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Jul 7, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world, with some 240 million inhabitants, living in the 17,000 islands that comprise the Indonesian Archipelago. The house was inaugurated with a Mass and house blessing on 2 July 2011. It will be the first stable centre of the Focolare in Yogyakarta, a city on the island of Java, with some 3 million inhabitants and it is known as a centre of Javan art and culture. Why did the focolarini from nearby Singapore (one of the richest countries in the world) decide to move to a country with one of the lowest GDP index in the world, leaving behind excellent professions? In arriving at our decision, we took many things into consideration,” says Nicolas, one of the focolarini. “especially our decision to spread the charism of unity, and Indonesia, where the majority of the population is Muslim, is a land of great religious tolerance. It’s enough to recall one of the supporting columns of their Constitution which goes more or less like this: ‘We are many but one’, that is, unity in diversity. But it would be a long story to explain how God brought us to this point.” We came to know the people of the large Archipelago due to the frequent natural disasters which Indonesia has undergone in the past few years: tsunamis, earthquakes and the latest eruption of one of its volcanoes. The focolarini were generous with the local people, bringing forward a project for the victims. In this way many relationships were begun which, little by little, created a community, beginning with the youths. “Moreover,” Nicolas continues, “it’s a country that’s on the forefront, very open to interreligious dialogue, and our spirituality helps us to construct relationships of friendship and fraternity among members of the different religions who live in the country.” In fact, the population is comprised of Muslim faithful, Buddhists, Hindus and many other religions. Christians constitute 16% of the population. 
“It was moving, Xiong adds, “to see the joy in these people and how they prepared things, down to the smallest detail, with such a sense of hospitality which is their characteristic. More than 200 people came, many youths, with some Muslims among them.” People arrived from Sumatra (Medan), Java (Jakarta and Semarang), from Borneo (Kalimantan), Sulawesi, West Timor, and even Singapore and Malaysia (Johor and Penang). Hans Jurt, who is responsible for the focolarini worldwide, was also present together with a few other men and women focolarini from neighbouring Asian countries. Hans said: “We realized that leaving Singapore and moving to Yogyakarta was following God’s plan, a step that He made us take.” It is very nice to see how the community of Singapore feels that it has given its focolare to Indonesia. [nggallery id=65]
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Jul 5, 2011 | Non categorizzato
The youth at the "Gen School" in Loppiano prepare a choreography
Jun 30, 2011 | Non categorizzato, Word of
“Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
In order to understand these words, we should keep in mind the circumstances in which they were said. What Jesus was giving his disciples was more than words of advice. We should see these words as reflecting his state of mind, that is, how he was preparing himself for the trial. Facing his imminent passion, he prayed with all his soul, wrestled with the fear and horror of his death and totally entrusted himself to the love of the Father so that he might be faithful to God’s will to the end and help his apostles to do the same. We see Jesus here as the model for all those who must face trials and, at the same time, the brother who stands by our side in those difficult times.
“Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Jesus often gave exhortations to be vigilant. For him, to be on guard meant not to ever let ourselves be overcome by spiritual “sleepiness.” It meant to be always ready to welcome the will of God, to discern its signs in everyday life and above all to be able to see difficulties and sufferings in the light of God’s love. Vigilance and prayer are inseparable, because prayer is indispensable for overcoming trials. The fragility of human nature (“the flesh is weak”) can be overcome by the power coming from the Spirit.
“Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
How then should we live this month’s passage? We too should ready ourselves to meet trials: the small and big ones of each day. They are the trials which we cannot help but encounter from one day to the next. Now the first condition for overcoming a trial, any trial, Jesus advises, is to be on guard, to “watch.” It is a matter of discerning, of realizing, that God permits them not to discourage us, but so we can grow spiritually as we overcome them. And at the same time we must pray. Prayer is necessary because there are two particular temptations to which we are vulnerable in these moments. One is to think we can go it alone. The other is the opposite feeling, that is, the fear of not making it, as if the trial were greater than our strength. Jesus instead assures us that our heavenly Father will not leave us without the power of the Holy Spirit if we stay on guard and we ask him with faith. Chiara Lubich
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Jun 30, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
“Rediscovering God’s plan for today” was the theme for the three conferences of Bishops Friends of the Focolare Movement which were held in May and June. The central topic was one which was of common interest to all: the desire to experience fraternal communion among Bishops, entering more deeply into the spirituality and life of communion. Different characteristics and nuances of each country were highlighted at each of the meetings. Sixteen Catholic bishops from South Africa, Angola, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya gathered on 23-27 May at one of the Focolare’s little towns in Nairobi, Kenya, called Mariapolis Piero. They had many opportunities to share both personal and pastoral experiences, with a look at some of the challenges being faced by the African continent today. For more information about the Kenyan conference go to: Nairobi: Meeting for Bishop Friends of the Focolare. 
The May – June event in Moramanga, Madagascar was very well attended with nine bishops who had come from all over the island, the fourth largest island of the world. Among them were Bishop Antonio Scopelliti who had first arrived on the island as a young missionary, and Bishop Amgatondrazaka who for many years has been a promoter of communion among bishops, priests and laity. But there were also various bishops who are natives of Madagascar itself, such as Archbishop Michel Malo (Archbishop of Antsiranana) and the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent. The final event took place in Cameroon. It began on 7 June in Bamenda and ended on 11 June in the village of Fontem. Two Chiefs of the Bangwa tribe were there to welcome the bishops. They expressed their delight at receiving these distinguished visitors to a land that bears witness to the “new evangelization” that has been launched by the experience of unity among the Bangwa people and the Focolare. During their visit to the hospital, college, and carpentry workshop, the bishops appreciated the simple daily Gospel life, and especially the “love with which the activities are carried out.” The memory of Bishop Paul Verdzekov was very alive among them. He died last year, leaving behind a powerful life witness that was rooted in focolare spirituality. “He was a father for all of us,” said Bishop Ntep, bishop of Edéa, Cameroon. After having visited his tomb, they celebrated Mass at the cathedral in the presence of many of the faithful for whom his memory is still very much alive. The bishops used these days to discuss topics that are of great interest to them: effects of the Economy of Communion in Africa; formation of formators; and the Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini. Another important topic was that of Inculturation. In this regard, Bishop Ntalou, bishop of Garoua, Cameroon said: “Just as you need the effort to know the ‘seeds of the Word’ in our cultures, you also need the effort to know the light of the Gospel, because it is in Jesus, and in Jesus alone, that we find the fullness of salvation.” 
During the final farewell, Bishop Bushu, bishop of Buea, Cameroon, seemed to summarize what everyone else was thinking: “I thank God for this week, for having lived in His presence. . .”. “Holiness is a gift, not an activity,” concluded Cardinal Vlk, underscoring how everything is a gift from God: “Our true identity lies in living in harmony with this gift (that we have) received.” At each of the three meetings, the culminating moment was the “Pact of Mutual Love”, which the bishops made with each other during a Eucharistic celebration.
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Jun 28, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Below are listed a few open meetings, and the four events presented by youths of the Focolare, who are attending WYD with their respective diocese. WYD 2011 – Madrid
- Tuesday 16 August 20:00 Opening of WYD – Holy Mass at Cibeles Square, Madrid 22:00 Gen Rosso in Concert “INDELEBILE DIMENSION”. Pilar García Peña Auditorium (Pinar del Rey Park) – *
- Wednesday 17 August 10:00 Bishops’ Catechesis 22:00 Musical “LIFE, LOVE, LIGHT” One of us. A life fulfilled. Chiara Luce Badano, beatifiedon 25 September 2010 by Benedict XVI.Pilar García Peña Auditorium (Pinar del Rey Park) – *
- Thursday 18 August 10:00 Bishops’ Catechesis 12:00 Pope arrives at Barajas airport. Welcoming Ceremony. 12:40 Pope’s entrance into Madrid. Arrival at the Nunciature. 16:00 Welcoming Pope. Welcoming ceremony for the Holy Father. 19:30 Youths welcome Pope in Cibeles Square. 22:00 Gen Rosso in Concert “DIMENSIONE INDELEBILE”. Pilar García Peña Auditorium (Pinar del Rey Park) – *
- Friday 19 August 10:00 Bishops’ Catechesis 11:30 Meeting with young consecrated religous Pope at El Escorial Monastary. Ore 12:00 Pope Meets at El Escorial Monastarywith 1, 000 young university professorsin the Basilica. 19:30 Way of the Cross 22:00 “Adoration – Get together”, Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement. church of the Carmelite Fathers: Via Ayala, 35 (Madrid) Metro Velázquez – line 4 (15 minutewalk from where the Way of the Cross is held)
- Saturday 20 August 16:00 Preparations at Cuatro Vientos. Youths will begin to arrive at the aerodrome and take their seats. There will be activites on stage (testimoniesby youths, music, prayer, etc.). 19:40 Visitto theSan José Institute Foundation. 20:30 Prayer vigil with the Popein the Cuatro Vientos Aerodrome. 23:00 Night at Cuatro Vientos
- Domenica 21 agosto 09:00 Pope arrives at Cuatro Vientos 09:30 Sending out mass of theWYD 17:30 Meeting of Pope with volunteers 18:30 Farewell greeting from Pope
- (*) HowtoreachAuditorium Pilar García Peña (Parque Pinar del Rey) Via: López de Hoyos c/v carretera de Canillas (Madrid) Metro: Pinar del Rey- linea 8 – Bus: 9, 72, 73
Jun 28, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
“Politics is made for the people – not people for politics. It is a means, not an end. First there should be morals, the person, the collective and then the party, tabling of questions and the theory of governing. Politics – in the most dignified Christian sense – is a servant, and should never become the master: it shouldn’t be the abuser, nor dominate or be dogmatic. Here lies its purpose and dignity: to be of social service, charity in action: the first form of national charity. […] Newspapers spread disrespect for politics and the political parties. We know about this from what they say and from reading what the write about us. To many it seems that politics is a base activity, confusing, leaving us to cope: and they don’t understand that if politics drifts away from honest people, it will be invaded by dishonest people: politics draws to itself all of our life, both physical and moral. Politics with dishonest leaders is drawn to war, financial instability, to the ruin of public and private wealth, to depravity, disprespect for religion, family breakdown…. If politics is dirty, then, it should be cleaned up, not deserted. […] In wheeling and dealing, a consequence of the deals made on human dignity, we cannot be free unless each one of us regains an awareness of their own self worth – their own immense value – those in politics, should decide not to allow themselves either to be pushed or lead, but to work with their own head, with their personality, defend their moral reasoning. Defending these, then, defending also their professional reasoning, reasoning on taxation: as excessive taxation results in no longer seeing people who need help but simply milking the system. Those who are to be in politics are there for the citizens, not as slaves. From such a position democracy is born. The awareness of ones own values can turn into pride, and therefore twist into antisocial attitudes of exploitation and domination: it can turn upside down. Amongst those values, above all, there is the call to be charitable, and the desire to fulfill is in service to one’s brother. Without this, every value is worthless, every victory turns into slavery: its a waste of time.” Igino Giordani From: The Moral Revolution, 1945 www.iginogiordani.info
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Jun 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide, Senza categoria
Six days, in beautiful Tlemcen, Capital of Islamic Culture 2011, helped to make the discovery that it is possible to live in harmony and unity with a group of believers of different religions. In an atomsphere of unity lived amongst they came from Europe and the Middle East and met from 2nd – 7th June 2011 with the Algerian community of the Focolare Movement who have been living the spirit of unity for more than 45 years. Both the recorded talks of Chiara Lubich shown and the live contributions from the various experts present at the meeting clarified and answered many questions on how to live according to the charism of Chiara Lubich. A variety of experiences followed which enriched group discussions where participants spoke with great freedom and openess and felt even more part of the big Focolare family. The programme also included a visit to the city of Tlemcen and Orano, allowing the possibility of discovering their unique cultural and religious patrimony that they hold. One comment from the many, at the end of the meeting: “This is just the beginning of a new step in our life towards an ever deeper unity.”
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Jun 23, 2011 | Non categorizzato
To be “the builders of new cities” was the wish of Maria Voce, President of the Focolare, for the 20th of June encounter, in Naples, commemorating the birth of the Political Movement for Unity (PMU). “In the present context of the general disenchantment of the citizenry concerning public institutions,” stated Maria Voce in her message, the achievements offered by the PMU – small perhaps, but significant – “make us hope in the season of “new politics” made of dialogue and mutual acceptance. The roots: May 2, 1996, in Naples, Italy. A group of politicians posed a question to Chiara Lubich: How is it possible for those who are active in different parties on opposite sides of the aisle, to live out the fraternity which she proposes, in the field of politics?”. In her answer, she called for new determination, for unity around shared core values must come before the legitimate affiliation to a political party, and the common good can only be reached with the contribution of all. The PMU was born from these basic ideas, which were also wholeheartedly supported by the politicians in attendance. Fifteen years later on 20 June 2011, a conference entitled: “Brotherhood: A Challenge for Politics” was held at the public auditorium of the Regional Council for the purpose of acknowledging the entrance of Chiara Lubich’s charism in civil history. More than 150 attended – among them parliamentarians and administrators from other regions as well. The first presentation was given by Eli Folonari who spent fifty years at Chiara’s side and is now director of the Chiara Lubich Centre. She offered her listeners an outline that traced the excursus of this journey: from interpersonal love to a social love for the commonwealth. Today, the PMU operates in every region of Italy, various European nations, Latin America, and Asia. The various experiences that develop over the years converge in the spirituality of unity, beginning with the paradigm offered by Igino Giordani. The basic lines of the PMU were presented by Marco Fatuzzo, president of the International Centre, beginning with the definition offered by Chiara herself: “an international laboratory of common political work, between government officials, scholars, and politicians at various levels, from different party lines, who place fraternity at the basis of their life.” Within this same framework, some significant examples were offered: the laboratory of dialogue and policy design that is animated by the PMU in some of the parliaments of various countries – in Italy, for example, Brazil, Argentina, and South Korea – the international network of political training schools, in which youths can experience a politics of communion. Cities have also joined the network: “To date, more than 100 have joined the “City for Fraternity Association,” said the mayor of Rocca di Papa, Italy, Pasquale Boccia, who is also the association’s current president. And why not the Regions? It was truly emblematic, therefore, that in the context of a more inclusive vision of Italy, just at the conclusion of the conference, the president of the Regional Council of Campania, Italy, Paolo Romano, announced the unanimous membership of the assembly in the City for Fraternity Association, signing the memorandum of understanding. Published by the Movement for Unity in Politics
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Jun 22, 2011 | Non categorizzato
A sports coach from Saxony, East Germany describes how a long friendship with a Catholic priest began, in spite of the fact that the coach had no religious faith. “After the revolution of 1989 in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) sport club membership was no longer free due to cuts in subsidies, and many young people went over to neo-Nazi environments. And nobody did anything. In desperation I even approached a Catholic priest with whom I had never had anything to do before, to complain to him: Why doesn’t the Church do something?” Change of scene. An ex-officer in the people’s army and professor at the superior institute of state security – the GDR secret service – attended his 50th high school reunion where he met a classmate who had chosen a different path. His friend was now a priest. But their differing paths were not an obastacle to their being friends; indeed, it helped. During the final years of the German Democratic Republic (DDR) the professor had begun some research and for this reason was removed from his work post. His conception of socialist society was not compatible with the interests of the power system. Like others, these two characters – the coach and the professor from state security – have found a new perspective in the gatherings of the Focolare Movement. So it was that last May they attended meetings between Christians and people without a religious reference, at the Mariapolis Centre in Zwochau near Leipzig (5 – 9 May 2011).
The Mariapolis Centre in Zwochau
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Jun 20, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
On the weekend of 18 and 19 June almost 100 young and less young people got together in the Mariapolis Centre, Castelgandolfo (Rome) to establish the main points of the event. This planning group working came from a wide range of nations including: Brasil, the Philipinnes, China and Madagascar. The wonderful cultural mix enabled the content of the programme to have a truly ‘global’ vision, reaching beyond the boundaries of the performance arena: in fact the idea and suggestion from the youth in Hungary was to involve the whole city, having events in the streets, squares and above all, given their significance for the Hungarian capital – the bridges of Budapest. The basic plan for the remaining preparation is not just to work out the detail but to also involve other young people and get ready for an event that won’t be an end in itself but, be the culmination of a journey in mutual love that doesn’t end there: that work now needs to start in each nation. As we don’t want to spoil the surprise we won’t divulge any more details, the note to put in your diary reads: Youth for a United World hope to see you in Budapest from 31st august to 2nd September 2012. http://giovaniperunmondounito.blogspot.com/ [nggallery id=55]
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Jun 16, 2011 | Non categorizzato
“Politics is made for the people, not the people for politics. It is a means, not an end. Morality first, the human person first, collectivity first – then the party, then the tables of the programme, then the theories of governing.” With these words of Giordani, The Hon. Gianfranco Fini, President of of the Italian House of Parliament, opened the meeting dedicated to the popular deputy, who knew so well the difficult times of Fascist persecution, the atrocity of war, the uncertainty of reconstruction.
The gathering took place in Lupa Hall, on the 14th of June, in the presence of two-hundred people. Fini focused on three cornerstones of Giordani’s actions in politics: the dignity of the human person, liberty, and work. Battles he led that at times anticipated the times, and at a great risk of being misunderstood as in the case of the conscientious objector law. the President of the House also recalled one of his personal battles that came to nothing: the request that the European Parliament would not refuse to acknowledge the role of Christianity in Europe’s roots. Political defeat and misunderstanding have a bitter taste, of course, but Giordani, at critical moments in Parliament’s history, amid the screams and strong ideological contrasts, managed to make reason prevail, humanism, and a Christian spirit that even convinced the Marxists. Alberto Lo Presti, director of the Igino Giordani Centre described Giordani during various phases of his life, offering a picture of the man through short film clips.
“From Montecitorio to the World” was the title chosen for the moment of remembrance, expressing the universality of Giordani’s message, but also the singularity of a particular encounter which happened precisely at Montecitorio, one which literally overturned his life, making him no longer recognizable even by the members of his own party.
The particulars of this encounter with Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, who transmitted to Giordani the passion for unity and for the Gospel which enters into history and resolves even the most complex problems of society, were described by Maria Voce, the current president of the Focolare Movement. “(Chiara) drew God near: she made feel that he was Father, Brother, Friend, present to humankind,” Maria Voce quotes. And this explains to us the political vision of Chiara Lubich, focused on the principle of fraternity which “allows one to understand and make ones’ own the viewpoint of the other, so that no interest and no human need is alien to me. There is need of a pact of fraternity for Italy.” This is the hope of the president of the Focolare, “because the good of the country requires the efforts of all.”
The legacy of Lubich and Giordani, which has been embraced by the Movement for Unity in Politics proposes to parliamentarians, politicians, administrators, political officials, and scholars from around the world to describe the principle of fraternity within the framework of political action. How to apply it in practical terms has been shown by two Italian parliaments, of opposing political parties that have accepted the challenge.
Giacomo Santini, Senator of the Popolo della Libertà, admits the difficulty in “considering the person on the other side of the aisle as your brother when he has just insulted you a few minutes before, as Lubich provocatively invites you to do.” However, it is possible and Giordani showed it by remaining in the political trenches, amid contrasting ideologies, but with respect for diversity. Letizia De Torre, a deputy of the Democratic Party recalls a Giordani who was “secure in his convictions, but not entrenched; able to see the positive, capable of dialogue” For De Torre, gathering his legacy now means “rebuilding a democracy of the community and not of the fifty-per-cent-plus-one, a democracy of reciprocity within Parliament and in the country.”
The word then went to students of participating schools from the world which are animated by the Movement for Unity in Politics. They open horizons of hope and renewal, starting from situations of extreme crisis such as in Argentina. Carlos, from Italy, to do a specialization in labor law says that during the crisis of 2000, when his country was bankrupt, the decision to invest in education policy seemed utopian, and certainly not conclusive for the daily dramas. Today it has yielded 200 local administrators who, from the perspective of fraternity are trying to respond to their country’s problems; meanwhile schools have multiplied to the Tierra del Fuego.
In Brazil, the denunciation of oppressive social inequalities and poverty has not been deemed sufficient by Daniel, a journalist who is studying for a Master in Political Science at Sophia University Institute in Loppiano. A return to the logic of service, of forming consciences to the common good, bending down to meet the problems of the country were the guiding force for his own choice of commitment which he gleaned from the experience of the Political Movement for Unity and the thought of Giordani, who, from the small hall in Montecitorio, in a way he may never have imagined, is now a teacher of life and commitment for the whole world.
Jun 15, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Here is what Silvano Lancerotto said during his closing remarks at a gathering in April 2011,promoted by the Focolare’s centre for dialogue with persons of non-religious convictions. «My grandfather was with one of his small sons at a strike by agriculture workers in the countryside of Bassa Veneto, northern Italy, in the early twenties. While standing under a big oak tree that still exists, he was killed by a bullet shot by a fierce landowner. My grandmother Maria, whom they called “curly”, now found herself alone to care for seven children in extreme poverty. She went through a long period of suffering and sacrifice, but managed to never convey to her children any sentiments of revenge. At the end of the First World War, one of her sons, my uncle Libero was moved by the spirit of revenge which had built up in him during all those years of suffering. He searched for his father’s murderer and one day found him. But he took pity on the man when he saw how is family was poor and in disarray. He spared his life and went away. As I now try to imagine that decision made under such unique circumstances, and such a long time ago, I find myself transferring it from the personal choice of an individual person to the choices made by states and politics concerning certain conflict situations today: the Middle East, the Far East, Africa, etc. It would certainly be a big step forward if my uncle’s choice, a choice that grew and matured in his human conscience, were to be practiced by the collective conscience of society today.» Lancerotto goes on to say that this “small story” points in the same direction as Chiara Lubich’s message. “It’s a message,” he says, “ that acts on consciences, looks to the transformation of society, beginning with the transformation of individuals. I share the path she showed to us when she said that dialogue requires each one of us – individuals, movements and states – to give up something in order to see, to read and, above all, to listen to the complexity and the plurality of values found in the modern world, in order enter into relationship with them, to discover their merit, to work for common projects while respecting the legitimate diversity that motivates each one.”
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Jun 15, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Video recordings of the meeting (WebTV Parliament House) – Italian only
The meeting on 14f June 1011, in memory of Igino Giordani (1884-1980), was sponsored by the President of the House. Giordani was remembered as a multi-faceted personality of the twentieth century, deputy of the Italian Parliament from 1946 to 1953, writer, journalist, ecumenist and patrologist. Igino Giordani left a deep imprint and opened prophetic perspectives at cultural, political, ecclesial, and social levels. President of the Chamber, Gianfranco Fini, presided over the proceedings. Among the presentations, Alberto Lo Presti, Director of the Igino Giordani Centre presented Giordani the politician and his actions in Parliament. Parliamentarians, young people, Italians and people from other lands spoke of how they have been influenced by Giordani’s thought and actions. Below is the full text of the speech presented by Maria Voce.
“I thank the Honourable President of the Chamber of Deputies, Gianfranco Fini, for having given me the opportunity of addressing a greeting to this gathering in honour of Igino Giordani, who is one of the founding fathers of the Republic and whom we consider one of the co-founders of the Focolare Movement which I represent before you today.
I extend personal greetings to the Honourable Senators and Deputies, to all the authorities, and to everyone present here today.
It was on 17 September of 1948 when, right here in the Chamber of Deputies, Igino Giordani met Chiara Lubich for the first time. She was a young woman of twenty-eight years, visiting from Trent, and accompanied by a group of consecrated religious.
For Giordani the meeting was as extraordinary as it was surprising. From that moment he was no longer the same. What did Chiara Lubich say, what words did she use to get so deep into the soul of the eclectic politician of those times. Something of it we know. In fact, at the end of their conversation, the Hon. Giordani, very impressed by what he had heard, invited Chiara to write down what she said so that it could be published in a magazine that he directed. The following month the article was published, which begins with the story of how the ideal of unity was born beneath falling bombs:
‘It was wartime. Everything was crumbling before the eyes of us young women, who were attached to our future dreams: a house, an education, loved ones, a career. […] From the complete destruction of that war, our Ideal was born. It seemed that there was only one true ideal that was true and everlasting: God.
Surrounded by the destruction caused by so much hate, God suddenly appeared to our minds as the one who doesn’t die.
And we saw and loved him in his true essence: God is love.’
‘It was wartime. . . ‘. Igino Giordani could claim to be a true expert on the subject. He had firsthand experience, in the trenches of World War I. He saw the atrocities, the massacres, and he was also seriously wounded. He was convinced of the absurdity of armed conflict and he gained a name for himself in Italian culture as a defender of peace.
But Chiara’s words did not have the horror of the war as their theme. Chiara spoke of how, years before, in the bombed-out city of Trent, in the midst of ruin, she caught sight of an indestructible ideal: God. He revealed himself to her eyes not as a last hope, a remote desire, but as love flowing among all things, a fire to be guarded and preserved and increased by mutual love, a love capable of bringing about the promise of Jesus: “For where two or more are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt. 18:20).
It is not difficult to understand why the Hon. Giordani was so awestruck. A living Gospel was revealing itself to him before his very eyes. The Jesus whom Chiara was showing to him, was entering into human history as love, and was guiding the human family toward universal brotherhood, toward unity. Recalling that encounter in his autobiography, Giordani reveals what his sentiments:
When she finished talking, I was caught in an enchanting atmosphere […]; and I would have desired that voice to continue speaking. It was the voice that, without realizing it, I had always been waiting to hear.
It placed holiness within the reach of everyone: it took away the grates that separated the world of the laity from the mystical life. […]
It drew God near: it made you feel him as Father, Brother, Friend, closely present to the human family.
It was clear to Chiara and her first companions that an ideal as vast as unity would have to embrace the whole world. But how could a small group of such young women ever reach all of humankind? Perhaps Giordani asked himself the same question! Today we know for sure, because Chiara herself said that this first encounter with Igino Giordani was a first like a first contact with humanity at large.
Chiara Lubich’s ideal of unity was for everyone and every human reality, and Giordani gives witness to this.
Now the plot of that plan is more visible. The Focolare Movement is present in over 180 countries worldwide, and has more than two million members and supporters from the most diverse social and cultural backgrounds.
I have just returned from a visit to Eastern Europe where the Focolare community has been present since 1961 when the first group of members, armed only with mutual love and love for all, crossed the iron curtain.
Their silent work for so many years, has led to the overcoming of ideological barriers, and supported the effort to rebuild that oppressed society. Today it brings a soul to many social projects for the common good.
Last May in Brazil, a world Assembly of the Economy of Communion was held twenty years after that prophetic intuition that Chiara had when, arriving in San Paolo in 1991, flying over the city, she saw the skyscrapers and the ‘crown of thorns’ of the favelas that surrounded the walthy metropolis. She felt the urge to do something to change the system of development, to search for a new way that was neither capitalism nor communism.
The many projects that the Focolare Movement finds itself committed to in all corners of the world and in all fields of human activity were in a sense prophetically present in that first encounter between Chiara Lubich and Igino Giordani when they met here at Montecitorio. Since then the Movement has also placed itself at the service of politics. In those years, it attracted many deputies and senators – some of which have been mentioned in the previous video – and the choices they made were courageous.
Today this is still the proposal of the Political Movement for Unity, founded by Chiara Lubich in 1996, together with some politicians and members at various institutional levels – Korea, Argentina and in other nations – of local administrators, officials, political scholars, and many young people involved through the involvement of schools.
It is animated by a love that guides political choices, actions, laws, diplomatic moves; offering a glimpse of a new way of doing things for administrative, legislative and international bodies.
It is inspired by the principle of fraternity, a cardinal principle of modern political thought. As we know, it was the basis of some of the most important political projects in modern and contemporary history: from the French Revolution (think of the triptych liberté egalité fraternité) to the founding of Utopian socialism, from Marxism to Patriotic nationalism. However, it was interpreted not in an inclusive sense, but in an exclusive one. Fraternity was considered to be a relationship of value which regarded someone (a social class, an economic class, a people) in an antagonistic relationship with someone else.
Thus, it is a political principle still little explored in its universal dimensions, and this is what the Political Movement for Unity intends to do: to explore the principle of universal brotherhood so that politics may find in it a new basis that will raise it to the level of the modern times, capable of fulfilling its role as a builder of peace, justice, and freedom, for the entire human community. Fraternity also sheds light on the ultimate goal of politics, which is establishing peace that leads to the unity of the whole human family: unity in the smallest political community as in the entire international forum. Thus, the principle of fraternity finds its measure in “loving the homeland of others as one’s own”, an expression coined by Chiara Lubich that from the earliest times has signified universality. It is capable of expressing the vocation of politics as love toward all without distinction, because every person and every social entity is a “candidate for unity” with everyone else, and every nation is called to contribute to a more united world.
By recalling today, in this prestigious Seat of the Italian Parliament, some of the lines being taken by the Political Movement for Unity, we once again realize the great actuality of another invitation given to us by Chiara, precisely to the Italian parliamentarians in December 2000 at San Macuto. An invitation which makes a paradox seem possible: to establish a pact between parties – beyond all differences – a pact of brotherhood for Italy, because the good of the country will require the efforts of all.
“Fraternity offers amazing possibilities,” Chiara goes on to tell the MPs. “It allows one to understand and make another’s viewpoint our own, so that no interest, no human need remains foreign to us. […] It allows you to hold together and enhance human experiences that might otherwise develop into intractable conflicts, like the still-open wounds of the Southern Hemisphere and the legitimate demands of the new Northern Hemisphere; […] Moreover, it allows new principles to operate within the daily work of politics, so that no one is ever governed against, and you never act as an expression of only a part of the country.”
That encounter between Chiara Lubich and Igino Giordani led to these and many other things in the fields of society and politics. Giordani, a deputy who on that day at Montecitorio accepted the invitation to widen his soul and his field of action for the unity of our land and beyond. May this meeting today urge us on in strengthening a common desire among all to work for the unity of our land and beyond. Thank you.”
Maria Voce
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Jun 14, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Montet, in the French-speaking Switzerland, is one of the Focolare Little towns, where youth from all over the world spend a period of their life, studying and deepening their knowledge of the spirituality of unity. The symposium in Geneva represented an important step in the study of the Social Doctrine of the Church, offering to all young participants a wide perspective on the nature and role of Non-governmental Organizations. The seminar was introduced by the president of New Humanity, Franco Pizzorno, who sketched its motivations, and all the practical initiatives of the different branches of the Movement, that work for families, youth, economics, politics, and international cooperation. Mons. Silvano Tomasi, permanent observer of the Holy See at the United Nations in Geneva, presented a wide and well-documented account on the constant committment of the Catholic Church for the defense of all fundamental human rights. Dr. Ricardo Espinosa, coordinator of all the NGOs accredited at the UN, underlined the contribution in terms of critical conscience, that civil society organizations can give in the relationship with institutions, whereas Dr. Shyami Pumanasinghe, a UN official, explained the work done in order to finalize the Declaration on the Right to Development and Solidarity. Impressive the speech by Alfred Fernandez, director of OIDEL (International Organization for the Right to Education and Freedom of Education), who summarized the main features of the NGOs, pointing out how trust relations with institutions are fundamental, in order to be both recognized and listened to partners. Alessandra Aula from BICE (International Catholic Child Bureau) gave evidence of the committment of the NGOs for the defense of human rights. All the speeches took place in an atmosphere of particular harmony among speakers and audience, also thanks to the effective and all-involving coordination run by Jorge Ferreira, representative of New Humanity in Geneva. In a lively and much-appreciated dialogue, every single participant had the opportunity to open a privileged point of view on the wide themes of Human Rights, rediscovering the important contribution in terms of values and experiences, which the civil society, also through the NGOs, can bring in the international discussion on the main themes on the civil living together.
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Jun 14, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
“I was five weeks in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Such marvelous people, who seem made for Chiara’s Ideal.” These are among the first things Bruna said upon her return, and she is one of the first direct witnesses of the birth of the Focolare. After her trip, we received a the following letter, filled with gratitude and recognition from the hundreds of people who had the opportunity to meet her during these five weeks: “Chiara and her first companions considered themselves a constellation of stars: One of them, Bruna Tomasi, arrived here to share her divine adventure with us.” 
Colombia. From 26 April to 10 May there was a succession of appointments: from the visit to the 85 priests meeting at the Mariapolis Centre in Tocancipà, to the community meetings, with the youth, with focolarini, religious, and families. . . People came in large numbers from every corner of the country, overcoming flooding, closed roads, caused by the flooding.
Marita Sartori (centre)
The journey then continued in Equador, from 10-23 May. Bruna remarked: “What came into evidence the most in this country is the cultural variety. Yet there is mutual acceptance, which appears very beautiful. What could have been an obstacle, has already been overcome.” There was a gathering planned at Simón Bolivar University (14-15 May) for Focolare members from different areas: Esmeraldas, Guayas, Imbabura, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, and Pichincha. There were so many cultural expressions of this people so rich in its diversity. There was singing and dancing, from the coast to the central mountain range of the Andes – a special expression of thanks for the group that was visiting. One expression of diversity which was transformed into a gift was the “Afro Mass” animated by the community from Esmeraldas. “How can we spread the Ideal of unity in the whole country? This was a recurring question. Bruna charged the people of this land to “Strengthen what you’ve already begun and. . . revive the ‘fire’ of mutual love.” so that Ecuador might live fraternity to the full and offer it to the world. 
And finally, we reached Peru. Bruna Tomasi was in Lima from 23 May to 3 June. The Peruvians had always longed for a visit from Chiara Lubich, and “Through Bruna, God gave this gift to us,” they write. Bruna commented: “The Peruvians have ancestral dignity. It seems that also in the Incan religious tradition, there are traces of the Golden Rule. . .” There were numerous appointments in this immense land as well. The meeting with the entire community of Peru was especially beautiful. There were some 320 people coming from every part of Peru, some having travelled more than thirty hours. “It was a feast,” they write from Lima. “In 1989, there was terrorism in our land and many people fled the country, but precisely in that same year, the Focolare arrived in Lima, underscoring the fact that our revolution of love is stronger than all else.” There was a very important meeting with the Apostolic Nunzio, Archbishop Bruno Musarò, with the Cardinal of Lima, Juan Luis Cipriani and other bishops of the area. They all expressed their esteem for Chiara and her charism. In our interview with her Bruna concluded by saying: “Chiara’s Ideal is made for the ‘relationship’ with the other person, at whatever level, in whatever challenge, even at the cultural level. The challenge is there, yet, by living love, you can overcome all the differences.”
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Jun 13, 2011 | Non categorizzato
“When someone weeps, we must weep with them. And if they laugh, rejoice with them. Thus the cross is divided and borne by many shoulders, and joy is multiplied and shared by many hearts. Making ourselves one with our neighbour is the way, the main way, of making ourselves one with God. (…) Making ourselves one with our neighbour for love of Jesus, with the love of Jesus, so that our neighbour, sweetly wounded by the love of God in us will want to make himself or herself one with us, in a mutual exchange of help, of ideals, of projects, of affections. Do this until establishing between the two of us those essential elements for the Lord to say, ‘Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ (Matt. 18:20.) Until, that is, as far as it depends on us, the presence of Jesus is guaranteed, so that we walk through life, always, as a little Church on the move – Church whether we are at home, at school, in a garage or in Parliament. Walking in life like the disciples of Emmaus with that Third among them, who gives divine value to all our actions. Then we are not the ones acting in our life, we who are miserable and limited, lonely and suffering. The Almighty walks with us. And whoever remains united with him bears much fruit. From one cell come more cells, from one tissue many tissues. Making ourselves one with our neighbour in that complete self forgetfulness which is possessed (without realizing it or specifically trying to do it) by someone who thinks of the other, their neighbour. This is the diplomacy of charity, which has many of the expressions and aspects of ordinary diplomacy, hence it does not say all that it could say, for this would not be liked by others or be pleasing to God. It knows how to wait, how to speak, how to reach its goal. The divine diplomacy of the Word who becomes flesh to make us divine. This diplomacy, however, has an essential and characteristic mark that differentiates it from the diplomacy spoken about by the world, for which to say diplomatic is often synonymous with reticence or even falsehood. The divine diplomacy has this greatness and this property, perhaps a property of it alone: it is moved by the good of the other and is therefore devoid of any shadow of selfishness. This rule of life ought to inform every kind of diplomacy, and with God it can be done because he is not only the master of individuals, but king of the nations and of every society. If all diplomats in the exercise of their duty were inspired in their actions by charity towards the other State as to their own, they would be enlightened by the help of God to such an extent as to contribute to the establishment of relationships among States as they ought to exist among human beings. Charity is a light and a guide, and the one who is sent as an emissary has all the graces to be a good emissary. May God help us and may we co-operate, so that from heaven the Lord may see this new sight: his last will and testament brought to life among the nations. It may seem like a dream to us, but for God it is the norm, the only one that guarantees peace in the world, the fulfilment of individuals in the unity of a humanity that by that point would know Jesus. Chiara Lubich (an extract from Meditations, New City London, 2005)
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Jun 13, 2011 | Non categorizzato
9 June 2011 “We write these notes while on our return flight from Strasbourg. Just a few hours ago we were in the ‘Low N 3.4’ Hall of the European Parliament where a seminar was held, entitled: ‘Europe and Dialogue. A political value for a globalized world’. It was promoted by the Political Movement for Unity Thirty-two participants, seven of which were from the European Parliament and members of three different parties (PPE, S&D, Green) – five Italians, a German and an Austrian – along with three representatives of NGOs at the European Council and some parliamentary assistants. The meeting was significant: taking into account the typical “nomadism” of the European Parliamentarians who joined us in that small room of just 40 seats; they acted with true conviction; and deputies from other nations also desired to be present via email or by sms, regretting that they could not be physically present because of other committments. This revealed their searching and their interest and their esteem for this political community inspired by the charism of Chiara Lubich. Now it appears possible to start a small network of parliamentarians at a European level, corresponding to the membership of various national parliaments, particularly in view of the project ‘Together for Europe’. Each part of the programme was important in providing a sense of dialogue among the diverse identities, and it was all supported by a common belief in fraternity. 
Paolo Giusta (official of the European Union in Brussels) was the moderator, intoducing the program and presenting the guidelines of the Movement for Unity in Politics. This was followed by Marco Fatuzzo who shared some of its concrete implementations, dwelling, in particular, on the “laboratories of fraternity”, launched for some time in the national parliaments of Italy, Brazil, and South Korea. The keynote speaker was Jesús Morán, in charge of the Focolare Movement’s theological activities, who discussed some of the cultural and anthropological aspects of dialogue. Another valuable gift was the presence of Gérard Testard and of Severin Schmidt, both from the orientation committee of ‘Together for Europe’. They described the journey of ‘Together for Europe’ and the appointment in Brusells, following the thread of this extraordinary experience with Stuttgart 2004 and Stuttgart 2007 as the milestones. Italian MP Silvia Costa concluded: “. . . we are very interested in this dialogue and I’m certain that those who are ‘non-believers’ will also feel engaged by the Project that has been presented to us.” Austrian MP Ulrike Lunacek, from the Green Party, spoke saying that she had already known about the ‘Together for Unity’ project in Austria, and that she already considered herself invited to the 5 May 2012 event in Brussels. We will go back to the Parliament of Strasbourg, aiming solely for unity as our possible goal, so that the institutions of Europe might be ever more open to the power of the “charisms”, and certain that this meeting will be one of the engines for universal brotherhood for which Chiara Lubich spent her life. Indeed, as she would often say: “If a small group of people will be united, then the world will be one!”. Marco Fatuzzo Chairman, Movement for Unity in Politics
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Jun 11, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Isabella Barbetta
I bought her medicines, and then I asked Fausto to visit her. We took him to the hospital where she was on drip. During the night I went to take her out of the hospital and back to the sisters, together with her husband who stayed in the waiting room. They still hadn’t found work. Winter was coming and, instead of returning to Bulgaria, as they were planning, the went back to sleeping on the streets. I brought them some candies that I had prepared with lots of chocolate, so they’d be more substantial. Christmas drew near. One night the temperature was 2° below zero, Fausto and I went by the supermarket. Valentina and Michele were seated on a carton, numbed by the cold. We tried to convince them to go somewhere where they could spend the night in warmth. Michele didn’t want it. Fausto asked them why they hadn’t returned to Bulgaria as was there intention. The answer was simple: “We don’t have money for the tickets.” Fausto and I looked at each other: If the problem is money, we thought, we will make do with a little less this Christmas. We asked when the bus would be leaving for Bulgaria: the next morning from the Tiburtine Station. We returned home and as Fausto fetched the money, I prepared a sack bread bread, cheese, ham, fruit, some sweets and water, which they could snack on during the two-day-long trip. We left with Valentina and Michele and arrived at Tiburtine Station at one-thirty. We exchanged addresses, glad that it would also be a happy Christmas for them in the company of their family. But the next day Valentina telephoned to say that the bus was already full and they would be forced to return to Aricccia. But they bought tickets for the following Friday. Valentina said to me: “Italy doesn’t wish, Bulgaria doesn’t wish, only you wish us well.” The sisters were happy to take them in, having experienced for themselves their courtesy and politeness. On Friday morning at six, Fausto took them to Rome – this time with an abundance of sacks filled with groceries, and a warm winter coat to replace the dirty and ice-covered coat of Valentina. I wasn’t able to provide my friends with a job, but I’m sure I provided them with a bit of love.” Editor’s note: This story was shared by Isabella in January 2008. We offer it again today, because of its timely significance.
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Jun 10, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
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“Let’s get together again please!” wrote a German girl on her Facebook account, expressing the longing of many of the fifty participants of the Media Education seminar, which was aimed at young people and their coordinators. The course, sponsered by trade associations from six countries and prepared in detail by NetOne and the Charism Community Projects (UK), received financial support from the Youth in Action programme of the European Commission.
The course provided a theoretical part – three lectures held by the Media Education Professor Luciano Mele from the International Telematic University of Rome (UNINETTUNO), who were the external project partners; evenings with professionals in the areas of communication: social networks, journalism and advertising , and four creative workshops for the remaining of the day. The quality of content was much appreciated by the young people as well as the creativity in the experimental groups on multicultural living.
Arco-Iris, the Focolare’s little town at Abrigada proved to be quite the suitable place for hosting the seminar, not only for the environment but also for the great hospitality and attentive service.
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Jun 9, 2011 | Non categorizzato
“You represent an important component in the peace process that humanity is waiting for.” Maria Voce joyfully welcomed diplomats gathered at the International Centre of the Focolare Movement in Rocca di Papa, on 8 June 2011, the same centre which was visited by Pope John Paul II in 1984. Thirteen ambassadors attended and five diplomats representing their respective embassies. There were also representatives from some dicasteries of the Roman Curia, as well as the president of the Focolare and members of the General Council of the Movement. 
The recent beatification of Pope Wojtyla encouraged the Focolare and the Embassy of Poland to the Holy See to promote the meeting, in the desire to express their deep gratitude to John Paul II, who followed the Focolare with such great love ever since he was a bishop in Poland. This meeting follows a previous one directed to the Ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, which was held in 2010 on the second anniversary of the death of the Movement’s founder, Chiara Lubich. “We see you engaged in dialogue – continued Maria Voce, who was returning from a long trip to Eastern Europe -. immersed in a society characterized by tensions, conflicts, threats, and even wars, you play an invaluable role.” She also pointed out the “similarity” between the work of diplomats and that of the Focolare Movement: In fact, the Movement’s “precise purpose is to contribute to the realization of Jesus’ dream: ‘That all be one’.” 
Among the speakers, Ms. Anna Kurdziel, First Secretary of the Polish Embassy, underscored the affinity between John Paul II and Chiara Lubich, two extraordinary figures of the 1900’s, in an evangelization which starts from love. The Italian ambassador to the Holy See, Francesco Maria Greco, recalled the legacy of John Paul II for Italy, not least the importance he gave to the ecclesial movements, a cohesive force in the country and a moralizing strengthener of ethical standards in social life. Archbishop Joao Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, urged everyone “to know and appreciate the charism of unity as a very great sign of hope for today’s world. ” The voice of a direct and authoritative witness was also heard. Eli Folonari shared what the relationship of John Paul II and Chiara Lubich was like. There was the first invitation to a Mass in his private chapel a few days after his election to the papacy, the 30 hand-signed letters, the inevitable telephone calls of congratulations which always arrived on the feastday of Saint Clare (Santa Chiara), the 9 invitations to dinner … “Chiara wanted a confirmation (from the Pope), but above all, she wanted to give him joy.” And so it was, since several times the Pope remarked that at every meeting with her or with the focolarini he felt “a great consolation.” (www.centrochiaralubich.org) 
Two young people also offered their testimony on the meetings of John Paul II with the younger generations, and the Zanzucchi couple shared from their direct personal knowledge of the Holy Father, about his encounters with families. And space was also given to Chiara Lubich’s commitment to the communion among movements, as she promised to the Pope in Saint Peter’s Square on Pentecost 1998. Gabriella Fallacara, who worked in ecumenism for many years, then presented “Together for Europe” the path taken up by Movements and ecclesial communities in and for the European continent. It will take place again in Brussels on 5 May 2012, with simultaneous links to many European cities. Monsignor Vincenzo Zani, undersecretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education together with the secretary Archbishop Jean-Louis Bruguès, asked, as a conclusion to the meeting, to share about the significance of this encounter: “I’m reminded of the meditation of Chiara Lubich entitled “Diplomacy”. Chiara spoke of “the diplomacy of love, which, because of its simplicity is able to give a soul and start the flow of blood in the structures of social and political life, which so often feel like superstructures. Today, here, there was an expression of this structure of social and political life which the embassies and diplomats are called to be. If there is love, you understand that the world needs this invisible network – hidden, but at the service of the common good, at the service of unity.” [nggallery id=50]
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Jun 8, 2011 | Non categorizzato
The conference offered a series of lectures by prominent figures of contemporary culture: Ugo Amaldi, there was Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Stefano Zamagni, Sergio Zavoli and Martha Nussbaum. Perhaps, few know her by name, but in 1986 she was the first to introduce the concept of “relational goods” – which has since become a stable component of economy. She also greatly influenced the United Nations in the development of the human development index. This was thanks to the capability approach (an approach that respects ability) which she drew up in cooperation with Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen. And no, she is not an economist, but a philosopher, and like the American Martha Nussbaum, professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, she is known in academic circles – and beyond – especially for having introduced the topic of emotions in political and social reflection. And “public emotions” were at the core of the lectures that brought her to the Sophia Institute in Italy. At Loppiano she first met with the students of Sophia for an interesting discussion in which she was questioned not only by students, but also by Nussbaum. This was followed by a debate about the coexistence of different religions and cultures, and different educational systems, given the diverse religious, cultural, and geographic backgrounds of the students. But much of the debate focused on the relationship between philosophy and economics, beginning with the direct experience of Nussbaum with Sen, which led into the additional topic: the interdisciplinarity of knowledge and the need for collaboration among scholars of varying fields. 
Regarding the specific experience of Sophia, Nussbaum noted that it provides “a type of interdisciplinary education that is crucial in the formation of a ‘world citizen”. If we limit ourselves to just one field of knowledge, we are not sufficiently equipped in this sense.” She directed an invitation to the students to “try to understand how to put together the critical approach and the emotional,” essential elements of her thinking, to build a society that is respectful of every aspect of human life. The conference, open to the public and entitled “Public Emotions and the Decent Society”, was a journey through space and time – beginning with Europe after the French Revolution, with Comte and Mill, to India’s Tagore and Gandhi – to examine how the idea of a society built around a “civil religion”, which is in fact supported by emotions, was able to make headway and result in the experience particularly of the subcontinent. Emotions mainly understood in the sense of “empathy” for others, the ability to perceive a “common good” to be pursued, which embraces the entire society, and that the State itself is called upon to promote, beginning with the education of its young. Source: Città Nuova online
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Jun 4, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
“An opportunity to live brotherhood among us bishops, to deepen relationships of true friendship: this is the reason for the meeting”. This is how Archbishop Boniface Lele of Mobasa, Kenya introduced the meeting. Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, Archbishop Emeritus of Kampala, Uganda, echoed his words saying: “To rediscover our task at the service of society, let us try to understand together God’s design on us. During these days we can feel how much He calls us precisely to unity, which is the charism of Chiara Lubich.” The first thing the bishops did when they arrived at the Focolare little town “Piero”, was to make the commitment to practise “the art of Christian loving” among themselves in order to have the presence of the Risen One in their midst. “It will be the Risen Jesus who will enlighten and who will give us the gifts of the Spirit,” said Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, convenor of the meeting. This same lifestyle is shared by more than 1000 bishops throughout the world, which is inspired by the “spirituality of communion”. Bishop Salutaris Libena, auxilliary bishop of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, immediately affirms: “I’ve come to learn to serve, to love concretely. This is a way of life which fills the heart, which gives supernatural joy.” Bishop Salesius Mugambi, Bishop of Meru, Kenya remarks: “In a serene and joyful atmosphere, we reflected and delved more deeply into the spirituality of communion. We listened to updatings, shared joys and sorrows, but also enjoyed moments of relaxation.” These sentiments were shared by Archbishop Damiao Franklin of Luanda, Angola: “These were days spent in sincerity toward God and toward our brothers.” 
There were several moments for the sharing of experiences, both personal and pastoral, with a look at some of the challenges that the African continent must face: conflicts and violence, poverty, corruption; all challenges in which the members of the Movement are immersed, and which they want to respond to by living the spirituality of communion, which leads them to be workers of peace and unity in the environments in which they live. South African Bishop Patrick Mvemve of Klerksdorp, shared about his first contact with the Focolare during the period of the apartheid, as a young priest: “Having met two priests who truly lived the Gospel with facts, without giving a lot of speeches, I became curious. And so one day they spoke to me of Jesus crucified and abandoned. In that moment I was “healed” of my prejudices and became an apostle of unity. Another topic that was discussed was “the educational emergency”. The experiences of forming priests in the “spirituality of communion” was recognized by the bishops as “one of the valid contributions being made to the Church of today. At the conclusion of the meeting, the bishops wanted to formulate a “pact” of mutual love, declaring their desire to continue taking care of each other once they had returned to their diocese. 
Bishop Sithembele Sipuka of Umtata, South Africa, summarizes the experience they had: “I leave enthusiastic with a life programme. I pray the Holy Spirit will guide me to put it into practice in the daily reality of every day.” Meetings for Bishop Friends of the Focolare take place in various geographic locations around the world, which are inspired by the “spirituality of communion” proposed by John Paul II and practiced by the Focolare Movement since its began. Following the gathering in Kenya, similar events will take place in Madagascar and in Cameroon, in the Philippines, the Middle East and Europe. [nggallery id=49]
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Jun 3, 2011 | Non categorizzato
This year, on this occasion, a group of young people decided to do something concrete for their city. Recently, they had taken part, in partnership with other youth groups of German and Italian schools, in a European project called “Heimat Europa” (Europe, Home to All). The project was begun in Germany in 2010 through the initiative of the German association Starkmacher, in collaboration with the Movement for Unity in Politics. It was a training course which lasted more than a year, where they worked and comparing their views on immigration in from the viewpoint of integration, the environment, the future of Europe, with particular reference to the development the Federal European Union which should be able to accomplish it. It was a compelling journey that left a mark in their hearts but also in their minds and, begun as a game, it gradually grew and became a true political experience. The Mayor of Solingen and other city authorities were enthusiastic about the project and immediately offered their support. Before the anniversary event even began, knowing that the memorial spot had to be cleaned, they offered to do it. In collaboration with their school, they got many other students involved. A working group assembled information on the tragedy of 1993 for the younger students. And, since the 20th of May occurred during “European Week”, they took the occasion to present the idea of Europe as home for all, including immigrants. 
The suggestions were many. After observing a minute of silence, a “tree of peace” was planted, and the young people present were invited to write on cards the values which they hold to be important (peace, brotherhood, unity, solidarity, responsibility …). Then the cards were symbolically placed in the hole in which the tree was planted. It was an apple tree. A young person: “The tree has many leaves, which symbolize Europe in its communion in diversity. The fruits, the apples, symbolize the new generations and new ideas.” And another: “The little apple stands for a great goal, peace in Europe but also in our city.” And what came out in the end, is something interior which confirms that “you can hope for a different world; the change depends on our personal sense of responsibility and our ability to work together.” “You could even become passionate about this kind of politics.”
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Jun 2, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
On 22 May, the Focolare’s little town in Mexico – “El Diamante” – was awaiting the appointment with Christians and Jews united in a sign of living dialogue among people who desire to rediscover their common roots. They are our “big brothers”, said John Paul II using an expression which has now become famous. And “What might happen,” asked Chiara Lubich, “as we deepen the brotherly relationship between us, Jews and Christians, who share the patrimony of the Bible, in what we call the Old Testament?” Today the relationship continues to develop in the Focolare Movement, upon this basis and the dialogue between Christians and Jews continues. The day at Acatzingo is an example. Following a brief introduction, focused on the discovery of God Love as the basis of our brotherhood, along with moments from the history of the Focolare in its dialogue with the Jewish world, Liviu Bleier, president of the new B’nai B’rith of Mexico, stressed that “the best religion is the one that is the closest to God” and he expressed his appreciation and joy for this occasion of mutual exchange. The group, composed of 23 people belonging to the Jewish faith from Mexico City and friends of the Focolare, visited the workshops and the school linked to the Mariapolis Centre, located in a rural setting, with the aim of training people in loving and forgiving, a culture of life and of giving. The inhabitants of the Mariapolis, youths, adults and children, presented an overview of a Christian witness in daily life, which was much appreciated by the guests. 
The ceremony around the olive tree – a symbol of peace, and a symbol common to Christians and Jews alike – was a moment of importance which brought out dimensions of the brotherhood among all: “Thank you for the way in which you welcomed us – said one of the attendees – for the spirit of brotherhood, as if you knew us for a long time. It makes me realize that we must be humble and at the service of others, to change ourselves and the world. ” The next appointment is set for 21 – 24 August in Buenos Aires, for another Jewish-Christian symposium, following the one last year in Jerusalem.
Jun 1, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
(ومُرْضي وكامل”. (رومية 12، 2
نقرأ هذه الآية في الجزء الثاني من رسالة القدّيس بولس إلى أهل رومية. فيها يصف القدّيس بولس سلوك الإنسان المسيحي على أنه تعبير عن الحياة الجديدة، والمحبّة الحقيقيّة، والفرح الحقيقي، والحرية الحقيقيّة التي وهبنا إياها المسيح. إنها الحياة المسيحيّة، إنه
طريقة جديدة تجعلنا، بنور وقوّة الروح القدس، نواجه الواجبات والمشاكل المختلفة التي قد تعترضنا. في هذه الآية، المرتبطة بشكل وثيق بالآية السابقة، يعلن الرسول عن الهدف والسلوك الأصيل اللذَيْن يجب أن تتّسم بهما كل تصرّفاتنا، وهما أن نجعل من حياتنا تمجيداً لله، وفعل محبّة دائم على مرّ الزمن، باحثين باستمرار عن إرادته وعمّا هو مرضي ومقبول لديه. ولا تتشبّهوا بهذا الدهر بل تغيّروا بتجديد عقولكم، لكي تميّزوا ما هو مشيئة الله، أي ما هو صالح ومُرْضي وكامل”. من المؤكّد أنه علينا أن نعرف قبل كل شيء ما هي إرادة الله، لنتمكّن من تحقيقها. ولكن القدّيس بولس لا يخفي علينا صعوبة هذا الأمر، إذ لا نستطيع أن نعرف جيّداً مشيئة الله من دون نور خاص يساعدنا على تمييز ما يريده منّا الرب في كل موقف، فنتجنّب الأوهام والأخطاء التي قد نقع فيها بسهولة. إنها موهبة من مواهب الروح القدس، تُدعى “التمييز”، والتي لا بدّ منها لبناء عقليّة مسيحيّة حقيقيّة عند كل واحد منّا. ولا تتشبّهوا بهذا الدهر بل تغيّروا بتجديد عقولكم، لكي تميّزوا ما هو مشيئة الله، أي ما هو صالح ومُرْضي وكامل”. ولكن ما العمل لإكتساب هذه الموهبة المهمّة إلى هذا الحد وتنميتها؟ مطلوب منّا من دون شك معرفة جيّدة للعقيدة المسيحيّة. ولكنّها وحدها لا تكفي؟ كما يقترح علينا الرسول بولس، إنها مسألة حياة وسخاء وإندفاع لعيْش كلمة يسوع، تاركين جانباً مخاوفنا وشكوكنا وحساباتنا الضيّقة. إنها مسألة إستعداد وإسراع في إتمام مشيئة الله. إنها الدرب التي تسمح لنا باكتساب نور الروح القدس وببناء العقليّة الجديدة التي تطلبها منّا هذه الآية. ولا تتشبّهوا بهذا الدهر بل تغيّروا بتجديد عقولكم، لكي تميّزوا ما هو مشيئة الله، أي ما هو صالح ومُرْضي وكامل”. كيف نعيش إذًا كلمة الحياة لهذا الشهر؟ فلنسعَ لنستحق نحن أيضاً النور اللازم لإتمام مشيئة الله علينا بطريقة جيّدة. ولنقترح على أنفسنا أن نتعمّق بمعرفة أفضل لإرادته علينا، كما تعبّر عنها كلمته وتعاليم الكنيسة وواجبات كلٍّ منا وإلتزاماتنا إلخ… ولكن، سنركّز أكثر من ذلك كله على طريقة العيْش، لأنه كما سبق وقلنا، من الحياة والحب يشعّ النور الحقيقي. فيسوع يتجلّى للإنسان الذي يحبّه إذ يعيش عمليّاً وصاياه (يو21,14). هكذا بإتمام مشيئة الله، سوف ننجح في أن نقدّم له أجمل هدية. هديّة مرضيّة لديه ليس فقط بسبب المحبّة التي تحملها، بل أيضاً بفضل النور وثمار تجدُّد الحياة المسيحيّة، التي سوف تولد من حولنا.
كيارا لوبيك (أغسطس 1993)
Jun 1, 2011 | Non categorizzato, Word of
“Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” It is clear, of course, that in order to carry out the will of God we need to know it. Saint Paul infers, however, that is not always easy. It is not possible to fully grasp the will of God without a special insight to help us discern what God wants from us and avoid the illusions and errors that we could easily fall into. This particular gift of the Holy Spirit is called “discernment.” It is indispensable to us if we want to acquire an authentic Christian mentality. “Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” How can we acquire and allow this important gift to mature in us? Undoubtedly we need to know the tenets of our faith well. But that is not enough. Saint Paul affirms that it is above all a matter of living in a certain way, that is, it is a question of generosity, of determination in living the Scriptures, because it implies setting aside one’s fears, uncertainties and mediocrity. It is a question of availability and readiness to carry out the will of God. This is the way to acquire the light of the Holy Spirit and achieve the new mentality asked of us here. “Do not conform yourself to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” How then can we live this month’s word of life? By trying to merit that light that is so necessary for carrying out the will of God well. Let us resolve, then, to know his will as it is expressed in his Word, in the teachings of the Church, in the duties required by our state of life and so on. Let us remember, however, the great importance of living our faith. As we have just seen, true light comes from living as we should and from loving. Jesus manifests himself to those who love him by putting his commandments into practice (cf Jn 14:21). We will then be able to do the will of God and, by doing so, offer him the most beautiful gift we can. It will be pleasing to him not only because of the love that it expresses, but also because it will spread around us much light and a spirit of Christian renewal. Chiara Lubich
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May 31, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Tininha Cavalcanti
Tininha with Chiara Lubich
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May 30, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
This year saw important novelties in the Gen4 world. There were two major events for the Philippine Gen4. The first was in Cebu – a Philippine island surrounded by 167 smaller islands – where sixty-eight Gen4 gathered with Gen4 from other islands. The second was in Tagaytay near Manila, where the Focolare’s little town in Asia stands. Seventy-five Gen4 gathered together there for their conferences with Christian Heisendorff from the World Gen Center in Rome, Italy. There was great attention to the main topic: The Golden Thread of God’s Love in the Old Testament, from Abraham to Moses. And then the life of Chiara Lubich – from whom the Gen4 were also born – as a loving response to the will of God. A fascinating story: her “great adventure”, as Chiara herself described it to the Gen4 in 1988, when at the Holy House of Loreto she understood her calling. It was a luminous discovery for all the children present: Doing the will of God truly makes life an adventure! The games, skits, songs and, especially the modern and traditional dances – in this atmosphere of mutual love helped to create a beautiful atmosphere. The children no longer wanted to leave! 
The Gen4 came from families of diverse social backgrounds, some in very difficult situations – but we are truly a family and seeing their need urged our hearts to search for new ways to provide them with at least the necessities of life, through the adoption at a distance programme and other projects developed by the Focolare Movement. The words of the children: “I was happy during this congress. I learned many things. I learned to love.” “A child struck me. It hurt very much and I cried, but then the child apologized and so I accepted and forgave. I was no longer angry and we are already friends again.” “Jesus, thank you for letting me go to Tagaytay. Thank you also for the blessings you gave to us, for my new friends. Thank you for my family and friends. Thanks also for the girl who lent me her slippers. And even if the other one bothered me so much, I love her just the same. . .”. Gen4 Centre
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May 30, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Economy for the Future. Seventeen youths from different parts of the world read their in their own languages, their message to the world, which they had written together – “From San Paolo to the World” – a real work plan.: “May the economy of 2031 be one of communion, for all of us”. It shows what they believe in, what the dare to hope for, but it is also the result of the journey they have already taken up together. The seventeen hundred attendees at the meeting “The Prophecy Makes History. Twenty Years For the Economy of Communion” listened with deep attention and interest to the convictions and requests made by the youths who have lost patience with the capitalistic reasonings. “We youths of San Paolo in May 2011, with our roots in May 1991, but more than ever responsible for the economy and the world in 2031, believe that the EoC came on earth in this Brazilian land twenty years ago, also to increase and make our hope come true.” Their openly-proclaimed ideality was the seal on the reflections of the experts and the testimonies of entrepreneurs that marked this meeting, which was the closing act of the assembly, with 650 participants from 37 countries during the previous four days. What a happy choice it was to hold this great appointment of the EoC in Brazil. The assembly took place within the framework of Mariapolis Ginetta, 50 kilometres south of San Paolo, precisely in the place where Chiara Lubich shared her intuitions for the first time, intuitions which grew and increased in her after having seen the sorrowful circle of favelas encircling the great skyscrapers of the great metropolises of San Paolo. Not less significant was the decision to link the gathering of 29 May in the Simon Bolivar Auditorium in the America Latina Memorial, a centre, which was the idea of the great architect Niemeyer. It is meant to favor closer relationships between the peoples of the continent, through art. The EoC has “the potential to change economic life from within, not only of the businesses, but also the families, the finance instituties, and economic politics,” pointed out Maria Voce, president of the Focolare, during her closing address. Remember to keep an underlying condition in mind: “The EoC will have new momentum if it sets its horizons on a united world and it will be able to move the hearts, actions, and enthusiasm of those who are drawn to bet their lives on great ideals.” Then she had no doubt that “a new season of creativity will come, one in which everyone of you will be a protagonist in this great appointment with history.
Luigino Bruni
Reversing the dominant formulation which puts the centre on capital, Bruni reminded everyone that “the primary and fundamental factor in any business or economy is the human person, and their creativity, their passion to make a difference.” Finally, “the EoC was born and is born each day from a charism: also for this reason there exists a profound link between the EoC and youths: the charisms and the youth have in common their hope, and their faith in the future, the great projects and ideals”. The new generations of the EoC are the precious fruit of these first twenty years, but also the guarantee for walking ahead with quick step into the future. Paolo Lòriga
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May 29, 2011 | Non categorizzato
“What do you expect from the Focolare community in Hungary?” a Hungarian focolarina asked Chiara Lubich in 1985. The Focolare founder answered: “42 years ago there was nothing, or perhaps only one person who had this Ideal. Now we are spread all around the world. And so what do I expect from you? That the Movement, now present among a certain number of people and with a certain development, may spread through every city and town; that it may contribute to the renewal of the Church and of the whole society with its various instruments and movements in religious and social fields; and that it may, along with Our Lady’s other inventions, render the Immaculate Heart of Mary triumphant”. Who knows what Chiara would say today on seeing the development that has taken place on Hungarian soil since 1985. “We must give thanks to God because you are doing amazing work”, the current President Maria Voce stated at a gathering of the Hungarian Focolare family in Budapest on 28th May. The meeting was a chance to share experiences about activities in every field. The event took place in a former Russian army barracks and some of the 650 participants remarked that this seemed symbolic of the force within the Charism of Unity to transform society. The programme started with an original reconstruction of Chiara’s trip to Budapest in 1961- her first visit to the then eastern bloc. She was deeply struck by the effect that the regime was having on the country and its people. Whilst this made Chiara suffer, the impression that “Our Lady was at work” was just as strong. The presentation that Hungary’s local communities gave at Saturday’s event demonstrated that this was not a mere impression. 
Hungarians prove to be a proud population, with a well defined identity. At the same time they are looking for a balance between nationalism and openness on a universal level between a deep desire for freedom and the ability to take on responsibility. Maria Voce’s wish for them was that they may manage to “overcome their mistrust of other populations” which often impedes reciprocity. “It is right to affirm national identity but it must create a symphony of nations”, the president underlined, “The challenge is to realise Hungary’s talents, offer them as a gift, welcome those of other populations and learn more and more how to collaborate”. Maria Voce went on to underline that every member of the Movement is called to do their part: The Volunteers, for example, have an innate vocation to transform humanity, conscious that, “doing our small part where we are, contributes to bringing ahead the Kingdom of God all around the world”. Those involved in New Humanity are called on to “bear witness to the Gospel in an often heroic way, without letting themselves be crushed by certain situations but transforming them with love. As Chiara said in a mediation, ‘What do we do when we have loved a lot? Love even more’.” The families in the Movement are called on to respond to the many difficulties that undermine solidity with “an ever greater and ever renewed love, with an openness without limits, finding the roots of this love in God”. The children asked the president where they can find God and were happy to hear that one of the places we find Him is in others. The teenagers shared that they risk marginalisation because they don’t conform to the flock and they left the meeting feeling fortified because “Jesus also felt misunderstood by everyone. Don’t worry about this, worry about what God wants. The simple fact that you manage to bring ahead your idea is an example and a provocation to others”, said Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti in encouragement.
Maria Voce's meeting with the Hungarian young people
May 29, 2011 | Non categorizzato
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May 28, 2011 | Non categorizzato
At the opening, in the foreground: Blessed John Paul II whose pontificate gave “priority attention to the family.” Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, pointed out in his speech that “for the Pope of the new evangelization, the family, that small domestic church, was not just a saying. It signified an actual implementation of the real and specific Church. In fact, the spouses – as is written in Familiaris Consortio “not only relive the love of Christ and become a community of the saved, but they are also called to pass on to others the same love of Christ and become a saving community “(FC 49). In the afternoon, the long-awaited meeting with the president of the Focolare, Maria Voce, who forged with the more than one thousand participants from all over the world, a profound dialogue, expressing her joy at being with families who offer themselves as instruments of unity in the environments in which they live. The testimonies highlighted how faith in Love can transform and illuminate daily life, and be a support and guiding force in difficulties: illness, separation, and widowhood. In collaboration with the youth section of the Focolare Movement, two moments were devoted to bringing up children. Topics related to educating were discussed in work groups: educating for a sober lifestyle, emotional education, and the use of media in relation to different age groups. A significant amount of space was dedicated to young families. Many followed the program via internet from various listening stations around the world, during which time there were discussions about affectivity, communication, and spirituality. Messages of support arrived from: Canada, Venezuela, Israel, El Salvador, Brazil, etc. “Infinite thanks for this concrete love which allowed us to take part in the congress via internet,” they write from Panama, “re-affirming the value of the family and the faith that Jesus helps us to construct it. Society gives the idea that the family is out of style – but today, listening to you, we feel that the family is so modern and relevant.” “You’ve illuminated every aspect of our married life,” they write from Slovenia. “Living the spirituality of the Gospel brings us to the fulfillment of our happiness and freshens the love that we want to bring to as many families as we can.”
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May 28, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
It is not situated in the main passageway used by the 650 people attending the Economy of Communion Assembly, but it is the most visited stand during work breaks. They sell women’s handbags, jackets, and women’s clothing. They are a mix of quality and modern design, with charming touches of originality, as is the source of raw materials: truck tarpaulins, scraps of leather, and old jeans – all environmentally friendly materials. But the striking thing about the business is the boys and girls, all of them minors except for a few who have recently become adults. They all come from difficult backgrounds. The product’s brand name “Dall Strada” (“From the Street”), is quite a good choice for the entrepreneurial project which opened in the Spartaco industrial park, five kilometres from Mariapolis Ginetta. Knowing the origins, it seems more like a challenge than a business production, but watching some ten young teenage boys and girls at work and hearing what motivates them, makes you understand the good results in production, which hold promise for the future of the business. The young workers come mostly from one of the poorest quarters, the Jardin Margaarida barrio, in Vargem Grande Paulista, 30 kilometres south of São Paolo. “This is more than a business. We help each other, because this is a group project, but tehre’s also a family atmosphere. We begin each day with the Word of Life which helps us to overcome the difficulties.” Divani is an eighteen year-old, who reached here after a year of professional training and a stay in the Northeast, in Recife, in the mother-business which began the Economy of Communion. 
Behind the business lies the meekness and determination of João Bosco Lima de Santana, an entrepreneur who went to Italy to specialize in producing handbags and then returned to the country to set up an acivity for profit. But something inside was urging him to do something greater. As a child, he had come to know the spirituality of the Focolare and was struck by the proposal of Chiara Lubich to “die for ones own people”. His life then went took another direction. But when he met Father Renato and his Home for Minors, which welcomes teens and children who live in the streets, it consolidated one of his desires: “To use my life and skills to provide youths with a profession.Work training is a form of development, and we’ve seen that living love for a great cause is capable of renewing things, ideas, and people who come from the streets.” From what he sees each day, João Bosco is able to credibly affirm that “here in the business, they are given the first place.” It is a paradox for entrepreneurial logic, but it bears fruit. A request arrived from the Ivory Coast to be trained in this production activity and to begin it there. And through the Youth for a United World, through the Equiverso Cooperative, handbags have begun to be imported in Italy. Tiny multi-nationals of the EoC are growing. By Paolo Lòriga
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May 27, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
The Hungarian leg of Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti’s Eastern European tour has brought them to the heart of a local community bursting with vitality. The first appointment on their busy schedule was a meeting with priests who know the Movement. Many of them are responsible for the diffusion of the Focolare in the area and their meeting with the president and co-president was a chance to share their countless experiences. Some told about their commitment to rebuild the Church; others about their service as parish priests, seminary directors and vicar generals; others about their role at university or diocesan levels or their simple, everyday relationships with people, building a sense of community and attracting young people and those without religious convictions. As well as concrete experiences they shared about the life of communion that sustains and nurtures everything. 
Next step: a meeting with the delegates of the various branches that make up the Focolare Movement in Hungary. The families spoke about their wide-ranging work with newly-wed and engaged couples, with divorced people and with families of all ages. The delegates of New Humanity- who coordinate the Focolare Movement’s work in the social arena- spoke about activities in the fields of economics, politics, health, education and sport. Lay people and priests told about renewal underway in parishes throughout the country’s 13 dioceses. The meeting was enriched by an open dialogue touching on many aspects. One of the concerns addressed was the balance between a local and universal dimension. “The ideal to fulfil Jesus’ last testament- ‘That all may be one’- was born in the small town of Trent and went on to assume a global dimension”, Maria Voce recalled, “This means that looking after smaller details is a school of love that opens our horizons. Opening our horizons to universal brotherhood does not mean, therefore, that we shouldn’t take care of the smaller details”. And later Voce underlined the other face of the coin: “We feel pushed to go beyond our boundaries. We can’t lose interest in the Movement’s big family spread throughout the world- let’s try to stayed linked with all means possible.” A Gen 2 girl asked a question about spiritual input, giving the president a chance to speak about one of the legacies that Chiara Lubich wished to leave her followers: “Leave the Gospel and only the Gospel to those who follow you”. All the other things are instruments that help us put that Gospel into practice and render it a concrete reality, Maria Voce explained but “the most important thing is to live the Word of God. We must always ask ourselves: ‘How Jesus would live?’”. 
Both during the meeting with the movement’s delegates and at the gathering the following day with the men and women focolarini who live in Hungary, questions arose about how to improve interpersonal relationships- an important subject for those who live a collective spirituality. An ever greater love became the leitmotif of the meetings: a love that demands our all; a love that’s free from perfectionism or the desire to reach a certain result; a love capable of going beyond differences between men and women, between big and small, between people with different roles; a love that generates, that puts your life at stake to the point of ‘allowing Jesus to live in you’. “I have been created as a gift for who is beside me and who is beside me has been created as a gift of God for me”, Chiara Lubich often repeated with conviction. Maria Voce underlined this to all present, reminding them of the model that always inspired Chiara: “The family of Nazareth or, even greater, the life of the Trinity”. This is the highest of relationships, the upmost love- a bold but inimitable model. From our correspondent Aurora Nicosia
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May 27, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Streaming: http://live.focolare.org/EdC2011/ Flickr Photo Gallery
“Speak! Speak out loud! Have courage to speak about the Economy of Communion, even to the important economists of the world. Maybe they won’t give you credit right away, but since this project is tried and true, it will affirm itself in time.” The Archbishop of São Paulo, Cardinal Odilo Scherer couldn’t have expressed it in better terms to give encouragement to all participants of the International Assembly of the EoC, taking place in Mariapolis Ginetta, 50 kilometers outside the Brazilian metropolis. “I wanted to come here,” he confided to the 650 participants, representing 37 countries, “to get a feel for how this meeting is going, to see you all and to say something to motivate you and to encourage the work of this initiative.” He explained right away, saying, “Yours in an event that proposes something new for society. It isn’t new for you, because you’re involved in it, but for the wide public it is new.” one of the most listened to public figures in all of Latin America, and is increasingly recognized at a global level as well. He does not doubt the presence of a widespread question and the research underway. “Certainly, many people are interested in knowing what the expression ‘Economy of Communion’ means, what good it can bring to our times, for the economies of our countries, for our society, what it can say to help resolve the economic crisis that persists in many places.” 
He has no doubts about the foundation of the EoC. “I see that the EoC’s proposal is fully in line with what the Social Doctrine of the Church has been proposing for economy for some time.” He explains, “This proposal, elaborated at the beginning by the focolarini, gives a concrete experience that says that this is possible, that the issue of Social Doctrine of the Church is not utopian, not unfeasible, but can be translated into reality. That is why your experience, which is now present in many places, must be shared with society.” These are the considerations that led him to make his pre-emptory invitation: “Speak! Speak out loud!” The EoC certainly offers the possibility of a different way out of the world’s economic problems”, because “the economic system based on the binomial of socialism-capitalism will not bring about an economic solution, even more so if one considers population growth, diminishing natural resources, the development of scientific discoveries and technologies applied to production.” In fact, he commented that “If no new economic orientation emerges, one that is directed towards communion and solidarity, we – as Pope Benedict XVI warned in his encyclical ‘Caritas in Veritate’ – we’ll be walking decisively towards a disaster because the world does not offer goods in inexhaustible amounts. Wealth, if not shared, generates conflicts.” The core of his message seemed to be that, faced with a decidedly problematic picture, “the proposal of the Economy of Communion can certainly offer light for the economies of all the nations. This begins from something small, from the economy of families, from the economy of small local groups that, brought together, can truly give beginning to a great change. And that with the passing of time – maybe not in our time – it will bring a true transformation, even in the economy of the world.” In addition, the Cardinal recognizes that the EoC “is a proposal of the globalization of solidarity, as John Paul II called for many times and that the Church currently continues to call. The globalization of solidarity indicates a journey of solutions to problems, of the poverty of our time, and which also accounts for the environmental risks of an economy that does not consider the factor of solidarity or communion.” Referring to his eminent departure for Rome for a meeting of the Vatican’s Commission for New Evangelization, instituted recently, the Cardinal announced that he foresees in the EoC “a significantly suitable instrument for the new evangelization in the economic sphere.” The words of Cardinal Scherer, aside from instilling in the participants from all over the world a greater awareness of their task, also invested them with greater responsibility. “This is why I am very happy to greet you, to give stimulation, to encourage you. Keep going with much faith, with much hope in this journey, sharing these experiences throughout the world, until it can product an ever wider effect.” By correspondent Paolo Lòriga
May 27, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Chiara Lubich wrote in her diary:
“The “crown of thorns” is what Cardinal Arns (then Archbishop) of São Paulo calls the girdle of poverty and misery stretching around this city of skyscrapers. It is one of the main problems of the developing countries and one of the greatest problems of the world. Even though we feelwe can do very little about it, God, our Father can find an answer if we have faith in Him as his children. Nothing is impossible to God. This must be our hope and our prayer. The city of São Paulo, in 1900 was a small village. What was once a forest of trees has become a forest of skyscrapers. Wealth owned by a few can achieve such great things and at the same time continue to exploit others. Why is potential like this not used to resolve Brazil’s enormous problems? It’s because when brotherly love is missing, selfishness and calculation take over. We must apply ourselves until goodness re-asserts itself, as I hope – no, as I am sure, it will”. On May 29, 1991, at a meeting of 650 or so entrepreneurs, workers and youth from all over Brazil, at the little Focolare town of Araceli (since renamed Ginetta) Chiara launched an idea which had begun to take shape in her mind. “We should see businesses starting up here whose profits would be freely shared with the same aim as the early Christian communities. Above all to help those in need, creating jobs and ensuring that no-one is left in poverty. Some of the profits could be used to develop the businesses as well as the infrastructure of the little town which has the task of helping to shape a new way of thinking, ‘new men and women’. Unless there is a new way of thinking, there will be no new society! We should involve as many people as possible as shareholders no matter how small the investment. Young people should organize activities to raise capital and become shareholders in this venture to build an industrial park here. Here in Brazil with this great wound of division between rich and poor, a small town like this with an industrial dimension, would be a beacon of light, of hope”.
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May 27, 2011 | Non categorizzato
‘God! God! God! Ring out this ineffable name, source of all rights, justice and freedom, in Parliaments, in town squares, in houses and in offices!’ Wishing to answer this heartfelt plea contained in Pius XII’s radio message on 10 September 1956, which had been provoked by the repression in Hungary, Chiara Lubich wrote a letter that was to become the ‘founding charter’ for a new vocation in the Focolare Movement: the ‘volunteers of God’. Men and women, committed to bringing God, with their own lives, into society, into all the places where they are active. ‘There has come to be,’ Chiara wrote on 15 January 1957, ‘a society capable of excluding the name of God… taking the love of God from human hearts. There must be a society capable of putting Him back in His place. (…) ‘May there be those who hallow Him with all their strength and who gather together with those who feel the very same call to form a bloc under the orders of that Eternal Word which no one can ever cancel from the earth. 
‘There need to be people who follow Jesus exactly as he wants to be followed: denying themselves and taking up their cross. People who believe in this weapon: the cross, more powerful than the most powerful of bombs because the cross is a breach in the soul by which God can enter into hearts … Creating a bloc of people of every age or condition, linked by the strongest bond that exists: that mutual love left to us by the dying God become human as his last will and testament … Mutual love that forges Christians into a divine unity … which alone can oppose the unity that comes from selfish interests, from reasons of this earth, from hatred. ‘Mutual love which means: practical action, giving all our love to our brothers and sisters out of love for God. ‘In summary, there need to be disciples of Jesus, genuine disciples in the world not just in the religious houses. Disciples who voluntarily follow Him, motivated only by an illuminated love towards Him, in this hour of darkness… ‘An army of volunteers, because love is free….‘There needs to be … the building of a new society, renewed by the Good News, where justice and virtue shine out with love….(…)‘A society that bears witness to a single name: God.’
![Indonesia: Focolare Centre inaugurated in Yogyakarta]()
May 26, 2011 | Non categorizzato
From May 23 to 28 a large meeting of Bishop Friends of the Focolare took place at Mariapolis Piero, the “little city” of witness of the Focolare Movement in Kenya. The 21 Bishops came from South Africa, Angola, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Kenya. Their desire was to “Rediscover God’s Plan in the Present Time”. The meeting was rich in its theological reflections and its updatings on the present situation of the Church. There was a presentation of concrete experiences of Gospel life. Interspersed throughout the event were times set aside for meditation, celebrations, and prayers in common. 
For a number of years, in the various geographical areas of the African continent, meetings of Bishops have taken place. These meetings have taken their inspiration from the “spirituality of communion” proposed by recent Popes and highlighted by the experience of the Focolare Movement. As a followup to the meeting in Kenya, two additional meetings will take place, one at Moramanga (Madagascar) and the other at Bamenda/Fontem (Cameroon).
![Indonesia: Focolare Centre inaugurated in Yogyakarta]()
May 26, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Live streaming: http://live.focolare.org/EdC2011/
Luigino Bruni outlines the history of the Economy of Communion
Alberto Ferrucci
![Indonesia: Focolare Centre inaugurated in Yogyakarta]()
May 26, 2011 | Non categorizzato
“ “We are few priests in the Czech Republic and it nearly impossible for two of us to live togerher, but when the priest who had married my parents became old I suggested that he come and live with me so that I could take care of him. The presence of an elderly person had an influence on the architecture of the vicarage and the church, in order to be more adapted to his needs. Shortly afterward he had a stroke and was in need of even more care. But if I had to say what was the most beautiful experience of my priesthood, it wouldn’t be so much the number of persons I saw convert, as much as this deep sharing of life.” “After ten years of hard work as a priest I suffered a nervous breakdown. Then I was offered the possibility of living with one of my confreres. This was my salvation. I was able to continue helping in the parish and, little by little, I regained myself.” These are two of the testimonies that were offered during a group meeting for priests affliated with the Focolare Movement, on 24 May, during the conclusion of Maria Voce’s visit to Prague. Life is not easy for priests in the Czech Republic. In a land which is 25% Catholic and 14 % practicing Catholics the number of priests is also very low and they normally have to care for more than one parish at the same time. The priests gathered at the Mariapolis Centre, most of whom have been living the spirituality of comunion since Communist times, never fail to underscore how sharing the joys and sufferings, fatigue and successes of their confreres was such a source of strength for them, even their salvation, as some remarked. We do not fail to mention the Nuncio of Prague Archbishop Diego Causero, who visited and greeted the group: “I thank the priests who spoke. Two things pleased me in particular: the willingness to live with an elderly priest and the fervour with which you shared your life. Many of us are lacking this fervour; maybe we know many things, but we need to be passionate. This still happens among the focolarini and it gives energy, creativity, and provides an expansive force. The focolarini played an important role during the Communist years: I hope they will have that same force again now, because the Czech people are in need of leaders with a wealth of humanity, a capacity to enter into relationship. Let’s get working! The discussion with Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti involved various topics such as: the novelty of the collective spirituality which the charism of unity brings; involvement in the local church; the inner-workings of the Movement; youth vocations. One priest asked: “In lands with a higher standard of living the number of vocation drops; vice versa, in places that are less rich, there are more vocations. Do you think there is a spiritual or social motivation for this?” “There are certainly social reasons, because in places where you find more economic opportunity, there are more distractions that can suffocate the voice of God. I don’t believe that there are less vocations, because God continues to call; but there are certainly fewer positive responses. However, even though youths are able to have all kinds of experiences, at times, it is precisely because of such experiences that they feel even deeper disatisfaction. Everything can be an occasion for God to make us feel something more. So I think that the spirtual side needs to receive more attention than the social side. Let’s be occupied with showing a powerful spirituality and that we are happy. The contribution of priests turns out to be a determinant factor in the field of youth: it’s natural that they should be the reference point for youths. And great attention is being given by the Church to the new generations, everywhere in this country. There are active “Youth Centres” in the new diocese of the Republic, where a priest lives and works full-time, a family, and some youths. These are spiritual centres for organised groups and for travelers, the baptized, the unbaptized, and non-believers. Some three-thousand Czech youths will attend the upcoming WYD in Madrid. (They are) a hope or the Church and for the country. By Aurora Nicosia
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
May 25, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Please note: The geolocalisation feature on this website – which displays cities and towns where Focolare centres are present – is only meant to be a guide. The markers on the map do not necessarily point to a specific address and they must not be relied on for navigational purposes.
