Focolare Movement

Chiara Luce: a luminous and modern day model

Oct 29, 2015

The liturgical calendar celebrates the young Blessed Chiara Luce Badano on October 29th. But her memory is alive in various parts of the world at any time of the year. In Peru the musical inspired by her life assembled 500 young people.

20151029-05The musical, “Life, Love Light,” inspired by the life of Blessed Chiara Luce Badano, has arrived in Peru: on October 10th, just a few days after the 5th anniversary of the beatification of the young woman from Sassello, the show took the stage in Lima. Months ago, the Peruvian young people of the Focolare Movement had already contacted their Spanish peers, who had put on the same show in Burgos in their language, in order to obtain the materials. They were helped by the collaboration of the Community of Villaregia and the Misioneras Identes and several professionals – as they admit, “The show was beyond our capacities,” – who undertook the preparation of the musical. 20151029-03There were 75 young people who participated in the musical production, both from the Focolare and from other Movements who got involved. And one cannot overlook a series of “fortunate coincidences” in which the young people saw the hand of God’s Providence: from the availability of a hall which seats hundreds in a well-known section of Lima, to the meals brought for the whole team, thanks to the generosity of an adherent of the Movement, to the interviews released to two television stations – one of which taped the show for a pre-recorded broadcast. 20151029-02Even the 500 spectators did not hold back their generosity: while the admission was free, they responded to the appeal to donate dry or canned goods, which arrived in great quantities, to give to the needy people in the Community of Villaregia. The show was a great success in other ways, as the participants testified that it helped them to discover and value many hidden talents. A touching testimony was given by a mother of a 13-year-old girl affected by a serious form of depression, who said: “You have changed my daughter’s life.” 20151029-04A message sent by Chiara Luce’s parents, Ruggero e Maria Teresa Badano, closed the evening, with their thanks for all that was achieved: “Her push towards sanctity and her faithfulness to the values of the Gospel of Jesus,” they wrote, “guided Chiara Luce even in the most difficult moments of her existence, and we are convinced that she will know how to inspire you. Because, as her spiritual mother Chiara Lubich said, ‘You have only one life, it’s worthwhile to live it well.’

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