The meeting of Bishop Friends of the Focolare from 1st to 9th August concluded at Forno Coazza, in the Italian region of Turin. Focolare President Maria Voce, who attended on Sunday the 5th, invited Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij, the Archbishop of Bangkok, to take on the role of moderator of the communion among the bishops who share in the spirituality of unity coming from the Focolare founder, Chiara Lubich.

Archbishop Francis Xavier accepted the invitation to succeed Cardianl Miloslav Vlk, Archbishop Emeritus of Prague, who has had the role of moderator for 18 years, organizing numerous international meetings of bishops, both of Roman Catholics and of bishops from various Churches. These meetings satisfy the bishops’ desire to deepen their spiritual lives and to construct together the Church as communion hoped for by the Second Vatican Council and recent Popes. The meeting have been held in Castel Gandolfo (near Rome), Istanbul, Jerusalem, Beirut, Augsburg, Wittenburg, London and Geneva – just to mention some of the places.

The choice of Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak should be taken as ‘a sign of the Movement’s universal openness and its attention to the emerging continents and our various dialogues’, as Maria Voce wrote in communicating the news. He will take up the new role at the beginning of October during the international assembly of the Movement’s leaders.

Cardinal Miloslav Vlk expressed his gratitude to Maria Voce for having appointed a bishop from the East, ‘where the spirituality of the Focolare Movement is spreading quickly among bishops too.’ He said his successor had ‘the right experience and background and was very suitable for the task’ and he wished him ‘the strength and creativity needed to guide the communion among the Bishop Friends of the Focolare Movement at the same time as fulfilling his commitments as Archbishop of Bangkok.’

For his part, Archbishop Francis Xavier, to the joy of all present, accepted the task with humility, saying that he was comforted by the openness of his brother bishops to give him their support in any way possible.

The participation of bishops in the Focolare Movement, approved and supported by the Holy See as a way of favouring ‘effective and affective’ collegiality among bishops in a brotherly spirit of communion, is purely spiritual.

Source: Focolare Information Service