No one is a stranger

26 May 2006 | Non categorizzato

I work in the United Nations Organization, in one of its agencies in Rome, which has offices in more than 80 countries. We are the largest agency of food aid in the world. We operate not only in developing countries, but also anywhere there are victims of natural disasters or man-made crises like war. My daily working environment is multiethnic, multiracial, multilingual, and multi-religious. In my daily activity I try to keep an attitude of openness towards others, reminding myself constantly that for God, no one is a stranger. This helps me to be more attentive to those who are newcomers to Italy or, more generally, to those in need. At the beginning of winter, there was an e-mail circulating in our offices which contained a request for a kerosene heater. It was for a family in great financial difficulty, living in a small house with no heat, not far from my place. There are certain appeals one just cannot ignore. I felt this one was addressed to me directly, especially when I realized that I could truly do something about it. I therefore registered that memo in my mind. A surprise came the next day. When I opened my computer on the buy-and-sell announcements for the private use of our organization’s personnel, I read that a French colleague of mine was selling a kerosene heater for € 130. It was quite unusual to find such an article in our buy-and-sell index! It really seemed to be an answer to the previous day’s request… I immediately thought that that announcement, which was directed to our 1000 staff members, was actually addressed to me. I decided to tell my officemates about the situation and suggest that each of us contribute to buy the heater. They rallied around, and in half a day we were able to raise € 85!  Since God never stops amazing us, the next day, when I phoned my colleague to tell him about the whole thing, he said that in view of the situation he would lower the price of the heater to only € 50. I decided to look for the fuel for the heater, and it cost exactly € 35! I have another different, but significant experience. It involves K., a Nigerian Muslim colleague. He began to work in my office some years ago. From the beginning we had a good relationship. Often, during break-time, we would find ourselves sharing our spiritual experiences in a climate of profound respect for each other’s culture. We felt that each accepted and understood the other as he was, with his diversities, and was free to express all the personal richness he had. Two years ago, K. was transferred to Sudan, a country with 97% Muslims. We continued keeping in touch. Last year, at 6 o’clock on Easter morning the phone rang: “Hello, my dear friend! Happy Easter to you and your family!” I reciprocated by extending to him my best wishes for the forthcoming Ramadan. Recently, K. was transferred to Uganda. I wrote to congratulate him for this promotion to a new work experience. Last month I called him on the phone, and after talking about technical matters, I inquired about his new job situation, home life and whether or not there was a mosque nearby where he could go and pray. He thanked me for my concern and he shared some of his experiences in his new country where the majority was Christian. From a distance our common desire to put into practice the “golden rule” – “do unto others what you would have others do unto you.” binds us together. This helps us both to reach out to others, no matter what nation they belong to. (T.T. – Italy)

[:it]“Nuove Irruzioni dello Spirito”

22 May 2006 | Non categorizzato

Pope Benedict XVI to meet Ecclesial Movements and New Communities

22 May 2006 | Non categorizzato

Meeting with the Pope – There is eager expectation all over the world for the meeting of the ecclesial movements and new communities with Pope Benedict XVI on June 3, the vigil of Pentecost 2006, to be held in St. Peter’s Square. The event is a follow-up to the unforgettable experience of May 1998, when hundreds of thousands of people belonging to these new ecclesial realities gathered together for the first time with Pope John Paul II.

The magisterium of Benedict XVI thus unfolds in continuity with that of his predecessor. As then Cardinal Ratzinger, the present Pope immediately recognized the connection between the flourishing of these Movements and Communities and Vatican II, as well as the action of the Holy Spirit who, through these new forms of lay aggregations, was giving to a large number of the faithful the possibility to experience anew the joy of the Church’s perennial youthfulness.

An international Congress – The June 3 event will be preceded, as in 1998, by an international Congress of ecclesial Movements and new Communities, promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Laity. The Congress will have the same title as the meeting with the Pope: “The beauty of being a Christian and the joy of communicating this.” It will be held from May 31 to June 2 at Rocca di Papa (Rome) and will be attended by more than 300 invited participants.

Prayer vigils – In preparation for the meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, prayer vigils will be held on June 2 at various places. The initiative, which aims at somehow rendering “visible” the beauty of the faith, will enable the different charisms to express the essence of their unique gift in a spirit of brotherly communion. The prayer vigils will be open not only to the people of the respective Movements and to the organizing communities, but to all faithful and pilgrims as well. The Focolare Movement will host one such prayer vigil at 8:30 p.m. in the Sacro Cuore Immacolato di Maria (Sacred and Immaculate Heart of Mary) Church in the Parioli district of Rome.

The pathways of communion – The years that followed the Vigil of Pentecost ’98 were characterized by a significant development in relationships of communion among the Movements and new Communities, which resulted in knowing each other more deeply and in a keener awareness of their role in the Church’s task of fostering a new evangelization.

Preparations for Pentecost 2006 – From the time the Pope convoked the June 3 gathering, an intense collaboration has been going on between the leaders of about a hundred movements and communities and the Pontifical Council for the Laity to prepare for this important Church event.

Pilgrimages in large numbers have been announced, with tens of thousands of participants from Italy and abroad, including persons of the Neocatecumenal Way, Communion and Liberation Fraternity, Focolare Movement, the different expressions of Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Regnum Christi Movement, Organismo Mundial de Cursillos de Cristiandad, St Egidio Community, Schoenstatt Movement, Christian Life Movement, Emmanuel Community, Pope John XXIII Community, SERMIG (Servizio Missionario Giovani – Youth Missionary Service), L’Arche Communities, Faith and Light Movement, the Comunità Missionaria Villaregia, Comunidades Laicas Marianistas, Teams of Our Lady, FASTA (Fraternity of St. Thomas Aquinas Associations), Movimento di spiritualità “Vivere In”, Opera di Nazaret, Talleres de Oracion y Vida, ADSIS Community, and many more.

[:it]Dall’introduzione di S. E. Mons. Stanislaw Rylko al libro “Nuove irruzioni dello Spirito”

21 May 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]T’ho trovato … nel dolore[:es]Te he encontrado … en el dolor

18 May 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]Cittadinanza: una proposta di fraternità per la città[:es]Ciudadanía[:fr]Une proposition de fraternité pour la ville[:pt]Cidadania

12 May 2006 | Non categorizzato

“One city is not enough”

1 May 2006 | Non categorizzato

  Dear young people gathered today in Loppiano, My heartfelt greetings to all of you on this May 1st 2006, feast of young people and a new leg along our journey towards a united world! The program you plan to follow is timely and demanding, almost a challenge: “One city is not enough.” You have asked me to say a few words. Dear young people, you know that when I was your age I received from God the gift of giving my life to him and of contributing to the development on earth of a new people born from the Gospel. We began in our city of Trent. What about you, today? If you wish to change a city, unite with some friends who have the same ideal that you have. Put God before everything else. Promise each other mutual love to the point of being ready to give your life for one another and hold on to this Pact at all costs: he present in your midst will suggest the steps to take, he will support you in the inevitable difficulties. Then, size up the city. Go together to look for the poor, the abandoned, orphans, prisoners, those who are on the margins of society, and give, give always: a word, a smile, your time, your goods…. Your giving will draw the hundredfold that Jesus promised. Do not leave anyone alone. Share everything with your friends: moments of joy and victory, suffering and failure, so that the light is not extinguished. Pray and forgive, because going against the current costs, but it is the deep root of success. But “one city is not enough.” No, with God, one city is too little. He made the stars, he guides the centuries to their destiny. With him we can aim farther, at everybody’s country, the entire world. Let our every breath be for this goal, for this our every gesture, our relaxation as well as our activity. Let us live now in such a way that at the end of our life we will not have to be sorry for having loved too little. Take courage! You know how much confidence I have in you! The world is in your hands and it will be as you build it today. Chiara Lubich

Brotherhood in the city and beyond: Loppiano’s proposal to the youth

1 May 2006 | Non categorizzato

The big youth meeting in Loppiano this year has targeted the city as the place to build and experience brotherhood that overcomes all divisions. Also the appointment at the little town “Arco Iris” (“Rainbow”) of Portugal had the aim of building a united world in these times marked by conflicts and fear of the “other”.

Loppiano (Italy) – The city: a place and a laboratory of brotherhood at that ranges 360°. This was the focal point of “Loppiano – May 1st 2006” – the annual appointment of thousands of young people from Italy and other European countries. This year’s was the 36th edition.

Program – Chiara Lubich’s message, “One city is not enough” was at the core of the program. The many experiences shared include those of youth coming from the world’s flash points, or from places where “forgotten wars” are still being fought: Colombia, Iraq, Burundi, Belarus and Korea. Their stories were living witnesses of peace, solidarity and social reconstruction. The Economy of Communion was given a special place, particularly dialogue with Italian entrepreneurs who plan to transfer part of their respective business activities to the new “business park” which will be inaugurated next October and will be the site of around ten business enterprises that adhere to the EoC system.

The meeting “doubles up” – This year, the Loppiano meeting lasted for 2 days. Starting April 30 at 3 p.m., workshops were held for those who wanted to know more about the Economy of Communion, interreligious and cultural dialogue, ecology, sports, music, architecture, communications – the “areas of interest” proposed by young resource persons, not only for reflection but for concrete action as well. Present in the workshops were experts in the different areas. Much room was given to dialogue; videos were widely used to illustrate the topics treated.

Arco Iris (Portugal): ‘Link para a unidade’ (‘Link for Unity’) was the title chosen by the Portuguese youth who proposed to their peers of the Iberian peninsula a new way of communicating through the means technology offers today – the kind of communication geared towards dialogue in order to build a world of peace. Around 1,500 youth were expected to attend, a progressively increasing number since the first encounter in 2002.

The “little town” of Loppiano is the first of Focolare’s 33 little towns now existing all over the world. It is located in the Tuscany hills, in the municipality of Incisa Valdarno near the city of Florence. It is made up of schools, business enterprises, art centers. Today it counts 700 inhabitants coming from 70 different nations – students, professors, professionals, artisans, agriculturists, artists, families, religious order priests and sisters and diocesan priests. Also present are Christians from different Churches and followers of other religions. Its international character renders it an ideal place for dialogue among peoples and cultures.

The little town of Arco-Iris is situated in Abrigada, 45 km away from Lisbon, Portugal. It was started in 1997, and continues to develop, thanks to the generous contribution of a large number of people. Since the beginning, it has enjoyed the support of civil and religious authorities, since the mayor’s office considers it a project of “public interest.” Not only is it a place particularly fit for dialogue with people of non-religious convictions and cultures, but is also a suitable meeting place for young people. What is common among the inhabitants is the commitment to put into practice evangelical love – the law of the little town – to show that it is possible for people of the most diverse ages and social conditions to live together in harmony. (for information: www.focolares.org.pt)

[:it]“Dharma e Compassione Buddista – Agape Cristiana”[:pt]«Dharma e compaixão budista – Ágape cristão»

27 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato

The culture of giving – the teenagers’ revolution

24 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato

  Panama – the “Giving” Clubs: trip to Cebaco The Teens for Unity are carrying out a host of activities to support their projects. Among them a Spring Fair being held in Panama for several years now. They are the “Giving” Clubs, where practicing the culture of giving is a requirement for membership, which starts with giving away an object that one treasures dearly. In 2005, Panama’s Ministry of Education learned about the initiative, and decided to include it in the scholastic program as one of the activities that can be undertaken during the hours dedicated to mandatory social service projects. The Teens for Unity of Panama write: “It is no longer necessary for us to obtain the principals’ permission to address a school assembly. We only have to refer to the Education Minister’s circular! What’s even more beautiful is that also the professors participate.” Something new this year: A delegation of teenagers, accompanied by their parents and teachers, went to the island of Cebaco – 8 hours by boat – in order to bring the food items they had collected during the year to the needy families. They received a joyful welcome from the inhabitants, who offered them the best they had. “We have built a very beautiful relationship with them during these 8 years. All of us have experienced that we go there to give but we receive much more; we came back with so much joy in our hearts.” One of the teenagers named Jorge remarked: “Many times, we wish for things we don’t really need. After having met the people of Cebaco, I do not want to stop; there is so much to do! I’m glad I don’t have to wait to grow up to be able to give!” Germany – € 1.443 earnings In Mannheim, Germany, the students of the 8th grade were required to create a project for their Economy and Law classes. An idea: why not look for a part-time job to earn money for the Schoolmates project? Everybody agreed, but the first difficulty promptly came up: how to find a job. One of the teen-age boys who was finally employed after applying for 30 jobs, commented: “Now I know how difficult it is to find a work.” Whether as bakers, electricians, grocery cashiers, public transport employees, gardeners, office clerks, waiters, in the end each one in the whole class found a job. The result? A total of € 1.443 earned by everyone and joyfully donated to help send other teenagers to school.

[:it]Primavera: è tempo di Fiera

24 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato

“Jesus crucified and forsaken is the model priest!”

21 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato

“Jesus crucified and forsaken is the model priest!”

 22/04/2006

Joy for having “experienced the family spirit,” “shared even our difficulties,” “prayed in profound unity” and “for having participated in a great moment of Church life”: these were some of the impressions gathered there and then, from priests, permanent deacons and seminarians as their conference entitled “The Church today: the spirituality of communion and dialogue,” ended. It was held at Castel Gandolfo (Rome) from April 19 to 21, attended by 1,000 participants coming from 52 different countries. Among the participants were also members of other Churches.

The conference started with an in-depth reflection on “The portrait of the priest and the deacon today: actual experience and challenges.” Experiences from different parts of the world and the talks offered by experts during this first part of the conference highlighted the challenges faced by the Church today and, consequently, by priests as well – such as the credibility crisis and lack of impact, social and cultural fragmentation, individualism and overwork. Furthermore, there is also the struggle against poverty, conflicts and injustice. However, it was observed that right in the midst of these difficulties, signs of hope can be gleaned, such as a widespread “thirst for God” which must be responded to with adequate preparation, the flourishing of small ecclesial communities and the contribution of the new charisms.

The key idea of the Conference was put into light by Chiara Lubich’s message: “Jesus crucified and forsaken is the One who opened up the way for humanity towards universal brotherhood… And since men and women, because of Jesus crucified and forsaken, were able to establish their rapport with God again, He is the bond of unity also among people… This is why we speak of him: he is the model priest! My wish, accompanied with my prayers, is that each of you may find your model in him, so that the Church today may be enriched by priests-Christ, priests-victims for humanity; authentically Christ, ready to give their lives for everyone.”

The second part of the conference dealt with the theme on the Church as communion and the absolute need for a spirituality of communion. Giuseppe Maria Zanghì, co-director of the Focolare Movement’s Center of Studies spoke about the “epochal transition from a prevalently individual vision of the human person to one which opens up the individual’s interior life towards communion with every person.” Fr. Silvano Cola, director of the Focolare’s Priests Movement, recounted his meeting with the spirituality of unity, underscoring three fundamental dimensions for the life of Christians and priests today: “discovering that God is Love means ‘everything’ to the Christian experience; being able to see all men and women as children of God; putting at the center of one’s life Jesus Crucified, who, even at the moment when he felt himself separated from the Father, entrusted himself to the Father out of love.”

The evening prayer of the first day was accompanied by the hymn Akathistos dedicated to Our Lady, offered by a choir of Orthodox priests and seminarians.

The morning session of the second day, April 20, constituted the nucleus of the conference. Unity, communion and reciprocity – it was said – are but a utopia if they are not rooted in a love whose measure is Jesus’ radical giving of Himself on the cross. Among the speakers were two parish priests whose efforts proved to be very fruitful in environments that were not very open to church life, and an Italian priest who has dedicated his life to the “meninos da rua” (streetchildren).

The concelebrated Mass was presided over by Bishop Gian Carlo Bregantini of Locri (region of Calabria, Italy), who is a living witness of evangelical courage in the struggle against organized crime. In the afternoon, Msgr. Aldo Giordano, Secretary-General of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, proposed stimulating points for reflection with his theme: “For a pastoral work characterized by communion.”

Some experiences shared offered examples of pastoral work animated by the missionary spirit. Included among these experiences was that of priests and lay people from the St. John of the Cross Parish in Rome, where the vitality and methods used by the new ecclesial Movements harmoniously blend with parish structures. Another experience was that of aid work in favor of Bosnia, being carried out by a youth center in Germany – an endeavour which has turned out to be an experience of evangelization, with positive effects felt in 45 countries. Lastly, there was also the experience of a young Brasilian priest who was able to develop over 2,000 small communities which have revitalized Church and social life in Ponta Grossa with the evangelical art of loving.

The morning session of April 21 was dedicated to the theme of culture and dialogue, with the reflection offered by Fr. Pasquale Foresi, first priest focolarino on “A new school of thinking,” followed by Vera Araùjo and Carlos Clarià, members of the Focolare Movement’s General Council, on “Soul of the world: new horizons for mission today.”

The culminating point of the Conference was an intense moment of prayer, during which the participants took upon themselves the commitment (as re-proposed on behalf of Chiara Lubich by Natalia Dallapiccola, her first companion) – to conform their lives to Jesus crucified to be able to face the many ‘countenances’ of suffering in the world today and “drink deep of the waters of tribulation from many hearts that are nearby and … from many far away.” Giving the final greeting, Fr. Silvano Cola – one of the promoters of the conference – said: “As Jesus did 2000 years ago, he seems to be telling us today, “Go out into the whole world and preach the Gospel put into life”!

For further information: chiesaoggi.focolare.org

Brotherhood behind bars: steps towards the light

20 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato

“Dear A., as you can see, in our own small way, we are trying to help our companions who are in greater difficulty than we are. What we do is little, but it gives us the strength to go ahead on the road where there is the light. We sleep feeling free and with our consciences at peace. I always try to establish a dialogue with my companions; sometimes I hope I’m offering a useful word or two, at other times it is enough just to be there, at other times we say a prayer together that the Lord might help us overcome these dark moments.”

The above quote is from a letter written by a detainee to A., who every Thursday morning visits the new Rebibbia Prison compound in Rome, where his prisoner-friends are expecting him. For some years now he has been spending his day off there, taking upon himself the problems and hopes of people who, often, have touched bottom.

A. had obtained permission to meet the detainees of every sector of the prison. He is in personal contact with about 50 people and through those who are more open, he reaches out to yet others. He also helps them through the monthly Word of life and the Città Nuova magazine. Many of his friends say that they draw spiritual nourishment from these publications, as well as a different outlook, as expressed in a poem written by one of them:

“The silence of the night is like a warm welcoming bed/ (…). It is the voice of our conscience./(…) Can prisoners mend their ways / can the blind behold sunsets / can the tramps dream of a warm hearth / Can the powerful become humble and wise / and the sick smile again./ The silence of the night / is the bed on which everybody / reckons with the Truth.”

Sometimes the relationship continues even when a detainee has served his sentence or is transferred to another prison, like the author of the poem who wrote from another prison: “I’ve been in prison since 1996. Troubles, deaths in the family and then back into prison… It’s a good thing that I have learned how to love and to believe, because otherwise I don’t know how I would have ended up. I want you to know that I continue praying and that I try to bring this life of love to those who need it most. It will not be easy on the outside either: we have to reckon with our past, accept it, and humbly say: I need help. I cannot deny that in some moments I have experienced what Jesus himself experienced: abandonment, persecution, the indifference of many people… But then I tell myself: I am at fault while He was innocent. He sacrificed his life to redeem us, to make us understand to what extent we have to love. How can we help but love and adore Him?”

The experiences collected so far are a moving witness. Here are some excerpts:

“A young man in the cell across from me was desperate because he lost the ring his wife had given him as a gift. I dismantled the pipes in the sink of his cell and we found it. You wouldn’t believe how happy he was…later on I wrote a letter for an illiterate prisoner… I readily gave away a pack of 10 cigarettes even if I was left with none.”

“I worked for two months to make a boat out of toothpicks. I wanted to sell it and earn some money, but my friend had no gift to give his wife so I decided to give him my boat.”

These are glimpses of new life which make us better understand how to be a “neighbor,” like Jesus on the cross, to those who pass by us in life by “being one” with them, perhaps by taking upon ourselves a situation of disunity, sharing a suffering, or solving a problem, with a concrete love made up of service.

(cf. Città Nuova magazine no. 5/2006)

[:it]Da tutto il mondo, sacerdoti a confronto su essere “Chiesa oggi”

20 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato

To the participants at the Congress for priests, deacons and seminarian

19 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato

 Dear everyone,

I am very happy to welcome each participant at this Congress and I especially greet our Christian brothers, ministers of other Churches, who are present.

You have come together from many nations the world over to deepen the spirituality of communion and dialogue in the Church today.

I was asked to share a message with you.

I saw that in your dense program a special place was given to the theme on: “The abandonment of Jesus.” Why is this?
Because the cardinal points of our spirituality are, on one side, Jesus Crucified who cried out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” and on the other, unity.

Jesus crucified and forsaken is the One who opened up the way for humanity towards universal brotherhood. It was in that moment that he became the mediator between humankind and God. It was there on the cross that he presented himself to the Father as priest and victim for all of humanity. And since men and women, because of Jesus crucified and forsaken, were able to establish their rapport with God again, they were also able to be in relation with one another: Jesus forsaken is the bond of unity also among people. And unity is the fruit of dialogue: it is dialogue which has been totally consummated.

This is why we speak of him: he is the priest par excellence!
My wish, accompanied with my prayers, is that each of you may find your model in him, so that the Church today may be enriched by priests-Christ, priests-victims for humanity; authentically Christ, ready to give their lives for everyone.

Easter, which we have just celebrated, reminds us that the suffering of the Passion was followed by the great joy of the Resurrection.

In Him risen and alive among us,

Chiara

International Meeting of Priests, Deacons and Seminarians

18 Apr 2006 | Non categorizzato

International Meeting of Priests, Deacons and Seminarians

Wednesday 19 April
Priests and Deacons Today – Issues and Challenges

09.00 Welcome – Wolfgang Schneck and Andrea Caelli – Presenters
Opening Greetings: Silvano Cola, Lino D’Armi, Enrico Pepe, Hubertus Blaumeiser – Priests of the Diocesan Priests Centre of the Focolare Movement
Brief Experiences of Priests and Deacons from various Continents
CHOREOGRAPHY: “FROM INDIVIDUALISM TO COMMUNION” (SEMINARIANS FROM LOPPIANO)

10.30 Priests and Deacons Today: Challenges and Questions
Andrea Caelli, one of the presenters, interviewing: Wilfried Hagemann (Germany), Thomas Norris (Ireland), Enrique Cambón (Argentina), Léon Sirabahenda (Burundi)
Two seminarians present the results of a Research
ARTISTIC PRESENTATION – MIMO PEREZ (PHILIPPINES)
Message from Chiara Lubich

11.45 Concelebration

A Spirituality for the Church-Communion

16.00 Spirituality of Communion: From the “Interior Castle” to the “Exterior Castle” – Giuseppe Maria Zanghì, Director of the Focolare Movement’s Study Centre
Historical Perspectives: Priests and the Focolare Movement – Silvano Cola
MUSICAL INTERLUDE
Building up the Church-Communion: Experiences of Marco Tecilla and others

18.00 The Prophetic Character of the Focolare Movement’s Small Towns (Presentation of Loppiano, Incisa-Valdarno)
Being formed in Communion: Schools for Priests, Deacons and Seminarians – Lorenzo Campagnolo, co-director, and other participants of the Programme run at Loppiano’s International Centre of Spirituality for Priests and Seminarians
ARTISTIC PRESENTATION – MIMMO IERVOLINO (NAPLES)
Communion as a Way of Life (Experiences)

19.10 Prayer led by Orthodox priests (Oriental Churches Institute, Regensburg)

Thursday 20 April
Our Deepest Roots

09.00 Prayer led by Participants of Various Churches
“I give you this Crucifix” – Experience of Dante Sementilli
PIANO RECITAL – ALFONSO GUILLAMON (SPAIN)
“Put Yourself in the Other Person’s Place” – Experience of Carlo Malavasi

10.20 Jesus’ Abandonment – the Way to Unity – Natalia Dallapiccola – Chiara Lubich’s First Companion
Jesus Crucified and Forsaken in the Experience of the Focolare Movement
(Video-recording of a talk given by Chiara Lubich)
ARTISTIC PRESENTATION – PIERLUIGI GRISON (LOPPIANO)
Jesus Forsaken – Model for Priests (Experiences)

11.45 Concelebration

Evangelization and Dialogue

16.00 A Pastoral Ministry of Communion – Aldo Giordano, General Secretary of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences
The Primacy of Love (video-clip of Chiara Lubich)
MUSICAL INTERLUDE
Going out towards All (Experiences)

17.50 Testimony-Concert in Memory of Card. Van Thuan – Carlo José Seno and Priests from Milano

19.10 Prayer: “I have only one Spouse on Earth”

Friday 21 April
“May They All Be One”

09.00 A new School of Thought – Pasquale Foresi – Central Governing Body of the Focolare Movement
ARTISTIC PRESENTATION
“Soul of the World”: New Horizons of Mission Today
Vera Araújo and Carlos Clarià – International Centre of the Focolare Movement
PIANO RECITAL – CARLO JOSÉ SENO AND ALFONSO GUILLAMON
Impressions from Some Participants
Conclusion – Silvano Cola, Lino D’Armi, Enrico Pepe, Hubertus Blaumeiser

11.00 Concelebration

[:it]”E per scuola… una città”[:es]Y por escuela… una ciudad[:pt]E como escola… uma cidade

29 Mar 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]50° Città Nuova: città in dialogo, città della fraternità[:fr]50° anniversaire de Città Nuova : villes en dialogue, villes de la fraternité

24 Mar 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]CHIESA-COMUNIONE. Paolo VI e Giovanni Paolo II ai Vescovi amici del Movimento dei Focolari, Città Nuova Editrice, Roma 2002

20 Mar 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]Nuova Umanità – Marzo-Aprile 2006

14 Mar 2006 | Non categorizzato

“Share the riches of your own spirituality to generate fresh vigor in Christian life in Latin America”

14 Mar 2006 | Non categorizzato

“Fraternally share the riches of your own spirituality and experiences to generate fresh vigor in Christian life in this part of the world, where the Church pins many of its future hopes.” This was the invitation addressed by Benedict XVI, in a message signed by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, to the participants of the 1st Meeting of ecclesial movements and new communities in Latin America. The meeting, organized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity and the Latin American bishops’ council (CELAM), reflected on the theme: “Disciples and Missionaries of Jesus Christ Today.” The experience in Bogotà was one of communion and mutual esteem among the different charisms which brought to light the particular gift that each movement or ecclesial community is for the Church and humanity. The solemn concluding Mass was a thanksgiving to God for all that had been accomplished during those days. Aside from the President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and his collaborators, the participants of the Meeting included the head of the CELAM, the members of the Bishops’ Conference preparations committee of CELAM, a Bishop-delegate representing each of the Latin American episcopal conferences and the directors of the different movements and new communities present in the Latin American continent. The representatives of the Focolare Movement included Cristina Calvo (Argentina), who spoke during the round-table discussions on “Ecclesial movements and new communities: the creativity of love,” referencing the Economy of Communion; and Sandra Ferreira (Brazil), who participated in the Forum entitled, “Ecclesial movements and new communities: how Christ’s new disciples are generated and formed.” The Bogotà meeting served to reinforce the ecclesial movements and new communities’ awareness of their mission to contribute to the evangelization of the many spheres of social life. The experience made in this first continental meeting will be brought to the next meeting of the Bishops’ conference, (which is centered on this same theme) as the particular contribution of movements and new communities. Meanwhile, in Europe preparations are under way for the large worldwide meeting of the ecclesial movements and new communities with Pope Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Square on June 3, 2006 – a follow-up of the first historic encounter with Pope John Paul II on the Vigil of Pentecost 1998.  

[:it]Intervista della Radio Vaticana all’Arcivescovo Mons. Rylko

7 Mar 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]Un atto di verità … e gli opposti si riconciliano

28 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]Al fisico Ugo Amaldi il Premio Renata Borlone[:es]Al físico Ugo Amaldi el Premio Renata Borlone[:pt]O físico Ugo Amaldi recebe o Prêmio Renata Borlone

25 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]“Noi e l’Islam”

20 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

A world without poverty, Christian identity and religious plurality

19 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

A world without poverty, Christian identity and religious plurality

have been among the themes of the 9th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches which took place in Brazil, Porto Alegre, 14-23 February 2006

20/02/2006

The World Council of Churches’ strategy to promote economic justice, a world without poverty, Christian identity and religious plurality was the central topic dealt with in the 9th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches, which took place in Porto Alegre (Brazil) from February 14 to 23. The Assembly met under an auspicious title: “God, in your grace, transform the world.”

The participants numbered 4,000 and included delegations from the 347 member Churches of WCC which have a total following of 550 million faithful (Protestants, Anglicans and Orthodox).

A Catholic delegation also attended the Assembly, guided by Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for promoting Christian Unity. During the opening of the Assembly, he read the message of the Pope which re-affirms the commitment “to seek ways to cooperate ever more effectively in the task of witnessing to God’s divine love.” Joan Back (from the “Centro Uno,” Focolare center for ecumenical dialogue) was part of the delegation. Though not a member of WCC, the Catholic Church nevertheless offers its collaboration through the meetings of a joint working group between the Roman Catholic Church and the WCC, and through the commitment to carry out joint projects.

During the plenary on “economic justice,” various experiences of church alternatives to the present economic system were shared. Vera Araujo, Brazilian sociologist, presented the Economy of Communion project, initiated by the Focolare Movement 15 years ago.

The leaders of the various Churches expressed their concern about the “increasing inequality, the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few, and the destruction that is threatening our planet – all problems which are aggravated by the scandal of poverty in the South, that is now expanding to the North.” Such statements were offered vigorously in the Appeal composed by the “Justice, peace and creation” Commission, and explain the reason behind the choice of the Assembly logo: “Gathered at Porto Alegre, the place where the World Social Forum was held, we are encouraged by the constructive and positive message” launched by those Movements “which tell us that there are other possible solutions.”

[:it]Sports4Peace in Austria

18 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]Il progetto “Sport, Peace & Development”

18 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]«Educazione e solidarietà» e «I tesori di Gibì e Doppiaw»

14 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]Strade di solidarietà aperte a tutti

14 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]Nuova Umanità – Gennaio-Febbraio 2006

14 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

[:it]L’Islam che non fa paura

9 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

The crucified and forsaken Christ: countenance of God who is Love, and pathway for humanity

9 Feb 2006 | Non categorizzato

 Bishop-Friends of the Focolare Movement are holding their 30th meeting, centered on spirituality, at Castelgandolfo from February 11-17, with 100 participants from all over the world. As a group the Bishops met for the first time with Pope Benedict XVI during the General Audience on Wednesday, February 15. The meeting, which is promoted by Card. Miloslav Vlk, Archbishop of Prague, focuses on the encyclical, “Deus caritas est,” a subject which has been deepened particularly through a commentary offered by Card. Ennio Antonelli, Archbishop of Florence. Following Pope Benedict XVI’s line of thought, the themes are centered on Jesus crucified as the wellspring and model of love, with particular attention to the abandonment, that aspect of Jesus’ suffering which is so difficult to understand and yet is so close to the people of our times, as Chiara Lubich brings to light in the spirituality of unity. Other topics of interest are the evangelization of the youth; collaboration among the ecclesial movements in view of the forthcoming gathering, to be held in St. Peter’s Square at the invitation of the Pope, on the Feast of Pentecost this year; the opportunities ahead for spiritual ecumenism. These topics are developed also through life experiences to be shared by priests, lay people and the bishops themselves. The liturgical celebrations are entrusted to a different group of bishops each day, according to their respective continents. These moments, together with those dedicated to fraternal sharing of insights and experiences, are animated by the participants’ desire to re-live the atmosphere of the Cenacle, where the Apostles were gathered as one soul around Mary, the Mother of our Lord. For the Bishops who have participated in this meeting, this 30-year experience has been a stimulus to discover ever-new spaces for communion. It has also been a source of encouragement to travel with optimism,  together with their respective diocesan communities, along the roads of dialogue, in their efforts to be a leaven of reconciliation and peace in the midst of so many conflicts. The aim of the Bishops’ meeting is to make an ever deeper experience of spiritual sharing and brotherhood among Bishops. It was started in 1977 by the late Bishop Klaus Hemmerle of Aachen (Germany). It was then blessed immediately by the encouragement given by Pope Paul VI and later by Pope John Paul II. These meetings are inspired by the spirituality of unity, by which they aim to put into practice and promote the “spirituality of communion” that Pope Wojtyla had repeatedly proposed to the People of God, and to Bishops in particular.  

Prayer: breath of the soul that makes us brothers and sisters

31 Jan 2006 | Non categorizzato

 It is from prayer that I draw the strength to live for a united world, and overcome the conflicts and injustices that are part of daily life. There is much hatred in the world, yet in different places, people actively seek peace, holding public manifestations, prayer vigils and through fasting. If we base our lives on the law of love, we can bear witness to the fact that brotherhood is attainable and that it is possible for different peoples to live together.

I am 18 years old. I come from Somalia and I am a Muslim. I have been living in Italy for 17 years now.

My family and I are part of a group of Christians and Muslims who meet together to dialogue and exchange life experiences in an atmosphere of brotherhood.

Some time ago, I was invited to attend a meeting in Rome with Muslims who want to live for a united world. I still remember those very beautiful and profound days with people who came from all over to discuss equality and mutual respect among religions, and about peaceful living together.

I also remember Chiara Lubich’s words: “So that good may triumph over evil, there has to be a common effort to create all over the globe that universal brotherhood in God which the whole of humanity is called to fulfill. Brotherhood which, alone, can be the soul, the springboard, for a more just sharing of goods among peoples and nations.

From this meeting, I learned new ways of sharing peace with everyone. For example, our neighbor who lives in the apartment below us often used to come and knock indignantly at our door because we are a large and lively family. We calmly explained to him that we have two small children and we have tried our best to solve the problem by keeping quiet at night. To reach out to him with love, we brought him a little food, or some meat, whenever we have it.

Another experience: during our Italian lesson, our professor once mentioned some very negative things about Islam which were not true. I did not react aggressively; I merely explained to her that Islam considers “peace” as one of its pillars, and that one of its greatest values is the freedom to follow God’s law. When I finished, she said, “Thanks to you, now I understand. I realized I do not know your religion very well.”

(N.A. – Italy)

Politics: the city as the place for accepting the challenge of brotherhood

30 Jan 2006 | Non categorizzato

 The theme: “The city as the place for accepting the challenge of brotherhood,” led politicians, administrators, public officials and citizens of the city and province of Verona to pose the question: what is the meaning of their political experience. This reflection on the significance and consequences of brotherhood in city life was offered during a meeting with a public belonging to different parties, of the most varied political tendencies.

The subject was addressed also through a video-taped address given by Chiara Lubich in June, 2001 in the city of Trent, Italy. “Brotherhood – Chiara said – is not an external adjunct to political reflection and practice; rather, it can be considered as the soul with which we should face today’s problems.” After the video presentation, two experiences on how brotherhood can be practiced even in politics were shared.

The participants expressed the difficulties encountered by one who practices such a value in the complex and conflictual political world, where a person easily loses the original spirit of service to the common good.

Nonetheless, the life experiences shared by those who, for some time now, have been gearing their efforts in this direction, as well as the comments contributed by other participants, strengthened the hope that a more peaceful climate of collaboration can actually be created in the city’s political sector.

The meeting offered a small sign that wherever there is room for the aspects of dialogue and listening, it is possible to create the conditions favorable to a political experience based on brotherhood.

(taken from Lino Cattabianchi’s article, published in L’Arena, February 6, 2006)

[:it]“Dio è amore”: una nuova speranza per il mondo

25 Jan 2006 | Non categorizzato

“Klaus Hemmerle Award” to eminent ecumenist, Lutheran Bishop Christian Krause

19 Jan 2006 | Non categorizzato

   The award named after Bishop Klaus Hemmerle was conferred this year on Lutheran Bishop Christian Krause, during the ceremony held on January 20 at the imperial dome of Aquisgrana. For Christian Krause, it was particularly significant to receive the award since, as he commented, “This award touches my heart in a special way because it commemorates  an exceptional person: Klaus Hemmerle.” This is the second time the award has been given to commemorate the deceased Bishop of Aquisgrana, a pioneer of ecumenical life in the German Church and at the same time, a great theologian linked to the Focolare Movement where, he said, he had found his “vital sap”. The first awardee was jewish Prof. Ernst-Ludwig Ehrlich. Bishop Krause, second awardee, is an eminent exponent of world Lutheranism and a dedicated ecumenist. A good friend of Hemmerle, Krause was a bridge-builder in different situations. In 1971 he was called to direct a large project of the Lutheran World Federation in favor of refugees in Tanzania. From 1972 to 1985, he was entrusted with the foreign relations of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Germany. While holding this office, and successively as secretary-general of the “Evangelical Church Day (1985-1994), he has dedicated his time and talents to ecumenism and solidarity on a world scale. He established profound ties of friendship with many Christians all over the world, especially in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The trust he had garnered was proven by his election as president of the Lutheran World Federation during the world meeting held in Hong Kong in 1997, shortly after his consecration as Bishop of the regional church of Braunschweig. It was in such role that he later signed the Augsburg Joint Declaration on the doctrine of justification, together with Roman Catholic Cardinal Edward I. Cassidy, in 1999. Today, Bishop Krause is the director of the Lutheran Center of Wittenburg, the city where Luther’s Reformation began in 1517. This center is inspired by the idea of giving to the ever-growing “Lutheran tourism” “a spiritual, ecumenical and world-wide dimension.” Krause’s wish for the future of the Lutheran Church is that a new relationship may develop between the hierarchy and spiritual and charismatic movements. “This could give rise to a totally new comprehension of the Church,” he said. His ecumenical inspiration is that of Klaus Hemmerle: “We must learn, at all levels, to become friends and treat one another as such.” (by Joachim Schwind – Città Nuova – no. 1/06)

Traveling together on the road to reconciliation

9 Jan 2006 | Non categorizzato

They have been married for almost 35 years now, with three grown-up daughters and a grandson. The wife is Catholic, and the husband Evangelical Lutheran. Thirty-five years ago, it certainly was not easy to live as a couple belonging to two different Churches.

E. : I grew up in a small Catholic village. When I was pursuing my studies as an elementary school teacher, my eyes were suddenly opened to the division among the different confessions. I was then living in Nuremburg where there was an Evangelical university specializing in education. At that time, there was a rigid division between Catholic and Evanglical schools. To avoid the risk of not finding a job, I had to look for a Catholic university and transfer to Eichstätt, another city.

P. : I spent my childhood at Ochsenfurt along the Main River (Germany). We Evangelicals were living in the diaspora, and we had no contacts at all with the Catholic parish. At the end of the 60s, I took a specialization course in Munich on differentiated schools.

E. : I was there taking the same course, and that was how we met and started seeing each other. At the beginning, we avoided the idea of forming a family. Our respective Churches then kept us on guard against “mixed” marriages.

By coincidence, I received an invitation from a friend to travel to Rome. I read the invitation hastily thinking it was for tourism, and I decided to go. I found myself in an ecumenical meeting of “Centro Uno,” the ecumenical center of the Focolare Movement. I did not know anything about what was going on, and in the beginning I was not enthusiastic at all. But then Chiara Lubich’s explanation of Jesus’ words in St. Matthew’s Gospel, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18,20) struck me. It did not say, “Where two or three Catholics…,” nor “Where two or three Evangelicals…,” but “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” I invited my friend to come with me to the next meeting.

P. : It was then that we found the courage to start a family together. I pledged to myself to love my wife’s Church as much as I love my own. Naturally, I too had my own difficulties in accepting typically Catholic forms of piety, such as when our daughters participated in the procession of “Corpus Domini,” proudly donning their white dresses. I joined them, but just out of sheer love for my family.

E. : For me it was something new and unusual to see him read from the Bible everyday, according to his Evangelical tradition. For a while I let him read alone, then – also for sheer love at the beginning – I kept him company. Now I can no longer do without it. Since the time we took Chiara Lubich’s meditation on Jesus in the midst as our own, we always finish the reading by promising each other to do everything to keep His presence among us. In spite of all our mistakes, limitations and  weaknesses we try to maintain reciprocal love and start over and over again.

(E. and P. – Germany)

Not only aid, but friendship too

9 Jan 2006 | Non categorizzato

 By January 16, 2006, the funds gathered by AMU for the Southeast Asian disaster has reached about € 1 million. The amount has been allotted mainly for projects in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India. Aside from the projects already under way, new projects are being studied for future implementation.

The funds were gathered from all over the world; in many cases, they came from the little that a large number of people could afford: for example, from children from Kenya, Colombia, Russia and many other countries where giving away just € 1 is already a great act of generosity.

Below is the report of Stephen Comazzi, AMU representative, who traveled to the site, a year after the Southeast Asian disaster:

I went to make an on-site visit to the different projects being carried out by our volunteers and collaborators in the area. I traveled with a group of European youth of the Focolare Movement who already had carried out AMU projects in favor of Indonesia.

They had started at Nias Island, south of Sumatra, where they had opened work camps to help rebuild a village and to animate a large number of activities for children. Then they proceeded to the province of Aceh, the hardest-stricken area, in the northern tip of Sumatra Island.

I was appalled by what I saw in Banda Aceh and in the nearby village of Lampuuk, where some Indonesian Focolare youth had lived for weeks with the local population to help out. Months after the disaster, a lot of things have changed, but remnants persist as a reminder of the extraordinary force of nature, such as a huge ship which the waves had carried from the sea up several kilometers inland, demolishing a whole neighborhood. Entire districts of Banda Aceh, like the village of Lampuuk, have turned into stagnant swamps, completely razed to the ground.

The entire population is Muslim, and our young collaborators have gained the people’s  esteem and friendship, which expresses itself in small, caring gestures. A house offered to them free of charge – which has become a lodging for a large number of us – is an eloquent example. With AMU funds, a project to build fishing boats has been started at Lampuuk.

In Medan, the most spread out city of the island of Sumatra and one of the main cities of Indonesia, I got acquainted with AMU collaborators – Christian, Buddhist and Muslim youth who belong to the Focolare Movement. Their being together is already in itself an impressive living witness, not to mention the fact that not all of them are Indonesians; for example, there is J.P.W., a Malaysian student who has interrupted his university course for several months now in order to dedicate himself full-time to managing and organizing current activities as well as to helping his collaborators with visa procedures.

In the southern part of the province, just beyond the boundaries of Medan and Aceh, there  are several fishing villages. Also the people here have become “friends” of our volunteers, and they welcomed us warmly at our arrival, with a banner from their newly-formed association called SILATURRAHMI (meaning, “everybody’s welcome”).

Our young Indonesian guides had already met them in their previous trips to this place, and had shared the few goods they had, and above all, listened to each person’s story, to the survivors’ accounts of suffering and bewilderment. Thanks to AMU funds, these young people returned subsequently, now equipped to organize the work of reconstruction and revival together with the villagers.

Still in Aceh province, in the villages of Blang Nibong and Padan Kasab, we personally saw how many fishing boats had been completed and how many are still under construction. The people of Blang Nibong were waiting for us to officially consign the first ten boats to beneficiaries chosen according to the number of members in the family (large families  were given one boat while smaller families shared one boat) and according to the damages they had undergone. Our young guides attended the launching of one of the newly-built boats, after which we all went for an inaugural tour on the hot sea of Malacca.

I would say that this trip was indeed meaningful. It made us believe even more how important it is to work “with” the people, the grassroots, giving utmost value to listening and to sharing in their lives; one finds out soon that this listening and sharing becomes reciprocal.

(taken from the AMU NOTIZIE newsletter,no.4/2005)