Focolare Movement

Giancarlo Faletti in Mexico

Apr 5, 2012

The co-president of the Focolare visits the numerous Focolare communities in Latin America. This encounter was marked by the cultural richness of Mexico.

20120329-el-diamante_mg_1136“The Mariapolis town will become more and more of a reference point for your peers if the youths of the Movement manifest their friendship with Chiara Luce Badano. She will speak to the hearts of these young people, telling of her friendship with Chiara Lubich, her relationship with the spirituality and charism of unity which led her to holiness in our own day.” These were the final remarks made by Giancarlo Faletti, co-president of the Focolare, at the conclusion of his visit to “El Diamante” Focolare town in Mexico. The Mariapolis town is located at a distance of 50km from Puebla and 170 km to the southeast of Mexico City. Fifty-five permanent residents live here and there are always many others who visit for extended periods of time. Several meetings were organized for the occasion. There was a deep dialogue between Giancarlo Faletti with some thirty priests who live the spirituality of unity. They exchanged experiences on the effects of living out the charism in their lives as priests and in building communion in the Church. In keeping with Giancarlo Faletti’s desire for inculturation, he could not go without making a visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Morenita. There, on 28 March 2012 he and a few others who accompanied him were welcomed by the shrine’s Rector Msgr Enrique Glennie. The visitors were given the privilege of going into the private room where the tilma of Juan Diego can be viewed up close. The tilma is the piece of fabric on which the image of Mary was left impressed. The Rector then invited those present to page through the Album of Honour, which contains the signature of many honored guests, from John Paul II to Mother Teresa. The album also contains the signature of Chaira Lubich: “My heart remains here with La Morenita,” she wrote. It was 1997. One hundred and eighty youths from all over Mexico then joined Giancarlo Faletti at El Diamante. They brought up many of the issues in their hearts: city violence; social breakdown; among their peers, a total apathy toward great ideals; competition for success at any cost; homosexuality and conditioning by the mass media that is all in the hands of a few people. Faletti concluded: “The modern challenges give us more work to do, they call for interdisciplinary knowledge and ongoing study, but this is the life of Jesus in 2012. What remains basic is understanding together and as deeply as possible what we are living as sons and daughters of Chiara, and why.” A meeting with more than 1,200 people including some from as far away as Torrion (16 hours by bus), was interspersed with dance, song and a variety of traditional dress. Maria Voce was connected via Skype from where she was staying in Guatamala. It was the family of the Focolare in Mexico. At the conclusion Maria Voce told everyone: “I say thank you again. I hope that by witnessing to the charism of unity you may transform the environments in which you live and as a Movement contribute to renewing Mexico.”  

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