Bruna Tomasi in Cile

After a very long journey, not just because of the 12,000 kilometres but also because of a problem with the airplane, Bruna Tomasi arrived in Chile. She had been invited, before the tragic earthquake struck this Latin American country, to remember and celebrate the second anniversary of Chiara’s departure.

As soon as she arrived she wanted to know about the victims of the quake and the situation regarding aid, which started arriving immediately the following day after the tragedy struck.

The next day she met with a group of young people at a Focolare centre in a poor area of the capital. She shared with them the experienced lived with Chiara at the beginning of the movement, when ‘everything collapsed and only God, who had been discovered as Love, remained.’ She emphasised the importance of ‘never losing enthusiasm and to go ahead guarding, above all else, unity and harmony amongst you.’ They were not just words for her, but a reality she has been lived for more than 65 years.

Many came to meet her and listen to her at the Aula Magna of the Catholic University on Sunday 14 March. Bruna managed to convey to everyone the experience of God Love and the newness of the charism of unity. Among those present were representatives of other ecclesial movements, the Orthodox Church and the Jewish community. Among the immediate impressions after the meeting: ‘ We needed to hear these words’ (from the Fondacio Movement). ‘We were struck by the great desire for holiness’ (Catholic Community Shalom).

It was an unforgettable day for the Focolare Movement in Chile; not just because of the exceptional visit of Bruna but also for the ordination of the first Chilean focolarino, Juan Ortiz, during the concluding mass celebrated by Card Francisco Javier Errazurz. The Cardinal, after having remembered Chiara with very moving words concluded encouraging everyone ‘to continue to feed the fire of love and unity among you, so that this fire will attract more and more people to Christ, so that it might be a light in our culture, a provoking and prophetic presence of unity in the church; a living witness that the fraternity of the human family is stronger than egoism and indifference. Love is stronger!’