Focolare Movement

Jesús Morán: Creative fidelity

Jun 20, 2017

The new book entitled “Creative Fidelity, the challenge of the implementation of a charism” by Jesús Morán, Co-President of the Focolare Movement, was edited by New City and presented on 29 May, in Rome.

FedeltaCreativaWith a radio transmission emceed by Alessandro De Carolis, Radio Vatican journalist, the author dialogued with Fr. Julián Carrón (president of the Communion and Liberation Fraternity) and Maria Grazia Vergari (vice president of the Adult Section of the Catholic Action). Here are some excerpts of the interview that Giorgia Bresciani, journalist of “InBlu Radio,” held with Jesús Morán on 30 May: G. B.–The presentation of your book was the occasion to experience a moment of dialogue and fraternity between the ecclesiastic movements. In the Pentecost of 1998, John Paul II and at that time, Cardinal Ratzinger initiated a joint pathway of communion between all movements. What do you think happened that day and what point of that journey have we reached? J.M.–I think that 29 May was really blessed by the Holy Spirit, and was a grace for us. I remember that Feast of the Pentecost of 1988 vividly, and it was one of the most beautiful days of my life. It seemed as if the first Pentecost had become a concrete reality, due to the presence of many people, and an unforgettable day! I had arrived from Chile where I was living. It was effectively a historic moment, an ecclesial event because for the first time, the new movements had gathered in St. Peter’s Square all together. It was a fundamental encounter between the charism of Peter and the charisms created by the Holy Spirit in our epoch. It was like going public, giving visibility to the ecclesial charisms, and an “acknowledgement” of this fact. Since then the journey has progressed with ups and downs. This experience extended also to ecumenical levels and saw the creation of “Together for Europe.” We thus committed ourselves to the unity of all Christians. Then there were other joint encounters between the movements. Over the years, however, some of the founders passed away, and obviously this slowed things down: the deaths of Fr. Giussani, Chiara Lubich and other leaders, had an impact because this reality of unity and communion of the movements had been decisively their idea. UNESCO_15Nov16_JesusMoran_02An occasion like that of 29 May is a push to continue their work. We are now in a post-founding phase and have to restart from that “prophecy.”And the presentation of my book is oriented in that direction. G.B.–You mentioned the death of some founders. Precisely you, Maria Voce, and Fr.Carrón, are in that “post-founding period,” the “second phase” which is a tricky one: you have a complex and exciting task. In the light of your position, what do you think an ecclesial movement needs most in this phase? J.M.I believe that the “post-founding” phase isalso a charismatic one.There are different types of graces from those bound to the founding moment, and lies in the perspective of the incarnation: the great challenge is that the charism, following the trail of the founder, increasingly becomes “history.” It is thus a phase of service to the Church and to humanity. This calls for a different kind of maturity. We have to work together, bringing to light personal and community talents, because when the founder is present, the light of the charism is very strong, and the founder “incarnates”it almost by herself. Now God wants us to start up our charismatic intelligence and our forces. And we have to do it together! This is the great challenge. This is what I tried to say with this concept (already used by John Paul II) of “creative fidelity”: faithfulness to the charism, and at the same time, capacity for innovation and creativity, always a fruit of the Holy Spirit, and greater insertion into the Church and society.

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

Witnessing unity for the human family

Witnessing unity for the human family

Pope Leo XIV met with 83 cardinals and bishops, Friends of the Focolare Movement, coming from 40 countries. He invited them to be, within their local Churches and in a world marked by divisions and conflicts, witnesses to a unity capable of building lasting peace.

Margaret Karram on the ‘Within Your Gates’ Forum”

Margaret Karram on the ‘Within Your Gates’ Forum”

“This initiative truly touches my heart.” Margaret Karram returns to the Holy City, where she lived for 24 years, to take part in the inauguration of the ‘Within Your Gates’ Forum, organised by Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa and the University of Notre Dame.

Season of Creation 2026: The Transformation of a Community

Season of Creation 2026: The Transformation of a Community

The “Season of Creation” is an ecumenical Christian initiative that begins every year on 1st September and ends on 4th October, the feast of St. Francis. This year with the theme “Living Water”, Christians around the world are invited not only to contemplate water at the river banks, but to immerse themselves in what it represents: life, relationship, healing, hope and the love of God that flows through all of creation. Here is a testimony from Congo, in Africa.