31 May 2010 | Non categorizzato, Word of
In this Word of Life, two kinds of existence come into relief: the earthly life that is built in this world, and the supernatural life that is given by God through Jesus, a life that does not end with death and that no one can take away from us.
We can, therefore, choose between two attitudes. One is to be attached to our earthly life, considering it as our only good. This attitude leads to thinking only of ourselves, only of our own affairs, only of our children, thereby sealing ourselves up within a shell and affirming only our ego. This road inevitably ends up in the emptiness of certain death. The other choice, instead, is to believe that God has given us a much more profound and authentic existence. This gives us the courage to live in a manner that merits this gift to the point of “losing” our earthly life for that other life.
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
When Jesus said these words, he was thinking of martyrdom. Like all Christians, we should be ready to follow the Master and to remain faithful to the Gospel, to lose our life, even to die a violent death, if necessary. Then, with the grace of God, we will obtain the true life. Jesus was the first one who “lost his life,” and he regained it glorified. He warned us, “Do not to be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Mt 10:28). Today he tells us:
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
If we read the Gospel carefully, we will see that Jesus goes back to this thought six times. This shows how important it is and how much Jesus values it.
But for Jesus, the exhortation to lose one's life is not only an invitation to martyrdom. It is a fundamental law of Christian life.
We must be ready to reject the temptation to set up our own selves as the ideal of our lives; we have to give up our selfishness. If we want to be authentic Christians, we must put Christ at the center of our lives. What does Christ want from us? Love for others. If this becomes our lifestyle, we will have “lost” our own lives and found eternal life.
And not living for oneself certainly does not mean, as some may think, to be laid back and passive. Indeed, Christians need to be firmly committed and fully responsible.
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Even in this life, it is possible to experience that by giving of ourselves, by putting love into every action, “life” grows within us. When we spend our day at the service of others, when we transform our work (which is perhaps monotonous and tedious) into a gesture of love, we experience the joy of greater fulfillment.
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
By following Jesus' commandments, which all focus on love, we will find after this brief life eternal life as well.
Let us remember what Jesus will say and do on the day of judgment. To those on his right: “Come, you that are blessed by my Father … for I was hungry and you gave me food … I was … a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me" (Mt 25:34-36).
To let us participate in the life that does not pass away, Jesus will look at just one thing: if we loved our neighbors. He will consider done to himself whatever we did to them.
How then should we live this Word of Life? How should we “lose” our life even now in order to find it? By preparing ourselves for that great and decisive final examination that we were born for.
Let's look around us and fill our day with acts of love. Christ presents himself to us in our children, wife, husband, people we work with and relax with and even politicians. Let's do good to everyone. And let's not forget those we hear about each day through friends or through the media. Let's do something for everyone, according to our means. And when we have exhausted our means, we can still pray for our neighbor.
Loving is what counts.
Chiara Lubich
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29 May 2010 | Non categorizzato
Time-out, 12:00 in Thailand. A moment of prayer for peace, for those who have lost their lives, and for this beloved land plunged into a state of guerrilla fire that is spreading death, destruction, and fear. The faithful of other religions join us in asking for peace, for it is a common value to all religions. The delegates of the Focolare Movement in Thailand, Helen Oum and Chun Boc Tay write: “The cu
rrent situation is of great concern to us all. We continue to believe in the power of prayer offered in unity during our daily appointment for the “time-out”, a moment of prayer for peace in our beloved nation. This appointment has become international and interreligious since many of our dear friends of other faiths have joined with us in asking the gift of peace. As we pray, our thoughts go to those who have lost their lives and to their families who are left suffering, and to all those who suffer due to the current situation.” In our prayer, we ask Almighty God to give light and wisdom to those in positions of responsibility and influence, that they may make right decisions for the common good. No more sacrificing human lives and no more violence! Through our prayer, we place ourselves God’s hands, to be instruments of His love in practical ways, even through the tiniest acts of love. Only love can heal the wounds and overcome so many sorts of problems of the both the past and future. What can we do concretely? Love everyone and be the first to love. Visit a family that suffers and offer them our spiritual and material support. Do acts of love wherever we are, which create bridges and overcome divisions. Forgive and be reconciled. These are the qualities of Christian love, and all religions contain the same message: We share the Golden Rule. “Do unto others what you would have others do unto you.” and “Do not do unto others what you would not want done to yourself.” We will strive to ensure that our country becomes the “land of smiles” again! We will do our part and God will do His. In His great love, He will draw a greater good from all the misfortune. Let us contribute our part for the achievement of Jesus’ prayer: that all be one. Truly we are brothers and sisters of one great family.”
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27 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
From the 10th to the 13th of June, the Mariapolis Center will host the international seminar promoted by Net-One: the “Net” of communicators, reference point for many media agents. Thanks to this net, they will share in-depth cultural and professional experiences with a single aim: putting back at the center of their work the human being. The latter, is being considered as the main mean of communication from the perspective of universal brotherhood and of a more united world. “Dialog Tryouts”, this is the title of the event. The event is considered to be more like a seminar than a common conference. The speakers and the professionals of the various fields of communication will only give hints. This will allow all those attending -coming from all over the world- to give their meaningful contribution and new importance to todays reality, through this mean. “The aim of communication is the change established by love found within communication itself” said the philosopher Guy Lafon. Net-one’s first years of life clearly show this: we must increase the value of communicating with others, we must understand who is behind the mean, we must do it in order to manage and promote an immediate good communication in an always more complex universe made of printed press, T.V., Internet and social networks. Throughout the seminar, we will try to rediscover the meaning and the extraordinary potential of being communicators by building new relationships and discussing themes regarding the medias world through plenary sessions and workshops. The speech of Maria Voce -the President of the Focolare Movement- will close the Seminar. By connecting to the website of Net-One you will find the Program of the Seminar and the Contacts and informations needed to attend.
25 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
23 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
Could you tell us something about the ‘Together for Europe’ meeting in Munich? ‘It was a very constructive experience because it gave the possibility for members of different movements to meet again and to participate in the many expressions the movements have. This participation in the life and charism of the other is an enrichment because it opens us to the gifts of the other. It’s always interesting to see that at the end of the day, notwithstanding the variety of charisms, there is a common foundation to all of these movements: belief in God, in Jesus Christ, sent by the Father for the salvation of the world. I often think that the expressions of the Movements are like lots of flowers on the one tree. You could see this tree very well in Munich – and it was solid, very solid.’ What is the role of these movements in the Church and in Europe today? ‘To give witness to the possibility of communion. To be a committed and knowledgeable laity. Not a laity where each person goes their own way, but one that decides to share with others the same aim: unity. The unity of the churches, the unity of Europe, unity amongst everyone. We may go ahead in different ways, but we are all going in the same direction and all together. The presence of the bishops was important, in this sense, and the recognition they gave of the usefulness of the path followed together so far for a more Christian Europe, not only more united, but more Christian because founded on Christian principles. But Christians in Europe are divided. How significant is this division? ‘It is the suffering of living together for a unity which is not yet complete. When we have reciprocal love and the sufferings of one become the sufferings of the other, it’s possible to be open. It’s possible to become aware of the difficulties that still exist and also the possibilities we have of overcoming them a little at a time. We also have to understand what can be done as we wait for the theologians in charge of dialogue to find the right words and means to reach expressions of truth that we can all agree about. Surely truth must be one, not multiple. We must reach a truth that is expressed in a way that everyone can accept. Logically this is the work of the Holy Spirit, but we think and we see that the more reciprocal love there is between Christians, the easier it is to agree on some points that may be controversial and to find a way to understand each other and to go ahead together. It’s like when you are climbing a mountain: sometimes you need to stop a moment to think about the next stage. I think this witness is very important at a time when there are many shadows on the Church. We must show the truth of what Jesus says about himself: my words will not pass away. The accusations that weigh on the Church today will disappear if we can show the Church as it should be, that is, if we show this reality of communion between us and our decision to live the Gospel in a radical way. Is this the answer the movements can give in the current situation the Church is in? ‘We must convert ourselves to living the Gospel more and to live it more in communion. The main thing is to help everyone to believe in God’s love and to live out what God asks of us in the present moment with generosity and in a radical way.’ The theme of the Kirchentag was hope. Was the “Together for Europe’ meeting a sign of hope? ‘Definitely. You could see that from the joy in everybody there. In whatever moment you entered, you had the impression of an injection of trust. Trust in God, trust in humanity, trust in the Church.’ From our correspondent Maria Kuschel
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14 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
35 kilometers from Paris stands the newly begun citadel of the Focolare in France. It is surrounded by greenery, in the Parco d’ Arny (Bruyeres-le-Chatel). The population is quite diverse in this area, made up of just over a million people. It is a rural setting, endowed with high tech industry,
The cathedral, mosque, and large pagoda, give an idea of the religious diversity of population. Bishop Dubost, the local bishop, met Chiara Lubich personally during the Synod in Rome; and now he was warmly welcoming Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti. For the bishop, the citadel is a “chance” for the diocese, and he hopes that these “spaces of life” that testify to the love of God increase and multiply. He underscored the cultural importance of having the Nouvelle Cité Publishers in the region.
The day continued with a visit to the magnificent Cathedral of Notre Dame, which is the spiritual center of the capital.
In the evening there was a meeting for young people in a very familial atmosphere. Maria and Giancarlo were flooded with questions: How do you live in a society where time is such a rare thing? Maria Voce responded: “Have the freedom of someone who knows that she is loved by God and act accordingly.” And, after stressing the importance of having respect for everyone, whatever their beliefs, she encouraged the youths to live in the freedom of the children of God who push ahead and dare to take risks, and are open to whatever the future may hold.
On the next day, May 12, they visited every corner of the citadel. After visiting the town of Bruyeres-le-Chatel where they admired the magnificent 11th century Church of St Didier, Maria Voce and Giancarlo began their tour with a cup of hot coffee at the “guardian’s house” where there are two flats which have been renovated to accommodate guests. From there they went on to the “main house” which houses the women’s focolare and a family that moved to the new citadel.
They continued their tour visiting the premises of Nouvelle Cité Publisheres: typography, editing, local administration and shipping. Maria Voce speaks French very well and so the meeting with the employees was very spontaneous and direct.
At the conclusion of the visit, the president of the Focolare strongly affirmed her certainty: The Focolare town of Arny should be a showcase, an “expo” of God, not so much because of the buildings but through the witness of mutual love which you live, and which must shine beyond France. Now beyond the gloom of the day, another sun is shining, especially for the people involved in this promising project of our newly born citadel.
12 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
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11 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
Sunday 9 May. In the western outskirts of Paris the Boulogne-Billancourt Theatre is crowded. There are over 600 people from all over Northern France, from Vandea to Alsace, not forgetting those from the capital itself and surroundings as well as representatives of different nations, most noticeably a numerous group from Cameroon. Explosions of joy alternate with moments of silence, of listening. The diversity and richness of the Focolare’s work in these regions are presented to Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti. In Alsace, for example, there are a number of initiatives to encourage people from different political parties to meet together in search of a common good; the Western region presents its work with the different churches and ecclesial communities in the ‘Together for Europe’ project, where about 800 people participate; the Ile de France area tells of an experience of fraternity between children of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds; while a teacher from the Northern outskirts of Paris tells of his work with his students to change the climate of violence which dominates their school by putting into practice the points of the Art of Loving. Their experience has spread to other schools; and finally the work carried out around the small town of Arny, in the context of the Economy of Communion, giving a light of hope in an economic world that is so disorientated. In the second part of the programme, Maria Voce replies to questions that are put to her on different topics, in an atmosphere of great joy and freedom. Songs and choreographies, animated by a group of young people, envelope the hall in a final festive dance. 
The following day begins under the protection of Mary at the Sanctuary of the Miraculous Medal, a place of pilgrimage for millions of visitors each year. Afterwards, a press conference at the Centre d’Accueil de la Presse Etrangere (CAPE), near the Champs-Elysees. In the afternoon a visit to Cardinal Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris and President of the French Bishop’s Conference. Maria Voce updates him on her recent visit to the Pope; then to the Nunciature, with a warm welcome from the Nuncio, Mons Luigi Ventura, and a special Italian coffee as a sign of welcome. At the end of the afternoon, Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti meet with a group of priests of the Movement coming from different regions: they are dynamic, and well known and valued in their dioceses. They are often entrusted with important responsibilities. The day finishes with a meeting with the directors of the different branches and aspects of the movement in France (about 40) who provide the guests with a rich and varied overview of the work done by the Focolare in France. Maria Voce takes the occasion to underline the importance of this group – ‘which forms the heart of a territory and from which everything should begin’, thanks to the reciprocal love amongst its members and an attentive listening to the Holy Spirit, in order to understand which initiatives to take ahead.
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10 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
Southern France, 6 – 8 May 2010 Thursday, 6 May 2010. Visit to the Mariapolis Center in St Pierre de Chartreuse where more than 2,000 people are welcomed each year. “This centre is a jewel,” said Emmaus, which carries its name so well: The People of God.” In the afternoon, Maria Voce and Giancarlo were with the Abbot of the Great Chartreuse, the Reverend Father Marcelin. It was a meeting and communion marked by the memory of Chiara. Change of scene: From the great silence of St Pierre to the noisy traffic of Lyon! But the same active presence of God was present in the evening at a meeting between Maria Voce and Giancarlo and a group of leaders from various Movements from the South of France as Maria Voce underscored that “the essential thing would be to share what we live interiorly, to live this communion, this mutual love which later allows everyone to discern – with the help of the Holy Spirit – what should or shouldn’t be done, and how it should be done.” Friday, 7 May 2010, Lyon, the Capital of Gaul Following a short tour of the city, three significant events marked the afternoon and evening: An interview with Maria Voce on RCF (French Catholic Radio) where she talked about the specific charism of this movement and its “Marian profile” in the heart of the Church and of Humanity. Then there was an encounter of profound communion with Cardinal Barbarin, during which was mentioned the current interest of the Church concerning the forthcoming beatification of Chiara Luce Badano, and the Focolare Movement’s ecumenical dimension. The evening ended with a meeting for young people. It was a moment of joy and free expression. Maria Voce and Giancarlo replied to several questions, including one on true love: “What does it mean to give and not want anything for yourself, to serve instead of making use of others to serve your needs?” It was an intense moment born from the life and needs of young people in today’s world. Then there was the conclusion with celebration, souvenir photos, and the profound joy which was visible on every face. Saturday, 8 May 2010 In the morning, Maria Voce and Giancarlo met members of the focolares of Southern France. It was a special moment of communion in which joys and sorrows were shared, forging strong bonds of unity around the One Treasure for whom they had each given up everything: God. In the afternoon there was a meeting for the community, with about 500 people from the regions of Lyon , Drome-Ardèche, French Riviera, St Etienne, Montpellier, Toulouse, Aurillac, Corsica, Isle de la Reunion. After a presentation of the groups, many of the issues that have so strongly influenced these regions were described through experiences made by some of the participants including a Muslim: injustice, sharing, openness, tolerance and fundamentalism, fear, responding, safety, crisis, violence , commitment, stress, truth. With their lives, the members of the Focolare Movement saw that they were able to offer real and authentic answers to each of these problems. Maria Voce concluded her visit in France urging everyone to look at people and events through the eyes of God, recognizing the miracles God works both within our lives and around us.
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9 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
In recent days a group of young people from the Buddhist Rissho Kosei Movement concluded their visit in Italy, for an encounter with youths of the Focolare Movement. This was the third such meeting. A dozen young Japanese spent a week in Italy with meetings for dialogue with other youths from around the world. The program began on the first of May with the traditional Youth Day at Loppiano, a small town of the Focolare Movement near Florence. The contribution of the Japanese delegation greatly enriched the event not only by giving it a religious flavour, but also by engaging the participants in the collection of signatures for the Arms Down Project, launched last November by the Religions for Peace in Costa Rica and by several other youth organizations including Rissho Kosei Kai and Youth for a United World of the Focolare Movement.
Then there was a day-long symposium held at the Mariapolis Centre in Castelgandolfo on the commitment to build peace. The perspectives of the two religions emerged in the light of the experience of the two movements which highlight how compassion and love are such masterful ways to building the value of peace, first in one’s own heart and, then, transmitting it to those around us. The moment in which people shared their life experiences was particularly engaging and touched deep chords in the life of the young people. The experience of a young Christian from Colombia who, trying to preserve forgiveness in her soul for those who had killed her father when she was a girl of eleven, was able to find peace in heart and hold on to her father’s memory without being filled with rancor. Her experience echoed that of a young Buddhist with serious family problems, who told how he understood the importance of family for someone who was at least still lucky enough to have one.
As mentioned, these meetings have been taking place for three years and they are creating an interfaith network of friendship and brotherhood which is both intercultural and international. This is real education for peace which Benedict XVI himself encouraged during the audience which was attended by the youths. “Keep it up!” was his comment to the two leaders of the delegation, who were able to greet him personally. It was precious advice for the future of these initiatives.
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6 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
Before leaving Lourdes, for Toulouse, Maria Voce shared a few reflections: "We wanted to begin this visit to France, in Lourdes; we wouldn’t have had it any other way. And Mary, Seat of Wisdom, invited us to look at all the miracles happening around us, not only physical healings but also the people who are returning to God, and the small conversions in our own lives. Who knows how many miracles we’ll witness during this trip? But, like Mary at the Visitation, we need to wait a bit still. The seed is planted and so it will sprout. »
In Toulouse she met about 120 members of the Focolare Movement who were able to be free from work on a Wednesday afternoon. She was given a warm and festive welcome. There was a quick presentation of the groups present. So much diversity! As some of the historical, sociological, and religious background was presented, a portrait of the region was gradually formed that gave a good idea of the place and its people. Then Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti answered a few questions. For example: "How might we love the people who have fallen out of contact with us?" Love without expecting anything in return, not even recognition from people . . . . but God always responds.
After an intense meeting of two hours the time came to say goodbye.
(Compiled by Jean-Marie Dessaivre, our translation)
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4 May 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
Maria Voce started her visit to France (4-12 May) in Lourdes on Tuesday 4th May. It was raining and snowing – just like when Chiara Lubich make a historic visit there in 1958.
The Focolare Movement participates actively in local church and civic affairs throughout France. These activities can be parish-based or at the level of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue – several Muslims, Jews and Buddhists are members of the Movement. Members of the Movement are very involved in inter-religious activities in the town of Evry, to the southeast of Paris, while others support the work of the WCRP (World Council of Religions for Peace). Many participated in ‘France’s Social Weeks’ and in the ecumenical meetings for Together for Europe; in Nantes there was an event called Gusts of Unity, which involved 800 participants from 10 different movements and new ecclesial communities. There are over thirty business men and women involved in the Economy of Communion, a project that works for a fairer sharing of wealth
Often it’s the day-to-day presence of members of the Movement who try to take a spirit of peace to their places of work or study that makes a difference. There are many examples – Ennouar, a Muslim who is a friend of the Focolare and works as a bus driver in Tremblay-en-France, Jean-Christophe and Ewenaelle who are in contact with many other families; Bruno, a student who gives one evening a week as a volunteer with the Red Cross etc.
During her visit Maria Voce told how in the fifties she also had been to Lourdes and on that occasion had asked Our Lady’s help in understanding what her vocation would be. After meeting the Movement and Chiara, Maria Voce never returned to Lourdes again until now, when as President of the Focolare Movement she wanted to begin her trip to France in Lourdes, to thank Mary and to entrust to her the Movement that carries her name (The Work of Mary).
30 Apr 2010 | Non categorizzato, Word of
Love is at the center of Jesus’ farewell discourse: the love of the Father for the Son, our love for Jesus, which means keeping his commandments.
Those who were listening to Jesus could easily recognize in his words an echo of Jewish wisdom literature such as, “Love of her [i.e., Wisdom] means the keeping of her laws” (Wis 6:18; see Prov 8:15-17; Sir 24:22-23) and, “She is readily perceived by those who love her” (Wis 6:12). In particular, revealing himself to those who love finds another parallel in Book of Wisdom 1:2, where it says that the Lord will manifest himself to those who believe in him.
The point of this Word of Life is: the Father loves those who love the Son, and the Son in turn loves them and reveals himself to them.
"Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him" (Jn 14:21)
Such a revelation of Jesus, however, requires love. We cannot conceive of Christians who do not have this dynamism, this driving force of love in their hearts. A clock doesn't work, it doesn't tell the time – we wouldn't even call it a clock – if its batteries are dead. It's the same with Christians. If they are not constantly striving to love, they don’t deserve the name of Christian.
The reason for this is that all of Jesus' commandments can be summed up in one: love of God and love of neighbor in whom we recognize and love Jesus.
Love is not just a matter of feelings. Love needs to be expressed in concrete terms, in serving our brothers and sisters, especially those who are near us, beginning with the little things, the most humble acts of service.
Charles de Foucauld once said: “When you love someone, you are really in that person through love, you live in that person through love, you no longer live in yourself, you are detached from yourself, outside of yourself.”
When we love in this way, the light of Jesus makes its way into our hearts, just as he promised: “Whoever loves me … I will … reveal myself to him” (Jn 14:21). Love is the source of light. By loving we have a greater understanding of God who is Love.
This leads us to love even more and to deepen our relationship with our neighbor.
This light, this loving knowledge of God is therefore the seal, the proof of true love. And we can experience it in different ways, because light takes on a particular color or shade in each one of us. But it also has some common characteristics: it helps us to understand the will of God, it gives us peace, serenity, and an ever-new understanding of the word of God. It is a heart-warming light that encourages us to walk along our way of life with growing confidence and determination. When the shadows of life make our way uncertain, when darkness threatens to stop us, these words of the Gospel will remind us that a light is turned on by loving and that even one small gesture of concrete love (a prayer, a smile, a word) will give us enough light to go forward.
Some bicycles have headlights that work as long as the riders keep peddling. If they stop, they find themselves in darkness, but when they start peddling again, the dynamo will provide the light one needs to see the way to go.
We can apply this to our lives: we only need to set love in motion again — our true love, a love that gives without expecting anything in return — in order to rekindle in us faith and hope.
By Chiara Lubich
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29 Apr 2010 | Non categorizzato
Esztergom, a city on the border between Hungary and the Slovak Republic. It was in this city that took place the official opening of the 2010 United World Week with a live Internet connection that linked up youth from all over the World. From this city it was broadcasted the peace and brotherhood message that will be leading the week. The conclusion will be the 9th of May with an on line live connection from Mumbay, India.
Just by scrolling the United World Week blog you can see the capillarity and the internationality of this event: Haiti, Santiago de Chile, Los Angeles, Londrina, Paraná in Brazil, Man and Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, Buenos Aires, Asunción, Lisbn, Bruxelles and many Italian cities.
Back to Hungary. Why Esztergom? The Youth for a United World from Hungary and the Slovak Republic chose a common aim: to build bridges of brotherhood between their countries. They said : ”In the last decades, both our peoples -where minorities live- have faced challenges and difficulties do to coexistence. This circumstances have generated prejudices which are difficult to overcome. Togethere, we want to face the reality and take the needed steps to place ourselves in each others shoes”.
A bridge, a symbol: During the years many have been the approaching initiatives. For example in 2001 it was reconstructed and inaugurated a long time closed-down bridge between Esztergom (Hungary) and Sturovo (Slovack Republic). In 2006, the two Bishop Conferences met for a Reconciliation event between the two countries in the Basil of Esztergom and every year they renew the gesture. In 2005, during Run4unity (a world relay race for Peace) hundreds of Hungarian and Slovak youngsters crossed running that same bridge as a sign of brotherhood.
A tree, another symbol: A tree will be planted together with the Civil authorities of Esztergom and Sturovo -the two protagonist cities of the opening day of the United World Week- as a sign of growing brotherhood between the two nations.
The daily challenge: Many are the youngsters who daily commit to this challenge of brotherhood. Listen to their experiences live on the Internet: http://live.focolare.org
“The Esztergom – Štúrovo bridge and a view of Slovakia (c) 2008 Martin Q – Used with permission – flickr.com/martinq”
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28 Apr 2010 | Senza categoria
‘A very special and intense occasion … which has left a deep joy in our hearts’, this was Maria Voce’s comment immediately after her meeting with the Holy Father on Friday 23 April last.
Coming back from a long journey which took her to various Asian countries to meet the communities of the Movement, also in an inter-religious context, the President of the Focolare told the Pope everything that had happened in contact with these different cultures where the Gospel is becoming a hope for many.
They spoke about many subjects regarding the life of the Movement during the audience, including the forthcoming beatification of the young girl Chiara Luce.
There are 17 causes for beatification for members of the Movement underway at present, including the one for Igino Giordani who was a writer and politician.
The Pope gave his blessing at the end of the audience, with the invitation to extend it together with his greetings to the whole of the Movement.
20 Apr 2010 | Non categorizzato
All over the planet, from 1-9 May, the ‘United World Week’ takes off at the same time. This is an initiative that has been promoted by Youth for a United World (the wide-reaching youth section of the Focolare Movement) since 1996 to influence public opinion.
It is made up of many different types of events including cultural evenings, celebrations, sports competitions; meetings on subjects that interest young people, from disarmament to immigration. Above all solidarity projects in run-down neighbourhoods. With just one aim: to spread the values of fraternity, peace, and unity amongst peoples. And to show that universal fraternity is possible. ‘United World: let’s face the challenge’ is the slogan for this year’s events.
In a presentation of these events in an American magazine called ‘Living City’ we read: ‘The activities organised by the Youth for a United World throughout the world are like a mosaic of fraternal love, where they try to put into practice the true meaning of the word “love” and with the word “fraternal” they transmit a sense of equality and fraternity.’
Chiara Lubich said to the young people: ‘Your main aim is to apply the Gospel to earthly realities to make it come alive.’ The young people welcomed her words with great enthusiasm. This message is common to many of the great religions and other spiritual leaders. Mahatma Gandhi used to say: ‘You and I are one. I cannot harm you without harming myself.’ In the Suras of the Koran we read: ‘Give your relation what he is due, and do the same with the poor person and the traveller.’ It is the application of the Golden Rule, which is present in all the great religions, which says: ‘Do to others what you would have them do to you’ (Lk 6:31).
There are many websites giving information in different languages on the different events:
http://settimanamondounito2010.blogspot.com/p/gmu-nel-mondo.html or simply:
www.mondounito.net.
The young people like to use a name for their events that Chiara Lubich suggested: Fragments of Fraternity. Fragments because it may simply be an activity involving a home for old people, a nursery or a school. Fraternity because they are projects which have an aim: to promote in the world we live in and with all the means suggested by love a culture of communion, interdependence and love amongst different peoples, races and cultures.
19 Apr 2010 | Non categorizzato
16 Apr 2010 | Non categorizzato
14 Apr 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
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13 Apr 2010 | Non categorizzato
1,500 participants – amongst whom 140 from extra-European countries. These are the ‘numbers’ for the Parish and Diocesan Movement Congress which will take place at Castel Gandolfo (Rome) from 16 to 19 April. Born in 1966, with the encouragement of Pope Paul VI, the Movement is currently present in over 3,000 parishes in 41 nations, in all 5 continents. The spirituality of the Focolare is not only capable of renewing the life of the individual, but can also revive in a community, and therefore also in a parish or diocese, that life of communion which was so characteristic of the first Christian communities.
The theme chosen for the congress this year is ‘The Parish – a witness to God’s love’. ‘Words,’ the organizers say, ‘which respond to a reality that the Holy Father emphasized in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est.’ In his first encyclical Benedict XVI wrote: ‘In the Church's Liturgy, in her prayer, in the living community of believers, we experience the love of God, we perceive his presence and we thus learn to recognize that presence in our daily lives. He has loved us first and he continues to do so; we too, then, can respond with love. God does not demand of us a feeling that we ourselves are incapable of producing. He loves us, he makes us see and experience his love, and since he has “loved us first”, love can also blossom as a response within us.’
The congress at Castel Gandolfo is held at a crucial moment for the life of the Church and for its communities spread throughout the world. There will be participants from Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Canada, South Africa, Korea and the Philippines. ‘Benedict XVI,’ the organizers point out, ‘invites us all to announce to everyone that God is love. This is the inspiring spark of the Focolare Movement. It is important that the face of God-Love is discovered and found again in our Parish Communities so that they become authentic witnesses to the love of God – both because God reigns in their midst and because their love overflows on everyone.’ The programme will alternate meditations by Chiara Lubich on God-Love with experiences of communities animated by this spirit.
Following the Congress there will be a school for the animators of Parish communities that come from Asia, Africa and America, on the Spirituality of Unity and its spread in parish life.
11 Apr 2010 | Non categorizzato
This is an international campaign, sponsored by the youth section of ‘Religions for Peace’ (formerly the WCRP – World Conference of Religions for Peace) and by its International Council, where the Focolare Movement, the Rissho Kosei-kai and Shanti Ashram are represented.
The campaign is counting on inter-religious co-operation and will reach out to international organizations, governments, parliaments and national assemblies, town councils and the media, to ask with determination for a definite reduction in nuclear and conventional arms and to reallocate military spending to support urgently needed development, as set forth in the Millennium Development Goals (United Nations 2000).
It also asks for a review of the International Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, planned for 2010, as support on an international level appears more and more fragile as the situation in areas of crisis gets worse.
The campaign was launched officially in Costa Rica on 7 November 2009. The Focolare Movement participated right from the beginning by sending 6 delegates, amongst who were 4 young people from different countries.
During her trip to Asia last January Maria Voce, President of the Focoalare Movement, inaugurated the collaboration with a solemn signing of the appeal during her meeting with the leaders of the young people of the Rissho Kosei-kai. The collecting of signatures was publically launched in Mid-February during the meeting of the Young People for a United World in Castel Gandolfo (Rome) and subsequently throughout the world. The annual get-together at Loppiano for young people on 1st May (Florence, Italy) and other events linked to United World Week (1-9 May) will be important occasions to spread the campaign.
Who can help?
Everyone – the response is personal and can be made by simply adding one’s own signature on-line at the Religions for Peace site (http://religionsforpeace.org/initiatives/global-youth-network/campaign-for-shared-security/) or by organizing one’s own collection of signatures using the forms that are downloadable from the site.
‘At a time when it is urgent to react to a war mentality’, the organizers affirm, ‘and to give strength to the international civil society uniting with those who are working for the same aim, we feel that this initiative can be a constructive means of supporting practical choices for peace and universal fraternity.’
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31 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
Jesus is faithful to his promise: “… where two or three are gathered together in my name [that is, in my love], there am I in the midst of them.” .jpg)
Yes, where two or more are united in his name, the Risen Jesus is present, and he brings with him the gifts of the Spirit: light, joy, peace, love. This was the awesome experience made with my first companions during the Movement’s beginnings in Trent, during World War II, when we made the commandment, “Love one another as I love you,” our own, and formulated a pact among ourselves: “I am ready to die for you, I for you…” The Risen Jesus is just what the world is waiting for! It is waiting for witnesses who can truly say: we have seen him with the senses of our soul, we have discovered him in the light with which he enlightened us, we have touched him in the peace he gave us, we have heard his voice in the depths of our hearts, we have tasted his unmistakable joy. In this way we can assure everyone that he is the fullness of happiness and we can make the world hope again. Chiara Lubich
31 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato, Word of
We cannot but be happy if we have the life that Christ offers. This true life conquers death. This was first published as the Word of Life for March 1999.
Jesus said these words after the death of Lazarus of Bethany; then Jesus brought Lazarus back to life four days after he had died.
Lazarus had two sisters, Martha and Mary.
“When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him” and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
“Your brother will rise,” Jesus answered.
She replied, “I know that he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.”
Then Jesus declared: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (Jn 11:20-26).
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
Jesus wants to make clear who he is. Jesus possesses the most precious thing anyone could want: life, the life that can never die.
If we read John’s Gospel we find that Jesus also said, “Just as the Father has life in himself, so he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself” (Jn 5:26).
Since Jesus has life in himself, he can give it to others.
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
Martha believed in the final resurrection. “I know that he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day” (Jn 11:24). But with his wonderful affirmation, “I am the resurrection and the life,” Jesus tells her that she does not have to wait for the future to hope in the resurrection of the dead. Right now, in the present moment, for all those who believe in him, he is already that divine, ineffable, eternal life that will never die.
If Jesus is in those who believe, if he is in us, we will not die. This life in the believer is the same life that is in the risen Jesus and is, therefore, quite different from the human condition in which we find ourselves.
And this extraordinary life, which already exists in us, will become fully manifest on the last day when, with our whole being, we will take part in the resurrection that is to come.
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
With these words Jesus is certainly not denying that physical death exists. But that does not imply the loss of true life. Death will remain for us, as for everyone, an experience that is unique, intense, perhaps feared. But death will no longer be a sign that our existence is pointless or absurd, or the failure of our life, or our final end. Death, for us, will no longer be really a death.
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
When was this undying life born in us?
In our baptism. There, even though, as human beings we were destined to die, we received immortal life from Christ. In our baptism, in fact, we received the Holy Spirit, the one who raised Jesus from the dead.
The condition for receiving this sacrament was the faith we professed, perhaps through our godparents. On the occasion of the raising of Lazarus, Jesus stated clearly to Martha, “Whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live … Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:25-26).
“Believing,” here, is something very serious, very important. It does not mean simply accepting the truths Jesus has proclaimed; it means adhering to them with our whole being.
To have this life, therefore, we must say our “yes” to Christ. And this means adherence to his words, to his commands: living them. Jesus reinforced this: “Whoever keeps my word will never see death” (Jn 8:51). And the teachings of Jesus are summed up in love.
So we cannot but be happy: in us there is life!
“I am the resurrection and the life.”
During this period in which we prepare for the celebration of Easter, let’s help one another to take that decisive step, which we always have to renew, toward the death of our ego, so that from now on Christ, the Risen One, may live in us.
By Chiara Lubich
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30 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
After a very long journey, not just because of the 12,000 kilometres but also because of a problem with the airplane, Bruna Tomasi arrived in Chile. She had been invited, before the tragic earthquake struck this Latin American country, to remember and celebrate the second anniversary of Chiara’s departure.
As soon as she arrived she wanted to know about the victims of the quake and the situation regarding aid, which started arriving immediately the following day after the tragedy struck..jpg)
The next day she met with a group of young people at a Focolare centre in a poor area of the capital. She shared with them the experienced lived with Chiara at the beginning of the movement, when ‘everything collapsed and only God, who had been discovered as Love, remained.’ She emphasised the importance of ‘never losing enthusiasm and to go ahead guarding, above all else, unity and harmony amongst you.’ They were not just words for her, but a reality she has been lived for more than 65 years.
Many came to meet her and listen to her at the Aula Magna of the Catholic University on Sunday 14 March. Bruna managed to convey to everyone the experience of God Love and the newness of the charism of unity. Among those present were representatives of other ecclesial movements, the Orthodox Church and the Jewish community. Among the immediate impressions after the meeting: ‘ We needed to hear these words’ (from the Fondacio Movement). ‘We were struck by the great desire for holiness’ (Catholic Community Shalom).
It was an unforgettable day for the Focolare Movement in Chile; not just because of the exceptional visit of Bruna but also for the ordination of the first Chilean focolarino, Juan Ortiz, during the concluding mass celebrated by Card Francisco Javier Errazurz. The Cardinal, after having remembered Chiara with very moving words concluded encouraging everyone ‘to continue to feed the fire of love and unity among you, so that this fire will attract more and more people to Christ, so that it might be a light in our culture, a provoking and prophetic presence of unity in the church; a living witness that the fraternity of the human family is stronger than egoism and indifference. Love is stronger!’
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30 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
‘Priests Today’, is the title of an afternoon that seeks to respond, above all through testimonies and the language of the arts, to the real challenges faced by priests in the Church and society. The event will take place on 9 June 2010, in the Paul IV Hall in the Vatican, as part of the Year for Priests. Priests from more over 70 nations, worldwide, are expected to attend.
Sponsors of the event: The priests of the Focolare Movement and Schoenstatt Movement in collaboration with the ICCRS (International Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the Spirit) and other ecclesial church associations.
The programme will describe in trhee phases the identity of the priest today: Man of God – brothers together – prophets of a new world. Each section will be introduced by a thought from Benedict XVI (on video). In the concluding section, some thoughts of Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, and of Fr. Josef Kentenich, founder of Schoenstatt, will be presented.
Witnesses – Amongst the protagonists: a priest from Ireland on being faithful to God’s call; the survivors of an attack on the Junior Seminary of Buta in Burundi; and from Germany a priest who overcame a drink problem with the help of the community. Other experiences will tell of illness; of affective life and celibacy lived out in a context of fraternity; and pastoral work in the current multi-cultural and multi-religious environment.
Cardinal Claudio Hummes, Prefect of the Congregation of the Clergy, will preside at the Vespers that will conclude the evening. Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz, Archbishop of Santiago in Cile, ex-President of CELAM, will give a theological talk.
The International Multiartistic Performing Group Gen Verde will look after the artistic aspects of the afternoon, together with priests from different countries. The Seminarians from the International Centre of the Spirituality of Communion ‘Vinea Mea’ at Loppiano (Florence) will present some pieces of choreography.
All of the participants will be protagonists at this meeting. There will be a moment for dialogue for all present in the Hall, in small groups, on the subjects addressed in the course of the afternoon.
Television broadcast: It will be possible to follow the event in many countries throughout the world thanks to the satellites of Vatican Television Centre, Telepace and other Networks. It will also be accessible via Internet.
Events leading up to the 9 June appointment:
6 May – ConcerTheatre Ars Amoris, dedicated to the Cure d’Ars, in the Aula Magna of The Lateran Pontifical University, Rome.
8 June – A Retreat Day organised by the Catholic Charismatic Renewal – Basilica of St John Lateran.
A special programme for priests at Loppiano, the Focolare International town near Florence, before and after the events concluding the Year of the Priest.
11 June – An Invitation to priests from the Schoenstatt Movement to spend a celebratory afternoon together in Belmonte (Casalotti, Rome)
Further information and Programme: www.sacerdotioggi.org – sacerdotioggi@gmail.com
Press Office: Silvestre Marques, tel. +39-340-0538 300
José Luis Correa, tel. +39-389-1230 117
Carla Cotignoli, tel. +39-348-8563 347
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29 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
It is with his death on the cross on Good Friday that Jesus teaches the most sublime, divine, heroic lesson of what love is..jpg)
He had given up everything: a life lived beside Mary amidst discomfort and in obedience; three years of preaching in which he revealed the Truth, gave witness to the Father, promised the Holy Spirit, and did all sorts of miracles of love; three hours on the cross from which he pardoned his executioners, opened Paradise to the Good Thief, gave his mother to us and, lastly, his Body and Blood which he had already given to us mystically in the Eucharist. All that remained to him was his divinity. He ceased feeling his union with the Father, which had made him so powerful on earth as the Son of God and so regal on the cross; he had to be disunited, in a way, from the one who, he said, was one with him: “The Father and I are one.” (Jn 10,30). In him love was annihilated, light was darkened, wisdom was silenced. We were detached from the Father. It was necessary that the Son, in whom we all were present, experience detachment from the Father. He had to experience being abandoned by God, so that we may never be abandoned again. Jesus was able to overcome such an immense trial by re-abandoning himself to the Father: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23, 46). In this way, he recomposed the broken unity between God and humanity and men and women among themselves. He was now manifesting himself to be the remedy to every disunity, the key to unity. Now it is our turn to cooperate with this grace and do our part. Since Jesus assumed all that is negative, behind each suffering, each separation, we can discover Jesus himself, one of the “faces” of his abandonment. We can embrace him in those sufferings and divisions, say “yes” to him just as he did when he completely accepted the Father’s will. Then he will live in us – even though we may be in pain – as the Risen Jesus; the peace we regain will be the proof. Chiara Lubich
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29 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
The 40th Anniversary of the beginnings of the movement in that part of the world was celebrated in Hong Kong remembering the opening in 1970 of the first focolare. To mark the occasion, which coincided with the second anniversary of Chiara’s departure for heaven, 500 people met in the Theatre Meeting Hall of Bishop Pashan School in Kowloon Bay.
The protagonists of this story had arrived from Rocca di Papa (Rome) for the occasion: Giovanna Vernuccio, one of Chiara’s first companions who started the movement in Asia in 1966 and Silvio Daneo, who was also one of the first Focolarini to come to Asia. Rubi Tong who is the first Chinese focolarina was also there. In recent years she has been living in Fontem, a Focolare town in Cameroon (Africa).
The hall was filled with families, young people, priests and religious – 
Catholics and other Christian denominations were present, and people of other religions. Silvio Daneo commented: ‘Looking at the hall one can’t but recognise the fulfilment of that unity which Jesus wanted when he prayed to the Father, that all may be one. And it is this unity that synthesises Chiara’s great ideal, which has spread to every corner of the planet. The Chinese welcomed it enthusiastically almost as though Confucius had pre-announced it centuries before Christ, with his great maxim: amid the four oceans (the 4 points of the compass), we are all brothers.’
At the solemn celebration in the morning, Card Joseph Zen, emeritus bishop of the vast diocese of Hong Kong, spoke of his first meeting with the Focolare in 1957 when he was a student in Berlin. The Venerable Kok Kwong’s talk was very moving. Now quite elderly he is head of the Buddhist community here and met the Focolare in 1969. Many leaders were present: many pastors from different Christian churches, local Buddhist representatives and some members of the Buddhist organisation Rissho Kosei Kai.
There were artistic presentations expressing the Chinese culture. The directors of the Movement concluded the day saying that it had been a celebration and thanksgiving to Chiara ‘for her life’ and for how much the ‘Focolare Movement has done in these lands’ with the undertaking to face the future ‘with renewed enthusiasm’.
29 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
28 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
In this very serious and painful moment, we share this ‘hour of suffering’ with the Pope, with the whole Church and with all those who have been wounded by this serious wound of abuse. In a special way, in my own name and in the name of the entire Focolare Movement, I have conveyed our support and prayers to the Holy Father in this moment in which we see personal attacks on him growing day by day. They look like a senseless reaction to the clear and strong line that has been a characteristic of his pontificate. In the faith that the love of the Father guides history, we are sure that this moment is preparing a new resurrection, because it ‘forces’ us and the whole Church to live the Gospel in a new, more radical way. Maria Voce – President of the Focolare Movement
28 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
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23 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
The city of Milan unites around the memory of Chiara Lubich who was made an honorary citizen there in 2004. It is not an easy time for the capital of Lombardy but on 17 March, two years after the death of the founder of the Focolare Movement (14 March 2008), a convention was held entitled ‘Seeds of Fraternity for a more united world’, in the prestigious Alessi Hall of the Palazzo Marino.
The Mayor Letizia Moratti and the City Council welcomed the guests and speakers. ‘Milan feels very close to Chiara Lubich’s international commitment’, the Mayor said. ‘ The awareness that dialogue and the meeting of different cultures, by themselves are enough to overcome misunderstandings between peoples; that the values of solidarity and communion are the basis upon which to build a future of peace. Her path is an example of how love for neighbour can give a concrete meaning to human activity.’ Many people in Milan today feel the urgency for a new message of hope. Mons Gianni Zappa, of the Archdiocese of Milan, pointed out the importance of dialogue in Chiara Lubich’s spirituality, while Prof Stefano Zamagni showed how the principle of fraternity breaks down traditional schemes of political and economic conflict. Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement, closed the convention with these words: ‘ I think Chiara managed to indentify a specific vocation for this beautiful city, the vocation to goodness, to love, to the art of loving. The fulfilment of this project is an aim that Milan must follow with great commitment so as not to betray a plan of God. We want to take on this commitment also, as a way of living out Chiara’s legacy, and offer the full availability of the people of the movement who live here. T.jpg)
he following day, in the Basilica of St Ambrose, heart of the Ambrosian Church, the Archbishop of Milan, Card. Dionigi Tettamanzi celebrated mass to thank the Lord, as he said, for the great gift that Chiara Lubich’s holy life has been for the Church and for society. The Basilica was packed with the large local Focolare community, and also with many friends and people who identify with Chiara’s dream of building universal fraternity: politicians, businessmen, representatives from other ecclesial movements and members of other churches.
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21 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
Church announces beatification date for Italian teen
Chiara Badano, an Italian who died of bone cancer just before her 19th birthday, will be beatified Sept. 25 at a shrine outside of Rome, said the bishop of the diocese where she lived.
March 24th, 2010
By Joeun Lee
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Chiara Badano, an Italian who died of bone cancer just before her 19th birthday, will be beatified Sept. 25 at a shrine outside of Rome, said the bishop of the diocese where she lived.
The beatification ceremony will be held at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Divine Love and will be presided over by Archbishop Angelo Amato, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, said Bishop Pier Giorgio Micchiardi of Acqui.
A member of the Focolare Movement, Badano corresponded for years with Chiara Lubich, founder of the movement.
Born Oct. 29, 1971, in northern Italy, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone malignancy, when she was 17. According to her biography, the diagnosis came after many painful examinations and operations. When she was given the news, she vowed to accept it as God’s will.
“If you want it, Jesus, so do I,” she was reported to have said during a painful therapy session, adding that “embraced pain makes one free.”
She also reportedly declined to take the morphine doctors offered because, she said, “I want to share as much as possible the pain of Jesus on the cross.”
“I feel that God is asking me for something more, something greater,” she said, according to her official biography. “I could be confined to this bed for years, I don’t know. I’m only interested in God’s will, doing that well in the present moment: playing God’s game,” she said.
Badano, who was nicknamed “Luce” or “Light,” died Oct. 7, 1990, and her funeral was attended by hundreds of young members of the Focolare Movement from throughout northern Italy. Devotion to her has spread, so the rather isolated Diocese of Acqui asked that her beatification ceremony be celebrated in Rome to make it easier for more young people to attend, said Mariagrazia Magrini, the vice-postulator of her cause.
From March 26, 2010 issue of Catholic San Francisco.
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10 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
‘Over the next few days the person and teachings of Chiara Lubich will be remembered in many countries throughout the world. This occasion gives us the opportunity to thank God for the great gift that Chiara is for humanity and to re-focus on the living strength of the charism of unity, which has touched the lives of people of different cultures, traditions and faiths.
Day by day we experience that Chiara hasn’t left us but is still at work, in a special way through the lives of our communities, in every corner of the world, illuminating and renewing today’s society.’ This is what Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement said in a message to everyone who will be attending the celebrations to mark the Second Anniversary.
A wide variety of events are being organised throughout the world, not just in remembrance of Chiara but also to share her legacy with many others in this current moment of global crisis, and of search for something new.
Ecumenical meetings in Moscow and Bucharest, an inter-religious meeting in Hong Kong (on the 40th Anniversary of the beginning of the Movement there). On Mount Sion, in Jerusalem, where tradition holds that Jesus prayed for unity, Christians, Jews and Muslims will participate in a ceremony where 8 olive trees will be planted in honour of Chiara Lubich.
Cultural Events: The City Councils of Rome and Milan are hosting two conferences with Civil and Religious leaders present, entitled respectively: ‘Seeds of fraternity for a more united world’, and ‘Chiara Lubich – a life lived for unity’, ten years after she was conferred with Roman Citizenship at Campidoglio.
The impact Chiara Lubich’s charism has made on the world of Economy will be studied in depth at the University of Reggio Emilia. In Parma the subject will be: ‘Communicating in the era of the New Media: Chiara Lubich’s Way’.
There are also many artistic events planned – concerts and classical ballet.
There are many Masses planned, often celebrated by bishops and followed by meetings with testimonies and explanations of the spirituality of unity and of the re-discovery of God-Love, which was the starting point for everything. At St John Lateran’s Basilica in Rome Archbishop Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, will celebrate a mass; Card. Dionigi Tettamanzi in Milan; Card. Archbishop Francisco Javier Errazzuriz Ossa in Santiago, Chile; H.E. Mons Pelatre in Istanbul. Also in Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) with Card. Lopez Rodriguez and Hong Kong with Card. Zen. To mention just a few other places where masses will be celebrated: Spalato (Croatia), Bucharest (Romania), Melbourne (Australia), Salvador de Bahia and Aracaju (Brazil), Iringa (Tanzania) and Montreal (Canada).
Following the mass celebrated by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Holy See’s Permanent Observer at the UN, at Hyde Park (near New York), USA, there will be a ceremony to award the 2010 Luminosa Prize for Unity.
Events of every type – more than 400 throughout the world – that show how far the spirit of unity has spread, and with what gratitude Chiara Lubich is remembered. ‘What is the best way to express our gratitude?’ – Maria Voce concludes her message – ‘Let’s go ahead together, in her footsteps, living the ideal for which Chiara gave her life: universal fraternity.’
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9 Mar 2010 | Non categorizzato
Over 50 Bishops from 30 countries and 4 continents, who are interested in the Focolare spirituality, met together in Castelgandolfo from 27 February to 5 March. During the programme, rich with talks and a sharing of experiences, they looked at the challenges of the modern world and studied the social, economic and political implications of Benedict XVI’s latest encyclical Caritas in Veritate.
Among the main speakers, as well as Card. Miloslav Vlk, the convenor of these congresses, were Card. G.B. Re, Prefect of the Congregation of Bishops, Card. Claudio Hummes, Prefect of the Congregation of the Clergy, Card. Annio Antonelli, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, and the emeritus Cardinals Adrianus J Simonis, ex-Archbishop of Utrecht, Holland and Giovanni Cheli of the Roman Curia.
In an atmosphere of fraternal sharing and friendship, this meeting offered a unique occasion for intellectual and spiritual enrichment. A lively dialogue followed the meditations and reflections on the problems of our times, and the witnesses of priests, in the context of the Year for Priests, committed on different fronts in a society that is completely secularised or totally indifferent to religious values.
The recently founded University Institute ‘Sophia’, based at Loppiano (near Florence), gave important contributions on exegesis, the debate between science and faith, evolution and creation, and economy, allowing a 360 degree vision on many human realities in the perspective of interpreting facts and daily news in the light of revelation.
Similar congresses have taken place or are planned in other countries:
Asia: Bangkok from 9-13 February at the same time as the visit by Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement.
Africa: Mid-March in Bangui, Cameroun
Middle-East, Brazil (San Paolo) in April and Columbia (Bogota) also in April.
7 Mar 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
28 Feb 2010 | Non categorizzato, Word of
The Word of Life, taken from Scripture, is offered each month as a guide and inspiration for daily living. From the Focolare’s beginnings, Chiara Lubich wrote her commentaries on each Word of Life, and after her death in March 2008, her early writings are now being featured once again. This commentary, addressed to a primarily Christian audience, was originally published in September 1979.
How often in the course of your life have you felt the need for somebody to give you a hand and at the same time realized that no one could solve your problem. Then, inadvertently, you turn to Someone who can make the impossible happen. This Someone has a name: Jesus.
Listen to what he says to you:
“Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Obviously, the expression “to move mountains” is not to be taken literally. Jesus did not promise his disciples the power to do spectacular miracles simply to amaze the crowds. In fact if you look through the whole history of the Church, you will not find one saint, as far as I know, who literally moved mountains by faith. The expression “to move mountains” is hyperbole, that is, a rhetorical exaggeration. It was intended to instill in the minds of the disciples the idea that with faith nothing is impossible.
Indeed, the purpose of every miracle of Jesus, directly or through his followers, has always been for the sake of the kingdom of God, promoting the Gospel or the salvation of humankind. Moving mountains wouldn’t serve this purpose.
The comparison with the “mustard seed” is used to show that what Jesus requires of you is not faith of a particular size, but a genuine faith. The characteristic of genuine faith is that it is rooted solely in God and not in your own strength.
If you are assailed by doubts or reservations about your faith, it means your trust in God is not yet total: your faith is weak and not very effective, and still depends on your own strength and on human ways of reasoning.
On the other hand, one who trusts in God completely lets God himself act and … for God nothing is impossible.
The faith Jesus wants from his disciples is, in fact, that attitude of total trust which allows God himself to manifest his power.
And this faith, which can therefore move mountains, is not reserved for certain exceptional people. It is possible, and it is a requirement, for all believers.
“Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
It is thought that Jesus said these words to his disciples when he was about to send them out on a mission.
It is easy to be discouraged and afraid when you know you are a little flock, with no special talents, facing crowds of people to whom you have to give the truth of the Gospel. It is easy to lose heart in front of people interested in anything but the kingdom of God. It seems an impossible task.
It is then that Jesus assures his disciples that by faith they will “move mountains” of indifference and apathy in the world. If they have faith, nothing will be impossible for them.
This expression can be applied, furthermore, to all circumstances in life, as long as they are about the progress of the Gospel and the salvation of people.
At times, when faced with difficulties we cannot overcome, we may even be tempted not to turn to God. Human reasoning tells us, “Give up; it’s no use anyway.” It is then that Jesus urges us not to be discouraged but to turn to God with trust. In one way or another, he will answer us.
Some months had passed since the day when, full of hope, Lella first reported to her new job in the Flemish-speaking area of Belgium. But then a sense of dismay and loneliness took hold of her.
It seemed as though an insurmountable barrier had gone up between her and the other young women she lived and worked with. She felt lonely and like a stranger among people she only wished to serve with love.
It was all because she had to speak a language that was neither hers nor the language of those she spoke to. She had been told that everybody spoke French in Belgium, and she had learned it. But meeting the people, she realized that the Flemish only studied French in school and generally spoke it unwillingly.
Many times she tried to move this mountain of segregation that kept her apart from the others, but in vain. What could she do for them?
One evening she noticed that Godeliève was very sad. She had gone up to her room without touching her supper. Lella tried to follow, but she stopped in front of her door, shy and hesitant. She wanted to knock… but what words could she use to make herself understood? She stood there a few seconds, then gave up and left.
The next morning she went to church and sat at the very back, her face in her hands so that no one would see her tears. It was the only place where there was no need to speak a different language, where no explanations were needed, because there was Someone who understood beyond words. This certainty of being understood gave her courage, and with her soul in anguish, she asked Jesus, “Why can’t I share the crosses of the other girls and tell them what you yourself made me understand when I found you: that every suffering is love?”
She remained in front of the tabernacle as though expecting an answer from the One who had brought light into every darkness of her life.
Then her eyes fell on the Gospel of the day, and she read, “Take courage [that is, have faith], I have conquered the world” (Jn 16:33). These words were like a healing balm on Lella’s soul, and she felt great peace.
When she went back for breakfast, she met Annj, the girl who took care of the housework. She greeted Annj and followed her into the storeroom; then, without a word she started to help her prepare breakfast.
The first to come down was Godeliève. She came to the kitchen for her coffee quickly, to avoid seeing anyone. But there, she stopped; Lella’s peace had touched her soul in a way that was stronger than any words.
That evening, on the way home, Godeliève caught up with Lella on her bicycle and, trying to speak in a way Lella would understand, she whispered: “Your words aren’t necessary. Today your life said, ‘You too should love.’” The mountain had moved!
By Chiara Lubich
23 Feb 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
8 Feb 2010 | Non categorizzato
The new bishop of Islamabad and Rawalpindi in Pakistan has just being ordained. His Diocese reaches as far as the borders of Afghanistan – where pastoral visits are often high risk. Mons Anthony Ruffin participated for the first time at the periodic meeting of Bishops, friends of the Focolare Movement, in the Far East. Last year in was held in Macao and this year it is being held in Bangkok in Thailand. The meeting started on the 9th of February and continued until the 12th. The thirty bishops reflected on the theme ‘To communicate God who is Love – new evangelization today’, and looked at two areas in particular: on one hand the challenge of the encyclical Caritas in Veritate and the need of communication in this age of globalization and on the other Inter-religious dialogue in the light of God who is Love. Paolo Loriga
5 Feb 2010 | Non categorizzato
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3 Feb 2010 | Non categorizzato
An International Congress will be held in Castelgandolfo 19-21 February called ‘United World Project’. Young people from all over the world will come together to share their ideas and talents to further universal solidarity.
The journey started in 1985, when Chiara Lubich encouraged the young people of the Focolare Movement to widen the invitation to work together to build a more united world to young people of every nationality, culture and religious conviction. The journey has already taken them far and wide, and can be seen in the many activities and projects that have been started in developing countries, in cities, or simply where these young people live.
To give new impulse to this project and to raise awareness with as many young people as possible, ‘Youth for a United World’ are meeting together at the Mariapolis Centre in Castel Gandolfo from 19 to 21 February. This meeting will be a re-launch of the original ‘Many Roads for a United World’ that marked the beginning of the Movement, in order to reinvigorate it today together with today’s young people. In this increasingly globalized world we can reach a bigger variety of young people including people from remote places, or others who don’t have any particular religious belief, but share the commitment to break down those obstacles which still exist between people of different ethnic, cultural or social backgrounds.
The meeting, which includes a half day visit to Rome, is not only open to those who already know ‘Youth for a United World’ but to anybody who might like to get to know it. Reflections, sharing of experiences and meetings will alternate with moments of celebration, friendship and practical work, to put into action the ideas that emerge during the congress.
Bookings are open until 12 February at sgmu@focolare.org, or at the International Centre of GMU tel: ++ 39 06 94792089
www.mondounito.net
‘Youth for a united World’ are also on Facebook
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3 Feb 2010 | Non categorizzato
Brief biography
Giancarlo Faletti was Co-President of the Focolare Movement from July 2008 – September 2014. Faletti was born on the 14th of September 1940 in the Municipality of Cerro Tanaro, Province of Asti in the Piedmont Region of Italy, into a family that was sensitive to social issues. Though never receiving a particular religious formation, from an early age he felt a growing desire to become involved in the world of Catholic youth and, later, in the field of Christian volunteers which brought him close to the suffering and the poor. Following a period of personal searching, in 1959 he encountered the spirituality of communion and remained fascinated by Chiara Lubich’s proposal to live for the realization of the unity of the human family that Jesus had asked of the Father: “That all be one!” – which is the goal of the Focolare Movement. At the age of twenty-five he decided to completely give himself to God in community life in a focolare. After completing his studies in Economics, he was employed at a prestigious bank in Turin, where he held executive level positions. In 1972, after living in various focolare communities in Turin, he was given the responsibility of the Focolare in Genoa, where he showed particular attention towards the youth. It was during these years that the fruits of holiness began to blossom precisely among the youth, as in the case of Chiara Luce Badano who was recently beatified, and Alberto Michelotti and Carlo Grisolia for whom the process of beatification is in progress. Following his appointment as co-director of the Focolare Movement in Lazio, Giancarlo concluded his theology studies at the Pontifical Lateran University and in 1997 was ordained to the priesthood. A few months later Chiara Lubich him appointed him delegate of the Movement in Abruzzo, Sardegna and Rome, where he remained until the Assembly of 2008 in which he was elected co-president of the Movement. He accompanied Maria Voce on her visit to Benedict XVI at the conclusion of the Assembly and, in the end of January 2009, he attended the enthronement of Patricarch Cirillo I in Moscow. During the years, he has accompanied the president Maria voce on several trips in Europe and in the world to visit Focolare communities. During these trips he has had numerous contacts with civil leaders, ecclesiastical leaders, and leaders of institutions.
2 Feb 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
31 Jan 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
31 Jan 2010 | Non categorizzato, Word of
Jesus presents himself as the one who fulfills the divine promises and the expectations of a people whose story is marked by an alliance with God that has never been revoked.
The idea of the gate is similar to and explained quite well by another image used by Jesus: “I am the way… No one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:6). He is truly a passageway, an open door that leads to the Father, to God himself.
“I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture."
Practically speaking, what does this Word of Life mean? Other passages of the Gospel have implications similar to this phrase from John. Let us reflect on the “narrow gate,” through which we must strive to enter (see Mt 7:13) so as to enter into life.
Why did we choose this passage? We feel that perhaps it is the closest to the truth that Jesus reveals about himself, and it helps us see best how to live it.
When did he become this wide open door, completely open to the Trinity? At the moment the door of heaven seemed to be closed for him, he became the gateway to heaven for us all.
Jesus Forsaken (see Mk 15:34 and Mt 27:46) is the door through which a perfect exchange between God and humanity takes place; in his emptying, he united the children to the Father. It is through that emptiness (the opening of the door) that we come in contact with God and God with us.
So he is at the same time a narrow and wide open door, and we ourselves can experience this.
“I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture.”
In his abandonment, Jesus himself became our access to the Father. His part is done. But to take advantage of such a huge grace, each one of us must do his or her tiny part, which consists of approaching that door and going through it.
How? When we suffer because of disappointment or something painful, or because of unexpected misfortune or unexplained illness, we can recall the suffering of Jesus, who experienced all these trials and a thousand others.
Yes, he is present in everything that speaks of suffering. Every suffering of ours can bear his name.
Let us try to recognize Jesus in every hardship, in all life’s difficult situations, in every moment of darkness, in our personal trials and those of others, in the sufferings of humanity. All these are him, because he has taken them upon himself.
It would be enough to tell him, with faith, “You, Lord, are my only good” (See Ps 16:2). It would be enough to do something tangible in order to alleviate “his” sufferings in the poor and those who are unhappy, in order to go beyond the door and find a joy on the other side we have never experienced before, a new fullness of life.
By Chiara Lubich
The Word of Life, taken from Scripture, is offered each month as a guide and inspiration for daily living. From the Focolare’s beginnings, Chiara Lubich wrote her commentaries on each Word of Life, and after her death in March 2008, her early writings are now being featured once again. This commentary, addressed to a primarily Christian audience, was originally published in April 1999.
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21 Jan 2010 | Non categorizzato
Eli, Chiara would have been ninety today. During her lifetime the world changed a lot. You knew her closely. What do you think is her historical importance? «In each period of history, God has sent a charism to meet the particular needs of the world. At this time there is a tension towards unity, in politics, in business …and we can see this from European unity, the UN, and the ecumenical dialogue that happened during this period. The Second Vatican Council opened the Catholic Church to other Christian traditions and other faiths. It seems that everything had been prepared for the charism of unity. Chiara’s gift, which can be summed up in the words of Jesus “May they all be one”, is unity in its maximum expression: “all One”. Her charism is addressed to everyone as children of God-Love, for everyone has been created in order to love. Chiara focused on this aspect of human nature, and created relationships of all kinds. Her inspiration that mutual love brings unity was something new! It was the discovery that you can go to God together in a communion which grows deeper and deeper». Many people, including Church leaders, have suggested that Chiara had a “gift of prophecy”. Could you tell us about any intuitions she had that proved to be true? «In the very early days of the movement, on the feast of Christ the King she invited her companions to ask for what they read in the Readings of the day: “… ask and I will give you as an inheritance all peoples…” While she was still alive, she saw this spirit reach 184 nations, almost all of them. Another new intuition was regarding the presence of Jesus “where two or more are gathered” in his name. His presence among the first group was an answer to all their aspirations and was a totally new experience for them. So too was the communion of goods and unity (a word only used by communists at that time) and living the Words of the Gospel (something emphasised at the time more by Protestants than Catholics). She had an openness that emphasised the positive aspects of other Christian traditions, which began an ecumenical dialogue: similarly an interfaith dialogue began, and a wider dialogue with those with no formal faith. .. These are all elements that were affirmed first by the Council and then successive Popes as part of the life of the Church. The experience she had with the Bangwa people in Africa was an example of “new evangelisation”, and began in the sixties. She also emphasised the role of the laity in paving the way for the institutional Church in many fields of human activity. In all this it is easy to see why God chose a woman to build unity at such a broad level. The Focolare Movement (“Work of Mary”), as written in our Statutes and approved by the Church, desires to be as far as possible a continuation of the presence of Mary on earth. This wish of hers came from a very profound spiritual experience». What was Chiara’s relationship with young people and what did they mean to her? «She had a special relationship with young people because she felt that they had less to lose than adults. She felt they were freer, and was at her ease in their company, especially the youngest ones. She had a belief in their “uncontaminated” nature and had a direct, simple and immediate rapport with them. She was very excited about their ability to follow great ideals, and to believe everything is possible. She had a great “utopian” ideal and young people were drawn to it. She was “revolutionary” just in the simple way she related to them, with her approach, the normality of reaching fulfilment by doing the will of God, holiness within the reach of everyone. She received many letters from young people who wanted to imitate her in following God, in living the Gospel, in giving everything. When she launched the Economy of Communion, she issued a challenge to young students, encouraging them to broaden their knowledge about it and develop it. When she began her adventure, she was young and surrounded by people even younger than her. She always had a great trust in young people». What do you think Chiara would say to us today? «I think she would say, “Love one another, like Jesus loved us”. »
19 Jan 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
Speaking by phone with Wilfrid Joachin (the local focolare leader) on Monday, January 18, he gave us an update on how the situation is in his part of the country.
First of all, he says, almost every family has lost one or more of their members in the earthquake. Many people from the villages in the countryside had left for the capital, either for studies or to find work. One family in Carice has lost 7 of their 8 children.
The good news is that two of our members studying in Port-au-Prince survived the devastating quake.
As a consequence of the destruction of Port-au-Prince, everybody now tries to get out of the city, going to the countryside. He tells us that many people from the capital arrived in Ounaminthe, a city in the North-East at the border with the Dominican Republic. They arrive and don’t know where to go; not having eaten for several days, they beg for food and lodging. Also in Mont-Organisé, Savanette, Carice, these people arrive, having lost all they had in Port-au-Prince. Wilfrid tells us that the whole country is devastated, crushed to the ground by this great disaster.
He continues that they came up with the idea of building a center for poor families. Some years back the Focolare movement in Haiti was given a piece of land. Wilfrid, after discussing with other members what they could do to help their fellow Haitians, they decided to go ahead with a building plan which will provide housing for twenty families. Their help would also include clothing, food, and medical help, taken from their own meager resources.
But the Focolare group in Haiti will have to rely on help from the outside to be able to do something at this moment and to bring this building proposal to completion.
You can participate immediately. More information: toronto@focolare.ca
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17 Jan 2010 | Non categorizzato
‘I thank you for the effort of translating in an artistic response the extraordinary life of Saint Curé d’Ars’, Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, Secretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, said at the end of the ConcerTheatre ‘Ars Amoris – the Love that comes from Ars’ which had its first performance on Thursday 14 January at the Mariapolis Centre in Castelgandolfo.
Speaking to the 550 priests from 31 countries, meeting together for their annual retreat, the Archbishop reaffirmed the importance of making God’s love visible in today’s society: ‘This is all the lay faithful expect from a priest, as Chiara Lubich affirmed 35 years ago: “Love, the gospel is the real “revolution”.’
The Love that comes from Ars, he continued, is ‘the art of loving, the ability of knowing how to love every person always and everywhere, in every situation and circumstance.’
He recalled how the inspiring spark of Chiara Lubich’s charism had been ‘a renewed revelation of God as Love.’ This charism ‘whilst being part of the life of one specific person, is, in reality, universal, as love, and also unity, are at the heart of the gospel message and of the history and life of the Church itself.’
‘Not just an abstract feeling of love,’ he pointed out, ‘but the Love made visible in Jesus of Nazareth, Lord and Christ, the Love which was nailed to the cross for us and for our sins, the Love of Jesus Forsaken.’
And he concluded: ‘Dearest priests, friends of the Focolare Movement, you are called in a very special way, particularly because of the responsibility implied in having met such a beautiful and fruitful charism, to live this radical measure of love.’ ‘Today I want to leave you with a real “missionary mandate”: be faithful witnesses of love and unity in your dioceses, in your presbyteries, competing with each other in loving your fellow brothers and in faithful obedience to the Church.’
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14 Jan 2010 | Focolare Worldwide
We are trying to keep up with breaking news about the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the poorest country in Central America, where much of the capital Port au Prince has been reduced to rubble. As an act of solidarity, throughout the Movement people are responding to this emergency, and to the need for reconstruction. We would like to assure the supporters of “Sostegno a Distanza” (Adoptions at a Distance) that the children involved in this educational project in the north east of Haiti have not been directly affected. “They are all safe, we felt some tremors, but there was no damage. But everyone has relatives in Port au Prince, and it has been impossible to find out anything about them.” This is what we heard from the Focolare community in Haiti, which was established thirty years ago and whose development has been closely followed by the Movement in Canada, through Adoptions at a Distance and other projects. Anyone who would like to help this action of solidarity can send donations to the following accounts: Giovani per un Mondo Unito (GMU) Current account “PAMOM – Fondo Mondo Unito” Intesa San Paolo, Filiale di Grottaferrata Via delle Sorgenti, 128 – 00046 Grottaferrata (Roma) Italia IBAN code : IT04 M030 6939 1401 0000 0640 100 BIC code: BCITITMM Ref: Terremoto Haiti Associazione “Azione per un Mondo Unito – Onlus” (AMU) -current postal account n. 81065005 -Banca Etica, Filiale di Roma, Via Parigi, 17 – 00185 Roma, Italia IBAN code : IT16G0501803200000000120434 BIC code : CCRTIT2184D Ref: Solidarietà per Haiti AFN Azione per Famiglie Nuove – Onlus Sostegno a distanza (Adoptions at a Distance) via Isonzo,42 00046 Grottaferrata (Roma) – current postal account n. 48075873 – Current bank account at: BANCA PROSSIMA IBAN code: IT55K0335901600100000001060 Ref: Solidarietà per Haiti
31 Dec 2009 | Non categorizzato, Word of
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated in many parts of the world from January 18-25; others celebrate it at Pentecost. Chiara Lubich always commented on the Biblical verse chosen for this occasion in the Word of Life of that same month.
This year’s phrase for the Week of Prayer is: “You are witnesses of these things” (Lk 24:48). To help us put it into practice, we propose the following text of Chiara as an urgent call for Christians to join together and bear witness to the presence of God in the world.
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will always be with them” (Rev 21:3).
This month’s Word of Life is such earnest encouragement: if we want to be part of his people, we must allow him to live among us.
But how is this possible? What can we do in order to have such a foretaste, while still on earth, of the endless joy we will have in seeing God?
This is exactly what Jesus revealed to us. This is the very meaning of his coming: to communicate his life of love with the Father, so that we too can live it.
We Christians can live this phrase even now and have God among us. To have him among us, however, requires certain conditions that are affirmed by the Fathers of the Church. For Basil, the essential condition is living according to the will of God; for John Chrysostom, it is loving our neighbor as Jesus did; for Theodore the Studite, it is mutual love; and for Origen, it having such accord in thought and in feeling that we arrive at a concord that “unites, and contains the Son of God.”
The key for allowing God to dwell among us is in the teachings of the Gospel: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34). Mutual love is the key to the presence of God. “If we love one another, God remains in us” (1Jn 4:12). “For where two or three are gathered together in my name,” Jesus says, “there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20).
“God himself will always be with them.”
In this light then, the fulfillment of all the promises of the Old Covenant — “My dwelling shall be with them; I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Ez 37:27) — is not far off and unattainable.
Everything is already accomplished in Jesus because he continues, beyond his historical existence, to be present among those who live according to the new law of mutual love, the norm that makes them a people, the people of God.
This Word of Life is therefore an urgent call, especially for us Christians, to witness through love to the presence of God. “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35). Living out the new commandment sets forth the conditions for the presence of Jesus among all people.
We cannot do anything unless this presence is guaranteed, a presence that gives meaning to the supernatural brotherhood that Jesus brought on earth for all humanity.
“God himself will always be with them.”
First of all, it is up to us Christians, even though we belong to different ecclesial communities, to let the world see one people made up of every ethnic group, race and culture, adults and children. One people to whom we can apply the words said of the first Christians, “Look at how they love one another and are ready to give their life for one another.”
This is the miracle humanity is waiting for in order to regain hope. This miracle will also provide an essential contribution to ecumenism, the journey towards full and visible unity among Christians. It is a miracle within our reach, or better, a miracle of the one who dwells among those of us united by love, the one who can change the direction of the world and lead all humanity toward unity.
By Chiara Lubich
The Word of Life, taken from Scripture, is offered each month as a guide and inspiration for daily living. From the Focolare’s beginnings, Chiara Lubich wrote her commentaries on each Word of Life, and after her death in March 2008, her early writings are now being featured once again. This commentary, addressed to a primarily Christian audience, was originally published in January 1999.
1 Dec 2009 | Non categorizzato
A very full year in Europe and beyond, in which the ideas of the pedagogy of unity were brought to the attention of university teachers, educators, teachers, young and old people interested in educational matters. In 2009, there were numerous meetings, seminars, conventions, and round table discussions, in Catania, Benevento, Milano, Varese, Tortona, Vienna, Barcelona, London, Cordoba, Buenos Aires, as well as in Slovenia, Macedonia and Croatia, according to the annual report of the Central Commission of the “EdU-EducazioneUnità”. The theoretical presentation of the pedagogy that has developed from the charism of unity was accompanied by the presentation of educational experiences promoted by the Focolare Movement. Among these are the “Raggio di Sole” (Ray of Sun) nursery school in Croatia, “Fantasy” in Serbia, and “Perle” (Pearls) in Macedonia, where through the use of simple and natural educational materials, children are encouraged to exercise their imagination together with their classmates, developing their ability to collaborate and integrate. The method provides hope for peoples who have suffered years of strife and whose ability to relate to others has been severely affected. On 15 May Michele De Beni, member of the EdU commission, took part in a seminar organised by the Faculty of Education in Skopje, Macedonia. There were 120 Christian and Muslim teachers from various disciplines and countries. At“Raggio di Sole” the “pegagogy of communion” was presented to a team from Croatian TV, who transmitted a 7 minute report. And on another occasion, forty students from the Faculty of Philosophy in Zagreb made a study visit. Giuseppe Milan a member of the EdU commission as well as director of the Department of Educational Science at the University of Padova, was invited to take part in the “Europe Week” organised by the commune of Skofja Loka in Slovenia, where he presented the “pedagogy of communion” to academics and civil and religious leaders. On that occasion the idea emerged of a collaborative project between the universities of Padova and Ljubljana. In the photo: a group of 4th year students and teachers from the faculty of Philosophy Zagreb, during their visit to the “Raggio di Sole” school in May 2009.
