Card. João Braz De Aviz, Jesús Morán and Maria Voce Focolare President
The cathedral of Frascati was teeming with people, despite the weekday rush hour of 27 January, the day of remembrance, in which the entire world commemorates the tragedy of the Shoah along with all the other events that inflict sufferings and bloodshed on our planet. It was during these commemorations, established so that “humanity and history may register new peace developments” that Maria Voce expressed hopes for the recognition of Chiara Lubich’s example and because “her thoughts and her heart were driven by universal love, able to embrace all people beyond their differences, and aimed to fulfil the testament of Jesus, “That all may be one.”
With a long applause the Focolare members manifested its gratitude towards Pope Francis, who, in his message encouraged all “to spread to the entire people of God, the life and works of Chiara Lubich, who on answering the Lord’s call has become a new light on the road to unity.” On behalf of the movement, Maria Voce assured him of everyone’s “commitment to continue spreading that new light the Pope had referred to” on speaking of Chiara .
The event was transmitted via direct streaming, with simultaneous translations in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. Over 18 thousand simultaneous link ups to the site were registered, connecting hundreds of people (as in the Mariapolis Ginetta in Brazil, or in the town of Loppiano in Tuscany-Italy).
Mons. Raffaello Martinelli, Bishop of Frascati
“The task we are undertaking is not an easy one,” declared the Bishop of Frascati, Raffaello Martinelli, “but it is a service we want to render to the Church to bear witness to faith, hope and charity through the work and life of one of her daughters. ”
Also many International figures were present, such as the Cardinals Tarcisio Bertone, Ennio Antonelli, Joao Braz De Aviz, Miloslav Vlk; and Bishops, Carlos Tissera from Argentina and Brendan Leahy from Ireland; and from the ecumenical world, in the person of Archimandrite Simeon Catsinas, of the Orthodox Church of Rome, who represented the ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, and Fr. Gabriel, parish priest of the Romanian-Orthodox Church of Rocca di Papa, sent by Bishop Siluan of the Romanian-Orthodox of Italy.
Other friends of Chiara Lubich, founders and representatives of other movements were also present. The Muslim world did not fail to be present and testify to the determination to continue a dialogue in this critical moment, represented by the Director of the Cenap Tevere Mustafa Aydin Insitute of Turkey. From Japan, Dr. Mizumo came to represent the Buddhist Rissho Kosei-Kai Movement. Wearing their sash with the colours of Italy, various mayors of neighbouring municipalities attended, and among which was a delegation from Trent, Chiara’s native city, and a group of relatives of the new “Servant of God.”.
“Chiara spoke of living the Gospel and being faithful to God ,” João, a young Brazilian man said, and added: “I think we cannot be faithful without aiming to become saints, which is what God wants.” Francesca, 13 said: “I was struck by Chiara because of her great faith, which would seem difficult for kids to understand, instead she conveyed it with such simplicity.”
The ceremony. The cause for canonisation will start with a series of juridical acts, but, as the Bishop of Frascati underlined – “we want to transform it all into a meditation,” and because of this, the ceremony opened with the recital of the vespers. In a solemn atmosphere, the taking up of office of the tribunal, starting with the reading of the “supplice libello” with which the Focolare Movement, in December 2013 requested the opening of the cause. The document says – throughout the six years that followed Chiara Lubich’s death – «the common belief of the faithful regarding the purity and integrity of this Servant of God’s life, has grown in a continual and stable manner, and has spread more and more throughout the world, underlining the virtues she practiced to the point of heroism, not to mention the graces and blessings God has granted to many through her intercession. » The reading of the nulla osta of the Congregration for the Causes of Saints and constitution of the tribunal will follow .
Bishop Angelo Amati,Episcopal Delegate, will lead this phase of the diocesan investigation, and will be assisted by the Nigerian, Rev. Emmanuele Faweh Kazah, as the Promoter of Justice, and by notary Patrizia Sabatini, who had already worked in the previous months to gather the fifty testimonials, so as not to lose the testimony of those who «were allowed , from the very start, to bear witness to the beauty and possibility of tracing this path together in unity, towards an only goal,» Maria Voce said on recalling the first followers of Chiara, some of which attended the ceremony.
The postulation commission designated by the President of the Focolare is composed of the postulator, Fr. Silvestre Marques, Portuguese, and the Vice-Postulators, Lucia Abignente (Italian) and Waldery Hilgeman, (Dutch).The Tribunal has already set the next session for 12 February, to listen to the testimonial of Maria Voce, who tops a list of about 100 names.
Follow the event via streaming: http://live.focolare.org/reply.asp
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