecological day organized a few weeks ago, these very young people set to work to find intelligent solutions to concrete problems, while respecting Creation. “We are the greatest problem solvers that have ever existed on Earth,” continued Attenborough in his COP address, “and nature is our greatest ally.” These young people in Serbia have come up with new ways to solve the problems they live with, striving to be green, sustainable and renewable. On one of the first days of work at COP26, Pope Francis tweeted: “There is no more time to wait; there are too many human faces suffering from this climate crisis now. We must act with urgency, courage and responsibility to prepare a future in which humanity is able to take care of itself and nature.” Each of us can do our part, some within an international conference, some through a change in our daily routine. The important thing is to start, now, and together. Here is the video of the ecological day in Serbia. Activate English or Italian subtitles!:
Laura Salerno
An ecological day_in Serbia
Nov 11, 2021 | Non categorizzato
On 8 May 2021 at a traffic light in the city of Porto Alegre (Brazil), Lorenzo, aged 24, and his mother, Themis, saw a poor man with a sign: “I’m hungry, help me”. This is how the project “Troque-a-fome-por-flor” (Swap hunger for a flower) began. The result is a network of florists and volunteers that now employs more than 70 people and is also spreading to other cities in Brazil. https://vimeo.com/619912229
Nov 9, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Statement by the Focolare Movement on the publication of the book “La Setta Divina” (The Divine Sect) by Ferruccio Pinotti (PIEMME Editions) The Focolare Movement has learned of the publication of the book “La setta divina” (The Divine Sect) by the journalist Ferruccio Pinotti (PIEMME Ed.), released today in Italian bookshops. The book comes at a difficult and crucial time in the history of the Focolare Movement: the transition from the founding period to the post-foundational phase. Throughout the history of the Church, this is a time that has often put to the test religious orders, movements and communities born of charismatic inspiration. Ferruccio Pinotti’s book wants to show that, even in the Focolare Movement, the initial zeal has sometimes led to misinterpretations of Chiara Lubich’s charism and/or to misleading actions. From the documents that Pinotti has obtained and published in the book regarding some of the internal debates within the Focolare Movement, there emerges, nevertheless, a growing awareness among the members of these and other inconsistencies in its history and the need to remedy them. However, the book does not seem to offer an objective and well-considered presentation of this charism, which is recognised by the Catholic Church. It does not take into account the commitment of many thousands of people who, inspired by the life and teachings of the foundress, devote themselves daily and generously throughout the world to creating relationships, healing wounds and overcoming rifts in every sphere of ecclesial and social life, in order to build a more fraternal and united world. We accept without reserve the fact that so much pain has been caused to the people who, in these pages, tell their stories of great suffering, disappointment, deception and abuse endured, and of those who did not wish to make their testimonies public. The Focolare Movement, in the persons of President Margaret Karram and Co-President Jesús Morán, expresses once again its shame and sorrow towards the victims and all those who have been wronged, its closeness and its desire to continue or begin a path of dialogue with them. It reaffirms its commitment to combat all forms of abuse and continue to improve its protection of children and vulnerable adults through ongoing formation of its members and leaders. It repeats its invitation to all those who have facts or stories of abuse to report them to the Commission for the Welfare and Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults (CO.BE.TU.) or to their respective Church bodies. Despite the partial, one-sided, sometimes inaccurate or reductive reading of the history, spirituality and activity of the Movement, we see this book as a further incentive in continuing the ongoing processes of conversion and renewal, remaining faithful to the founding charism and to the development of an open, free and critical dialogue within the Movement and with anyone who wishes to fully understand the Movement as it is today and collaborate with it.
Stefania Tanesini
Nov 8, 2021 | Non categorizzato
The Word of Life for November 2021 invites us to be peacemakers. In this text, Chiara Lubich explains how to become one. Do you know who the peacemakers are that Jesus is talking about? They are not people we call “peaceful,” who only want a quiet life, who don’t like arguments. They might seem naturally inclined to get along with others, but frequently they secretly would rather not be disturbed or have any trouble. Nor are peacemakers those good people who, trusting in God, do not react when they are provoked or insulted. Peacemakers are those who love peace so much that they are not afraid to intervene in a conflict to bring peace to those involved. Only those who possess peace can be bearers of peace. First of all, we have to be bearers of peace by the way we behave in each moment, living in harmony with God and his will. Peacemakers strive to create bonds, to establish relationships among people, to resolve tensions, to alleviate the atmosphere of “cold war” that can often prevail in some family situations, at work, in school, during sporting events, between nations, and so on.
Chiara Lubich
(Chiara Lubich, in Parole di Vita, [Words of Life] edited by Fabio Ciardi, Opere di Chiara Lubich, Città Nuova, 2017, p. 196)
Nov 7, 2021 | Non categorizzato
15 experts in law, formation and psychology, from different geographical and cultural areas. An independent team that collaborates and supervises both the safeguarding and protection of young people and cases of abuse of power within the Focolare Movement. This team took office on September 17 and its coordinator is the Italian lawyer Orazio Moscatello, a criminal and civil lawyer, expert in Family and Juvenile Law. The Commission for the Safeguarding and Protection of Young People and Vulnerable Adults (CO.BE.TU.) has been expanded and strengthened in order to offer an increasingly competent and comprehensive service to those who have suffered or are suffering abuse within the Focolare Movement and to those who wish to report that this is or has taken place. The new members will be able to intervene and make a professional contribution in two specific areas:
- training and prevention
- management of reports of abuse, both sexual abuse of young people and abuse of power.
“The issue of abuse was one of the priorities dealt with by the Focolare General Assembly last January,” Orazio Moscatello explains. “The Assembly is aware of what has been done and is being done now in this field, but it has called for a renewed commitment to prevent abuse on the part of all members of the Movement, as stated in the final working document.“ In fact, point 2 of the text presents the conclusions and commitment of the Focolare for the next 5 years by stating: “We commit ourselves to strengthen what is already in place to prevent all forms of abuse – physical, sexual or abuse of power or conscience. We ask the victims for forgiveness and assure them of our complete support; with great sorrow, we recognize, all those situations in which we have not been able to protect them. We are committed to an even greater fostering of a culture of safeguarding and protection for all people, providing appropriate training and using clear communication.” Shortly after this declaration was drafted, Focolare President Margaret Karram arranged for the Commission for the Safegarding of Young People and the Independent Commission for the Protection of Adults to be unified into a single entity. In addition, to ensure the full independence of the commission, its members will not have roles of responsibility in the central or dispersed instruments of governance of the Movement,during their three-year term of office.
Stefania Tanesini
For further information or to report situations of abuse, contact: cobetu@focolare.org
Nov 6, 2021 | Non categorizzato
181 bishops, friends of the Focolare Movement, from 45 countries of the world and from 70 Churches and ecclesial communities participated in the conference “Dare to be one. The gift of unity in a divided world” that took place from 23 to 25 September 2021. The background and meaning of this meeting through interviews with five of the participating Bishops. https://vimeo.com/620771973
