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Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

Apr 11, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide

The humanitarian emergency caused by conflicts in the Ivory Coast, with thousands of refugees and displaced people, has engaged international NGOs who, in collaboration with the local church, strive to provide aid and refuge to as many people as possible. 600km west of the country’s capital, near Man there is one of the Focolare Movement’s ‘little towns’ which seeks to be a permanent witness of brotherhood and evangelical love. How are its inhabitants reacting to the country’s present crisis?

Adriana Masotti from Vatican Radio asked this question to Vitoria Franciscati, the director of the Focolare’s Centre in the Ivory Coast for 20 years:

We are involved in humanitarian aid in a fairly direct way. Man has become a reception centre because there’s a conflict zone 80km to the west and a large number of people have fled from the very difficult situation. People also come here from the capital Abidjan and we, along with others throughout the diocese, have offered our strengths to receive as many refugees as we can. In our little town we have a medicine dispensary, a clinic and a centre for the fight against malnutrition. The number of abandoned patients and small children (often along with a grandparent) is growing. This work has therefore become more demanding and is being brought ahead. We are also a reference point for humanitarian organisations that come to the region to help the fight against hunger: Médicins sans Frontiers, Red Cross and so on. There is no water in the city and so people come here to our well. Electricity is often down and we have we share our generator that runs for a few hours a day. There’s lots of collaboration therefore with everyone.

You are far from the capital but there are members of the Focolare community who live in Abidjan near Gbagbo’s residence which is hit by the conflicts. What is their experience at the moment?

Our members are present in neighbourhoods throughout the city especially in the outgoing president’s neighbourhood. We are in contact with them various times a day and they are determined and committed to living and spreading a Gospel-based lifestyle, to being builders of peace through a life of love: it’s the only force capable of disarming hearts, the most difficult but most necessary task at present.

The country has been split into two blocs with opposition even within families. How do they deal with this division?

This is the point: starting from home, from the family. Some kids tell us, “I don’t know my father any more, I don’t recognise him”, because division has penetrated; it’s something that deeply pierces. It wasn’t like that before. Ivorians however are very sensitive people and are ready to change, they’re not so hardhearted. We must therefore have faith in them; they are a welcoming people who are used to cohabitation of different ethnic groups and religions. There have never been problems in that regard.

What is the principle contribution that you want to give and that you have committed yourselves to giving to Ivorian society?

Brotherhood. The “Golden Rule”: do unto others as you would have done unto you. That is our specific contribution.

Lived in a concrete way day by day, trying to love the other even if he’s different…

Exactly. Accepting those who are different from me, who have a different way of thinking. I believe that new political systems will arise, have to arise, from Africa’s cultural roots. Prayer, however, is very important at this time because hearts have been hardened and a grace from God is needed.

Source: Vatican Radio – Radio Giornale 10/04/2011

Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

Becoming Saints in the Midwest

Apr 10, 2011 | Non categorizzato

When you arrive in Chicago from the East Coast you immediately realise that you’re in another world.

The city runs along Lake Michigan for 50 km. Despite our night-time arrival at Midway Airport, the urban skyline of modern, lit-up skyscrapers was truly striking. Here too the population is multiethnic but it’s somehow different from New York and Washington. Chicago, the third largest city in the US with its 3 million inhabitants (9 million if you include the suburbs), is the city with the second largest Polish population in the world. It also has particularly numerous Greek and Italian communities. Throughout the decades – at times centuries – these cultural groups have maintained a clear identity within their characteristic neighbourhoods. Recent generations, however, have contributed to increased integration.

Some neighbourhoods have had serious public order problems and sometimes you’re told not to cross certain streets if you want to avoid trouble. But in Illinois and throughout the Midwest religious values and traditions are still strong and families strive to pass them on to their children.

Shortly after its arrival in the USA 50 years ago, the Focolare Movement was instituted in Chicago. Since 1966, in the Hyde Park neighbourhood, a 19th Century mansion house – loaned to the Movement by the diocese – has hosted a Mariapolis Centre. Beside it, in just as pretty a house, is the women’s focolare centre. Over the past two years the neighbourhood had been under strict security surveillance: the Obama family residence is at the end of the road. The US President will here next week, people tell us. The men’s focolare centre is a 20 minute car drive – when traffic is good – in a suburb called Berwyn.

Not far away is another small town, North Riverside, with its own town hall and mayor. There Carol, a Volunteer who got to know the Movement back in the 60’s, gave life to a very touching experience. Carol, whose son has serious disabilities, is particularity sensitive to other’s pain. She built bridges all around her with people in the neighbourhood who were suffering for one reason or another.  A network of reciprocal care was gradually formed, triggering a social revolution. By now the people who run the activity have been christened “army of angels” and the project is sponsored by the local government. It’s a true model of sustainable and reciprocal care for the emotionally or physically vulnerable, giving life to a distinctive art of caring for the suffering. Other municipalities have contacted River Side North to collaborate in overcoming seemingly impossible problems. Even the president of the Bahamas on hearing about the project asked for sponsorship to apply the same methodology in his country.

Focolare’s youth members organised a meeting for their peers which took place on Saturday afternoon in North Riverside’s Village Hall. They invited friends and acquaintances as well many other young people through personal contacts, Facebook, and the internet. It was difficult therefore to estimate the possible turn-out. The program was courageous: a presentation of Chiara Luce Badano’s life enriched by experiences of local young people in their everyday environment of school and work. A young ballerina came from Ohio for the event and presented the audience with an elegant piece of dance. Another young artist sang a song she wrote about Chiara Luce and her sainthood.

This inspired Maria Voce’s opening lines when she herself took to the stage to greet the young participants. She underlined that God continues to call each one of us to be saints today and that he does this through people like Chiara Luce who show us how to become saints with the help of others: family and friends who live for the same ideals.  The Focolare president concluded by launching an appeal without half measures: “Do you want to be a saint? Then why not do it?” The response was a standing ovation, a sign that the message really struck a chord. We can’t deny that today in the Mid-West and through out the world there is a thirst for sainthood.

By our correspondent Roberto Catalano

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Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

Washington DC: Unity – a new frontier

Apr 8, 2011 | Non categorizzato

“Americans always see a new frontier to be crossed. This is how they reached the moon. Wouldn’t you like reach unity?” Maria Voce said wrapping up her informal address at a meeting with Washington’s Focolare Community on the evening of 7th April.

300 local members of the Movement had come to spend two days together in the nation’s capital. Their meeting held at the Catholic University of America was enriched by an encounter with the country’s history.

Participants represented a true cross-section of the ethnic and cultural groups in this capital city that hosted some of the most memorable moments for the nation and many iconic turning points in the story of mankind: from the declaration of independence and the memorable speech by Abraham Lincoln right up to Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a dream’ and J.F.K.’s ‘The New Frontier’.

That morning Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti had visited the city’s historical sites, giving them an insight to the values that built this nation of peoples: simplicity, practicality, humility, readiness to forgive, openness to novelty, optimism, strength not to give up even when doors are closed. “They are extraordinary gifts that have come about thanks to the contribution of the many populations who came to these lands in the search of wellbeing. They may have gone to Colorado on a quest for gold but above all they were looking for freedom”, Maria Voce underlined. In the U.S., this freedom is in the air you breathe and in the heart of everyone who chose to come and live in the “New World”.

“You’ve reached the dream of freedom. Perhaps now is the time to do something for unity that, in a certain sense, you have also reached, thinking of the many cultures united in the USA”, continued the Focolare’s president.  She confided however that the people she met over the past number of days expressed regret for the individualistic environment in which they live. Maria Voce then shared her impression that music in US- spirituals, jazz, rock and rap- seems to express its people’s ardent desire for unity- a comment that pleasantly surprised many. “The Spirituality of Unity could do something to help this dream come true… God sent the Charism of Unity here too. It’s a gift that can’t render me indifferent if I’ve received it”.

The evening’s program demonstrated how its participants, with their cultural and religious diversity, originate from all corners of the globe: Europe, Asia, the Middle-East, Cameroon. Noteworthy was the colourful presence of the 30 or so Bangwa-Cameroonians with Mafua Cristina who was on visit to the USA. Likewise the participation of a group of Afro-American Muslims with Imam Talib Sharif was particularly precious.

The Imam fondly remembered how, in 2000, Chiara Lubich launched ‘Operation Washington’ between members of the Focolare and Afro-American Muslims. He was doing military service at the time and the meeting deeply struck him. Afterwards, whilst waiting for a train back to his barracks, he found himself looking through the crowd to see if he could spot the smile of someone from the Movement. He didn’t see anyone but was reassured by the certainty that deep within him something had been edified and would be brought ahead by the relationship between Chiara and Imam W.D. Mohammed. On the 7th April in Washington, along with other Muslim brothers and sisters he witnessed that this relationship had been reinforced and developed.

Looking at the hall at the end of the two hour programme at the Catholic University of America, you could see the dream expressed on the Great Seal of the United States Government-E pluribus unum, Out of Many, One- coming true. “Which doesn’t mean that all are the same”, specified Maria Voce, “but that all are united”.

Roberto Catalano

Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

Fordham University: a study day on the spirituality of unity

Apr 7, 2011 | Non categorizzato

Fordham University, founded and run by the Jesuits, has two campuses in New York. The main campus is in the Bronx, while the Law School is in Manhattan. A smaller site, it is in the heart of the “Big Apple”, near the Lincoln Centre, the New York Philharmonic, the Ballet School… and only a few blocks from Broadway. It is a part of New York rich in art and culture.

On this campus on the 5th April, a study day was held on The spirituality of unity: a gift for our times. There were contributions from academics in various disciplines: theology, religious studies, ethics. The organisers were a group from various fields of jurisprudence: lawyers, judges, lecturers and professors from this and other universities. The value of their presentations came not so much from their unquestionable academic expertise, but from the values and ideas they shared regarding the dimension of communion in law. Law and communion is the name of their project in fact, and after many years of effort and not a few obstacles, promoting the value of the person and of interpersonal relationships, they had put together this first class symposium. With their colleagues from other universities, they demonstrated how the spirituality of communion can be a point of reference for those working in the legal field.

The group is from many different backgrounds. Law professors Ross Pierce and Ian Weinstein are both Jewish, while Amy Uelman and Greg Louis are Catholics. Other collaborators include Deborah Cantrell, professor of Law at The University of Colorado, who is a Buddhist, and David Shaheed, a judge in the supreme court of Marion County in Indianapolis, who is an African American Muslim.

The day was based around four round table discussions: the spirituality of unity, an economics based on communion rather than self interest, personal fulfilment, and “love of neighbour” in the field of law. The conclusion to the day was delivered by Maria Voce, Focolare president, who answered questions from those present. These were varied and challenging, and covered economics, law, interfaith and intercultural dialogue, moral theology and the role of women in the Catholic Church. Maria Voce gave clear indications regarding the promotion of justice and truth in the legal world, encouraging everyone to bring important and essential values to even the most unlikely areas of human endeavour.

She spoke of how this means finding a place for concepts that can be easily misunderstood, or only partially understood, like the key idea of “fraternity”. This dialogue needs to continue, she said. We have to find a robust methodology for accepting differences and overcoming them. It is important to recognise that our own identity is forged through relationships. She spoke about the present situation of women in the Catholic Church, and, over and above the roles of men and women, the importance of the leadership of love.

Above all Maria Voce encouraged everyone to carry on witnessing to unity in diversity. “I known it is not easy”, she said, “and who knows how many moments of discouragement and disappointment you have experienced, but I thank you because the life of your cell within Fordham University has provided yet another way forward towards universal fraternity.”

Roberto Catalano

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Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

Maria Gloria Huille

Apr 7, 2011 | Non categorizzato

Teacher of social studies and home economics; at the age of 50 she meets the Focolare and starts a new life beside Chiara Lubich: a summary of Maria Gloria’s radiant 100 years.

100 years old and Maria Gloria still has that same look in her eyes, that same smile, that same simplicity and solemnity, not to mention her clarity of mind and readiness to smile. On 13th March, the day of her 100th birthday, when the other focolarine asked her, “Will we too reach 100?”, she answered, “Luckily it only happens to few!”

Leafing through the pages of her life, we discover that Marie Louise Celine Huille comes from a numerous family of nine children, three of whom entered religious orders.

She started to work at 21 years of age as a Home Economics teacher in Paris (a job that, at the time, had a higher status than that which we give it nowadays). Then she worked as head-mistress and teacher in various social service institutes in France, Portugal, Morocco, USA,…

She dedicated herself to finding new systems for simplifying women’s labour and, with a friend, she developed a project which was revolutionary for its time: applying principles of scientific organisation- like those used in a factory – to housework.

In August 1963, at the age of 50, she met the Focolare Movement. A revolutionary breakthrough in her already committed and worthy life. With the freshness of a young girl she dedicated herself completely to the focolare community and Chiara gave her a new name “Maria Gloria” as a particular encouragement to imitate the Mother of God. When Jean Marie Villot, the Cardinal Secretary of State at the time, asked Chiara if she could send some focolarine women as assistants, Chiara didn’t hesitate to send Maria Gloria.

This surprise-filled adventure later continued when she went to work in Chiara’s house after the Cardinal’s passing. She and the other assistants who had worked for the Secretary of State continued their task in Rocca di Papa (Rome) in Chiara’s focolare right up until the Focolare’s founder passed away.

During those years, Chiara found solace in Maria Gloria’s extraordinary life experience and often listened to her advice. With Maria Gloria, Chiara discovered that things done with care and love are not only beautiful but useful.

To commemorate a century lived in such an extraordinary way, ‘Casa Verde’, the focolare where Maria Gloria now lives with other elderly focolarine women, hosted a celebration. The Mayor of Rocca di Papa joined the festivities, presenting her with a valuable book containing photograph’s of Rocca di Papa along with a parchment that read: “Maria Gloria, a women whose dedication to women and to others kept her young. She shared her talents and strength with the admirable aim of discovering the beauty of creation and helping others do the same, transforming this beauty into daily tasks”.

What happens when we die?

Apr 7, 2011 | Non categorizzato

One of the girls in the class I taught was always withdrawn. They had told me she had Aids.

“What can I possibly do for her?”, I thought.

I started offering her a lift home at the end of the school day. Bit by bit I realised that she was being eaten away by desperation. One day I decided to call her father who I’d never met him before. I was sure that something could be done for this young girl.

When I met him I listened to his tragic life story: 20 years of drug abuse, prison, the death of the girl’s mother… The day after he sent me a note: “I understood that you care for my daughter at school”.

Whilst trying to handle the situation with great care, I managed to create an ever more trustful relationship with her and, engaging others, a chain of solidarity was formed. The teachers found a million and one ways to help her actively take part in school activities. Bit by bit she came back to life.

One day she came to me with a question: “What happens when we die?” I felt compelled to share my life treasure with her. I told her about paradise, about love, about my experience with Jesus. When I’d finished she said, “I too want to live like that”. It was a moment of light for both of us. Her mysterious suffering and pain had a meaning.

Source: http://www.focolare.se

Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

Strong Without Violence- Gen Rosso in Germany

Apr 7, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide

“All our  warmest greetings from Germany where this unforgettable and unique experience with the junior high and high school kids has by now become a tradition”.

One of Tomek Mikusinski’s impressions of Gen Rosso’s German tour in a letter he wrote to our editorial team on behalf of the whole troupe before they set off for the Czech Rebublic.

The German tour began in Heidelberg- 200 teenagers in the run-up to the sacrament of confirmation freely gave up part of their winter holidays to parttake in “Strong without Violence”, a tried and tested educational project, carried out thanks to collaboration between Gen Rosso and various schools in a number of European countries.

500,000 young people have taken part in the project to date. The European Union sponsors this project based on the group’s musical Streetlight: the true story of Charles Moates who grew up in one of Chicago’s ghettos in the 60’s. Following the ideal of a united world Charles was always opposed to violence and this choice cost him his life in 1969.

Drawing on this inspirational figure, the project strives to transmit values that help young people combat violence, marginalisation, bullying and other problems facing teenagers in their urban environments. The conclusion of the teenagers’ work was displayed in the Eppelheimer Rhein-Neckar-Halle, with 1,100 paying audience members. The novelty of this year’s tour was the “Doku-Workshop”: participants made a documentary which covered the whole week’s activities right including the build-up to the show and the audience’s arrival in the theatre. Its photos and interviews about Gen Ross’s daily life and their work on the road was screened during the evening.

The next leg of the tour was in Bonn with 13 workshops and over 500 participants. After that came a strongly multiethnic school in Dortmund. Last off was Cologne where the troupe had a particularly special experience with young students with hearing difficulties. “I am proud of my students”, said the principal of  the LVR-Johann-Joseph-Gronewald School, “because putting on a musical despite hearing difficulties is obviously a huge challenge. I thank those who had the idea for this indispensable project and  for the huge opportunity given to my students”.

“Gen Rosso, you absolutely must keep this project up because it really, really helps us young people!”, wrote one of the participants on the group’s Facebook page, confirming the worthiness of an idea that is spreading more and more among students throughout Europe.

Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

A time set aside for Life

Apr 5, 2011 | Non categorizzato

I don’t know what the word “possible” brings to your mind but for me it means one thing: these 40 girls in front of me, these “possible focolarine”.

We can make lots of choices in life, wonderful choices. These girls decided to come and spend some time together- “a time for life” as we called it with a precise slogan: “Here I am”, meaning ‘I am ready for anything’.

I have to say that they were invigorating days for me too. The Lord God has a great imagination and each of these girls’ life stories is more beautiful than the other; unfledged and with room for development but budding signs for a promising future.

Micarla from Recife, in the North East of Brazil came not only to look for the truth but to find it; it’s always been the bee in her bonnet. Today she is happy!

Grisel, 27 years old, from Mendoza (Argentina), loves revolution and discovered that Mary of Nazareth is the greatest revolutionary of all time. “I wanted to be like her”, she told us. “What fascinates me about the vocation to the focolare? I see men and women who are completely fulfilled, people who give God to those they meet. Giving my whole life to God was a logical consequence: if He loves me immensely how can I not give him everything?”

Vida, a 24 year old from Lithuania: “I have had a lot of doubts, common doubts: can I manage to follow God completely for my whole life or should I start a family? What gave me peace and assurance was the freedom I felt every time I said my yes to Him: freedom to love the whole world.”

Emma is Mexican: “It’s not easy to follow Jesus”; she confides, “It seems that everything goes against a life given to God: from the world of communications to some aspects of education and the values proposed to us. We think that if we don’t have “extreme” experiences we get bored. This led me to think that I had to give more to God because nothing quenched my thirst, nothing satiated me.” She considers life in a focolare to be like a rollercoaster ride: a breathtaking, fascinating and at times tortuous journey, but a journey where your gaze is set on a goal : being face to face with God. “This is what I want more than anything.”

Priscilia from Geneva, is 23 and studies French literature. She is here to understand if God is really calling her. She wants to give everything to Him so as to live an adventure that “is, in my eyes, beyond compare: contributing to building a united world,” and she then concludes, “I want to have God as my Spouse as of right now”:

Nuam comes from a small village in South East Asia. She was fascinated when she saw the simple yet extremely deep life of a focolare house. Then in 2005 during a Genrosso concert “those songs, though sung in another language that I didn’t know, transmitted God and His love to me. I felt that I had to respond in some way. Now I want to give Him everything so as to be able to bring Jesus to everyone; I want to do my part so that humanity may become more and more like one family. The Ideal of Unity has helped me open my heart to the whole world”.

What comes to mind is an excerpt from Chiara’s commentary to March’s “Word of Life” that helped us do the Will of God. Chiara Lubich wrote: “Let’s say before every action, ‘May your will be done.’ By doing so, we will accomplish — one moment at a time, one piece at a time — the wonderful, unique and unrepeatable mosaic of our life that the Lord has always had in mind for each one of us”.

Now, in the meeting hall beside us there are about 40 boys who also want to give everything to God and who have wonderful things to tell us. Keep your eyes open for their upcoming article.

But now it’s time to catch up with the groups who are off to visit the little town of Loppiano.

All the best to these wonderful girls!

Sharry S.

Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

Sportmeet: moving people and ideas

Apr 5, 2011 | Non categorizzato

The sports world meets the social sphere on many levels. Their paths cross in politics and economics, they overlap in areas of health and communication. Sportmeet’s main aim therefore, is to contribute to a culture of sport inspired by universal brotherhood based on the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”- a universal truth. On this basis, Sportmeet’s objectives and methods are now shared by people of many different beliefs, cultures and religions.

Through Sportmeet, athletes, professionals and others who work in the sports world have organised numerous sports initiatives of social worth: ongoing projects on different scales and in different parts of the world with a special focus on developing countries, war zones and socially disadvantaged areas. Sportmeet gives financial support as well as cultural and human resources to assure solidity and continuity to these projects.

The congress from 8- 10 April will address the issues of dignity and responsibility in sport and the attempt to go beyond the show business profile so as to rediscover its capacity to be a catalyst for social and cultural change. The title “moves people, moves ideas” expresses the desire to create new and positive relationships because changing sport means changing society.

The program will include talks by experts, personal experiences, round table discussions, workshops and games. Amongst the guest speakers are Italian and European university professors from various sport-related disciplines as well managers, psychologists, teachers, coaches and athletes. Names include Gianni Rivera, youth and school coordinator for Federcalcio Italiana, Valerio Bianchini and Marco Calamai, professional basketball trainers, Oreste Perri, athlete and head coach of the Italian Olympic Canoe team, now mayor of Cremona.

The convention is open to athletes of every category and discipline, trainers and coaches, teachers, managers, professors and students of physical education and motor skills development.

The program, registration form and video commercial for the event are on the website www.sportmeet.org