Aug 4, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The young people who have been getting ready for the WYD for some time are excited to meet Pope Francis. In these first few days in Lisbon (Portugal), they took part in the “Rise Up” meetings.
As the time of writing, the XXXVIII World Youth Day has just reached its halfway point. The first 4, very intense days, have permeated the life of over half a million young people who welcomed Pope Francis on 3rd August 2023 in the heart of Lisbon (Portugal). They gathered at Parque Eduardo VII, which was renamed “Hill of Encounter”, as a sign of the profound significance of this WYD, which underlines: relationship with God, with oneself and then with others, to build a peaceful, sustainable and fraternal world.
With the cry of “God loves everyone”, in a Church where there is room for everyone, Francis officially inaugurated the Portuguese World Youth Day which the media is amply covering every day.
However, what risks being overlooked is the important work of updating that the Church, in the most universal sense of the term, has carried out, so that this World Day could be a place where young people “find themselves” in their questions, in their conscious or unconscious search for God to have him as a partner in their lives; in the creation of spaces for sharing, inspiration and mutual listening. This process has involved young people, their teachers, priests and bishops, and many ecclesial realities.
“Rise Up” Meetings: spaces to think, share and be inspired
Undoubtedly one of the biggest novelties of this WYD are the “Rise Up” meetings, the new model of catechesis which invites the young people to reflect on the major themes addressed during the pontificate of Pope Francis: integral ecology, social friendship and universal brotherhood, mercy.
There are 270 meetings held in 30 languages which are all linked to the general theme of the WYD: “”Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39).
The Focolare Movement has been involved in the Rise Up meetings, offering 3 half-day appointments for English-speaking pilgrims, attended by an average of 5,000 young people a day. Eunice, a member of the organizing team told us, “I immediately felt responsible. The theme of this WYD inspires me a lot: I too feel driven to get up and go quickly, like Mary; I feel a strong motivation to give more, to overcome limits, tiredness and difficulties, as she did when she went to visit Elisabeth. She didn’t stop, but she loved”. Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare, shared the stage with Card. Patrick O’Malley from Boston (USA), Archbishop Anthony Fisher from Sydney (Australia) and Bishop Robert Barron from Winona- Rochester in Minnesota (USA).
Teenagers at the WYD in Lisbon
Experiencing God’s love and taking it wherever you are or feel called to be, was the thread running through the meetings enlivened by music, prayer and a lot of sharing. Pete, from the United States, at his first WYD, said, “I felt that after a year and a half of ‘isolation’, after Covid, something in me had changed. I decided to get involved and come with my diocese. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, meet young people from other countries, see how they deal with problems. I still have many questions, I have found some answers here”.
For the young people from Slovakia it was a big decision to come and open up to people of other cultures and ways of doing things. They are greatly looking forward to what the Pope will say in the coming days. “We are sure that his words will remain in our hearts forever and will help us in the different situations of life”.
This meeting one another, recognizing each other as brothers and sisters is perhaps the most characteristic feature of this event. This is why personal stories are central to the Rise Up meetings.
Real life at the Centre of it all
For example, Lucas, who lives in the Brazilian Amazon. At the WYD in Panama he was captivated by the person of Jesus. When he went home, with about twenty young people he got involved in a project to help the indigenous communities of his country. They spent a fortnight with a team of doctors, nurses and psychologists who bring aid, treatment and support to many people who live far from treatment centres. Lucas said, “It was an incredible experience: giving myself from morning to night, without stopping. The Amazon Project has made me grow a lot as a person. The first result of all this is me: I have changed, I am no longer the same”.
Sofia, from Argentina, talked about her existential journey of searching for meaning. At one point she heard about Blessed Chiara Luce Badano whose yes to God, even in her pain, gave her the strength to dedicate her life to God, following the spirituality of the Focolare Movement.
And we could go on and on because we heard many testimonies and also the responses of the bishops and leaders to the questions of the young people.
Pat, aged 19, from Sydney, said, “I came to this WYD with a group of friends and this is important to me because I believe that we need others in order to be able to make a difference in the world and even to make personal decisions. Loneliness is a challenge for many young people of my age and I want to do something about it by starting with loving my friends. I understood here that this is the right path”.
These young people have many questions and also fears, but there’s more: they want to open up, to learn; they come from very different backgrounds and experiences, yet they are all here to meet Pope Francis, to discover God in their lives and to meet friends with whom to share this discovery. This is the essence of the WYD in Lisbon.
Stefania Tanesini
To read the full speeches:
Margaret Karram, Catechesis of 2nd August 2023, Rise up meeting, WYD Lisbon (Portugal)
Jesús Morán, Catechesis of 2nd August 2023, Rise up meeting, WYD Lisbon (Portugal)
Margaret Karram, Catechesis of 3rd August 2023, Rise up meeting, WYD Lisbon (Portugal)
Jesús Morán, Catechesis of 3rd August 2023, Rise up meeting, WYD Lisbon (Portugal)
Jul 31, 2023 | Non categorizzato
A song for young people from all over the world to sing in unison. Father João Paulo Vaz, a priest from Coimbra (Portugal) wrote the lyrics of the WYD Lisbon 2023 anthem and the music was composed by Pedro Ferreira, a teacher and musician. Two young people from the Focolare Movement (Gen), Lourdes Catalán and Ivan Ho, interviewed him. World Youth Day (WYD) 2023 takes place very soon and in the streets of Lisbon (Portugal), the city hosting this global event, you can already hear the first young people to arrive singing “Há Pressa no Ar” (Feel the rush in the air), the official theme tune inspired by the words “Mary got up and went in haste” (Lk 1:39). Here we discover with Father João Paulo Vaz, a priest in the Coimbra diocese who wrote the lyrics, how the song came about. Lourdes: Father João Paulo, what does the WYD mean to you and why did you decide to enter the competition to select a theme tune for Lisbon 2023? 
Father João Paulo Vaz: I have participated in no less than six WYDs in my life (Paris, Rome, Toronto, Cologne, Sydney and Madrid), some of them as head of youth pastoral work in the diocese. Each of them has marked my journey as a man, a Christian and a priest. They have been very intense experiences of faith and communion, and some things in particular really left their mark. One of them has always been the theme tune. When I heard we could participate in the competition for the Lisbon 2023 theme tune, I was very happy, both because of my personal experience and as a composer. I had decided to submit the lyrics but, at a certain point, I realised I had forgotten to register in time because you had to declare your intention to participate before submitting the song. When I realised this I was very sad, but God never leaves me alone. A group of participants who HAD signed up on time and only had a musical score ready asked me anyway if they could use my words and that’s how I entered the competition. Shortly afterwards, I learned with great joy that my song had been chosen. I was overjoyed because I really felt it was God’s answer to my wish. Ivan: What message did you want to convey through the song? Father João Paulo Vaz: First of all, the message I thought of addressing to each young person is “Christ is always with you, He never abandons you and with Him you will be able to love much more”. That is why, with Him, “my voice rises higher and everyone will hear it”, as the song explains, because you are no longer afraid. The whole text takes this direction and Mary, the main protagonist of this WYD, in the simplicity and humility of her figure, represents all these things: She whose voice rises first because she brings Christ with her; the first evangeliser who, with her ‘yes’ and on her way to Elizabeth, also shows us how to bring Him to others. Ivan: So many young people from all over the world are expected in Lisbon. How does it feel to think that they will all sing this song together? Father João Paulo Vaz: It’s really important to say that as soon as the song was chosen as the WYD anthem, it no longer belonged to us, it was no longer ours. It was no longer my words or Pedro Ferreira’s music. It is the theme song of WYD Lisbon 2023. I will sing it with the others: this will be the greatest joy. Lourdes: If you could sum up the theme tune in one or two words, what would they be? Father João Paulo Vaz: The first is “depth”, which means discovering who we are, discovering Christ in us and living from that discovery; the second is “courage”, to be the presence of God in the world, to announce life. It is in these two words, in my opinion, that the experience of faith flourishes. Ivan: What is your personal message for the young people of today? Father João Paulo Vaz: I would like to use the words of Pope Francis, spoken in one of the promotional videos for the WYD, in which he invites us to go ahead without fear, to build a better world and to be protagonists. We really need our young people to value the world more, to return to true values. We need to do away with fear and be aware that young people are the ones who will build a better future. So, dear young person, you can’t sit still and watch the world from your armchair. You need to get up and go, like Mary. The WYD, and this one in particular, is an opportunity to say that you believe and that you are willing to do what God asks of you; more than anything else, it is telling you that you are not alone in this. A whole world of young people and the Pope are ready to walk with you.
Lourdes Catalán e Ivan Ho
Jul 26, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The 37th World Youth Day (WYD), which will be held from 31st July to 6th August 2023 in Lisbon (Portugal), is upon us and many young people are preparing to experience this global event with the Pope. Various initiatives have been organized and for months now, many people have been working with dedication on this moment of true family for the Church. Everything is ready. The sun is high on the seven hills of Lisbon (Portugal) and the ocean breeze brings with it an air of novelty and anticipation: the WYD is upon us and young people from all over the world are arriving. After months of preparation and having visited various stops throughout the country, last weekend the symbols of the Day, the Pilgrim’s Cross and the Icon of Our Lady “Salus Popoli Romani”, finally reached Lisbon and we are now ready to welcome the first young people arriving for the “Days in the Dioceses” which will take place from 26th-31st July 2023 in the 17 dioceses of mainland Portugal and the islands. A way to prepare pilgrims and host communities to get into the event and live it to the full. Father José Cardoso de Almeida, parish priest of Sátão, in the diocese of Viseu, a priest volunteer of the Focolare Movement told us, “When we were told that WYD would be held in Lisbon, we welcomed the news with immense joy. I am sure that it will be an occasion of grace for each of the participants, as well as for our country. In my case, I feel I have to be open to the surprises that the Spirit wants to communicate”. 
Fr. José has experienced the anticipation and enthusiasm of several WYDs first-hand. Like many other people, he immediately felt the call to get involved in organizing this Event which was taking place in his own “backyard”, by motivating young people and welcoming those who would come from various parts of the world: “This last year has been full of meetings. A lot of activities were organized to help cover the expenses of those who had greater economic challenges to get here. As a ‘little builder’ of this WYD, together with many others, I encouraged some families to open their doors to young people from other countries for the ‘Days in the Dioceses’. In our area, we will welcome about 3,000 young people, mostly French. Then we will leave for Lisbon and I will lend a hand for the sacrament of Reconciliation, during the event.” It has been a concrete experience that shows how serving others generated countless fruits in the various communities. As Fr. José said, “For example, the discovery of the beauty of working together. I think that today’s young people need to discover that the secret of happiness lies in true love, and as Pope Francis says, in the experience of “going out of oneself” and “being with and for others.” This is true unity. ” And it is in this “going out” that we find the image of the Virgin Mary, ready to “get up and go with haste”, as the motto of this WYD announces, on the way to visit Elizabeth. Ana and José Maria Raposo told us that this is an “invitation to encounter the living Jesus in the family, at work, in social and political life”. They are from the parish of Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Olivais Sul in Lisbon and are members of the Volunteers of God of the Focolare Movement. Ana and José have been married for 45 years, have five children and four grandchildren and are one of the many Portuguese families who will host the young people who will take part in the WYD in their own homes. 
They told us, “For young people, like Mary, to live their vocation, it is necessary to believe in them and let them lead, without forgetting the importance of inter-generationality. It is necessary to believe that the world today is already changed if hearts are changed, if the mind is free, if one leaves one’s comfort zone, if one looks around and sees Jesus in everyone; we have to believe that a united world is possible”. QQ An experience that looks at this fragile time, looks at the other and is strengthened thanks also to the concrete witness of those who, believing in love, want to put it at the service in the “welcome” that, as Ana and José say, “means to be a family for those who arrive. It was spontaneous for us to immediately join in welcoming the young pilgrims who will participate in the WYD. We have always welcomed people who needed help because they were passing through or traveling. The last few months gave us an opportunity to review things and reorganize the spaces so that the young people who arrive really feel at home.” World Youth Day continues to prove to be, even today, a great event of the Church that, around the Pope and young people from all over the world, becomes “Community”. And to be, as Father José Cardoso de Almeida stated, “a workshop of the Kingdom of God and the image of that universal fraternity that derives from the Gospel”.
Maria Grazia Berretta
Jul 25, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The Word of life for this month is, “Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, truly I tell you: none of these will lose their reward” (Mt 10:42). This is the mission to which each of us, just like the disciples, is called: to be credible witnesses of the Love of Christ, in the concrete gestures that are part of our daily lives; a circular Love, which you give with joy and are surprised when it returns abundantly. New Car Accident When I returned to the car park, I found that the new car that my father had lent me was scratched. What could I do? I felt bad because he would be upset and I started to think about how much it would cost to have it repaired. Then I noticed a small magnet on the dashboard holding this writing: “…cast all your worries onto Him because He cares for you”. I tried to do that. And I felt a sense of peace which is what I needed in order to try to figure out what to do. I was absorbed in these thoughts when there was a knock on the window. A lady wanted to talk to me. She was the one who had scraped the car and had left hoping to get away with it, but remorse made her come back. She gave me her phone number and agreed to look after the cost of getting the car repaired. I was amazed and grateful. I told her how I had found peace reading that sentence on the dashboard. And she thoughtfully replied, “It was Him who brought me back.” (Z.X. – Croatia) The right place When I was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, I realized that my medical competence would be put to the test there and at the same time I felt that that was “my” place. Up until then, I had not had the opportunity to work in such a department where every day, suffering appeared in the most tragic forms: people who had serious accidents, neurological problems… and they were often young people. I wasn’t sure I was up to it. However, the idea of putting myself at the service of Jesus who was present and identified with all those people gave me strength. He said “You did it to me”. After six months, the hospital management offered me the position of head of the department. The reasons for their choice included: my ability to integrate with colleagues, my attitude of calm and peace, and my professional behaviour. The next day in the chapel, I thanked Jesus: it was his words that made me be what others needed above all there, in that place. (J.M. – Spain)
The exam I was preparing for an important exam at university when a friend who was going through a difficult time with his girlfriend came to visit me. I welcomed him and while I was preparing a meal for him, we started talking. The thought of the exam was really on my mind but I tried to set it aside to concentrate on listening to my friend, who was so upset and sad that he did not realize that time was passing and it was time to go to bed. In the end, I offered him a bed for the night. It was really late and I couldn’t even think of opening a book. The next morning the alarm woke me up and a colleague reminded me that I had to turn up for the exam. Still half asleep, I quickly got ready to go out, while my friend continued to sleep. I never dreamt I would pass that exam! I was very happy. When I went back to my room, there was a note on the table: «I don’t know how to thank you. You showed me that I mean something. You gave me new strength. Like you, I want to be “completely there for others.” (G.F. – Poland)
Curated by Maria Grazia Berretta
(taken from The Gospel of the Day, New Town, year IX – n.1° July-August 2023)
Jul 13, 2023 | Non categorizzato
An interview with the author on his latest literary work – a book designed to give hope, to keep faith in the charism of unity. Some questions to the co-president of the Focolare Movement on his latest book, published by Citta Nuova, entitled ‘Dynamic Fidelity’. Jesús, let’s start with the title ‘Dynamic Fidelity’. I wanted to use the expression that Pope Francis used when he addressed participants at the Focolare Assembly in 2021. There he spoke of dynamic fidelity. In my opinion it is a very close thought to the concept of creative fidelity, with the advantage that ‘dynamic’ refers to the Greek concept dynamis, which means ‘force of movement’. Therefore, dynamic fidelity is fidelity in motion, which is not static, and this is very dear to Pope Francis. When he spoke to us on other occasions he emphasised that movements must be precisely ‘movement’. So it seemed to me that this title was closer to the reality that we are living today…. The book is divided into chapters. The first is ‘Taking the pulse of the times’. What perspectives does Chiara Lubich’s charism of unity have for today? How can we update the identity and history of the charism? 
It seems to me that Chiara Lubich’s charism of unity is always topical. Regarding synodality, Pope Francis is insisting that we rediscover how we are the people of God on a journey, where we all play a lead role. Synod means ‘walking together’. He wants a Church where everyone gives their best as an integral part of the people of God, the body of Christ. Here, I think Chiara Lubich’s charism of unity can bring a lot in this sense, with her spirituality of communion, the spirituality of unity. On the other hand, today there are so many conflicts, wars, massive polarisation everywhere – in the political, moral, social spheres – and perhaps like never before we are witnessing almost irreconcilable contrasts. I believe that here too the charism of unity can contribute a great deal with the dialogue it weaves. So today the charism of unity must be modernised, rediscover its true identity, going back to the essentials, to the founding core of the charism. This modernisation requires implementing two moments, not in a chronological sense, but in a profound sense. On the one hand is listening to the signs of the times, the questions of the world, of contemporary society. On the other, going deep, fishing out all those resources that the charism has, some of which have not even been expressed. I really like this concept of expressing the unexpressed that is within us. This is how identity is updated in a dynamic fidelity. Together with the process of purifying our memory that we are going through in this post-foundational phase, I think we are ready to take this step. Modernising a charism is achieved with everyone’s contribution and a change of mentality and mindset. Besides invoking the help of the Holy Spirit, what can we do to implement this? Without a doubt, the help of the Holy Spirit is fundamental because we are in the context of a work of God. But to modernise the charism requires intelligence – not in the academic sense, but more in the sense of wisdom. It takes talent and skill to listen to the cry of humanity. What is said in the document of the General Assembly of 2021 is important: today the demands of humanity that we must listen to are the cries of Jesus Forsaken. So in addition to the Holy Spirit, we need the intelligence of the charism and the wisdom that comes from life. This is not a desk exercise, an academic exercise. One can grasp the cry of the forsaken Jesus when one is in contact with the suffering of our contemporaries. What is the ‘theology of the ideal of unity’? Why is it important for fidelity to the charism? Chiara Lubich herself said that theology would be important for the future of the Focolare Movement and the charism. This means deepening the charism of unity in the light of revelation, from where it sprang, and of theological research. It is an exercise in the intelligence of the charism that is fundamental, otherwise it is not incarnated and above all it is not universalised. Without a theology of the ideal, the charism remains within the Movement. With a theology of the ideal of unity, the charism can also go outside, as well as finding a solid foundation. The theology of the Ideal of unity helps to understand it well so that it can be passed on to future generations. Life and witness always go first, but this work is also decisive. The theology of the ideal of unity prevents possible deviations. The original kerygma, encapsulated in the Gospels, needed the arduous work of the Church Fathers, great theologians, to be saved in its integrity. Doesn’t modernisation risk causing the charism to lose its identity? Quite the contrary. It is precisely not modernising that makes the charism lose its identity, because the identity of a charism is always dynamic and creative. It is always about being the same without ever being the same. This is what I have tried to express. Being static makes a charism lose its identity because it makes it lose its connection with reality. For me this is very clear: constant updating is needed for the charism to maintain its identity. And Chiara did this throughout her life. The second chapter, ‘The house of self-knowledge’, takes its cue from a letter by Catherine of Siena. Here we discover our limitations, failures, self-consciousness, the face of Jesus Forsaken. What can we do to pass the ‘test of self-knowledge’? The second chapter is fundamental in this phase we are living through, in which we have had to come to terms with our faults, our errors in incarnating the charism. What can we do to pass the test? We must live it to the full, because it is a matter of recognising that we are not up to the charism. None of us are up to the charism. This does not give rise to a sense of dismay, but rather a new trust in God, in the Holy Spirit, the author of the charism. So the test of self-knowledge is overcome by accepting the humiliation of not being up to it and placing all our trust in God. The third chapter is ‘Discernment in the light of the charism of unity’. The pope asks us to become artisans of community discernment. How should we proceed? And above all, is Chiara Lubich’s charism of unity a charism in discernment? For Pope Francis, discernment and synodality go hand in hand, both individual and communal. It is a very delicate process, because it requires intelligence, but above all listening to the Holy Spirit. Discernment asks everything of us and everything of God. And this is not simple; it is not an exercise in consensus. It is going deep in seeking God’s will at all times. I believe that the typical dynamism of the charism of unity, which we call Jesus in the midst, that is to merit the presence of Jesus among us, is an exercise in discernment. Chiara Lubich explained it quite well: to merit this presence it takes complete detachment from ourselves, listening to the Holy Spirit. It takes mutual love. Chiara herself developed the idea of trinitarian relationships, which transform community discernment into ‘trinitarian discernment’. When we aim to have Jesus in our midst, we have a trinitarian experience, with all the weaknesses, the frailties of our humanity, physicality, psychology. But we do it, and that is where discernment happens. We can read this practice of trinitarian relationships in the light of Pope Francis’ great idea of discernment and synodality. In the book you talk about two deviations: ‘the seizure of the One’ and ‘the dissolution of the One’. What are they and how can we avoid them? These temptations are really two deviations from the spirituality of unity. In the first it happens that someone takes over the mission of the community and even the mission of each person. There is someone who centralises everything, who without realising it takes the place of the Holy Spirit in the dynamic of unity. In this case the ‘we’ is seized, which is necessary for each one to flourish and make their contribution. This is where abuses of authority, abuses of conscience, and spiritual abuses occur, and it is therefore a strong risk. In the dissolution of the One the opposite happens; the spirit of communion is lost. An exaggerated individualism prevails. If someone takes over the ‘we’ beforehand, it disappears and everyone’s individualism takes over. Community life becomes an organisation where everyone seeks their own space, their own personal fulfilment. Here too the Holy Spirit, who is the dynamism of Christian life, disappears. How to avoid these? We need a moment of self-awareness: understand the mistakes made. At the same time, we need to return to living the Gospel and an authentic life of unity. Above all, I think with humility, the ability to decentralise, love for each other, and continually thinking that the person is an absolute that cannot be annulled in any way. So I think the solution is more love, truth, transparency and concrete giving of ourselves in the life of unity, the life of communion. Unity is a gift of the spirit – no one can seize it with their power or dissolve it with their individualism. Unity is an experience of God that takes all of us. Let us realise this. Finally, what can we do to ensure that all these topics in the book do not remain the best of intentions? I think it would be useful to talk about it in the community, have moments when we read certain passages, retreats, and examine our lives in the light of these suggestions. The book is meant to give hope, to keep faith intact in the charism of unity, and if it has been lost, to recover it. I hope that by sharing experiences we can restore authentic life there where it no longer exists, because in so many places life flourishes, it generates, and there are so many beautiful things.
Lorenzo Russo
Jul 12, 2023 | Non categorizzato
A theological seminar on the theme “Participate/Preside/Decide – sacramental root and communal dynamic in the journey of the people of God on mission” was held on Saturday 24th June 2023 in Loppiano (Incisa Valdarno, Florence, Italy). Over thirty academics responded to the invitation of the Evangelii Gaudium Centre (CEG) of the Sophia University Institute, to develop a proposal to revise canon law in order to rebalance, as urged by the working document (Instrumentum laboris) of the XIV Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the “relationship between the principle of authority, which is strongly affirmed in the current legislation, and the principle of participation”. Pope Francis assures us “not all discussions of doctrinal, moral or pastoral issues need to be settled by interventions of the magisterium” (Amoris Laetizia, no. 3). It is therefore crucial to listen to the sensus fidelium of the entire People of God (clergy and faithful) with all its variety of cultures. In this way, the dialogue between theology and law is motivated by a sincere process of inculturation without which there is a real risk of laying the foundations for a practical non-observance of the general principles enunciated by the Church. Prof. Vincenzo Di Pilato, academic coordinator of the CEG commented, “The point is precisely this: how to make the active participation of all the faithful within our synodal assemblies effective? Will it just be advisory? Or will it also be deliberative? Will this mean reaching a negotiation for a juridical “concession” or “recognizing” the decision-making capacity of the collective subject of ecclesial action as it emerges from the ecclesiology of Vatican II and the post-conciliar magisterium? And therefore, will it be necessary to update the Code of Canon Law?” 
In his initial greeting to the participants, Card. Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, highlighted how the synodal journey is entering a new phase: it is called to become a generative dynamic and not simply one of many events. We cannot listen to the Holy Spirit without listening to the holy people of God in that “reciprocity” that constitutes it as the “Body of Christ”. In this communal bond, the particular methodology of conversation in the Spirit, well described on the occasion of the presentation of the Instrumentum laboris, takes shape. Hence the need, referred to several times by Card. Grech, to better articulate the principle of restitution. In other words, this means that the unity of the synodal process is guaranteed by the fact that it returns to where it started, to the local Churches, and this is an important moment of the “recognition” of what has matured in listening to what the Spirit is saying to the Church today. The synodal journey seems to stand, therefore, as a significant moment in ecclesial life, capable of stimulating and activating the creative impetus and evangelical proclamation that comes from the rediscovery of the relationship with God that innervates the relationship between believers, and also as a sign for a cultural context in which it houses a silent cry of fraternity in the search for the common good. If in Prof. Severino Dianich’s report “The problems of synodality between ecclesiology and canon law” the recovery of the Pauline ecclesiology of the being-body of Christ and the enhancement of the dynamic co-essentiality of hierarchical and charismatic gifts emerged, for Prof. Alphonse Borras, this turning point requires a canonical clarification, which outlines a flexible procedural practice, capable of accompanying decision-making and participation processes through the various bodies already envisaged (episcopal council, presbytery, diocesan and parish pastoral programmes …). Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, former president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, seemed to agree with this line in his speech, “Ecclesial Synodality: is a rapid transition from the consultative to the deliberative conceivable?”. In his opinion it is possible to find in canon law a clear definition of synodality, understood as “communion of clergy and faithful in carrying out the activity of recognizing what is the good of the Church and in the ability to decide how to implement such an identified good”. At the end of the seminar, many participants expressed the wish to see the speeches of the seminar published. The CEG is working to do this by September as a further contribution to the upcoming Synod.
Antonio Bergamo
Jul 11, 2023 | Non categorizzato
On Sunday, 9 July 2023, Pope Francis appointed 21 new Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, as usual to the surprise of those concerned. Among them is Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. In congratulating His Beatitude on this appointment, we joyfully share an interview with him, taken exactly one year ago in the Holy Land. Watch the video (activate English subtitles) https://youtu.be/JFjWb1-y0ug
Jul 7, 2023 | Non categorizzato
As part of the opening event of the International Conference of the International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ) in Boston, USA, on Sunday 18 June, Prof. Joseph Sievers was awarded the 2023 Seelisberg Prize. Our interview on his return to Rome. The Seelisberg Prize is inspired by and intended to commemorate the ground-breaking gathering that took place in the small Swiss village of Seelisberg from 30 July to 5 August 1947 to address Christian teachings regarding discrimination against Jews and Judaism. This event is widely recognised as inaugurating the transformation in relations between Jews and Christians. 
The Seelisberg Prize is awarded annually (since 2022) by the International Council of Christians and Jews (ICCJ) which originated from the Seelisberg conference, and the Centre for Intercultural Theology and Religions at the University of Salzburg. It honours individuals who have played important roles through their scholarship and teaching in promoting rapprochement between Jews and Christians. Prof. Dr. Joseph Sievers (Seelisberg Prize 2023) was born and raised in Germany and began his studies at the University of Vienna and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He holds a PhD in Ancient History from Columbia University (1981) and a Lic. Theol. from the Pontifical Gregorian University (1997). He has taught at CUNY, Seton Hall Univ., Fordham Univ. and other institutions in the US, Italy and Israel. From 1991 until 2023, he taught Jewish history and literature of the Hellenistic period at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, where he was a full professor. In addition, from 2003 to 2009 he was Director of the Cardinal Bea Centre for Jewish Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Since 1965 he has been a member of the Focolare Movement, with whose Centre for Interreligious Dialogue he has collaborated since 1996. He has published several books and numerous articles, primarily in the areas of Second Temple history (in particular Flavius Josephus) and Christian-Jewish relations. With Amy-Jill Levine, he edited The Pharisees (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2021; Italian translation Milan, San Paolo, 2021; German translation planned for 2024). Professor Sievers, what does it mean to you to receive this award? It was a great surprise and when I was asked to say something about my experience, I felt a great gratitude looking back, thinking about all the moments, all the people I met, the situations in which I was able to be there and sometimes be of help. A great gratitude and, at the same time, a responsibility for the present and the future. In his speech at the award ceremony you said: “Difficulties can help us understand one another better. Difficulties can unite us”. In your long experience of this dialogue, what have been the most difficult and also the most surprising moments where you were still able to say “Anything’s possible”? 
There have been various difficult moments, but one that I particularly remember is when we had to organise a meeting for dialogue in Jerusalem in 2009. It took place a few weeks after a conflict which had left many people dead or wounded. At the same time there was the situation of Bishop (Richard Nelson) Williamson denying the holocaust. There were difficulties on all sides that made open dialogue very difficult. However, we still managed to hold the meeting. We went ahead and they were very strong, spiritual moments of communion, beyond all the problems. And then you also ask me the things that were possible, despite the difficulties? It certainly was not easy to organise a conference on the Pharisees and then publish a book. There were several points where I felt the way was barred, either for financial reasons or because someone did not agree with what we wanted to do, or because it seemed impossible to have an audience with the Pope, for a conference of this type… Instead, by collaborating – and it really was a collaboration, especially with a Jewish colleague, but also with others – it was possible to solve these problems and give something that was based on serious studies but also addressed to concrete situations in churches and parishes. Certainly there was success that did not have an immediate effect everywhere, but for example one bishop wrote to me saying “now we need to change all our teaching on the Pharisees and Judaism in the seminaries”. That is already something. How has your membership of the Focolare Movement affected this experience? Without the Focolare Movement I probably would not have entered this field. The Movement gave me the impetus to study the languages of the Bible and everything else followed from that. I entered the focolare on 28 October 1965. It was a Thursday. I arrived in the focolare in Cologne (Germany) with my bicycle that I’d brought by train with my two suitcases on the same evening that the Council in Rome was approving Nostra Aetate (Declaration on the Relations of the Church with Non-Christian Religions). This has always meant a lot to me, linking commitment to the Movement with commitment to dialogue. You were also called to officially collaborate in the Catholic Church’s dialogue with the Jews… Yes. Since 2008 I have been a Consultant of the Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism, a commission of the Holy See. And I have participated in various meetings of the ILC in Buenos Aires, Cape Town or even Budapest, Madrid, Warsaw, Rome … And are steps forward being made? One step is already being open to meet and talk to each other and to overcome difficulties along the way. Sometimes it is better to face everything over dinner together than with fiery letters. Steps are being taken and certainly there is much more to be done, the network needs to be expanded. I mean, most Christians and most Jews are not involved. Sometimes they don’t even know that there are these relationships or that we are on this journey together. There is still a lot to be done to make this known and apply it. One thing I have learned a lot from my relationships with Jews is that the questions are sometimes more important than the answers. That is, I do not and cannot claim to have all the answers. So I cannot approach the other person as someone who has found all the answers and approaches him or her from a position of superiority. My position is to be a seeker together. It is this – most dramatically when dealing with the subject of the Shoah, the Holocaust – that has to be faced together sooner or later. One thing that is essential is to look at, to be as sensitive as possible to each other’s commitments and needs. And then also to be open, and if you make a mistake you can always start again if the intention is right, tiptoeing into the other person’s environment, not with the attitude of someone who says “I know everything”. Lastly, in receiving this award, apart from feeling grateful, does it inspire Joseph Sievers in any other way? Yes, indeed. For example, there are some open questions and this stimulates me to tackle them more. And maybe it even gives me some authority to address them with certain people. I don’t know if this will happen, but it is also an incentive to continue this work, which is not finished, which will never be finished, but where some steps can be taken together.
Carlos Mana
Jul 5, 2023 | Non categorizzato
A theological seminar on the theme “Participate/Preside/Decide – sacramental root and communal dynamic in the journey of the people of God on mission” was held on Saturday 24th June 2023 in Loppiano (Incisa Valdarno, Florence). Over thirty academics responded to the invitation of the Evangelii Gaudium Centre (CEG) of the Sophia University Institute, to develop a proposal to revise canon law in order to rebalance, as urged by the working document (Instrumentum laboris) of the XIV Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, the “relationship between the principle of 
authority, which is strongly affirmed in the current legislation, and the principle of participation”. Pope Francis assures us “not all discussions of doctrinal, moral or pastoral issues need to be settled by interventions of the magisterium” (Amoris Laetizia, no. 3). It is therefore crucial to listen to the sensus fidelium of the entire People of God (clergy and faithful) with all its variety of cultures. In this way, the dialogue between theology and law is motivated by a sincere process of inculturation without which there is a real risk of laying the foundations for a practical non-observance of the general principles enunciated by the Church. Prof. Vincenzo Di Pilato, academic coordinator of the CEG commented, “The point is precisely this: how to make the active participation of all the faithful within our synodal assemblies effective? Will it just be advisory? Or will it also be deliberative? Will this mean reaching a negotiation for a juridical “concession” or “recognizing” the decision-making capacity of the collective subject of ecclesial action as it emerges from the ecclesiology of Vatican II and the post-conciliar magisterium? And therefore, will it be necessary to update the Code of Canon Law?” In his initial greeting to the participants, Card. Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod, highlighted how the synodal journey is entering a new phase: it is called to become a generative dynamic and not simply one of many events. We cannot listen to the Holy Spirit without listening to the holy people of God in that “reciprocity” that constitutes it as the “Body of Christ”. In this communal bond, the particular methodology of conversation in the Spirit, well described on the occasion of the presentation of the Instrumentum laboris, takes shape. Hence the need, referred to several times by Card. Grech, to better articulate the principle of restitution. In other words, this means that the unity of the synodal process is guaranteed by the fact that it returns to where it started, to the local Churches, and this is an important moment of the “recognition” of what has matured in listening to what the Spirit is saying to the Church today. The synodal journey seems to stand, therefore, as a significant moment in ecclesial life, capable of stimulating and activating the creative impetus and evangelical proclamation that comes from the rediscovery of the relationship with God that innervates the relationship between believers, and also as a sign for a cultural context in which it houses a silent cry of fraternity in the search for the common good. If in Prof. Severino Dianich’s report “The problems of synodality between ecclesiology and canon law” the recovery of the Pauline ecclesiology of the being-body of Christ and the enhancement of the dynamic co-essentiality of hierarchical and charismatic gifts emerged, for Prof. Alphonse Borras, this turning point requires a canonical clarification, which outlines a flexible procedural practice, capable of accompanying decision-making and participation processes through the various bodies already envisaged (episcopal council, presbytery, diocesan and parish pastoral programmes …). Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, former president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, seemed to agree with this line in his speech, “Ecclesial Synodality: is a rapid transition from the consultative to the deliberative conceivable?”. In his opinion it is possible to find in canon law a clear definition of synodality, understood as “communion of clergy and faithful in carrying out the activity of recognizing what is the good of the Church and in the ability to decide how to implement such an identified good”. At the end of the seminar, many participants expressed the wish to see the speeches of the seminar published. The CEG is working to do this by September as a further contribution to the upcoming Synod.
Antonio Bergamo
Jul 4, 2023 | Non categorizzato
Almost a month and a half after the floods that hit the regions of the Marche and Emilia-Romagna (Italy), here is the story of the personal experience of Maria Chiara Campodoni, a married focolarina, a teacher and a former municipal councillor of the Municipality of Faenza, who was a victim of this disaster. The flood that hit the Marche and Emilia-Romagna (Italy) about a month and a half ago caused the loss of 15 lives, thousands of displaced people and the flooding of 23 rivers. To date, flooding has occurred in about 100 municipal regions. Numerous landslides have affected small producers, tens of square kilometres of agricultural land and farms have been destroyed by the power of water, along with bridges and roads. The contributions collected by the Emergency Coordination Committee of the Focolare movement, AMU and AFN have reached 182,000 euros. In collaboration with APS Emilia-Romagna, a social welfare association, a local emergency committee was set up to identify areas of priority intervention which include: Cesena, Sarsina, Faenza, Castel Bolognese and Ravenna. The needs of the affected populations were assessed, especially through personal contacts and through the compilation of forms in which each person declared the damage suffered and the request for assistance. Maria Chiara Campodoni, a married focolarina, teacher, Councillor for Sport from 2010-2015 and President of the Municipal Council of Faenza 2015-2020, was severely affected. She told us about the misfortune of this experience but also expressed her hope for the future. Maria Chiara, what happened to you and your family? There were two floods in Faenza. On 2nd May, the water came into our house for the first time, to a depth of 30 cms. It was in the afternoon, in daylight. My son and I were in the house. At first it was like an adventure, my husband had gone to collect the other two children from sports activities. That night we decided that they should not come home because there was much more water outside than inside and we only have windows and doors on the ground floor. Getting them back into the house would have meant letting a lot more water in. So they went to sleep with their grandparents and the two of us tried to take some things upstairs, we ate something in the bedroom and went to bed. Even the firefighters who had passed by had reassured us, telling us that the situation would not get any worse. The next day the water level between inside and outside was the same and then we decided to leave the house. A fortnight later the authorities started advising people to evacuate the ground floors because it was going to happen again. The whole city went on alert and realized that it had to get organized because something even more serious was going to happen. And what happened the second time? 
The second flood, the one from which we had to escape, came in the evening. Around 8.30 pm, the river bank just above our house collapsed. Until that moment, since we obtained a pump for inside the house, we hadn’t gone outside convinced that we could control the flow with the pumps and keep the water level down also with the help of sandbags. But within 20 minutes the water had reached the first floor, up to 3 metres in a very short time and suddenly we found ourselves trapped. We called the rescuers who immediately responded saying that they would arrive, but in the meantime, that afternoon, the Savio River in Cesena had also flooded, so the civil protection workers and the firefighters, who until the day before were all in Faenza, were already spread out in the various areas. Moreover, in my street the current was so strong that the motor vehicles only managed to get in at 04:00 at night and we would not have been able to resist until then. The firemen told us to go to the rooftops, but we don’t have a skylight, so it meant going outside, floating. The situation was really dangerous. (In the photo, the arrow indicates the level reached by the water). At one point a cousin of my husband, who saw on social media that the river had broken through the embankment beside our house, called him and asked him if we were already out. Just from our voices he could tell that we were in danger and since he is an athlete, as a boy he was a surfer, he put on his wetsuit, took his surfboard and threw himself into the current. He swam to our house and pushing the surf board, one at a time, he loaded us on it and took us to safety, to the city walls, 500 meters from our house. What did you see outside? Immersed in the current, the whole perspective changed. The water had already surpassed the street signs, so you no longer knew if you were on the street or in the garden of a house. We passed over gates, over garages and we were so high that at one point he asked me to cling to what looked like a bush, but in reality, now that I can see it, it was a tree. I was the last one to be saved. We were welcomed into the house of a lady who knows us. We were soaking wet. She gave us clean clothes. That night was very cold, terrible conditions and it was raining. We warmed up and then we were able to go the 6 kms from the city where my mother-in-law lives. We were really lucky because we were among the first to get out. We did not experience what many told us afterwards was a night of real terror in the city. Were the children aware of the danger? Yes. I have three children aged 10, 8 and 6. At one point, the youngest kept running down the stairs because we could see the water rising step by step and he said to me: “I can only see 5 steps, 4 four steps. Let’s go to the terrace, we have to run away” and we said “we need to stay here at the window, because it’s raining outside. The police are coming.” They realized and slowly had to process what was happening, especially the oldest. We feared that in just an hour we wouldn’t make it. When we arrived at grandma’s they were calmer even though when they got there they began to realize that we had lost everything. They were saying, “Mum, we don’t have schoolbags anymore, we don’t have books, now what?” I explained to them that many would help us. And so it was. How were those first days? Where did you find shelter? 
We stayed with my mother-in-law for a few days because we couldn’t move around town. Then, later, we were welcomed by an aunt of a friend of my son who lives abroad and who lent us her house in the centre for a month. It was 10 minutes’ walk from where we lived so we were able to go to our house and start clearing it. It was a tight fit, but it really was a great gift which I realized even more later, when I started hearing other people’s stories. Volunteers also began to arrive throughout the city. Because of the Focolare Movement and my husband’s contacts, we always had help. People came from Parma, from Piacenza, from Veneto even including people who themselves have been through the earthquake in Emilia some years ago. There was a beautiful atmosphere of concrete help, and it was in this climate that, slowly, I began to throw everything away but I was really serene. Shovelling mud is an all-encompassing thing at the beginning, you try to do your best, with all your strength and then you realize that it’s not the things, the objects that make up your life, but everything else. Your husband has a restaurant… Yes. He could see from the cameras that fortunately the water didn’t get in but he wanted to see in person. One day he left at six in the morning thinking of taking the motorway but even that was closed. We came up with an idea: “let’s call the deputy mayor, and let’s tell him that if the civil protection can bring you to the restaurant, you could start cooking for everyone in need.” The idea was willingly accepted because there were already many displaced people., Luckily they had been able to bring many disabled and elderly people to a hotel which is very close to my husband’s restaurant, but which does not have working kitchens. So my husband and two employees stayed the whole day at the restaurant and made 700 meals between lunch and dinner. There were 100 displaced people and then firefighters, civil protection personnel and since the restaurant is located right on Via Emilia, an access point, many of the people who had been stuck in the street, who had slept in the car without eating, came to the restaurant asking for help. The whole area of Cesena and Forlì was paralyzed. What are you going to do now? At the moment we have left that small house that we were using. We will move into a house that we have by the sea for a while and then we have rented an apartment for 18 months while we are waiting to fix up our house. The idea is to return to it in September 2024. But there are many questions, first of all to understand if there will be companies that can renovate all these houses, because there are so many of us. We’re talking about 12,000 people who are out of their houses. There are 6,000 families in our city alone and some houses, the oldest, have been declared uninhabitable. Now the houses have to dry out. We’ve already destroyed everything. We had parquet floors which we had to remove. The false ceilings on the ground floor came down on their own when the water came in. We had help to disconnect the toilets. Now every morning we go to open the windows and in the evening we go to close them and to turn on the dehumidifier. Luckily it’s summer, if this had happened in the autumn, it would have been an even greater disaster. Is help still coming? Absolutely yes and in many ways. For example, at the beginning we had thought of looking for an already furnished house so as not to have to have a double move, but we realized that people started to give everything: wardrobes, mattresses, furniture, and sofas. We decided to take an empty house so that we can begin to redecorate with this providence and then, in 18 months, bring everything back to our home, also because then there will certainly be other needs. People are really happy to help and I have to say that for me it was a lesson. I remember that one day, after the first flood, the house was upside down and the washing machine was broken. I said to myself, “I’ll prepare three bags, one of white clothes, one with coloured and one with dark ones, and then I’ll go to work. To the first colleague who asks me ‘how can I help you?’, I’ll say ‘would you be able to take all these clothes to wash’”. I was still at the door of the school and the bags were already taken. In these cases there is a stronger bond with people and above all I wasn’t too proud to ask for help. We accepted what was given to us and I feel that it is also a way to be honest about my needs and say okay, we love each other like this, just as we are. We also had a good relationship with our neighbours. We have lived there for four and a half years but I had never entered so many neighbour’s gardens, because life is hectic, we’re always in a rush. Whereas, now you go in, you greet each other, you help each other. What stage is it at now? The second phase has begun, that of establishing citizen committees to begin communicating with the municipal administration. I would immediately have excluded myself for various reasons, especially because in the past I held certain roles but then I realized that without taking on too much, by listening, by staying in the chats, by helping those responsible for these committees, I can do my part. I owe it to my children who still ask me “but do we have to go back to live there? Will we build an external staircase to the roof for the next time?” We need an active citizenship to keep an eye on the situation. I felt that I had to use my experience in the right way, building as many connections as possible, because now, as always happens with reconstruction, the greatest fear is to remain alone. Are you hopeful? Yes, absolutely. The other day we wanted to give a gift to the lady who offered us her house for the first month and, since Faenza is a city of ceramics, I bought a plaque to hang on the wall with the sentence, “The beautiful things of life are messy”. I thought, this was a huge, huge mess. We will need time to get back on track and we will make it, but I feel that I would never have had certain experiences without having gone through this difficult moment. I really feel that I have reached that point where you look at the essentials, at what really matters. It was terrible, but I can’t just think about the disaster, that the water took everything away and that was the end. There is much more to it than this.
Maria Grazia Berretta (Interview with Carlos Mana – Photo: by Maria Chiara Campodoni)
Jun 30, 2023 | Non categorizzato
In Japan, a group of women of different religions has set up the ‘CommuniHeart project’, a suicide prevention project that focuses on self-awareness, communication and community support. The CommuniHeart project is organised by Religions for Peace Japan (World Conference of Religions for Peace). https://youtu.be/NPs9U3pfLZs
Jun 27, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The level reached by artificial intelligence poses new ethical questions: how can technological development be progressed on a human scale? A Call to Action for developers and innovators in the digital world. A horizon that concerns us all. June 2023, Sophia University Institute: on the screen of the Aula Magna a digital hostess elegantly opens the seminar “Towards a Digital Oath”. We are crossing a threshold: the preparation began a long time ago, but the acceleration of recent times says something new. 
Promoted by a platform of protagonists: the Sophia Global Studies Research Centre, the Political Movement for Unity, NetOne, New Humanity and Digital Oath, the aim of the seminar is to address the pressing issues of the digital world according to different perspectives: philosophical, technological, ethical, social and political, leading up to a discussion about the proposal of an “oath”, that for professionals in the digital world would be equivalent to the Hippocratic Oath for doctors. Where does this idea come from? What are the goals? The technological world tends to change rapidly, faster than our ability to adapt. The complexity of the machines and systems that structure reality affects not only the way we live, but also the way we see the world and think about the future. The level reached by “AI – artificial intelligence”, alongside enthusiasm for its operational capabilities, presents a general concern about the new possibilities being opened up by these systems and the effects that can result from their malicious use. The recent spread of ChatGPT (November 2022) and all its spin-offs has brought AI massively closer to our daily lives, giving rise to new questions of meaning related to the understanding of what is human and what is not. In the world panorama, the evolution of these devices has produced a kind of disorientation, not only because their use appears within the reach of everyone, but above all because they 
demonstrate that they do something that was previously the prerogative of human beings, with quantitatively superior capacities. The fact that we are faced with systems that are not “intelligent” in the human sense of the term and that manage their knowledge base through statistical calculations does not change the final result: the feeling of no longer being the authors of fundamental choices, of being challenged by machines that are less like “tools” and more like “colleagues”. The “Towards a Digital Oath” seminar added an important theme to these issues which is that questioning the ethics of technologies means questioning what is human. Many people consider technological development as the human activity that characterizes us most. Digital technologies, and in particular AI, are those that most accurately reflect our way of being and of understanding our existence. The crises of the last century (of values, environmental, social and political) are closely related to them and indicate that technological development must be accompanied by an equally determined educational commitment, so that every form of progress can be guided by a deeper ethical awareness. The “oath” for the digital world goes precisely in this direction. The programme of the first days of June convened a range of experts (link to the programme). After an initial broad overview of today’s digital technologies, the discussion explored the risks and regulations related to their use in Italy, the EU, the US, Brazil and China, intertwining technological solutions with political issues, philosophical reflections and social phenomena. Fadi Chehadé, former CEO of ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), promoter of the “oath” for an ethics of the digital world and visiting professor at the Sophia Institute, said, “We need to make a concrete and universally shared commitment to which developers, technicians and users of digital technologies can adhere and firmly anchor their work on a human centred approach”. Fadi Chehadé has been involved in this project since November 2019, when the first group met in Trent (Italy) to shape the project. Subsequently, the group involved scholars in various countries and participated in the UN-sponsored public consultation for the Global Digital Compact 2024. The purpose of the Digital Oath is precise: to suggest guidelines and ethically motivate developers and innovators of the digital world to put the dignity and quality of life of people and communities, the sense of human existence and respect for fundamental rights and the environment, at the centre. The proposal to “translate” the Hippocratic Oath for the digital world has already emerged in various international studies, which underline the urgency of the issue and the responsibility of those who create and manage digital services and administer data. It includes not only the new neural networks but also social networks and cryptocurrencies. Our work adds to that of other networks: now we need to join forces to establish a coalition between universities, the private sector and organizations committed to writing a code of ethics, a self-regulatory protocol that can benefit people, society and the environment. There is an initial wording of the oath on the new Digital Oath website and it is attracting support; suggestions and changes to the text are welcome and it will be progressively developed. The recordings and documents of the Seminar will soon be available on the website. The road is certainly uphill but there are many of us on the journey: it is a horizon that concerns us all.
Andrea Galluzzi
Jun 23, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church held its fifteenth plenary session from 1st-7th June 2023 in Alexandria, Egypt. It was hosted by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa. Agreement was reached on a new document entitled “Synodality and Primacy in the Second Millennium and Today”. We interviewed theologian Piero Coda, who attended the meeting. Fr. Coda, can you tell us how it went, who took part and what was the main objective? It was the 15th plenary session of the “Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church” which was held in Alexandria, Egypt, under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Job of Pisidia (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople) and Cardinal Kurt Koch (Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity), with the cordial hospitality of Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria. It was a question of completing the stage of dialogue inaugurated by the document of Ravenna (2007). After developing the theological framework shared by Orthodox and Catholics about the interdependence of synodality and primacy in the life of the Church, it provided an historical examination of the situation experienced in the first millennium, proposed by the document of Chieti (2016) and reached a description of the situation experienced in the second millennium, which was the object of the document approved in Alexandria. Due to the well-known vicissitudes which torment the Orthodox world, the Patriarchate of Russia left the work of the Commission. There were no representatives of the Patriarchates of Antioch, Bulgaria and Serbia at the meeting in Alexandria, while the remaining 10 delegations of the other Patriarchates (Constantinople, Alexandria, Jerusalem, Romania, Georgia) and the autocephalous Churches (Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Albania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia) were present. In what terms is it possible to speak of Synodality in the ecumenical sense and what considerations emerged also taking the past into account? The theme is illustrated in the Introduction: “The present document considers the troubled history of the second millennium (…) It strives to give as far as possible a common reading of that history, and it gives Orthodox and Roman Catholics a welcome opportunity to explain themselves to one another at various points along the way, so as to further the mutual understanding and trust that are essential prerequisites for reconciliation at the start of the third millennium.” The result is a clearer and more shared understanding of the reasons that have led, not infrequently for reasons of a historical-political rather than theological nature, to encourage a distance that has not only prevented attempts at reconciliation made over the centuries from coming to fruition, but has exacerbated the polemical interpretation of the other party and the apologetic stiffening of its position. The enhancement of openness to a new situation marked by the rapprochement that occurred in the twentieth century must be noted: it favours a more pertinent assessment of the actual meaning and theological weight of what still prevents full and visible unity. What are the future prospects? The document emphasizes that the “return to the sources” of the faith and the strategy of the dialogue of charity between the “sister Churches” promoted, in the wake of Vatican II, by Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, are significant. The Catholic Church’s commitment today, tenaciously desired by Pope Francis, to rediscover and reactivate the principle of synodality also stimulates hope. What lies ahead? The document states that, “The Church is not properly understood as a pyramid, with a primate governing from the top, but neither is it properly understood as a federation of self-sufficient Churches. Our historical study of synodality and primacy in the second millennium has shown the inadequacy of both of these views. Similarly, it is clear that for Roman Catholics synodality is not merely consultative, and for Orthodox primacy is not merely honorific”. Therefore, the interdependence between synodality and primacy, this was the firm point which was achieved, “is a fundamental principle in the life of the Church. It is intrinsically related to the service of the unity of the Church at the local, regional and universal levels. However, principles must be applied in specific historical settings (…) What is required in new circumstances is a new and proper application of the same governing principle.” This perspective paves the way for the continuation of the journey and the opening of a new phase.
Carlos Mana e Maria Grazia Berretta (photo: ©Dicastero per la promozione dell’Unità dei cristiani)
Jun 22, 2023 | Non categorizzato
Entering into prayer helps us connect deeply with the presence of God in our lives. Chiara Lubich, Rev. Pasquale Foresti and Igino Giordani outline a spirituality for everyone, in daily life in towns and cities all over the world. I realized, that modern times require a rather special kind of prayer. … In the past, people thought that the world and the universe were fixed, immovable. People had to find God through the stars, through flowers, through contemplation, peace, they found union with God through moments of recollection and prayer in the church, in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Instead, nowadays, people see that the world is in evolution – it’s constantly changing. Everything is changing and human beings also find themselves in this constant movement, they too are in race towards perfection. So, people can no longer stand still and contemplate, they have to … participate with God in this evolution, in this continuing creation. So, everything you do in your job – at school, in the office, in the factory – is all part of building up the world together with God the Creator, of making the world develop. However, we have to take it ahead with the idea that we are participating in the creative work of God. Seen this way, our work is sacred. We are like the arms of God the Creator who keeps building up the world.
(Chiara Lubich, Castel Gandolfo, 25 February 1989 in “Il Respiro di Dio” [The Breath of God] edited by Fabio Ciardi, Città Nuova, 2022, p.122-123).
A very important form of prayer can be experienced in work. I am thinking especially of people working in manufacturing, of all those people who during the day are overwhelmed by a workload that almost takes away their very ability to think and so, in a certain sense, also makes it almost impossible for them to pray. If each morning, with a simple intention, we offer our daily life to God, then we will live deeply in relationship with God throughout the day. And I think that when in the evening, these people who have worked so hard, are able to recollect themselves with God, even if only for a few moments despite their tiredness, they will find unity with him: they will find it because they have worked all day in relationship with him. And this is truly the most important thing: to be in a right relationship with him. And this, after all, is what humanity wants to hear today, that the whole universe and all that happens in it, can be understood in religious terms and can be transformed into one great prayer that rises up to God from the world.
Rev. Pasquale Foresi (in “Dio ci chiama. Conversazioni sulla vita cristiana” [God calls. Talks on Christian life] Città Nuova, 2003, p.116).
This morning I felt as if I had come closer to God. I don’t think I had ever felt him so close to me. My joy was, and is, great. I feel that I have found access to Him, freely; and my intention is never to stray away from him again. By the grace of God, I have overcome the obstacles that kept me clinging to the earth. Now I am on earth, and I dwell in heaven (my ambition is huge, but His mercy is even greater. I love God so much). I am no longer hindered by the impulses of vanity, of preferences in friendships. I go directly to God, discarding these wretched things. People may betray me, slander me, even kill me: but I have God; and I love these people, without being dependent on them. I belong to God. I do not need anything else.
Igino Giordani (in “Diario di Fuoco” [Diary of Fire], Città Nuova, 1992, p.196).
Activate English subtitles https://youtu.be/nCT9WVDhcuk
Jun 16, 2023 | Non categorizzato
Today, the first episode of the new podcast, produced by the United World Project, has been published. The podcast tells stories of changemakers that have decided to start a new business, inspired by a spark that pushed them to act for the improvement of their society.
A spark can inspire change
Today, on 16th of June 2023, the United World Project is happy to present to you a new podcast in english: Sparks. In every new episode we will tell stories of changemakers from different parts of the world that gave life to a project, a company or an activity, after being inspired by a “spark”: a small light that has influenced many other people. Each one of them will take us to their country, where we’ll immerse ourselves in a new culture, and tell us how their project started. We do not have to be Greta Thunberg or Gandhi to initiate change. We believe that each one of us can make a difference. Maybe, all that’s needed is just a spark.
The first episode: Giving back to society one jar at a time
Giving back to society, one jar at a time. We all have big dreams. Mabih’s was to work at the United Nations, and for years she did all she could to make it come true. But things did not go as she hoped. In 2019, she realized that what she thought was her dream to help others was maybe in fact her own personal desire for affirmation in society. So she allowed that dream to transform, and her life changed in ways she could never imagine. Today, Nji Mabih runs a small business, she is 38 years old and lives in Cameroon. To keep reading, click here. To listen to the episode immediately on Spotify, click here! If you prefer to listen to podcasts on other platforms, you can also find “Sparks” on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Amazon Music, Anghami and Audible. Enjoy!
Laura Salerno
Jun 16, 2023 | Non categorizzato
Letting God dwell in us: this is the starting point to safeguard and give joyful witness of the inestimable value of unity and peace, in charity and truth; to enrich ourselves and be seeds of goodness and brotherhood for the world. Without measuring hatred I live in a Ukrainian town on the border with Slovakia. We are not being bombed but we experience the terrible consequences of the war: displaced people with all their needs, the demand for torches and candles, medicines, blankets… A great darkness has descended on our land. News about people who betray others, of those who get rich in these terrible situations, of those who exploit others are the order of the day: when it triumphs, evil has no rules, no limits. But in spite of everything, something else happens: the people here feel involved in the pain of others and look for solutions. The need for warmth, protection and solidarity has returned to families. I witness this paradox of a war of evil and of the triumph of good. We tell the story of Chiara Lubich and her first followers: they too began during a war and they did not measure hatred, but turned on good and then spread everywhere. The forces of evil will not prevail. Our gratitude is a true prayer that rises to heaven like a song of praise to the God who is Love. (S.P. – Ukraine) A chain of love In the waiting room of my shop, the customers usually exchange news and since I hadn’t seen Mrs. Adele, an elderly woman who sometimes came to us, for a long time, I asked one of them for her news. So I learned that Adele was seriously ill and, driven by the desire to see her again, one day I decided to visit her. I found Mrs. Adele, alone and without relatives, completely abandoned. I immediately I circulated a request for help, looking for someone who could keep her company. Three clients responded immediately. A kind of competition started until one of their sons worked hard to get her admitted to a home that provided assistance and care. I too volunteered to give my services as a hairdresser, not only for Adele but for anyone. Adele’s story has shown me that it is enough to begin with concrete acts of charity; the chain of love then unfolds quickly and effectively. (F.D.R. – Italy) A School of Solidarity In the desert, outside the city of Egypt where I live, there are 1000 people with leprosy. Until a few years ago no one knew about this colony. We went to check the situation and found that they lacked everything. No doctors visited them. We contacted Carita and we opened our group to other young Christians and Muslims with whom we go there on our days off work. Two of us are medical students and are in charge of medical care, so they brushed up on the methods of treatment for leprosy. Others gave their time to paint the houses and make them more comfortable. A young journalist has published some articles in various newspapers and magazines in order to inform as many people as possible and raise awareness of the problem. Above all, we realized that the patients of this colony need someone to listen to them, which for them is almost more important than medicine. This experience has become a real school for us: it has made us understand how each of us can give our contribution for others. (H.F.S.- Egypt)
compiled by Maria Grazia Berretta
(taken from The Gospel of the Day, New City, year IX – no. 1 May-June 2023)
Jun 14, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The Meeting on Human Fraternity took place in the Vatican on 10 June 2023. The Focolare Movement together with a number of other ecclesial movements and international associations and organisations took part in this international event. It was represented by its president, Margaret Karram and a number of other focolarini including Christian Abrahao Da Silva who spoke about his impressions. The meeting had a number of aims: these included promoting and developing the process of participation, rediscovering the meaning of fraternity and building it together through dialogue, knowledge, opportunities for encounter and sharing words and actions. The gathering was promoted by the Fratelli Tutti Foundation and St. Peter’s Papal Basilica, under the patronage of Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican and Vicar General of the Vatican State. It was inspired by the encyclical Fratelli Tutti and participants included several Nobel Peace Laureates and a number of well known people from the worlds of science, culture and law. They were given the task of creating a “Call to Commitment for Human Fraternity.” The document they produced was read by two Nobel Prize laureates, Nadia Murad and Muhammad Yunus, during the Festival held in St. Peter’s Square in the afternoon and was later signed by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, on behalf of Pope Francis as well as the group that drafted the document. Christian Abrahao Da Silva, a focolarino who attended the Meeting, tells us what an extraordinary moment it was. Christian, what did taking part in this event dedicated to world fraternity mean to you? First of all, it was a great honour. Margaret Karram, the Focolare president, another focolarina called Corres Kwak and I represented the entire Movement during this great event. Its goal was to promote fraternity and social friendship among people and among peoples, as an antidote to the many forms of violence and war taking place in the world. The meeting was held in two parts: the morning session took place in the ancient synod hall, with the presence of representatives of various church movements and associations. Instead, in the afternoon, a large Festival was held in St. Peter’s Square and this connected with events taking place in various squares around the world. How did the Meeting begin? During the morning, we took part in two working groups where we were asked to answer two questions: “What are we doing concretely to achieve social fraternity and environmental fraternity?” and “Is there still an ‘us’?” These were very good sessions in which everyone was involved. People talked a lot about the “garden” in reference to the Garden of Eden about which Pope Francis had written in Fratelli Tutti. The words used most often were were: compassion, responsibility (political and economic), sharing, integral promotion, recognition of every human person, care and welcome. It was a real ecclesial experience: there was great hope that this can grow and witness to the need to rediscover and strengthen human fraternity. What impressed you the most? In addition to the group of Nobel Peace Prize winners and the group of ecclesial movements and associations, there was also a group of 30 young students from various Italian schools who were accompanied by their religious education teachers. They had taken part in a competition to express the theme of the Meeting in a variety of different artistic forms. Their presence was an important sign of the commitment of the new generations to learning about fraternity. Other things that struck me were the experiences that some people shared on Festival stage in the afternoon and the artists who shared their talents so freely and joyfully.
What does the Focolare Movement take home after this event? Pope Francis relaunches fraternity as a new anthropological paradigm on which to rebuild actions and laws because “fraternity has something positive to offer freedom and equality” (Fratelli Tutti, no. 103). This notion brought to mind a talk by Chiara Lubich entitled, “Freedom, equality…what happened to fraternity?” It was one of those events that encourages us to throw ourselves more and more into the heart of our charism of unity. Moreover, Cardinal Gambetti really touched our hearts when he explained the inspiration behind the Meeting. He said it was both a “process and experience, a first step in rediscovering the meaning of fraternity and building it culturally.” He continued by saying that becausé it is not giveǹ biologically, fraternity needs encounter and dialogue, knowledge and shared words and gestures, common languages and the experience of beauty.
Maria Grazia Berretta
Jun 8, 2023 | Non categorizzato
As is well known, on the 7th of June, Pope Francis underwent surgery at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome. The Pope is “in a generally good condition” and is peaceful. He is thankful for the messages of solidarity that are being sent to him from all over the world and asks people to continue praying for him. Margaret Karram has also sent him prayers and affection on behalf of the whole Focolare Movement.
Rocca di Papa, 8th June 2023
Your Holiness, dear Pope Francis,
We anxiously followed the news of the surgery you underwent yesterday and are delighted with the recent comforting reports about your health. United with the whole Church, we accompany you with the prayers and spiritual offerings of the Movement’s communities around the world. We assure you that we will continue to support you, asking the Father for your full recovery, so that you may continue your invaluable ministry.
I send you my most affectionate greetings and those of the Focolare Movement!
Your daughter in Christ,
Margaret Karram
May 31, 2023 | Senza categoria
A meeting was held on the 27 and 28 May in Loppiano (Florence-Italy) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the birth of the Loppiano Prima Cooperative. Fifty years on from the 19 May 1973, the date the cooperative was set up, the event provided a unique opportunity to recall the founding moments, take stock of the journey travelled so far and re-launch productive and commercial activities, looking ahead to the future. We would like to share with you an interview with Maria Ghislandi and Giuseppe Marvelli who were two of its founding members. “You cannot have a future without memory so it is crucial to go back to the roots, and in this break we wish to emphasize our ongoing commitment to recovering, reviving and translating into the present day context, the founding inspirations and prophetic sparks given to the Cooperative over time by Chiara Lubich”. It was with these words that Beatrice Vecchione, the current President of the Loppiano Prima Cooperative, opened the weekend of celebrations entitled Love for Creation, a prophecy on the move, a special occasion commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Cooperative’s foundation that took place on 27 and 28 May 2023 in the Auditorium of Loppiano, the Focolare Movement’s international little town near Florence in Italy. It was a weekend of exchanging and sharing ideas with a view towards integral ecology which revealed the heart of this pioneering experience of ecological agriculture during Laudato Sì Week. 
“Loppiano Prima”, Beatrice Vecchione continued, “has its own physiognomy and typical characteristics well captured by the title and because it undoubtedly reflects five decades of “love for creation and of a prophecy on the move”, a prophecy of which, going back to the roots, Raffaella Pinassi Cardinali – one of the pioneers and someone who has always been a point of reference for the agricultural cooperative that was started in 1973 on the wave of a challenge – to support the construction and development of the little town of Loppiano. Starting on 19 May of that year, with 8 founding members eager to put to good use the land in the Chianti hills of Florentine Valdarno donated to the Focolare Movement by the Folonari family, Loppiano Prima has become a cooperative with a widespread shareholding system that currently has 3,256 shareholders. As stated in its Articles of Association, “it has no speculative purpose and is governed by the principles of mutuality that prevails”. Furthermore, “its main purpose is to achieve the community’s general interest in promoting humanity and integrating its citizens in society, as well as contributing to the implementation of universal fraternity”. This is how, over the last 50 years, on uncultivated land that had been abandoned when many farmers emigrated in the post-war period, Loppiano Prima Cooperative has become the protagonist of a unique experience of ante litteram ecological agriculture which has put humanity, nature and their relationship with each other at the centre. A topic that is active and operational within Loppiano but which is also present in and for the region, the fruit of the generosity, tenacity and passion of so many volunteers of God of the Focolare Movement who felt the call to respond to Chiara Lubich’s prophecy 50 years ago, giving God through work; above all the fruit of the faith of those who believed in and wanted to take care of that dream that we have now inherited: to love creation, making of one’s own life a true witness of the Gospel. Now we will share Maria Ghislandi and Giuseppe Marvelli’s stories, two of the founding members of Loppiano Prima. https://youtu.be/IQzEiEkzwAQ
May 30, 2023 | Non categorizzato
An Ecumenical Chapel was recently inaugurated at the Fiore Educational Centre in Mixco (Guatemala). The Directors Maresa Ramírez and Luis Martinez told us how the idea came about at the same time as Pentecost, which is when the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated in the southern hemisphere. 
“We don’t just focus on one Christian denomination, we look for what unites us within Christianity. That’s why our chapel is ecumenical. We want everyone to feel part of the family of our Educational Centre, we want to include each other.” With these words, Maresa Ramírez explained the objective of the new ecumenical chapel built in the Fiore Educational Centre in Mixco (Guatemala), of which she is General Director and works together with Luis Martinez, who is the Administrative Director. 
The Centre has been welcoming children from different Christian denominations for 10 years and following the pandemic, the number has gradually increased. The chapel is part of the school’s educational plan which is based on academic, physical-emotional and spiritual processes. The chapel offers several elements to try to favour a relationship with God, while taking into account the age of the children who attend the school. Luis Martinez told us: “The project of the chapel includes ideas based on play, using games to bring children closer to God and have a relationship with Him. For example, we have installed tubes that run from the entrance of the chapel towards the Cross, so that if a child wishes, they can send a secret message to Jesus. Then, the clouds create the atmosphere of the sky, because we place God in relationship with the sky. The children are the focus and when they enter this place there is immediately a relationship which is both fun and serious at the same time”. The school offers children this space where they can go when they feel they would like to spend a moment with God. In the area of education in faith and values, the children learn how to do origami, so that they can write their acts of love, and leave them there, offering them to Jesus, “on the basis of what Chiara Lubich taught children: when you do an act of love, think of it like a little parcel and send it to Heaven”. The occasion of the inauguration was a great example of collaboration, since the dialogue between the Focolare Movement in Guatemala and the Ecumenical Christian Council of Guatemala is extensive. Luis Martinez told us, “We have built a relationship with each of the members, in particular with the Catholic Bishop, Monsignor Valenzuela. When we spoke to him, we realized how important the existence of this chapel is, because in the Guatemalan ecumenical reality, dialogue is really essential”. Apart from these existing contacts based on fraternity, people from 7 Christian Churches came too and about 25 people participated in the inauguration of the chapel. The inauguration was organized by the Fiore Educational Centre and Monsignor Valenzuela and included psalms, reading of the Word and several prayers of blessing and praise. The pupils said a prayer for peace. The director, Ramírez, concluded, “It was a very good moment. Those who intervened noticed that the children are at the centre of our educational plan and that we are the first school in the country to have an ecumenical chapel“.
Diego Santizo
May 27, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The trip to Asia and Oceania by Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement, has come to an end. Here are some updates on what they experienced on the final stage: Indonesia Panongan (Indonesia), 17th of May 2023 – It is 8 a.m. in the morning in the Catholic parish of St. Odelia, about two hours from Jakarta. Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo, Cardinal of the Indonesian capital, has arranged a meeting for representatives of the government and law enforcement agencies, the municipality, the villages, as well as Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu religious leaders. The purpose was to tell the President and Co-President of the Focolare about a pilot social project, being conducted collaboratively by all these sectors of society, in support of the city of Tangerang/Banten. With more than two million inhabitants, this is the third most populous area west of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, which with all its satellite cities has almost thirty million inhabitants. It is an area where there is great development, but also economic inequality. The people living in the villages are poor, working in the rice fields, living off the land and raising chickens, goats, and a few cows. This area, with an overwhelming Muslim majority, is within the St Odelia parish. Father Felix Supranto – known as “Romo Felix” by everyone (“romo” means “father” in Bahasa, the country’s official language) is the dynamic parish priest of St. Odelia’s. He has the gift of knowing how to bring people together. He is our host along with the many parishioners he has involved in various social projects over the years.
The Cardinal explained: ‘The dialogue we have here with our brothers and sisters of different religions is something concrete,’ ‘it looks at the needs of the people. There is a need for houses, to create job opportunities, to bring water to the villages. We are working on this ‘together’ and it is important that the President and Co-President of the Focolare have come here to see what could be a model of dialogue, also outside Indonesia. Our country’s motto is ‘unity in diversity’ and it very much expresses who we are, and how we face challenges.” “We are honoured to have you with us,” said Father Felix to Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, “to share the journey we are on. So far, we have built twelve houses to help the poor and it is this working together that makes us brothers and sisters, even with our differences. The day continued with a visit to a school for children from 6 to 15 years old, to several villages where, thanks to the funds raised, it has been possible to bring water, to breed cows, goats and catfish and where the added value is the full involvement of everyone: institutions and local people. The visit to the madrassa – an Islamic school – is the last appointment of this first day of visits that shows us the supportive and communitarian character that is the real strength of this country. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika – we are different, but we are one Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, ‘We are different, but we are one’ is in fact the motto of Indonesia, inscribed on the national coat of arms depicting an ancient deity, the Javanese eagle. 
A record breaking country With its 17,000 islands and more than three hundred ethnic groups, each with its own vibrant cultural tradition, Indonesia is a country of rich diversity. And today the population proudly presents itself to the world as an example of tolerance and coexistence between diverse cultures and religions. One example among many: the Istiqlal (Independence) Mosque in Jakarta is the largest in South-East Asia. It stands directly opposite the Catholic cathedral and during major Christian celebrations, such as Christmas, the mosque gives support by providing parking spaces for Christian worshippers; it happens the other way around on Islamic feast days. Indonesia has the highest biodiversity on the planet, but deforestation and exploitation of resources are threatening the preservation of these natural environments with serious consequences. Wealth is unevenly distributed, and it is estimated that 27,000 millionaire families (0.1% of the population) own more than half of the country’s wealth. Although it is not easy to get accurate statistics, the population is estimated at 273 million, making it the fourth most populous country in the world. Indonesia has the highest Muslim population in the world (86.1 %); Christians of various Churches make up 10.53 %, and religious affiliation is recorded on identity cards. The focolarini in Southeast Asia and Pakistan Jakarta, 19th May 2023 – Seeing the focolarini from Southeast Asia and Pakistan who have arrived in Jakarta to meet with Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, the great potential of the Asian continent comes to light. They witness to the encounter between very different peoples and cultures: from Thailand to Myanmar, from Vietnam to Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. Many of them were connected online, like the focolarini in Pakistan for example, but the distance does not prevent a deep communion in which we witnessed both the challenges of inculturation in individual countries and the strength of unity, which can reach the most diverse environments. 
There was a very attentive atmosphere during the question-and-answer session with Margaret Karram, Jesús Morán, Rita Moussallem and Antonio Salimbeni (who are jointly responsible for the Focolare’s interreligious dialogue). The women focolarine from Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) asked how to spread the spirituality of unity in these times when it is difficult to interest people, and especially young people. “On this trip to Asia and Oceania,” Margaret explained, “I realised that the way we have been offering the spirituality of unity up to now has to change, because society has changed. We are all living so ‘connected’ to one another that we need to find a way of presenting the various vocations not each one on its own, but alongside one another. Perhaps we could do this when we meet as a community of the Movement at a local level; then it will be God who speaks to the heart of each one, calling them to the different paths. I see that what touches people’s hearts is caring for people personally, building true relationships, made of selfless love. People should find in each of us a brother, a sister, a friend. Only when we have built a relationship can, we invite them to get to know the spirituality of the Focolare”. “Sometimes we might think that we do not have the right means for interesting people in the spirituality of unity,” continued Jesús in the same vein, “but we must beware of giving in to the temptation to adapt what we say to the flow of the world in order to be accepted at all costs. We have to be in the world, because it is beautiful, God created it, but we should feel the contrast with the world; it is Christian to experience it, because we belong to a truth, the truth of Christ, which goes beyond the world’. Dialogue as a way of life Jakarta, 20th May-Yogyakarta, 21st May 2023 – “Since February 2021, our life in Myanmar has changed completely. My region is the one where the conflict is worst. We wouldn’t want anyone to have to hear the explosions of artillery and aerial bombings, it is not human. We are rooted in God and focused on living in the present – because we do not know if we will be here tomorrow – and we continue to bring our people love and new hope. Every day I understand more Jesús’s words: ‘Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’ (Jn 15:13)”. The speaker was Gennie, who is Burmese and works for an aid agency that takes care of displaced persons of whom there are more than one million since the coup. Hers is one of the testimonies that recounted the life and challenges of the Focolare communities in Southeast Asia at the forum “Dialogue as a way of life”, held in partnership with the Catholic University of Jakarta “Atma Jaya”. 290 people attended from various parts of Indonesia as well as from various countries in Southeast Asia. Another three hundred were linked by streaming from Pakistan and elsewhere. At the centre of their testimonies is the culture of dialogue that is lived in these countries in everyday life, becoming a way of life, also in the world of economics, as Lawrence Chong from Singapore recounted. Since 2004 he has been running a management consultancy company with two other partners, a Methodist and a Muslim, according to the principles of the Economy of Communion. “Today we are present in 23 countries and our work is to bring about change, to have an impact on the economic system and improve it, based on the principles of interdependence and mutual love.” 
After the celebration, where the different peoples present shared their great cultural wealth and variety of traditions, Margaret and Jesús answered some questions and shared their initial impressions of this trip. “Asia is the continent where the sun rises, while we come from Europe, where the sun is setting,” said Jesús. “In Asia and Oceania, we found a very lively Church, as well as people of different religions, and we immersed ourselves in the light that we found in the deep humanity of people. We have received so much hope for the Church and for the Work of Mary. This hope will not meet with disappointment if these people remain true to themselves. Of course, we also saw the problems: the poverty, conflicts, and wars. So, it is true that the sun rises in these countries, but we also have before us a great challenge: our hope is that the Gospel can also bear a message of freedom for these peoples”. The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Piero Pioppo, who came to celebrate Mass, expressed his wish that the message of unity and of communion may grow and spread in this world that is in dire need of it. The roots of the movement in Indonesia Also in Yogyakarta, Margaret and Jesús were welcomed by the Focolare community with the traditional dance of welcome. The meeting there was a journey into the extraordinarily rich Javanese culture and traditions, and an opportunity to learn about the roots and development of the Movement in Indonesia. After several trips were made from the Philippines from the late 1980s onwards, the focolare arrived in Medan in 2004. But no one will ever forget 2006, the year of the terrible earthquake that claimed thousands of lives. Its epicentre was on the island of Java, in the region of Yogyakarta, where the focolare is now located. Bapak Totok, one of the animators of the local community, tells how the people of the Focolare Movement, together with the local people, rolled up their sleeves to help build 22 “Pendopo” (community centres in twenty-two villages) as well as a social project. These centres have been a sign of peace and unity among people of different religions. Sunan Kalijaga Islamic University: in dialogue to promote fraternity Yogyakarta, 22nd May 2023 – With its 20,000 students, Sunan Kalijaga University is an important national academic centre for Islamic studies and has also had a Cultural Centre for Interfaith Dialogue since 2005. Margaret Karram, together with Rita Moussallem and Antonio Salimbeni, participated in the seminar “In dialogue to promote fraternity” with 160 students, teachers, and members of the local Focolare community. It is a subject that resonates in a special way here, where dialogue “goes beyond” university lecture halls or study forums, as it is both the challenge and the foundation of Indonesian society. “The presence of the leaders of the Focolare Movement is important,” explained Prof. Inayah Rohmaniyah, “because it allows us to take an extra step, not to look only at Indonesia, but to become together builders of a world renewed by the values of the fraternity that we are living, here, today”. The students’ questions focussed on the strategy of dialogue to combine cultural and religious diversity even in situations of social conflict. “Sometimes we talk very much about the difficulties and very little about the riches that these diversities bring in themselves” Antonio Salimbeni replied. “First of all, we are human beings, brothers and sisters, which is why it is important to be open, to understand the religion of the other from his or her perspective; to try to think as a Muslim thinks, as a Hindu thinks, to see the world as the other person sees it. The journey is ending, but a world is opening up Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán first official trip to Asia and Oceania is ending after 45 days travelling, visiting five countries, and meeting several thousand people – 1,500 in Indonesia alone. They met very different peoples and cultures, they have seen the challenges at first hand, but also the vitality of the Church in countries where Christianity is a minority. They have witnessed dialogue between people of different religions taking place in everyday life, dialogue that can give concrete answers to the social and economic problems of peoples and they have shared in the life of the Focolare communities in this part of the world. It is not easy to take stock on the spur of the moment, but nonetheless the question was asked, and Margaret shared some impressions of the recent public meetings: ‘I feel strongly that God is asking the Movement, in Asia in particular, but also worldwide, to take an important step. Dialogue must become our way of life, our way of acting, at all times. We cannot continue as before, looking only at our Movement and doing our own activities. The time has come to go outside, to work with other organisations, with people of different religions, as we are already doing here. So, let’s get going, there’s no time to lose! This journey has given me, once again the confirmation that unity and peace in the world are possible. Sometimes looking at the world today, with its wars and injustices, I have had doubts. But in all the countries we visited, I met many people committed to building a different society, to building bridges, even making great sacrifices. It is they who have given me the certainty that together we can make a difference and give our contribution”.
Stefania Tanesini
May 26, 2023 | Non categorizzato
A unique opportunity to get to know each other, to share and to rediscover the beauty of being a collective witness to the Resurrection. This is what the Ecclesial Movements and the new communities in the Holy Land were able to experience on the journey they began together at Pentecost a year ago. Communion, participation and mission: these are the three key words related to the Synodal Pathway that was launched in October 2021. At its inauguration, Pope Francis invited followers of the Universal Church to listen and be close to others; this created the context of the local phase of the Synod. At the invitation of Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Ecclesial Movements and the new communities present in the Holy Land were able to meet, listen to each other and work in communion in preparing the 2022 Pentecost Vigil. This was a special occasion when many people experienced the joy of feeling they were one body in the Church, enlivened and renewed by the Holy Spirit. Within the sociopolitical and cultural context of the Holy Land, there was possibility of generating “unity,” learning from each other’s charism and putting one’s own at the service of all. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa said, “I think that if we are to feel that we are one body, the first thing to do is to speak, to communicate but, above all, to listen. Listening does not mean only hearing, it means expecting to receive from the other person who becomes the subject – I am not the subject, the other person is.” Pentecost marks the time when the Church on its pilgrimage to meet the Lord, constantly receives the Spirit from him. The same Spirit gathers it in faith and charity, sanctifies it and sends it on mission. At Pentecost 2023 we share an account of this experience of communion.
Maria Grazia Berretta
Watch the video (activate English subtitles) https://youtu.be/I8aQgmAPBOg
May 25, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The wave of bad weather that has poured over Italy in recent weeks has specifically affected the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche. To date, many people continue to work in the terrible, muddy conditions to assist entire communities that have been displaced and have lost everything due to the flood. An appeal for funds has been launched by the Focolare Emergency Coordination Committee. It is a climate emergency that has hit Emilia-Romagna and Marche, two regions of central-northern Italy in recent weeks. A catastrophe that has claimed 15 victims so far and displaced about 23,000 people. Several cities have been completely brought to their knees, submerged by water due to the many flooded rivers. There is extensive damage to homes, furniture and cars, as well as to businesses, farms and crops. In Emilia-Romagna the most affected area so far has been that of Faenza which in one night ended up almost completely underwater due to the rupture of the banks of several rivers. The communities of the Focolare Movement in the area told us, “Many families have been evacuated, for example, a family with three children was rescued when the water had already reached the first floor of their home. Despite having lost everything, the next day this same family, helped by the local Civil Protection Organization, opened their family run restaurant and prepared hot lunches for hundreds of evacuated people.” A social worker from Faenza, a member of the Focolare, said: “A few nights ago, I was in the Town Hall, the headquarters of the Emergency Operations Center. It was a very emotional experience. If I think about it, I cry… I ask Jesus for the strength to do what is best for each person.” In another town, Cesena, the Savio River flooded and the adjoining houses were engulfed. Wherever possible, and thanks to a lull in the rain, the first volunteers started working. In the city of Cesenatico the situation is extremely difficult. The sea has invaded beaches, bathing establishments and streets. In the surroundings of Bologna, on the other hand, there are many small towns still flooded; the people have all been evacuated. A bridge has collapsed that has completely diverted the river bed inwards and the people are saying, “it will take time but help will certainly be necessary”. Reports from these areas say, “The water is not being absorbed by the ground. It continues to rain and is like a wave, which depending on the levels of the ground, behaves in an unpredictable way”. In the south of Romagna, between Ravenna and Rimini, the situation has also worsened in the towns of Russi and Lugo. Other members of the Focolare Movement told us: “In the town of Bagnara di Romagna, we have had water 20 cms deep; the ground floors, garages and basements are full of water, but we’re fine.” It’s a catastrophe that will have to be tackled but despite the enormous difficulties, many people fervently desire to take concrete action to rebuild. One said, “The beauty is that one of the things to manage is the infinite offers of help we are receiving. Many people are offering homes and hospitality and we are setting up a team that will deal with the numerous requests and offers. The local Islamic Community, in contact with the Focolare Movement, has also expressed willingness to welcome or carry out joint actions. The extraordinary fundraising appeal initiated by the Emergency Coordination of the Focolare Movement in support of the population of Emilia-Romagna and Marche, through the ONLUS Action for a United World (AMU) and Action for New Families (AFN) is ongoing. Contributions received will be jointly managed by AMU and AFN to initiate reconstruction actions. You can donate online on the following sites: AMU: www.amu-it.eu/dona-online-3/ AFN: www.afnonlus.org/dona/ or by transfer to the following current accounts: Action for a United World ONLUS (AMU) IBAN: IT 58 S 05018 03200 000011204344 at Banca Popolare Etica SWIFT/BIC code: ETICIT22XXX Action for New Families ONLUS (AFN) IBAN: IT 92 J 05018 03200 000016978561 at Banca Popolare Etica SWIFT/BIC code: ETICIT22XXX Reason: Emilia-Romagna and Marche Emergency Tax benefits are provided for such donations in many countries of the European Union and in other countries of the world, according to the different local regulations. Italian taxpayers will be able to obtain deductions and deductions from income, according to the legislation provided for the NGOs
May 23, 2023 | Non categorizzato
Tommaso Bertolasi and Laura Salerno are the creators of “Benedetti dubbi” (Blessed doubts) a new podcast from the young people of the Focolare Movement. The first episode will be available on 23rd May, 2023. We asked Tommaso and Laura to explain how doubts can really be a “blessing”, in order to get to know ourselves and others better. What is our calling? What is the best road to follow when we come to one of the many crossroads that life throws at us? Do we know ourselves and, above all, who has the antidote for fear? Questions like these, the kind that overwhelm our daily lives, are the subject matter of “Benedetti dubbi”, the new podcast designed for young people and by young people, released (in Italian) on 23rd May. To find out more about it, we interviewed the authors of this project, long-time friends, Tommaso Bertolasi, a researcher in philosophy at the Sophia University Institute (Loppiano, Florence) and Laura Salerno, a young member of the Focolare Movement, a writer and a student of literature. Laura, how did it all start?
It all started in 2018. Tommaso and I were in Argentina. We met at a conference for young people of the Focolare Movement. Since he is a philosopher, he had been invited as a speaker to talk about freedom. I listened to what he said and liked it very much. Over the years he has continued to engage in dialogue with and for young people, so much so that he has decided to compile some of the exchanges in a book, entitled “The last hour of the night”, which will be released by Città Nuova in August 2023. And then came the idea: “Well if a book is coming out, why not do a podcast that deals with the same content?” And so a few months ago I got a phone call inviting me to help him bring this project to life. Tommaso, why a podcast? Sometimes ideas are like a cocktail: they come out of the union of various things. And this is what happened with “Blessed Doubts”. At a certain point I realized that I had a lot of material for meetings, workshops and dialogues, that I had often prepared with young people. Hence the idea of not restricting important themes such as freedom, choices, fragility and vocation to just one occasion but of being able to offer them to everyone. Then I thought that other languages and themes could also be explored and so here is the podcast. I wanted to create a format more suitable for young people, who often nowadays, find reading a challenge. Or at least, they read something after you’ve convinced them it’s worth it. In all this work, an additional factor was the World Youth Day that dictated the timing of this operation a little. I thought it would be nice that the Focolare Movement could offer something to those who are preparing to go to Lisbon. It will be released on the major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast), one episode per week for 6 weeks. Laura, what age group are you targeting? Our target age range is 18-30 years. This is why the main themes are questions about fragility, freedom, relationships, trying to find one’s place in the world. It’s all about trying to see doubt as a positive thing, as a springboard to live more deeply and more consciously what happens to us. 
Tommaso, how did you determine the topics to be addressed for each episode? My initial idea was to replicate the contents of the book, paraphrasing it. Working with Laura, however, I realized that her questions led the conversation to other areas, that the young people she had in mind were also her university classmates who do not necessarily recognize themselves in any religious creed. I understood that Laura had deep questions that were partly hers and partly reflected her world of relationships: it was from those questions that we had to start to weave something suitable for young adults. What was the most difficult episode for you, Laura? I think the hardest was the first one. We were both a bit nervous, and then we had to introduce the podcast, make it clear why we think it is important to ask questions, not to exist in anxiety or submerged in paranoia. A further challenge was that a few days before we recorded the first few episodes, I had a bad cold and a high temperature. Everything always happens at the same time! But we managed to do it also thanks to the super team that supported us during the recording. Tommaso, what did you gain from this project? I learned a lot from all the people with different skills who worked on this project. Indeed, the realization of “Blessed doubts” was a collective operation. And after you listen to the podcast, we’d love to have your feedback, on Spotify, on our social networks (@Y4UW and Movimento_dei_focolari) or via email (ufficio.comunicazione@focolare.org). For further information about other projects in the pipeline, stay connected to the social channels of the Focolare Movement.
Maria Grazia Berretta
May 19, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The Emergency Coordination group of the Focolare Movement has launched an extraordinary fundraising campaign to support people in Emilia-Romagna and Marche. These two regions in the centre-north of Italy are affected by serious flooding. Funds will be made available through the non-profit organisations Action for a United World (AMU in Italian) and Action for New Families (AFN). Donations will be jointly managed by AMU and AFN to begin reconstruction (many people’s homes have been damaged, as well as furniture and vehicles that are essential for transport and work activities. There has also been extensive damage to livestock and crops…) You can donate online at: AMU: www.amu-it.eu/dona-online-3/ AFN: www.afnonlus.org/dona/ Or by bank transfer to the following current accounts: Action for a United World ONLUS (AMU) IBAN: IT 58 S 05018 03200 000011204344 at Banca Popolare Etica SWIFT/BIC Code: ETICIT22XXX Action for New Families ONLUS (AFN) IBAN: IT 92 J 05018 03200 000016978561 at Banca Popolare Etica SWIFT/BIC Code: ETICIT22XXX Reason for payment: Emergency in Emilia-Romagna and Marche Tax benefits are available for such donations in many EU countries and in other countries around the world, according to different local regulations. Italian taxpayers can obtain deductions and allowances from their income, according to the regulations for non-profit organisations.
May 19, 2023 | Non categorizzato
We have come to the Australian stage of THE journey BY Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement. IT IS a continent with extraordinary cultural riches and a diverse and multicultural Focolare family.
Suva to Sydney
Margaret and Jesús have certainly taken radical leaps throughout this trip. (Just think of their jump from Japan to Fiji.) The flight from Suva to Sydney 9 May was certainly similar, as the sudden shift from seeing the handful of fishing villages on the south coast of Fiji’s main island to the bright shiny jewel of a city in Australia is nothing short of extreme.
The shimmering lights of iconic Sydney harbour were on full display as our plane circled closely, almost as if to proudly show off this ‘beaut’ of a city.
Stepping into this multicultural metropolis, our diverse local community is there to welcome them in their many languages. They hail from South Korea, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Lebanon, Sudan, Iraq, Syria, Bangladesh, Brazil, and of course Anglo-Celtic Australia. They are Catholics, Melkites, Chaldeans, Anglicans; the local Focolare region of Sydney includes Brisbane, Australian capital Canberra and their surrounding areas.
Meeting the Archbishop of Canberra
Connecting with the local Church remains top priority. During a profound yet light-hearted meeting with Archbishop Christopher Prowse, currently the archbishop of Canberra, he spotlighted the life of Mary MacKillop, Australia’s first saint.
“If Mary McKillop were alive today, she would be very comfortable with Focolare,” the archbishop said, pointing to her interfaith works.
He took us to her tomb and prayed that like her, the charism of unity would bloom like a rose, spreading its scent throughout Australia.
In through the art door
A clear window into an indigenous culture is through its art, but to know what you are looking at, having a guide is essential.
Enter Alexandra Gaffikin, an English Volunteer in Sydney with extensive experience in the museum and heritage sector. Her roles have included ‘head of interpretation’ at a museum, which certainly was handy as the group visited the Art Gallery of New South Wales for an exhibition on contemporary Aboriginal art.
Iconic bark paintings, for instance, were shown to be so much more: they are at once histories, maps, title deeds, and rulebooks even. They can be three dimensional, with underpainting showing underground water sources, for example.
In Aboriginal culture, these artworks are alive as people (and could even be painted on someone’s body). These are living collections displaying knowledge passed down through millennia.
Moments to enjoy Sydney
Amid a day full of meetings, Margaret and Jesús were able to fit in some time to take in Sydney, hopping on one of the many ferries and heading towards Circular Quay and the iconic Sydney Opera House. The views are spectacular! Happy to get behind the camera for a bit, Margaret ended up snapping quite a few pictures herself.
The upside of merging across the globe
This visit was an opportunity for focolarini from across the region – including from as far as Perth, Wellington and Fiji – to come together for some meaningful sessions. It is a time where the movement’s organisation has been merging, and now as a result exceedingly different cultures (think Korea, Japan and Chinese speaking areas, for instance) now need to adjust and collaborate directly.
“I think up until now we didn’t understand all the consequences and all the positive things, even though it has been very difficult all this process.
“But we will see the consequences, I think, in a few years. Because what it is helping us is to really break down all the barriers… first of all in our hearts, and the barriers between nations…
“If we want to have peace, we have to have peace among us focolarini and among communities. We have to look at other countries… as our own countries and discover that we can be this ‘connecting family’…
“We don’t have to give other people our richness, we have to help them to discover theirs.”
Margaret Karram
A special presence despite medical challenges
There was a particularly meaningful moment when three married focolarine who are seriously ill were able to greet everyone remotely.
“I just want to assure you of my unity. Much as I would’ve wanted, I was fully booked, but I had to change because of what God had in store for me,” said one.
“It’s been good because I feel where I’m where God wanted me to be, but it’s not where I wanted to be,” another told the group.
“Physically I can’t run, but inside I really want to run, I’m so excited,” said the third. “Enthusiasm does not have any age.”
Welcome to country
Aboriginal culture in Australia is the oldest continuous culture known, dating back at least 60,000 years. The proper protocol when beginning meetings in Australia is to have a ‘welcome to country’ from an Aboriginal elder, or a formal acknowledgement of the traditional custodians of the land.
As the Focolare community gathered from throughout Australia, we were privileged to have ‘Aunty Ali’ Golding, a Biripi elder, to welcome us all.
She grew up on an Aboriginal mission and later lived in a suburb of Sydney for over 20 years. In the 1980s, Ali was one of the first Aboriginal education assistants, and in 2004, she gained her diploma in theology.
She has contributed to various local, national and international forums, including the New South Wales Reconciliation Council and Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation. This has helped deepen public understanding of indigenous culture and history for the public.
Aunty Ali’s presence at our Focolare event with Margaret and Jesús certainly deepened our appreciation for this national treasure and her rich heritage. “It has been one of the most heartfelt welcomes that I have ever experienced,” she said. “Here I felt the Creator’s spirit.”
The best meeting of the whole trip (so far)
Margaret and Jesús had a dynamic, insightful meeting with close to 30 young people. When asked about their challenges, they did not hold back, but spoke candidly of the indifference they encounter with their peers daily. Their numbers are small; the distances are huge.
Margaret shared her early Gen life in Haifa with her sister, and how they started small, receiving the Gen magazine by mail. She was proud of how they had begun, and said she was just as proud of those present for moving forward with their Gen life.
Jesús encouraged the young people as well, making the effort to reassure them that sharing their difficulties was not negative at all. “This was the best meeting of this entire trip,” he said at the end. “I liked it a lot.”
Drawing on rich experience
Rita and Antonio, who look after the Focolare Oceania region from Rome, have also been travelling with the group. When asked how they live dialogue and fraternity in conflict situations, they reached into their own vast backgrounds.
“My experience in interreligious dialogue has been discovering that we are walking together towards God,” said Antonio.
“Dialogue is an encounter,” Rita added. “What is really important is to meet the other and discover that love drives fear away.”
How to bodysurf (spiritually)
The surf was certainly ‘up’ on the beaches around Sydney, with young and old donning their wetsuits and grabbing their boards to catch a few waves. ‘Bodysurfing’ is also popular – people ride the ocean waves without a board as well. It’s truly exhilarating.
But to get out to where the best waves are to ride, first you have to deal with the powerful ones rolling in towards you — the ones you don’t want to ride, the ones you aren’t ready for.
“Someone explained to me the dynamics of this sport, and right away what came to my mind was our love for Jesus Forsaken,” Margaret said.
Bodysurfers essentially dive deep below those incoming waves they don’t want to ride, so low that they can touch the sand at the bottom. Doing so, they avoid getting swept away by the power of the ocean. Once the wave rolls over, they come back to the surface to find a wave worth riding.
“Like those who bodysurf, you don’t fight the waves, you don’t ‘fight the trials’, but you go to the bottom of your heart, recognising Jesus in every pain, and continuing to love him, you come up again, finding the light through love.”
T. M. Hartmann
May 19, 2023 | Non categorizzato
In these words of St Paul, fraternity is a call to goodness, to the life that is born from baptism, and this kinship in love allows us to see the other’s existence as a precious gift for us. The grade I was in the third year of high school and had an important physics oral exam coming up. I started studying hard knowing that I would be tested the following day (I was the only one in the whole class who didn’t have the end of term grade). Shortly afterwards, my little sister came to ask for help with her studies. At first I said no but then I was reminded of what St Paul tells us: rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. So I started studying with my sister. It took the whole afternoon for her to feel prepared so I hardly managed to open my physics book. The following day I went to school, with my heart racing but convinced that God would intervene somehow. The teacher came in and started testing my other classmates. At the end of the lesson I asked him why he hadn’t called me. He looked at his register and said: ‘But you’ve already got the grade, and it’s a good grade’. I knew very well that I had never been tested, so maybe he put it there because of something I had said. (S.T. – Italy) How to get through the day A man in a wheelchair was begging near the supermarket trolleys. On my way out, I approached him and, after exchanging a few words with him, invited him to pick something from my shopping that he needed. He happily took some food and immediately started eating it. As I said goodbye to him, I experienced such a joy that it helped me face the challenges of a day that had got off to a difficult start. It made me realise that doing a concrete act of love is a good start to the day. I started doing this, overcoming many bad habits and surprising not only my husband, but especially the children who do not always appreciate what they have because they think everything is their due. One evening, hearing the news that an uncle was seriously ill left everyone in the family not knowing what to say until our eldest son, who goes to university, asked what we could do for him. At that point our youngest daughter replied: ‘We have to do what mum does who puts love into everything she does. That will help us discover what uncle needs’. (L. D. F. – Hungary) Adele “Bipolarity”… I never knew that my dear schoolmate, Adele, had such a serious illness. It was her mother who explained it to me. After spending some time in hospital, on certain days, when her centre seemed unstable, she herself did not understand what was happening to her. The medicines had to find a balanced effect, and it took time. But it did not change my affection and esteem for her. I was amazed the day she asked me to pray the rosary. It seemed she had perfect concentration when she prayed. From then on, we started reading spiritual books or stories with a positive content. I had the impression that my friend understood everything more deeply than I did. When we discussed certain topics, I saw in her a boundless altruism. Together we joined a volunteering group for the poor. Adele got back her life, balance and courage. She knew more than anyone else how to be close to those in need. My experience with her made it clearer to me that a person is truly fulfilled through charity. (P.A.M. – Italy)
Edited by Maria Grazia Berretta
(taken from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, year IX – no.1 May-June 2023)
May 15, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The third award ceremony of the schools competition, “One city is not enough. Chiara Lubich, citizen of the world” took place on 12th May. There were 136 drawings entries. We spoke to Cinzia Malizia, teacher of the 1st A Class of the I.C. Camerano – John Paul II – Sirolo (Ancona-Italy) which was awarded the first prize in the primary school section. 
The 2022-2023, third national competition for schools, “One city is not enough. Chiara Lubich citizen of the world”, was promoted by the Chiara Lubich Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Merit, the Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino and New Humanity of the Focolare Movement. The title of the winning multimedia graphic essay for the primary section was “Patterns of love”. It was produced by the children of the 1st A of the I.C. Camerano – John Paul II – Sirolo di Camerano (Ancona-Italy), guided by their teacher, Cinzia Malizia. Ms. Malizia, how did you find out about this competition? As can be seen from our video, mine is a very lively class, sometimes challenging and difficult to manage. Despite being 7-year-olds, they give me a lot to do and, since they are children of the Covid era, I noticed a certain difficulty when identifying their feelings, to bring out the “good” things, positive gestures and kind words. I asked myself: “how can I get to the hearts of these children?” I started looking for some projects on Miur (Ministry of Education and Merit), some competitions that might help, especially for some personalities that could be an example. This is how I came to Chiara Lubich, a person I had heard of but knew little about. I started reading her story and, little by little, together with the children, we followed a pathway with the aim of enabling them to above all rediscover that curiosity, that amazement, that wonder that unfortunately seem lost in today’s society. 
Did you have a particular focus? I wanted to work with them on emotions, to understand what they had inside. We dealt with fear, worked on anger, joy and so many experiences came out. They started talking, expressing themselves in their own way, and what used to be the weak point of my class turned into a real strength. In our video you will hear the words, “From fear we found the courage”. The children were the first to understand how good it is for the heart to say “sorry”, to say “thank you” or “good morning”. It’s not that children have changed radically now, they are always the same, they can’t keep still, they scream, they ignore the rules, but there are beginning to be gestures that are small but at the same time great because they are part of a journey we are on together. Chiara Lubich was a guide for us, a reassuring figure, almost like a “grandmother”, who with messages of love, hope and her example really worked to create a better world. Even simply looking at each other with love, regardless of social background, religion, skin colour or culture has affected them a lot. They experienced this in the classroom, with their Muslim companion and this means nurturing good feelings, hoping for a different society. We teachers cannot give up. These children have so much to give. 
How did the children react when they learned they had won the first prize? They were elated, really happy. We worked for months and months and I really think they deserved it. Unfortunately, we were unable to find the means for us all to be able to go to Trent for the award ceremony. Some of us took part by video link while 6 children were able to go, accompanied by their families who were happy to use their own resources to finance the trip. They too were very happy with this project. We worked a lot together, so much together that at the end of the year we’ll do a play based on emotions. The parents themselves have collaborated by making most of the masks that the children will wear and we even brought some of these to the award ceremony. So our journey doesn’t end there. At the beginning, the principal, Dr. Flavia Maria Teresa Valentina Cannizzaro, said to me: “Cinzia, they are so small, do they understand what you are saying?” I hope so, if nothing else they have heard and hearing good things never hurts. I think it’s important that children understand that even before being capable, what matters is being good, having a kindness of mind that allows us to change things for the better. I think Chiara Lubich’s experience really helped them. CONCORSO NAZIONALE “Una città non basta, Chiara Lubich cittadina del mondo”! – IC “CAMERANO – GIOVANNI PAOLO II – SIROLO” (iccamerano.edu.it)
Maria Grazia Berretta
May 12, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The third stage of Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán’s journey to Asia and Oceania was to Fiji. The spirituality of unity began to spread in this part of the Pacific at the end of the 1960s. The Focolare in the Pacific, one family Although Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán arrived in Fiji on 3rd May, the official start of the stage of their journey in Oceania took place two days later, with the “Sevusevu” ceremony. Over 200 people attended, including representatives of the local Church. The ceremony sealed their entry, and the delegation from the Centre accompanying them, into the Fijian community, both ecclesial and social. Sevusevu: the gift of welcome 
Those arriving in the archipelago are welcomed with the ceremony of ‘Sevusevu’ – meaning ‘gift’. And from that moment on they are no longer visitors, but part of the community and members, with all the rights and privileges of being on Fijian soil. The President and Co-President of the Focolare received precious garlands and the Kava root, derived from the pepper plant, which has ancestral significance. The two ‘candidates’ were presented to the community by ‘heralds’, who spoke on their behalf. They then drank the drink made from Kava in one go and received the ‘Tabua’, a whale tooth which has sacred meaning: it is the most precious object in Fijian culture, and it was offered to them as a sign of the highest esteem and honour. Traditions in the Pacific: where the present and future of peoples are rooted Right from the start, we realised that, in the Pacific, traditions feature in a significant and living way, which is relevant for today They are not relegated to a past that has nothing to do with people’s daily lives but form the foundation of their way of life. Among the values that traditions continue to hand on are respect, welcome, reciprocity, social solidarity, and a very deep and longstanding bond with nature. “Margaret Karram, Jesús Morán and the Focolare delegation have arrived at a particular time in the life of the Fiji Islands,” explained Peter Emberson, a Fijian, engaged in multilateral consultancy and a political analyst for the government of Fiji and the United Nations, who has known the movement since he was a child. “The present government is more open and democratic, and I see Margaret and Jesús’ visit as part of this process of social and political renewal. There are two questions that here in the Pacific we always ask an official delegation that lands on the shores of our islands: ‘Where are you from?’ and ‘Why have you come?’ At the ‘Sevusevu’ Margaret stood before the Fijian people and offered her commitment and that of the Focolare Movement to build unity here too. It is an identity-making response, which says a lot about the contribution that the Movement can make to our country. And this builds trust”. A region that is still too little known 
Oceania is a little-known continent and although, in a territorial sense, it is the largest on the globe, in terms of land mass it is the smallest. In addition to Australia and New Zealand, it includes the Pacific region, consisting of 26 nation states and territories. The main ethnic groups are Melanesians, Micronesians, and Polynesians. In total, the Pacific region has a population of 16 million people and in the last 100 years, the Fiji Islands (almost one million inhabitants), have become the political and economic heart of the region. There is a diverse religious landscape in which Christianity is the most practised faith, followed by Hinduism and Islam. Catholicism arrived in the 19th century and today Catholics number just over 82,000. Father Soane Fotutata, secretary of the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific (CEPAC), during a dinner in the focolare, spoke about the challenges facing society and the Church in this vast territory, where the Catholic Church has 14 dioceses. He explained that the ecological crisis threatens the very existence of people and communities. It is seen in rising sea levels, acidifying oceans, droughts, floods, and extreme weather events that have become more frequent. Then there are social wounds such as economic and climate migration from many islands; prostitution, alcoholism, and poverty, to which the local Church is trying to respond. 2022: the arrival of the focolares in Suva It was in this ecclesial context that the women’s and men’s focolares opened a year ago in Suva, the capital of Fiji. Their presence, in fact, is also linked to a project supported by Missio Scotland and Missio Australia, to collaborate in the diocesan pastoral care for young people preparing for confirmation and post confirmation with a programme that focuses on supporting the handing on of cultural riches between generations. Lourdes Rank, from Brazil, and Stephen Hall, from New Zealand explained: “On our arrival, the Archbishop asked us to be first of all at the service of the Church and to be part of its activities and projects. We got involved in catechesis, with young people and in the life of our parishes. This approach has been very positive: we are now truly part of the life of the Church and we have begun to build relationships with a number of priests, religious and lay people’. In this regard, the vicar general of the Archdiocese of Suva, Mgr Sulio Turagakacivi, expressed his gratitude for the service that the focolares give in the local Church. Thanking him, Margaret said: “We can learn from the Church here how to live the synodal process and how to maintain the freshness of the encounter between the Gospel and the local society and culture“. In Futuna the first seed of the spirituality of unity The first seed of the spirituality of unity in the Pacific was planted in the island of Futuna in the late 1960s by Sr. Anna Scarpone, a Marist missionary. The first Pacific focolare was then based in Numea (New Caledonia) from 1992 to 2008, accompanying the growth of a vibrant local community. Today, the two focolares in Fiji are ‘home’ for all the Movement’s communities in the Pacific region, which, besides New Caledonia and Fiji, are in Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna, with some people who already know about the spirituality in Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu. Together for the first time On the occasion of Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán’ visit, the communities met in Suva for a few days. It was their first meeting in one of the Pacific Islands. Many events and customs, such as welcoming and appreciating each other, showed the extent to which everyone realised how precious those days were. For these peoples, coming together as a Focolare family does not only mean having a spiritual communion, but means contributing to daily life. This involves cooking, preparing the liturgy of the Mass, the songs and the dances – each one offering their specific human and cultural “gift” that is shared with that of the others. Margaret and Jesús met with the men and women focolarini for a morning of deep sharing and were able to spend a lot of time experiencing different aspects of the life of the community, such as meals, Mass, with many opportunities just to talk together. The sharing of experiences gave them an insight into the challenges and commitment of the Movement in the Pacific. In New Caledonia, the community is engaged at the service of the Church and, on a social level, in creating opportunities to build up unity between the different ethnic groups on the island. In Futuna and Kiribati, the Word of Life is central, generating experiences of forgiveness and reconciliation in families and also establishing social projects at the service of women and the needy. In Fiji the community is growing and shares a commitment serving the Church together with the focolarini. Run4Unity in Fiji: journeying together The 6th of May was Run4Unity day, and Margaret Karram started the worldwide relay from the Pacific, where we see the world’s first sunrise. With the Teens for Unity, she and Jesús planted two trees typical of the Fiji Islands: “the native sandalwood tree and the citrus tree, which need each other to grow,” she explained. “The sandalwood has the fragrance and the citrus, provides it with all the nutrients it needs. It is a wonderful example of mutual care found in nature. This is what the Pacific Islanders want to say to all of us: the only way to give our precious gift, unity, is to journey together, taking care of each other. In this way we can transform our world’. It is a message that highlights what is perhaps the main characteristic of these islands: living as a community. This emerged clearly in the afternoon and evening of 7th May at the meeting Margaret and Jesús Morán had with the community. “I have come here to be close to you and to share your life at least for a few days,” Margaret Karram told everyone. “What I have found here is very close to my heart and to the culture I come from, which encourages respect for other people and their language, and a sense of family. There are just a few of you, but do not worry: what matters is living the Gospel and bringing unity to those we meet. What you have shared with us during these days has impressed me greatly. Through your love, hospitality and welcome, you have given Jesus to us. But listening to you, I realised that the most precious pearl we possess is Jesus forsaken for whom we have left everything and who is the secret to loving everyone“. Jesús Morán added: “The experiences of forgiveness that you have told us have touched me deeply, and they show that you are living the Gospel, because forgiveness is the greatest newness that the Gospel contains. Forgiveness is not something merely human, only Jesus in us can forgive, and you have shown us this with a unique clarity“. When Margaret Karram was asked her hopes are for the future of the Movement in Oceania, she answered by saying what her hopes are for the whole Movement in the world: that it may become ever more a family, which is not closed in on itself, but is open to dialogue with all so as to fulfil the prayer of Jesus to the Father, which was Chiara Lubich’s dream. At the end she added: “I would like to say that in order to contribute to achieving unity, each country, culture or continent must not lose its own identity. We must remain ourselves. This would be a great gift for the whole Movement and also for the world: to be ourselves, with our riches and our challenges, and to live the charism of unity without leaving aside what we are‘. The applause that followed showed everyone’s gratitude at feeling they were understood. Having begun with the ‘Sevusevu’ ceremony, the visit could not but end with equal solemnity. The farewell ceremony, ‘I-Tatau’, seemed to close a circle. Heralds, speaking in Fijian on behalf of Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, thanked the community and asked, on their behalf, permission to take their leave. The speaker representing the Fijian community granted them permission to leave and wished them a safe journey in the hope of seeing each other again. The concert that the Pacific communities had prepared for that evening was an extraordinary ‘expo’ of the artistic talents of the peoples present, where dances and songs spoke of their deep connection with the earth and with nature, their pride in their traditions and the desire to share them. But what will remain in everyone’s minds, we believe, were the greetings exchanged between the communities of New Caledonia and Fiji. Sitting opposite each other, they each sang their own farewell song, they waved goodbye to each other looking into each other’s eyes, as if they were leaving their own brothers and sisters. The said to Margaret Karram: “We assure you that we will be one family and, even with our weaknesses, we will do all we can to keep Jesus in the midst in Oceania.
Stefania Tanesini
May 10, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The Regional Assemblies of the continental phase of the 2021-2024 Synod concluded with the Assembly of the Southern Cone, held in Brasilia in March 2023. Here we share some reflections on this “journey” from members of the Focolare Movement who participated in the concluding Assembly. 
“From the moment I heard that I had been elected to participate, I felt a great joy but also the responsibility to be a true channel through which the Holy Spirit can pass.” This is what Mercedes Isola, a volunteer of the Focolare Movement, said. She was elected by the Bishops in the region of La Plata, Argentina, to be a lay participant in the Continental Assembly for the Synod of the Southern Cone that took place in Brasilia, Brazil, at the headquarters of the CNBB (National Conference of Bishops of Brazil). Mercedes continues, “There was very deep sharing among us and we rediscovered our baptismal dignity that makes us all sisters and brothers, people of God, co-responsible in mission, regardless of vocation. The ‘discernment communities’, made up of people from different experiences and vocations, were a confirmation of this reality: the Holy Spirit is at work in everyone, without distinction.” 
The meeting was attended by more than 200 people. It began with a procession of images of the Virgin Mary, patroness of each country, to whom the work of this Assembly was entrusted. Brazilians, Chileans, Uruguayans, Argentinians and Paraguayans were brought together. It was apparent that amid the diversity of each people, the individual in dialogue with others becomes a builder of true synodality. “Being open to a Church with greater lay participation, a Church that is inclusive, transparent, and consistent in following Jesus and is concrete in its service and mission,” are just some of the points that were addressed and deepened during the Assembly. Eliane de Carli, a married focolarina from Brazil, tells us. “This experience based upon a practice known as ‘spiritual conversion’, ensured there was very deep communion in the working groups. In addition, the richness of this internationality allowed us to get to know the challenges of the Church in each country, some of them very similar.” 
A week of intense work turned into a life experience. This can be seen in what Marise Braga, a Brazilian focolarina, said: “The day began with a short prayer led by each country in turn. The group drafted a final document on the basis of the questionnaires collected in the various countries during the local phase. They answered three questions, highlighting the lights and positive elements that emerged from those reports, highlighting the shadows, tensions and challenges of certain issues in each country, and finally, recognising the priorities to be addressed in the Synod.” The role of women in the Church was one of the recurring themes during this Continental Assembly in the Southern Cone. This is an issue that is gaining importance and, along with engagement with young people, needs to be addressed. “Before the concluding Mass of this synodal phase, the young people asked to speak,” said Mercedes Isola. “It was very powerful to hear from them why their friends are no longer in the Church. The young people themselves asked for greater openness, a Church that allows all God’s people to be protagonists, with open doors as Pope Francis says.” Father Pedro Brassesco, Assistant Secretary of CELAM (Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council) said that these needs unite all the continents and will push us to “learn a new way of being Church.” “The Church has called us together and is listening to us,” Marise concluded, ‘not only the Bishops, but all the people of God. We often need to invert the pyramid to know what is at the bottom, but patience is needed to see the fruits of this work. Perhaps our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will enjoy it. We are now planting a seed, but we must have hope. It is a first step, towards a Church that is closer to us all.”
Maria Grazia Berretta
May 4, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The journey in Asia and Oceania of Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement, continues towards the Fiji Islands after concluding the second stage on Japanese land. Here you find some updates on their stay in Japan. ありがとう Arigato Thank you 思いやり Omoiyari Care for others 健康 Kenko Health 平和 Heiwa Peace 美しさ Utsukushisa Beauty 正直 Shojiki” Honesty According to a survey by the Japanese national TV NHK, these six words are the ones Japanese people love most. They well describe the soul of this people and the value they place on harmony in social life and with nature. Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement, with the Focolare Centre’s delegation immersed themselves in the very rich culture of Japan for the second stage of their journey to East Asia, from 25 April to 2 May 2023. The Church in Japan: recreating community
The doors to the “Land of the Rising Sun” were opened to them by the Archbishop of Tokyo, Archbishop Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi. He described the local Catholic Church as “small and silent”. There are 536,000 Christians who form 0.4% out of a population of 130 million where Buddhism and Shintoism are the majority religions. It is difficult to know which is the main one, since many Japanese follow both, and so there is a tendency to bring together different aspects of various religions. He explained that the current lifestyle is leading to a disintegration of the family, and this causes people to feel lonely and cut off. “There is a need to recreate community,” he said, “and the Focolare can help the Church do this. I encourage you to make your spirituality known to the bishops first (there are sixteen in Japan), so that through them it reaches the communities’. 
The conversation continued during the visit to Archbishop Leo Boccardi, Apostolic Nuncio in Tokyo. Christians are only 2% of the population of Asia. So, what is their role? The Nuncio too encouraged the Focolare to spread the charism of fraternity. “In Japan there is order and respect among people,” he explained, “but there is also a lot of indifference. The pandemic has left an open wound: we must rebuild relationships”. “I have seen a church being born,” Igino Giordani (Foco) wrote as early as 1959. He perceived the sacredness of this country’s Christian history when he went to Tokyo at the invitation of the Canossian Sisters. He was the one who sowed the first seeds of the spirituality of unity in this country. The focolares only arrived in 1976 and ’77 and today there are three, located in Tokyo and Nagasaki. The community numbers about a thousand people scattered over the five main islands of the Japanese archipelago. Living between modernity, tradition, and a thirst for spirituality Eight days, however, are not enough to get to know the soul of a people in depth. For Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, every meeting and conversation was precious, as was the visit to significant places in Tokyo such as the Shintoist Menji Jingu Shrine or the ultra-modern district of Shimbuya. This is how Japan expresses its great variety: it is one of the most highly developed countries in the world yet is firmly bound to tradition. Society is very homogeneous and fosters the common good over that of the individual. This people has great sensitivity, gentleness, and pays attention to others, as well as a great capacity for work and a sense of duty. 
The Japanese are guided by the ‘feeling of the heart’ that knows how to grasp what is essential from concrete facts. And it is significant that the first meeting President and Co-President of the Focolare had was with the young people of the Movement, the Gen. They shared with one another in a harmonious atmosphere of simplicity and family. There was the same depth of relationship and sharing in their meetings with the focolarini and volunteers. Jesuits and Focolare together, a sign of hope for the world On 29 April, the Catholic university in Tokyo, Sophia University, hosted the eagerly awaited symposium “Can we be a sign of hope for the world?”, to which Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán were invited as speakers. The seminar offered an exceptional opportunity for dialogue between two charisms: the ‘historical’ one of St Ignatius, which brought Christianity to Japan in the 16th century, and the charism of Chiara Lubich. The focus was on the subjects of dialogue and unity in a social and religious context which is thirsting for spirituality. The other speakers were Fathers Renzo De Luca, the Jesuit provincial in Japan, Augustine Sali and Juan Haidar, lecturers at the university. The potential of this synergy emerged clearly from the talks. Margaret Karram began by saying that hope is what humanity needs most and it can be found if we engage in dialogue, even with those who are very different from us, without ever wearying. And she concluded: ‘The small and large efforts towards dialogue that each one of us can make, in building heartfelt and warm relationships, are the solid foundation on which to build a more fraternal world’. Fr De Luca explained how dialogue has been part of the DNA of Japanese Christians since the beginning. “During the persecutions, they did not reciprocate the violence they received with more violence, which is why the Popes have presented them to the world as a model”. Fr Sali reflected on the challenges of the Japanese Church in the face of secularisation, a church which must find new pathways for dialogue to offer Christian spirituality to people everywhere. In his talk, Jesús Morán explained that the Synodal path, that the Catholic Church is taking, can be an answer, but only if it is animated by communion-fellowship. “Communion and synodality naturally lead to a new encouragement to dialogue, which is increasingly necessary given the growing polarisation of societies at all levels”. Fr Haidar returned to the theme of hope and assured all present that “We have no reason to lose hope, because good is stronger than evil and God is always on the side of those who do good”. One of the symposium participants defined this shared reflection by Jesuits and the Focolare, as a “chemical reaction” that can produce new life. “I realised that dialogue requires courage, perseverance and patience; above all, I have to start doing it myself”. 
“Open your hearts to everyone”, Margaret Karram’s message for the Focolare community “We are here because we want to share what we have received as a gift from God,” said Natzumi and Masaki at the start of the meeting with the Focolare community in Japan that same afternoon. There was joy and emotion in being together in person for the first time in almost three and a half years, after the pandemic. The experiences shared spoke of great faithfulness in living the Gospel in daily life in a social context that is often hostile, due to indifference or social distance. One volunteer touched on a challenging issue for all Christians in Japan: the difficulty in handing on the faith, especially to the younger generations. “If you live the Word,” Jesús Morán replied, “you can be sure that you are giving Jesus. Usually we want to see results, but Jesus is not interested in this because He wants to touch people with His life. Let us give Him everything, then He will reap what He wants and how He wants”. “Do you have a message for the Focolare community in Japan?” This was the last question that came as a surprise for President and Co-President: “The message is dialogue,” Margaret Karram replied. “I encourage you to have a new openness of heart towards everyone. It is true that Christians are a minority here, but our vocation, as members of Focolare, is to go out to others, courageously, and to open up new paths that can help build fraternity and a peaceful world’. Jesús went on: “Our specific lifestyle is to live unity and so each one of us is fully in our vocation. We are a ‘sacrament of God’s love’ for others, as Chiara Lubich says. May no one feel alone, but go forward together, because faith is lived together’. Visiting the Rissho Kosei-kai: we are one family On 1 May, 42 years after Chiara Lubich’s visit, Margaret Karram and the Focolare delegation accompanying her, entered the large sacred hall of the Rissho Kosei-kai (RKK) Centre. It is difficult to describe the joy and emotion, visible on everyone’s faces: it was like an embrace between brothers and sisters who have been journeying together for many years. This warmth was expressed by President Nichiko Niwano and his daughter Kosho. 
The Rissho Kosei-kai is a lay Buddhist movement founded in 1938 by the Reverend Nikkyo Niwano. It has about one million followers in Japan, and centres in several countries. It is very active in promoting peace and well-being through humanitarian and cooperative action. In 1979 Nikkyo Niwano met Chiara for the first time. Speaking of her he said, “I have met an extraordinary person with whom I can live in fellowship.” Since then, the relationship between the two movements has never been interrupted. ‘Today we are here as one big family,’ Margaret Karram said in her greeting to the many people present and those following the ceremony online, ‘What all humanity holds most dear is the supreme value of peace. (…). Together we can be a sign of hope in the world; together, as one family, our two Movements can be like small lights shining in society, living compassion and love, which are our most powerful weapons”. Nichiko Niwano responded saying, “Today is a day we will not forget; it is a day to be grateful for because our movements are meeting together. We are like members of one family, and we have so much in common. “It is the dialogue between us that makes this happen,” continued his daughter Kosho, who in the future will succeed to the RKK presidency, “I thank my grandfather Nikkyo Niwano who made dialogue and meeting others the foundation of my life. “We experienced a morning of recollection and sacredness,” Margaret Karram concluded, “and I am bringing with me what I have learnt thanks to you: to always be grateful for what I receive as a gift. I renew the Focolare’s commitment to go forward together to fulfil the dream of a better world”.
Stefania Tanesini
Apr 30, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The 28th United World Week will take place from 1st-7th May 2023. It is a worldwide extravaganza of actions and initiatives to promote fraternity, unity and peace between people and peoples, organized by the communities of the Focolare Movement across the globe. The week opens on 1st May with a live transmission on YouTube from Loppiano, the international little town of the Focolare in Italy. The conclusion will be on 7th May with the worldwide relay race “Run4Unity”, supported and promoted by the Laudato Sì Action Platform of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. A community in Pont-à-Mousson (France) will convert the sport and the kilometres completed into trees to be planted in their sister parish in Burkina Faso. And in Bobo Dioulasso in Burkina Faso, the Youth for a United World of the Sahel will go through the streets of the city, to collect plastic, with which they will build a symbolic “mountain of peace”. In St. Mauro Pascoli (Italy), children and adults, will promote ecological sports to raise awareness of environmental care and raise funds to provide sports equipment to young cyclists in Ukraine. In Palawan (Philippines), hundreds of people will clean public beaches to care for nature and for the health of their fellow citizens. They say, “We believe that today, more than ever, unity and fraternity can only be achieved if we take care of ourselves, if we take responsibility to look after the planet together, with concrete actions, starting wherever we are”. From Paraguay to India, through Togo, Benin, and Lebanon to Australia, there are hundreds of initiatives like these, small and large. They take place every year to celebrate United World Week: Seven days of workshops and exhibitions, promoted by the communities of the Focolare Movement throughout the world, in synergy with other movements, associations and local institutions that share its values, to raise public awareness of peace, care for the environment, ecological conversion and integral care of the person which all starts from living out concrete fraternity. The main theme of the 28th United World Week is care of humanity and of the planet: “Dare to Care: People, Planet and Our Ecological Conversion”. These issues are even more urgent in the times in which we live which suffer from the catastrophic effects of the climate crisis and the proliferation of inhumane hotbeds of war and conflict everywhere on the planet. During this week, the initiatives that are ongoing throughout the year, will be showcased in many virtual and in person appointments, different depending on the places and communities that promote them: exhibitions, cultural events, workshops of dialogue and debate, solidarity and ecological actions, sporting events. Locally we aim to influence the public opinion of our countries while internationally, the objective is to fill our Common Home with hope, starting by recognizing the persevering and tireless action of people who are committed to building fraternity. The main partner of the United World Week 2023 is the Laudato Sì Movement. The United World Week is co-funded by the European Union through the AFR.E.SH project.
International events of the United World Week
On 30th April, at 21.00 (Italian time), the United World Week will begin with a concert entitled “The reason we care”, given by the international band Gen Rosso. It will be broadcast on their official YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@GenRossoOfficial). The concert is the result of the last few years during which the band has used music to carry out activities of welcome and education with young refugees and migrants in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Lebanon. 
On 1st May at 12.00, a major show, entitled “Common Ground, me, you and us”, broadcast live from the Auditorium of Loppiano (Italy), will officially inaugurate the 28th United World Week. The challenge? To rediscover the value of care, of taking care of oneself and of others, of the relationships that connect us and of our relationship with Mother Earth. The programme will include the testimonies of young change makers from various countries of the world, who are engaged in networking, often bravely going against the current in their taking care of people and the environment, for the common good of their peoples. Like Mimmy from Burundi who, as part of the fight against plastic pollution, has been elected “zero plastic” ambassador, because, with her association, she transforms plastic into ecological tiles and plants trees in the Rusizi National Park. Or Ivan, who in Damaguete (Philippines), with his community, takes care of his people through their commitment to the marine environment and planting mangroves, because he says: “Since we are one of the poorest countries in Asia, fishing is a means of livelihood for many. Our people need the sea to survive, for everyday life.” The live stream will be available at www.unitedworldproject.org. 
On Saturday 6th May, it will be the turn of “Peace Got Talent”, an artistic event promoted by the “Living Peace International” network that, taking its cue from the well-known television format, gives space to talented young people who are committed to promoting peace through music, song and dance. Each act in the competition is an expression of informal projects of peace education. The participating schools and groups include some from Ukraine, Syria, Russia, Myanmar and Congo: Countries affected by war and armed conflicts, which are eager to contribute their songs and their voices of hope. The show will be broadcast on www.unitedworldproject.org. On Sunday, 7th May, over 200,000 teenagers, young adults and families in many countries and hundreds of cities will participate in “Run4Unity,” a global relay race that links nations, cultures and religions to build peace and plant trees. Supported and promoted by the Laudato Sì Action Platform of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Promoting Integral Human Development, Run4Unity 2023 is led by the young people of the Focolare Movement. Participants of all ages will look after their health through physical exercise and will take care of the Earth by converting the kilometres completed or minutes of exercise to trees to be planted around the world (https://www.teens4unity.org/run4unity). Run4Unity will start from the Fiji Islands, which is in the first time zone to begin a new day and is an ecologically symbolic country because it is already strongly affected by climate change. From there, over the next 24 hours, young people will pass the virtual “baton” from one time zone to another through a series of video calls, concluding with communities in California. Participants will run, jog, walk or participate in local sporting events, some of which will be held in places symbolic for peace, for example at the borders between countries or communities in conflict or in ecologically significant places, to give a witness of unity and peace. Participants will include some of the 1,000 Laudato Sì schools around the world which are engaged in ecological education through the Laudato Sì Action Platform, as well as groups and schools that are part of the Living Peace International Project. Information about all the local events for United World Week 2023 can be found at: https://www.unitedworldproject.org/uww2023/.
Tamara Pastorelli (Photo: Pixabay)
Apr 28, 2023 | Non categorizzato
This is true friendship: a profound bond where not only our own destiny is at stake, but the destiny of the other as well, their own story. Friendship is a free good, a lost good – an authentic relationship where each person, supporting the other, continually finds themselves in the end. The friend in difficulty I was driving to work when I spotted a former university colleague on the road. I gave him a lift, and on the way he told me about his problems. Because of Covid, he had lost his job as a waiter. And the accommodation where he lived was without hot water and electricity because he had not paid his bills. I spontaneously invited him to take a shower at my place and wash his clothes whenever he needed to. He gladly accepted. One day he came as usual. He was not well, but he did not have the courage to tell me. After two days, I learned I had Covid. When this friend found out, he realised that he was the one who had infected me, so he didn’t feel like coming back to wash at my place. However, I reassured him that I had nothing against him, and we started seeing each other again. If I found the strength to go out to meet this brother of mine, it was because as a Christian I feel called to stop and see the needs and wants of my neighbour, to help him and love him as Jesus tells us in the Gospel. Steve, Burundi A marriage in crisis From Brazil, the home of her ‘great love’, Brigitte had written to me that her husband, who had become an alcoholic, had abandoned her and their three children. With my husband’s consent, I decided to visit her. Although the trip was a heavy expense for our finances, the desire to be close to this long-time friend prevailed. I found Brigitte devastated, disappointed, disoriented. She wondered why her fate left her far from her homeland and relatives, alone, a failure in every sense. We talked about the possibility of a return to France. But she did not see the total estrangement from their father as positive for the children. I could understand her. While I was there, I contacted the publishing house where I work, which had some French translation work for her. But the real gift for Brigitte, and for me, was remembering our younger years. Thinking back to our questions about faith and the desire to build a more human world, she seemed to reanimate that dream. At last, she herself had found the most concrete way to commit herself to others, a way towards rebuilding. I left refreshed. J.P., France
Edited by Maria Grazia Berretta.
From “Il Vangelo del Giorno”, Città Nuova, year IX, n.1, March–April 2023.
Apr 27, 2023 | Focolari nel Mondo, Non categorizzato
Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement, have just concluded the Korean step of their first official trip to Asia and Oceania. This will be followed by visits to Japan, the Fiji Islands, Australia and Indonesia, until 25 May. Here is a brief update on what happened in Korea.
“Teach us, Lord, to journey together, looking in the same direction, united by the same goal, in search of the same values towards the One who loves us and awaits us, who is the foundation of every new friendship’.
On 22nd April, this prayer was said at the start of the meeting of 160 focolarini and focolarine from East Asia (with several linked online). It expresses very well the meaning of Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán’s first official trip to Asia and Oceania. The first stop has been Korea, then they will visit Japan, the Fiji Islands, Australia and finally Indonesia. They are being accompanied by Rita Moussallem and Antonio Salimbeni, councillors of the zone and co-responsible for the interreligious dialogue of the Focolare Movement The Movement has been present In East Asia since the end of the 1960s (the zone includes Korea, Japan, and the Chinese-speaking area). In Korea, Father Francesco Shim brought the spirituality of unity in 1967 and in Hong Kong the first focolare was opened in 1970. There are about 10,000 members and adherents of the Movement living the spirituality of unity in this part of Asia.
Margaret Karram: Starting again from dialogue
“Why did you choose Asia for your first trip?”, the reporter of the ‘Catholic Chinmoon’, Korea’s leading Catholic weekly asked Margaret. “I am here to listen, to learn, but above all to love the ‘continent of hope’,” she replied. The spiritual wealth of these peoples will be a gift for all. I feel it is very important to revive the path of dialogue in the Movement; it is the most important instrument for building peace, which is the good that the world needs most today’.
Korea: between contradictions and hope for peace
The capital city, Seoul, has almost 10 million inhabitants and showcases a nation that has been running at speed for 50 years and has become one of the most advanced and technological states in the world. ‘Speed, efficiency and competitiveness are the hallmarks of modern Korean society,’ explains Matthew Choi, a Korean journalist and focolarino, ‘both economically and culturally, but this brings many contradictions with it. ‘There is a great emphasis on achievement here,’ adds Kil Jeong Woo, delegate of the Politics for Unity Movement in Korea, ‘with a highly competitive academic system and a strong work ethic. We have problems of social inequality, and efforts are underway to address this through social and political reforms, but progress is slow.”
The Korean Church, a bridge in a divided society
The Archbishop of Seoul, Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taek, highlighted among the social challenges intergenerational conflicts and an ageing population. He explained that ‘In the Church, there is the danger of closing ourselves off in our communities. Instead, we need to open up and this is the contribution that the Focolare can bring”. Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán then met Bishop Thaddeo Cho, Archbishop of Daegu, Bishop Augustino Kim, Bishop of Daejeon and Bishop Simon Kim, Bishop of Cheng-ju. In the context of strong polarisation between progressives and conservatives, the Church is seeking to be a bridge and act as an antidote to the secularisation that is affecting young people in particular.
Dialogues and inundations: the journey has begun.
The Focolare Movement in Korea is making its contribution to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, and also in various cultural spheres. One example was the event on 14 April in Seoul, entitled: “Dialogue is becoming the culture of the human family”. Representatives from various Christian churches, various religions, and representatives from the social fields took part, animated by a constructive spirit of cooperation for social reconciliation and peace. In her talk Margaret said: “It is very important that everyone can generate environments that open the way to the ‘dialogue of life,’ by putting into practice the teachings of their own religious faith”. Jesús Morán encouraged them to continue on this common path: “It does not matter how big or small the things you do are. The important thing is that they bring the seeds of something new. The testimonies you have presented show this clearly”. Sa Young-in, Director of the UN Office for Won Buddhism, said that as a young girl she dreamed of a “religious village” where believers of various religions could share love, grace, and mercy. “What I imagined,” she said, “I feel I can see fulfilled here today”.
Gen 2: “Courage and go ahead!”
On 15 April 80 Gen gathered at the Mariapolis Centre: 70 from Korea, 9 from Hong Kong and others were linked up from Japan and Chinese-speaking areas. They brought Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán the fruit of the work done in four workshops on how to incarnate the spirituality of unity in everyday life; relationships within and outside the Movement; the difficulties they face in finding their human and spiritual identity and their dreams for the Movement. Margaret said to them: “Our identity is one. We are not Gen first, and then become something else when, for example, we go to university. The gift of the spirituality that we have received makes us free people; it gives us the courage and strength to proclaim what we are and what we believe in, and I would also like to say to you what the Pope said to me when I was elected president: ‘courage and forward'”. One of the Gen said: ‘After Chiara’s departure,’, ‘there were moments when I felt nostalgia and darkness. Today, Margaret and Jesús’ closeness to us, their trust and listening have encouraged me a lot. They make me realise once again that Chiara’s legacy is a gift from God suitable for every age’.
The little town –armony
On 16 April, Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán went to the land that the Movement had received as a gift, about 70 kilometres south of Seoul, to fulfil a dream Chiara spoke of during her visit to Korea in 1982: the birth of a little town of formation and witness to Gospel life and the spirituality of unity for this part of Asia. In the presence of about 200 people – Focolare members, benefactors and friends who contributed in various ways – the land was blessed, and a medal of Mary was buried there as a seal. “Let us entrust this Work to her,” Margaret concluded, “and ask her to help us adhere to God’s plans that maybe we do not yet know, but He is greater than us and if we give Him our willingness and generosity, He will be able to work.”
Visiting Sungsimdang
It all started in 1956, with two sacks of flour used to make steamed bread to sell in front of Daejeon Station. Today, Sungsimdang has become the city’s most famous restaurant business and, with its 848 employees, has been living the spirit of the Economy of Communion (EoC) to the full since 1999. Margaret and Jesús visited it and had a joyful meeting with Fedes Im and his wife Amata Kim who are the owners and are Volunteers of the Movement. ‘I didn’t study administration or management,’ says Fedes, ‘but I followed Chiara. “Seek to do good before all people,” is the motto she gave to the business that serves 10,000 customers a day and has always lived sharing, bringing bread daily to more than 80 social assistance centres. But what is striking is the atmosphere and relationships in the workplace: “For us,” says their daughter Sole, who is head of the catering department, “all people have the same value: men and women, rich and poor, managers and employees, suppliers and customers. We try to put the person at the centre of all our decisions’. Jesús emphasised the importance of the business’s impact in the local area, an important part of companies operating in the EoC style, and Margaret compared their testimony to that of a little town of the Movement about which one can say, “come and see”. “And that,” she said, “is the greatest medicine the world is waiting for.”
Listening, knowing, sharing
Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán’ days in Korea were intense and varied, but there was also time for a tourist visit to the ancient site of Bulguksa, to learn about the roots of the national Buddhist culture. Located in beautiful parkland, with its thousand-year-old temples, they spent a truly regenerating day! There have also been many meetings with members of the Movement in this vast zone, such as the joyful afternoon with the focolarini and with some members of the Chinese-speaking area. The time with the 80 priests, and men and women religious was a ‘cenacle’ experience, with testimonies of faithfulness and authentic gospel life, in a profound conversation with Margaret and Jesús. Then, on 23 April, it was the turn of the long-awaited meeting with all the members of the Movement; 1,200 were present, with about 200 connected online from various countries. It was an amazing celebration, bringing together peoples and cultures that we would hardly ever see dancing and singing on the same stage, and rejoicing in each other’s beauty and richness. Perhaps that is why some called the event ‘a miracle’ and the seed of a society renewed by unity. 
In the dialogue, Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán answered questions on a variety of topics, together with the councillors Rita Moussallem and Antonio Salimbeni. These included the ‘design’ of the Asian continent, the relevance today of dialogue between religions. To the question on how to have a deeper relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist, Jesús explained that it is not a matter of ‘feeling’ the relationship with Him, but of living it, because the Eucharist nourishes our whole person and makes us live as a body, in love for others”. Speaking of the decline in vocations in the Movement, Margaret said that for young people, personal relationships and the authentic witness of adults are important. “If our life is fruit of union with God and is coherent with the Gospel, they will be attracted, because they take inspiration from those who ‘dare’ to live for God and so they will understand where He is calling them”. To the last question on how our relationships must be in order to be able to dialogue with everyone, Margaret Karram answered with her own experience: “This year we have deepened our prayer life and our love for God, a ‘vertical’ love we might say, like those pine trees whose branches go upwards. The other day, while I was outside for a walk, I saw a tree that I liked very much: its branches were open, extending outwards; they intertwined with other trees. This is how our relationships should be: our arms should always be open, reaching out to others; we should have our hearts wide open to the joys, sorrows, and lives of all the people who pass us by.” It is ‘the hour of Asia’, Chiara Lubich wrote in 1986, during her first trip to these countries; today those words are manifesting all their relevance and prophetic value.
Stefania Tanesini
Apr 20, 2023 | Non categorizzato
Jean Paul is a young man from Burundi who, in 2015, at a time of frequent internal conflict in the country, was ambushed and suffered life-threatening injuries. His experience tells of pain transformed by faith, and by loving support from many people around the world. His story became a firm foundation on which to bear witness to God’s love. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXLnHUqw5eA&list=PL9YsVtizqrYt2S6qrtBBS1Xu_B3p-juwd Copyright 2023 © CSC Audiovisivi
Apr 17, 2023 | Non categorizzato
For almost ten years, a project of dialogue between Socialists/Marxists and Christians has been underway in Europe under the name of DIALOP. We met some of those involved during their recent visit to the International Centre of Focolare in Rocca di Papa (Italy) Walter Baier is one of the members of DIALOP, a project of dialogue between Socialists/Marxists and Christians, which involves intellectuals, academics, politicians, activists and students from 
different European countries. They say: “We believe that dialogue is the best way to bring about real change and we work to transform the world into a better place to live”. Walter further explained, “I think that with the election of Pope Francis the situation has changed completely, substantially. Not only for the Catholic Church, but also for all the philosophical and cultural currents which oppose neoliberalism. I say this because what the Pope teaches is a way of uniting, which is contrary to individual consumerism. This brings the Pope and the parts of the Church that follow him into a position close to the position of the left, which seeks to emphasize common collective values.” DIALOP’s experience began on 18th September, 2014, during the private audience that Pope Francis granted to two leftist politicians: Alexis Tsipras of Greece and Walter Baier of Austria, along with Franz Kronreif of the Focolare Movement. On that occasion the conversation focused on the environmental crisis and the global social crisis. At the end of the audience Pope Francis invited them to initiate a transversal dialogue, which would involve a wide gamut of society and especially young people. Baier said, “I have been representing the European Left Party for three months. I am one of the founders. The European Left Party is now composed of 35 parties from 27 European countries. These countries belong to the European Union and I think that our understanding of Europe must really be much broader than just looking at the privileged part of Europe. We need to take pan-Europeanism seriously and we need to understand it better. Europe is not only different, but is also torn apart by deep social and economic divisions. And one of the fundamental demands of the left should be to achieving a decent standard of living in all parts of Europe for our familes. Something we have also learned through being together in dialogue with our Christian friends is how to have differentiated consent and qualified dissent, which is really a very, very useful method. ” 
Cornelia Hildebrandt belongs to Trasform! Europe . In the face of the ongoing wars she has no doubt: “We of the Left share Pope Francis’ statement that every war is a failure of politics. In these times ridden with conflicts, we believe that dialogue is not only an urgent necessity, but a categorical imperative. It takes all our strength to impose a sustainable peace against the destruction of the environment; better living conditions of people against barbarism.” Dialogue means welcoming the other into your home. It is to become a guest of the guest. It is not only a tool, but a constant encounter, a path of shared intellectual and spiritual experience, in which the distinctiveness of the respective partners does not disappear, but unfolds and develops more clearly. With these encounters, opposites become complementary. Hilodebrandt explains the concept of differentiated consensus and qualified dissent: “We adopt and adapt a method that is used in ecumenism among the Christian Churches. The incoherently formulated basic statements of human society and the world must form a solid basis. In order for partners to speak and act together, common core statements must explicitly make reference to original texts so as to be compatible with the respective traditions of the Catholic Church and of Transform!Europe and beyond. And then it’s about asking questions accurately. And then the search for clear common declarations can begin, which reflect each tradition and enrich each other”. Angelina Giannopoulou is a young Greek woman from Tranform! Europe. She recounted her experience in Dialop and underlined the importance of the presence of young people for the present and future of this reality. She also told us about the “DialogUE Project” which, in collaboration with the European Community involves 14 civil society organizations. It will give an important input to the World Youth Day in Lisbon (Portugal) with a day dedicated to communication that will involve politicians, experts and young people. In the future there will be other symposia on ecology and social policies. Walter Baier concluded, “We cannot accept the situation in which we find ourselves today in Europe and in the world, I think this is the strongest vocation of Dialop”.
Carlos Mana
For more information and access to the “DIALOP Position Paper” see the Dialop website (https://dialop.eu/).
Apr 16, 2023 | Non categorizzato
On the occasion of the Day dedicated to good deeds, we share the message of peace and hope contained in the “Golden Rule”, launched by Chiara Lubich to the many young people gathered at the Colosseum (Rome) on the occasion of the Supercongress of Teens for Unity, 26 May 2002. https://youtu.be/Yz14YP11XZM
Apr 15, 2023 | Non categorizzato, Spiritualità, Vite vissute, Word of
For a Christian, the Resurrection really happened. It was an encounter that changed every human perspective; it is the event that reminds us that our home is in heaven and it is there that our life must aim, giving witness to the values that Jesus brought to earth. The other is someone to love I am a fourth year medical student. When we go to the hospital, the patient can be treated just as an object to be studied. Each one is a “case”, they represent an illness. Usually during practical classes each patient is examined by thirty students. I quickly realized that this can be uncomfortable and often painful for the patient so when it was my turn to do the examination, I said: “No, I think this patient has suffered enough. I wouldn’t want to be treated like that. I’ll go first the next time.” My fellow students said that in this way I would never learn and would never become a good doctor but then, without my knowing it, they suggested to the professor that each patient be examined by only five students at most. The whole class was behind the idea and the professor agreed. The result is that in this way you learn better and the patients feel respected. (Regina – Brazil) Open a window I had a fall and ended up with a broken shoulder. Suddenly my life changed. All my plans for the holidays, taking care of our grandchildren, doing the shopping etc. fell through. Now everything landed on my wife who, since she retired, has stopped using the car. One day my granddaughter, with whom we often play a game that consists of looking for the positive in the negative, asked me where the positive in this forced immobility was. I replied that my new condition was making me discover that I used to do many things automatically, without thinking about them very much. Now I was beginning to see that there are can be other ways of doing things, like a new window that opens in your room and shows you a landscape that you did not see before. My granddaughter was quiet for a while. Then, as if awakened by a discovery, she said, “Grandpa, I have a classmate who’s not very nice. She swears and is always cross with everyone. We all avoid talking to her and now there is a kind of wall around her which isolates her. Maybe I should open a window to her, too.” I was very happy to hear my granddaughter say such beautiful words. (H.N. – Slovakia)
Compiled by Maria Grazia Berretta
(taken from The Gospel of the Day, New City, year IX – no.1- March-April 2023)
Apr 14, 2023 | Centro internazionale, Non categorizzato, Sociale, Tutela minori
Joachim Schwind, a focolare and member of the General Council at the Focolare International Centre was interviewed by Adriana Masotti of Vatican News The first report on cases of the abuse of minors and vulnerable adults and on those of a spiritual nature and of authority that took place within the Movement was recently published on the Movement’s international website. In addition to the data provided, it presents the remedial measures, the new investigative procedures and the training activities to achieve the complete safeguarding of the person. In this interview, Joachim Schwind, a focolare-priest and member of the General Council, explained the process which has begun. In a letter published on the Movement’s website, President Margaret Karram and Co-President Jésus Morán presented the first report on the management of cases of abuse that have occurred within the Movement: “We are writing to give you a public account of information regarding the reports we have received and the measures we have taken as the Focolare Movement in response to the scourge of the sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults and the abuse of conscience, spiritual abuse, and the abuse of authority regarding adults, which has also affected us”. The report, which will be issued annually, comes one year on from the engagement in 2020 of GCPS Consulting to investigate serious cases of sexual abuse by J.M.M., a former French focolarino. This case gave rise to an awareness of the problem and then to the decision to begin a process, on several fronts, to guarantee the prevention and integral safeguarding of the person in all areas and environments in which the activities of the Focolare take place and to counteract this crime. The victims are at the centre: a request for forgiveness In the letter, the President and co-President first of all ask for forgiveness from each victim on behalf of the entire Movement. They express their deep gratitude to the victims and survivors and to the families and communities involved, not only in France, but in all countries where cases of abuse have emerged. It is thanks to their collaboration and above all to their courage in facing and bringing these crimes to light, that the Movement today is more consciously pursuing new commitments and procedures regarding safeguarding. People who have been abused occupy the central and priority place in this process. Listening, the request for forgiveness, the offer of help and indicating a reparative path are the starting point. The new Central Independent Commission The report consists of several parts and presents statistics relating to abuses reported to the Commission for the Wellbeing and Safeguarding of the Person (in Italian, CO.BE.TU.) since 2014, the year of its establishment and therefore the beginning of systematic gathering of reports, until December 2022. Another section is dedicated to the measures implemented or being implemented, in response to the recommendations of GCPS Consulting’s independent investigation. The report announces that, starting from 1st May, 2023, a new Independent Central Commission will take office for the management of reports and the task of the CO.BE.TU. will end. The report also presents the “Procedures for handling cases of abuse in the Focolare Movement” and the “Guidelines on support and financial reparation in the case of the sexual abuse of minors/vulnerable adults”. Finally, there is a Supervisory Body appointed by the President and composed of at least five members external to the Movement. Some data presented in the report According to the data reported in the published text, there have been 61 reports of abuse. The victims include: 17 vulnerable adults, 28 young people aged between 14 and 18 years of age, 13 children under 14 years of age and two concerning the possession of child pornography. There are 66 perpetrators of abuse of which 63 are men and 3 are women. Twenty of those found guilty of abuse have been dismissed from the Movement, nine have been sanctioned, and there are other cases still pending. Finally, 39 cases occurred in Europe, 15 in the Americas, 3 in Asia/Oceania and 4 in Africa. With regard to the chapter on sexual abuse, the abuse of conscience and authority and spiritual abuse towards adults, there were 22 cases reported. There are 31 abusers and some more who have not yet been identified. 12 are men and 19 are women. The distribution of these reports by geographical area indicates: 16 cases in Europe, 3 in the Americas, 2 in Africa and 1 in Asia/Oceania. A network for the gathering reports and listening of victims Within the Focolare Movement, the local commissions for the wellbeing and safeguarding of minors and vulnerable people will be strengthened or established, with the presence of professionals in the fields of psychological, legal, educational and training support. They will have the task of accepting complaints and testimonies and of initiating investigative procedures. The local commissions will also be able to offer a listening point for anyone who wishes to share their experience of abuse, violence or discomfort of any kind, also providing, on request, advice for further assistance. In some countries, such as France and Germany, these listening points are already active. In addition, a central Disciplinary Commission will be established, composed mostly of external professionals, in order to assess the responsibility of the leaders of the Focolare Movement in the management of abuses of all kinds. Schwind: this is a shame that demands huge change Joachim Schwind is a priest of the Focolare Movement. He is a theologian and journalist of German origin. He is a member of the General Council of the Movement and joint director of the Commission entrusted with carrying out the recommendations of the report prepared by GCPS Consulting. He told us what has been done on the issue of abuse, since that investigation began and he described the impact on the leaders and communities of the Movement. What was the starting point of this new process for safeguarding people? I do not know whether to speak of an initial point, but rather of a decisive point. And that was undoubtedly, a year ago, with the publication of the report of the English company GCPS that investigated this case of abuse in France. This was not the starting point because measures were already in place since 2011, but they were absolutely insufficient and unsatisfactory. This report has caused a great shock and a great shame throughout the Movement, because of the extent and duration of this case, the number of victims and also because of the failure in our management of this situation, in the coordination of our organizational and governmental structures. And it was important to choose to publish this report “without ifs or buts”, even if some people were unsure about publishing some parts. For us it meant accepting the humiliation that this report contains, accepting the fact that we are no better than others. However, it must be said that the basis was the courage of the victims who had made the accusations and who had reported what had happened. It must have been very painful to learn of cases of sexual abuse within the Movement. What were the first reactions? How did the leaders of the Movement at the central level react? Of course, as I said, it was deeply painful, shocking and shameful. The first reactions were to acknowledge the facts and to ask for forgiveness. We did this in 2019 through our then President, Maria Voce and it was repeated by the current President, Margaret Karram and our co-President Jésus Morán. Then it is not easy to express the reactions of a worldwide movement, because we are spread throughout the whole world, in all cultural contexts and therefore we have experienced the full range of reactions that exist: shock, disbelief, shame, but also some sought justification. There were those who tried to explain the situation as a unique occurrence, saying that the perpetrators were sick, that these things did not affect us, or that they did not concern their own country, etc. There was the anger, the rage of parents who had entrusted their sons and daughters to the Movement. There were some people who left the Movement, others who wanted to get to the bottom of these situations, there were those who felt they had to do something and then “move on”. And in this context, what our co-President said at a meeting was very indicative, that “this page must be read to the end before turning it over”. In the face of this reality, what were the decisions taken, first of all regarding the accusations that had arrived? The first thing we did at the level of leadership was to go on a pilgrimage together and take part in a liturgy of asking for forgiveness, of reconciliation before God. We set up a Commission, of which I am a member, which has the task of specifying the measures to be taken. Many of us, starting with the President and the co-President have sought contact with the victims, and I personally must say that contact with the victims and survivors was the most valuable thing in this whole process. Perhaps the most important decision was the reform of the Independent Commission, which was tasked with investigating cases of abuse. And in that reform the most obvious and most important part is that from now on every sexual abuse will be reported to the judicial authorities. In countries where this obligation exists, it will take place immediately, as soon as we receive a report and, where the law does not provide for it, we will carry out a kind of investigation and verification of the authenticity of the claim and as soon as this is done it will be submitted to the judicial authorities. Then, with the reform of this Commission, we tried to speed up the procedures, always thinking of the victims so that they do not have to wait too long once they have taken the courage to report something. We have also tried to free this Commission from other tasks, in particular that of training, in order to ensure a faster process of all the procedures, while the aspect of training has been given to a special Commission. Then we set up listening points in many countries to make it easier to report, because it is often not so easy to take the courage to do so. Another aspect of your commitment was that of the prevention of abuses and training to favour a safeguarding culture encompassing the whole person, for all the members of the Movement. This was an important initiative… Of course, prevention is perhaps the most important point and in this context we were helped by some external experts, because after the publication of the GCPS report, we were tempted to try to achieve everything, but there was also the risk of getting a little lost in the sea of measures we intended to take. We have been advised to focus first of all on creating safe environments in the Movement, that is, that the spaces, meetings and places of the Movement are safe spaces. Of course, 100% security never exists, but we must increase at all costs everyone’s attention and awareness and this requires training, training, and training. Our choice was not only to continue the training which is already in place for the trainers, educators and animators, but to establish training courses for all the members of the Movement and we launched the very ambitious challenge that within two years, each member of the Focolare Movement must have taken at least one basic course for the prevention and safeguarding of minors against sexual abuse. Not only sexual abuse of vulnerable people, but also spiritual abuse and abuse of authority. This is also mentioned in the report. And here perhaps we enter a more subtle area, more difficult to decipher. What can you tell us about this? Have there been complaints about this and how are they expressed? It is very important to speak of spiritual abuse, of the abuse of authority, of power and of conscience. It is important because sexual abuse is almost always an abuse of power. So the underlying problem is not the question of sexuality, but precisely the abuse of conscience, spiritual abuse, the abuse of power-related addictions. And it is true, as you say, that it is very difficult to decipher what spiritual abuse is. The term is not yet clear or well defined and I think this is also reflected in the relatively low numbers of cases of this type that are included in our report. A process has started in this regard and in this, the listening points that I have already talked about will be of great help. Then there are also people who have suffered an abuse of power and who do not want to report it to a commission, but would like to talk to those who have harmed them. They ask for mediation, conversation, perhaps even a path of reconciliation. And then there are others who have not yet found the courage to denounce. In all this I think a change of culture is very important and there was a very significant moment in this regard last September when the leaders of the Movement from all over the world met with the General Council in our International Centre, and for several days we talked about our experiences. We wanted to have the courage to listen and to speak out and we tried to create a new culture of openness, of listening, of sharing. Then there is also the need for formation, to be able to distinguish the internal forum and the external forum, as the Pope advises the Church, formation in conscience, formation in the absolute prevalence of human dignity. We know that power always carries a risk, so we have started a process and we are still refining it. The procedures for choosing leaders must be reviewed and now there is much more involvement of the grassroots in the selection of candidates and then we must also ensure alternation in roles of governance. What does it mean for the Focolare Movement to publicize this information about the issue of abuse? You might have chosen not to… What message do you want to give? I wouldn’t say that we want to give a message with this report, because that might seem as if we want to save our image. I think that first of all we must ask forgiveness from every person who has suffered because of the inadequacy of our forms of governance, of control and of responsibility. And then we must thank those who have found the courage to denounce and to express their anger to us. With the publication of this report, above all we want to say that they did not do it in vain and that the path of our conversion and reparation has started and will be ongoing. And I think one of the strongest signals in this report is the simple fact that it is the beginning of a series because from now we have committed ourselves to publishing such a report every year. And this allows the victims and public opinion to follow and monitor our processes, also within our Movement, and this fact will force us to never give up.
Adriana Masotti – Vatican City
Source: Vatican News
Apr 10, 2023 | Senza categoria
- Date of Death: 11/04/2023
- Branch of belonging: volunteer
- Nation: Italy
Apr 9, 2023 | Non categorizzato
Jesus is risen. Happy Easter! Beginning with the Gospel account, Igino Giordani reveals to us the fraternal dimension of the resurrection. Jesus, rising from the dead, appeared to the women who had come to the tomb; and he said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and proclaim to my brothers…’ And, thus, in those concluding moments, he gave the disciples their definitive name: that of being brothers and sisters. Coming out of death, into glory, he thus defined his relationship with humankind. As he presented himself then, he still presents himself now, as a brother: the firstborn. By rising again, he had conquered death and reclaimed fraternity. He had come to earth to restore the Father’s fatherhood; he had descended into hell to overcome the enemy of humankind; now he was declaring the re-established fraternity of children, in the family of God. All of us are included in redemption and therefore all of us are brothers and sisters. If we do not act as such, we are outside of redemption.
Igino Giordani
Igino Giordani, Il fratello, [Our brother] (I edition Città Nuova 2011 – III edizione, Figlie della Chiesa 1954).
Apr 6, 2023 | Non categorizzato
In the heart of Holy Week, we publish this thought of Chiara Lubich taken from a conference call on Holy Thursday 1989. Today is Holy Thursday, a very special day for us. It reminds us of various divine truths that are at the heart of our spirituality, so much so that every year, when this feast occurs, it captivates our hearts. In fact, it’s not unusual to feel an atmosphere of paradise invade our soul. How can we not feel our hearts expand when Holy Thursday so strongly underlines the new commandment of Jesus, his last prayer for unity, the extraordinary gift of the Eucharist and the priesthood that makes the Eucharist possible? Let’s pause today and consider with immense gratitude these extraordinary mysteries which are fundamental for every Christian, and in particular for us. And tomorrow is Good Friday. It too takes us right into the heart of Christianity and of our spirituality: Jesus dies, he dies forsaken. Doesn’t this seem like the moment to face, in some way, a subject that few people, if any, want to face in a world like ours that is so caught up in consumerism and other evils – namely the subject of death? We have to do it, in order to be faithful to our Ideal which teaches us how to face every moment in our life, and therefore, also the passage from this life to the next, which is eternal. And we will address this subject remaining within the topic of “prayer,” which we have chosen to live in these past few weeks. There is one very short prayer that is stupendous. The Holy Spirit puts it on the lips of the Church, the “bride.” It is addressed to Jesus, the “bridegroom.” It concludes the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible. The prayer says, “Come, Lord Jesus!”[1] “Come, Lord Jesus!” This prayer could be ours when we think of our death, when we are awaiting it, when we are preparing for death. Yes, because we have, or we should have, our own precise concept of death, which is that it’s not the end, but the beginning. It is our encounter with Jesus. And we know that it’s not optional, everyone has to face it. In fact, that day will come for everyone; it’s God’s will for everyone. Yes, it’s the will of God for me, for us, for each person. If this is true, then we have to learn how to welcome death as it is, as the will of God. But how in general do we accept God’s will? We have understood that the will of God, whatever it is, is an expression of God’s love for us. It is neither logical nor should we only be resigned to accepting it. It’s necessary to see it as the best thing that could possibly happen to us. Therefore, we have to strive to live in such a way that God’s will is our will. And we commit ourselves to living the will of God not only with all our love, but also with enthusiasm, because we know that by doing the will of God, we are setting out on a divine adventure, which we know only in part and in part we still have to discover. We also know that this is the way that we can fulfil God’s plan for us. Indeed, this way of facing God’s will is characteristic of a focolarino, because this is the point that led to our initial conversion, when our lives changed direction totally. … “Come, Lord Jesus!” … But this prayer is also good for other occasions. You can say, “Come, Lord Jesus,” while waiting to receive the Eucharist. You can say it before meeting somebody or a group of people in whom you truly want to love him. And you can say it before carrying out any other will of his. “Come, Lord Jesus! Looking at you, we will be fearless in loving, which is our vocation. While waiting for you to come for us, we will live our life well, so that as soon as the next life opens up for us, we will plunge into that adventure that will never end. You have conquered death. And through this prayer we realize that you, from now on, have conquered death in us, too, in our heart. So then come, Lord Jesus, always, in all of us.
Chiara Lubich
[1] Rev 22:20.
Mar 31, 2023 | Centro internazionale, Non categorizzato, Tutela minori
The Focolare Movement has now published the first report on cases of abuse of children and vulnerable adults; and on spiritual abuse and abuse of authority that has occurred in the Focolare Movement, with reference to reparation measures, new investigative procedures, and training in safeguarding. “We are writing to give you a public account of information regarding the reports we have received and the measures we have taken as the Focolare Movement in response to the scourge of the sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults and the abuse of conscience, spiritual abuse, and the abuse of authority regarding adults, which has also affected us”. In an open letter, Focolare President Margaret Karram, and Co-President Jésus Morán present the first report on the handling of abuse cases within the Movement. The report, published this year on 31st March 2023, one year after GCPS Consulting‘s investigation into serious cases of sexual abuse by a former French focolarino, J.M.M., will be issued annually. The Movement has been working to take the necessary steps to ensure the prevention and all-round safeguarding of the person in all the environments in which its activities take place. Therefore, as the President and Co-President of the Focolare explain, the report being published today, is a first account of the measures of prevention, investigation, transparency, training, and change, undertaken by the Movement, to combat these crimes. First, the President and Co-President sincerely ask each victim and survivor for forgiveness, on behalf of the Focolare Movement. And they express their deep gratitude to the victims and survivors, and to the families and communities involved, not only in France, but in all countries where cases of abuse have come to light. It is thanks to their cooperation and especially their courage in facing and bringing these crimes to light, that the Movement today is more consciously pursuing new commitments and procedures regarding safeguarding. The report consists of several parts and presents figures relating to abuses reported to the Commission for the Wellbeing and Safeguarding of the Person (in Italian CO.BE.TU.) since 2014, the year of its establishment and therefore of the systematic gathering of reports, until December 2022. Information on the “foundation courses on safeguarding” carried out in the various countries where the Focolare Movement exists are also included. Another section is dedicated to the measures put in place, or being put in place, as a priority, following the recommendations of the independent Inquiry by GCPS Consulting; training courses and measures concerning safeguarding available to all members of the Movement, especially formators and those who work with children. Training events have already been held for those in positions of responsibility in the Movement at various levels, from the central leadership to those responsible for different geographical areas. The Independent Central Commission has been set up together with procedures regarding reports, accusations and investigations As of 1st May 2023, the Independent Central Commission will start work and the task of CO.BE.TU will end. The new body will deal exclusively with the handling of reports, while training will be coordinated centrally and locally by another team of experts and consultants. The report also presents the ‘Procedures for handling cases of abuse in the Focolare Movement’, the ‘Role of the Independent Central Commission’ and ‘Guidelines on support and financial reparation in the case of sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults’.
Stefania Tanesini
Download PDF Report on the handling of abuse cases within the Focolare Movement
Mar 30, 2023 | Non categorizzato
In union with the universal Church, the Church in Africa celebrated the Continental Synodal Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 1st-6th March 2023. Here are some impressions from those who participated in this very important moment for the family of the People of God. “Understanding the synodal process means opening our hearts to the Holy Spirit who speaks to us, and listening to each other in order to better carry out the Church’s mission”. With these words, Archbishop Lucio Muandula, Vice-President of SECAM (Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar), opened the work of the Continental Assembly that began in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) at the beginning of March 2023. Over two hundred delegates, including cardinals, archbishops, bishops, consecrated people, lay people, seminarians and novices, together with representatives of other faiths, gathered together to reflect on the document of the continental phase of the Synod on Synodality. They experienced the joy of listening and the beauty of feeling part of the “family of God”. Markos Gebremedhin, Apostolic Vicar of Jimma-Bonga (Ethiopia) and friend of the Focolare Movement, said: “We discussed various themes and identified the calls of our synodal journey to prepare a final document that represents the authentic voice of Africa. It was an experience of true synodality, a moment of deep dialogue, mutual listening and discernment, between local churches and with the universal Church”. The continent of Africa is blessed by rich principles and values, the fruit of many cultures and traditions. It is rooted in a sense of community spirit, family, solidarity, inclusion and hospitality. Mons. Gebremedhin continued, “These principles and values are good, healthy seeds which can enable a truly synodal Church in Africa, in which all vocations must be valued, to grow. With great charity, the assembly empathized with the pain and suffering of our sisters and brothers in Africa. This family walks with those who are most affected, in particular by war, ethnic strife, religious intolerance, terrorism and all forms of conflict, tension and anguish”. The topics addressed included a reflection on the fundamental role of young people who are a source of energy, passion and creativity for the Church, and on African women, the backbone of communities. Their talents, their charisma and the great contribution they bring was recognized and valued. Don Giacomo Costa, consultant of the General Secretariat of the Synod guided the participants through the working method of the “spiritual conversation” which was expressed in three moments: taking the floor, making room for others and building together. Guy Constant, one of the Focolare Movement’s “Volunteers of God”, told us “I participated in the Assembly as an adult Catholic appointed by the Bishops’ Conference of Benin. We met in small groups to discuss our personal experience of the path of synodality during the first year of the synod. The reports of each group were then presented in plenary. This was followed by the presentation and reflection on the synthesis document prepared for the continental phase. One of the most beautiful aspects of this was the invoking of the Holy Spirit, praying that He might guide the process and the intervention of each person. This made it possible to readily accept the proposals of others, instead of wanting to impose our own. A second aspect was experiencing a working atmosphere of true unity among us, priests, bishops and cardinals without distinctions. There was a lot of humility in welcoming everyone’s interventions.” This path of synodality seems to have awakened the thirst of a Church that wants to take into account the thoughts and feelings of each member, which does not walk alone, but which learns from others. A vital Church that aims at being an “us”. Fidely Tshibidi Musuya, focolarina from Congo recounted, “I participated in the Continental Assembly for the Synod in Africa as a youth assistant. It was truly a unique experience to hear that I too have a voice that can be heard. For the first time I truly felt a child of the Church. I was born into a Catholic Christian family and many things were obvious to me but this experience made me take on a new awareness of my belonging to the Church, which is not only for bishops, priests and men and women religious, but is truly the Church for all.”
Maria Grazia Berretta
Mar 29, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The Domus Project was set up to help some Argentinean families who wanted to see their right to own their own home fulfilled. This dream came true thanks to the participatory self-building housing project, launched in the town of Lincoln (Argentina) in 2019. People of all ages joined forces and, with the help of professionals, were trained in the art of construction, generating reciprocity, citizenship and fraternal community. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJfry9kxJjA&list=RDCMUCgObNLrbHTnFoc42UOhE-Nw&index=4 Copyright 2023 © CSC Audiovisivi – All rights reserved
Mar 27, 2023 | Non categorizzato
Loving your neighbour does not always require grand gestures. Sometimes it is enough simply to look to the other person attentively to discover that responding to their needs with joy costs nothing. From that sowing of love, soon we all reap beautiful fruit. At the bus stop I meet Karim at the bus stop. I hardly know him, I don’t even know what country he’s from, although I think he is North African, and while waiting we chat. I’m headed to the city, he to the seaside, and certainly not for swimming (this is evident from the meagre assortment of beach items to sell that he carries with him). I notice, however, that he doesn’t have a hat to protect himself from the sun, an indispensable accessory in this scorching summer for those who, like him, will spend a few hours on the sunny beach. ‘I forgot it at home,’ he replies. I spontaneously offer him mine. I bought it recently, but it doesn’t matter: ‘Take it, I have two others. Where I’m going I can find shade, but you…’ Bewildered, Karim looks at me almost incredulously. Several times he insists not to take it, then finally relents seeing that I do so wholeheartedly. Meanwhile, my bus arrives. We say goodbye. ‘Have a good day at work, Karim!’ ‘Thanks again for the hat!’ Only then does it occur to me that I gave that gift to Jesus in him. The fact is, that episode of the hat enlightens my whole morning. Saverio, Italy The umbrella From the Gospel I had learnt that behind the poor and the marginalised it is Christ who asks to be loved. I remember a simple episode. In the bar near my home, I noticed a poor man, nicknamed Pen, who was soaking wet because it was raining that day. Knowing that he had had tuberculosis, and overcoming some resistance to be seen in his company, I invited him home to find him something dry. My parents were surprised. ‘Santa, we could use some clothes…’ At first my son did not seem very enthusiastic, but then he found a pair of trousers, while I got a jacket. But the rain showed no sign of stopping. ‘What if we gave him an umbrella too?’ An umbrella was also found. Happy the poor man, but I was happier too, because we had collaborated to help him. But it didn’t end there. Days later, Pen came back to return the umbrella. Actually it wasn’t the one we had given him – it was better. Ours had been stolen and someone had given him another one. He wanted to reciprocate that way. Francesco, Italy
Edited by Maria Grazia Berretta.
From “Il Vangelo del Giorno,” Città Nuova, year IX, no. 1, March–April 2023.
Mar 24, 2023 | Non categorizzato
“Together – Gathering of the People of God” is the ecumenical prayer vigil to be held on 30th September 2023 in Rome in advance of the Synodal Assembly in October. Damian, a Polish Catholic, and Masha, a Russian Orthodox, are two young people from the Focolare Movement who recently participated in the preparatory meeting for the event, which was followed by a private audience with the Pope. Praying together gathered under the same “tent”, to discover each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. This is the idea at the heart of the ecumenical prayer vigil that will take place on 30th September 2023 in St. Peter’s Square. Pope Francis announced the event during the Angelus on 15th January 2023, to entrust to God the work of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, on the theme of Synodality, which will take place in October 2023. It will be a genuine gathering of the People of God, which will extend an invitation, as the title given to this occasion indicates (“Together”), to walk together, which is also expressed by the verse of Isaiah (cf. Is 54, 2) chosen for the occasion: to “widen the space of your tent”. The Taizé Community will lead the vigil, which will be attended by Pope Francis and representatives of various Christian Churches, as well as many realities and organizations. It is open to everyone, especially young people who are invited to attend from Friday evening until Sunday afternoon, and will be welcomed for a weekend of true sharing. 
Damian Skłodowski, from Poland, and Masha Iasinskaia, from Russia are two young people from the Focolare Movement who are part of the team that is organizing “Together”. At the meeting held on 12th-15th March 2023, they had the opportunity to meet the whole team and to begin the work of preparation. Masha, how did the meeting go for you? This preparatory meeting was a very strong experience for me. I was pleasantly impressed to see so many people belonging to different Churches and to various confessions working together. I am Orthodox and, having been part of the Focolare Movement since I was born, I have always lived in an atmosphere in which dialogue between the Churches is normal but I was happy to be surprised on this occasion. I have discovered that many, each in their own reality, feel this need for brotherhood and work hard to achieve this goal in their communities. Damian, how did you share out the tasks from an organizational point of view? The “Together” weekend will be a journey made up of several parts. On the morning of 30th September, there will be itineraries and workshops on various themes in different areas of Rome. This will be followed by a time dedicated to prayer for all the young adults in the city centre and then there will be a procession to St. Peter’s Square. This preparatory meeting was certainly a way to get to know each other, brainstorm a little on the topics and understand how to share the work between us. Masha and I will take care of preparing one of the morning workshops. Masha, in this context what does the word “Together” say to you? The first time I felt I was living this “together” fully was in Hungary, during the 2012 GenFest, a gathering of the young people from the Focolare which takes place every 5 years. It’s a different kind of event from the one we are organizing now but I will never forget the mandate that was given to us to be “bridges”. A bridge represents something that unites, which creates a bond between us, between our countries, our churches, our differences and the more united we are the more unshakeable this bridge will be. I think this being “together” is essential, especially for me, for my country. I am lucky because I had the joy of receiving this mandate, but we have to bear witness to it, to truly become bridges and this vigil offers a wonderful occasion. Damian, what do you think is the starting point for establishing true relationships of communion? The starting point is to really go to meet others, to put the person at the centre, to get to know each other and ask “how are you?” You have to build that relationship. Yes, it is true, we are different, there are differences between the various Churches, between denominations, between religions but also between people in general. Before finding solutions or giving great speeches, what is important is listening. I, a Catholic and Masha, an Orthodox, are already experiencing this in sharing this work and also during the lunches and dinners of these days of preparation. It was nice to meet the others in such social moments without too many pretensions, with great simplicity. Even when Pope Francis welcomed us in a private audience, he thanked us for our availability and repeatedly used the word “synodality”. This is the path of God’s people: we walk, we open our hearts, our ears to listen, our eyes to see and little by little, we go ahead together.
Maria Grazia Berretta
Mar 17, 2023 | Non categorizzato
The Word of God, incarnate, lived concretely and in our own times, gives us the possibility of making our life a source of light capable of illuminating every darkness, bringing our contribution to every activity. A new look at things that paves a path of hope for us and for those around us. A peace that brings light It all started when my son had the first symptoms of muscular sclerosis. As a mother I had always dedicated myself to my children and to my grandchildren, but not being able to do anything to stem such a devious evil was terrible. One day I was in church, crying. On the high altar the sculptures of the crucifixion with John, Mary Magdalene and Our Lady at the feet of Jesus caught my gaze. Imagining how Mary felt in front of her Son reduced to such a state, I saw myself as she was, powerless and crushed by pain. I did not have the strength to pray but I remained there to contemplate, to think… and an unusual peace reassured me. From that day on, whenever anguish grips my heart, I return there and it seems that Mary repeats to me: “Stay with me, welcome the mystery and participate with me in the Redemption”. I try to give the peace I derive from this closeness to the family. One morning when my son was getting up, he noticed new limits on what he could do. He phoned me to say: “Mom, I don’t know what tomorrow will bring but supported by your strength I feel I can thank God for everything he has given me.” It was like a balm for me. (T.F. – Italy) The reins of the future A reunion among former students, fifty years after graduation. White hair or none at all, walking sticks, illnesses, disappointments… but also the great joy of being together again. How could we not remember those of us who had passed on to the next life? Then the speeches touched on hopes and projects, young people, children… and then came the punctum dolens from which the same serious question arose: “Where did we go wrong? What future have we built?” One of the group, who had consecrated his life to the service of the poor, speaking of the various solitudes encountered, said he was convinced that in this sick world, as Pope Francis says, young people are at risk because they breathe an air of indifference and no longer realize reality. And he concluded: “It is up to us to take charge of the reins of the future.” We said goodbye with the feeling (we later said to eachother) that that meeting had uncovered a new obligation for us, a task, according to the conditions and possibilities of each one. As for me, I am committed to communicating to my grandchildren what their own parents fail to convey. (L.A. – Spain)
by Maria Grazia Berretta
(taken from The Gospel of the Day, New City, year IX – n.1- March-April 2023)
Mar 15, 2023 | Non categorizzato
A month after strong earthquakes struck Turkey and Syria, here’s a short update on the contributions collected by the Focolare Movement’s Emergency Coordination and a glimpse of a first intervention phase launched in Syria in February, which will run through August. On 7 February, the Focolare Movement’s Emergency Coordination launched a fundraising campaign in support of the people of Turkey and Syria, through the non-governmental organisations Action for a United World (AMU) and Action for New Families (AFN). Currently, the contributions collected amount to close to 580,000 Euros, and a first instalment of 100,000 Euros has already been sent to some Syrian regions affected by the earthquake. Specifically, the operation will help close to 2,500 people directly and indirectly reach between 5,000 and 10,000 people in the three earthquake-affected areas of Aleppo, Latakia and Hama. Here are some examples of interventions that will be carried out, a variety of support actions:
SUPPORT WITH BASIC NEEDS
- Provision of basic necessities – food, blankets, medicines, clothes, etc. – to displaced people housed in temporary shelters (churches, mosques, etc.)
- Economic contribution to the neediest families; provision of medical services and aids for post-hospitalisation mobility, medicines, physical and psychological treatment sessions for physically and psychologically affected people
- Distribution of food parcels to families experiencing food insecurity (in cooperation with other organisations)
- Economic support to artisans to buy back or repair lost equipment and tools and restart work
REBUILDING EARTHQUAKE-DAMAGED HOMES
- Covering the cost of inspections and technical assessments of the stability of buildings by technical commissions of engineers
- Economic support to families for works to consolidate the foundations of buildings and renovate damaged homes
- Covering costs for the purchase of tools for craftsmen (blacksmiths, plumbers, carpenters, electricians) so that they can resume work in damaged homes
- Economic support for rental costs for those who have lost their homes or need temporary residence due to their homes becoming unsuitable
POST-EARTHQUAKE PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT
- Covering home care costs for elderly people living alone
- Implementing collective activities and initiatives for group psychological support, particularly at temporary accommodation centres
- Holding training workshops on psychological support to provide tools and methodologies to operators and volunteers who are active in the rescue sector
Edited by Maria Grazia Berretta
Click the Link – 11 March 2023 https://youtu.be/S_F0ELXyf_k
Mar 14, 2023 | Non categorizzato
On 14 March 2008, 15 years ago, Chiara Lubich concluded her earthly life. A few years earlier, in a world-wide connection she quoted the short but intense verse from Psalm 15 (16) ‘You Lord, are my only good’ and invited the communities of the Movement around the world to approach this prayer by giving it centrality in their daily lives. Thank you, thank you! In the “link-up” we truly experience love that “reaches out and comes back” because of how thankful you are and the way you make it your own. . […] In specific circumstances, an excellent prayer that we can say with renewed enthusiasm and with all our mind and heart is: “You Lord; are my only good.” Ps 16:2. In fact, we all realize that, quite often, while we are working, writing, speaking or resting, or doing something else, that some slight attachment can creep into our hearts, attachment to ourselves, to things or other people. Giving in to these would be a terrible setback for our spiritual life. Saint John of the Cross said: “It makes no difference whether a bird is held down by a thread or by a rope. However fine the thread is, the bird is bound as if by a cord, until it can break it to fly away. And he continues saying: “It is the same for a person who is bound to something. Despite all their virtues, they will never achieve the freedom of union with God.” In these situations, we must really act immediately, and nothing can be more helpful – this is a recent experience of mine – than to say often to Jesus forsaken: “You, Lord, are my only good. My only good. I have no other.” I believe this is a very important prayer and extremely pleasing to God. It prevents us from being covered with the dust of earthly things. In living this, we are amazed – I am always struck by this and always have been – by how that phrase, “only,” (“You Lord are my only good”) gives a solemn change of direction to our spiritual life. It immediately puts us straight, as if it were the trustworthy needle in the compass of our journey towards God. Moreover, this way of acting is very much in line with our spirituality, in which the positive aspect prevails: by living what is good, whatever is wrong disappears. We are not so much called to detach ourselves from something (from ourselves or things or people), but to fill ourselves with something (with love for him who is “everything” for us). Instead of saying “no,” we prefer to say “yes.” This prayer, “You, Lord are my only good,” is a wonderful way to live as true Christians who love God with all their heart and soul, and not halfheartedly. It’s also a sublime way to prepare ourselves for all the times we meet him in his daily inspirations. It will also prepare us for our solemn meeting with him, at the dawn of that eternal day when the only thing that matters will be our love for God, and for him, our love for every neighbor. “You, Lord, are my only good.” What wisdom, what understanding, what light, what strength, what love, what perfection there is in those few words! May the Lord grant us to experience all the power contained in them.
Chiara Lubich
(Chiara Lubich, Conversazioni in collegamento telefonico, Città Nuova, 2019, pp. 630-632) [1] See Saint John of the Cross, The Ascent of Mount Carmel. Book 1, ch. 11. https://youtu.be/Bf-QHf9vOp4
