Focolare Movement

From the ‘Land of the Cedars’

Jun 16, 2010

Thirteen members of the Focolare Movement were elected in Lebanon at the recent local elections – including a Mayor and Deputy Mayor

The commitment to take the charism of unity into politics has always been part of the history of the Focolare Movement, above all because of the presence, next to Chiara Lubich, of an Italian member of parliament – Igino Giordani.

The ‘Movement for Unity in Politics’ was founded on 2 May 1996, and today politicians, members of parliament, mayors and local councillors from around the world are part of it. Whilst remaining part of different political parties they are united in a common aim: to make universal fraternity a fundamental political category, and to translate it into facts, into rights and duties, support it through political action, and to review institutional and international structures in this light.

In Lebanon as well, the members of the Focolare lived the different stages of preparation for the elections as ‘an occasion to build sincere and honest relationships with people of every political persuasion’, they wrote to tell us. ‘The desire to commit ourselves for the good of our towns and villages and above all to introduce a new way of relating to each other in our local councils’ was what had decided them to get involved in the local elections. A Mayor, Deputy Mayor and several members of local councils were elected, all committed to ‘putting the common good in the first place, and to help each other to be faithful to this aim; this gives us an added possibility today of putting into practice the Apostolic Exhortation of John Paul II’.

In fact, in 1997, John Paul II made an unforgettable visit to that country, and speaking to the young people in the Basilica of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, gave them a challenge: ‘Your task,’ he said, ‘is to build bridges amongst people, amongst families and between the different communities. In your day-to-day life, be signs of reconciliation – you must transform diffidence into trust! Your task is to make sure that every Lebanese, especially young people, can participate in every aspect of society, of your common home. In this way a new fraternity will be born and solid relationships will be formed, because the principal for building Lebanon is love.’

___

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Newsletter

Thought of the day

Related post

Christians protagonists of dialogue

Christians protagonists of dialogue

29th June is the feast of Saints Peter and Paul and is a significant day in the ecumenical sphere. On this date we publish some interviews with Christians from various Churches

This curse of war

This curse of war

Igino Giordani, when writing his memoirs, reflected on the terrible period of the First World War, in which he himself had to enlist, saying, “I saw the absurdity, the stupidity and above all the sin of war…”, as Benedict XV called it, the ‘useless massacre’. His words challenge us to think about how history could teach us to work for peace today, by opposing the new, absurd, useless massacres of our century.

Jubilee of youth: pilgrims of journey, hope, reconciliation

Jubilee of youth: pilgrims of journey, hope, reconciliation

A pilgrimage in Rome during the event that will see the participation of young people from all over the world. It will follow the historical itinerary of the Seven Churches with catechesis, prayer, testimonies, spiritual insights inspired by the charism of unity, music and sharing.