Aug 31, 2018 | Non categorizzato
“In 1984, I was with a group of bishops who came from a number of different Churches. We visited the Basilica of Saint Sofia in Istanbul and were very impressed by this imposing building which seemed to tangibly embody the history of the Church and of humankind. This building dates back to the time of ancient Christianity, to a time when Christians were united and Asia Minor was the centre of the Christian world: it is also the very building where unity was broken through the division between the East and the West. In the sections of the dome that were visible, we saw enormous inscriptions taken from the Koran – a sign of the domination of another religion over lacerated Christianity. There were several signs saying “Prayer is forbidden” right in front of us. It was a museum in which people were wandering around with cameras and binoculars admiring the artistic treasures. The absence of religion in a place that had previously been so sacred was terrible. We felt overwhelmed by this sequence of events: unity, unity broken, the diversity of religious faith, no religion at all. We gazed around in search of help when, all of a sudden, we saw it! Above the dome, quietly glistening, there was an ancient mosaic of Mary offering her Son. Looking at it, I clearly understood that this is the Church: to simply be here and be the first to generate God, that God who seems to be absent. I understood “Theotokos” – the mother of God, the one who generates God – in a completely new way. I understood that we cannot organise faith in the world. If no one wants to hear about God any longer, we cannot hammer on saying “Woe to you!” We just have to be there and be the first to bring the light of God to the world, that God that seems to be absent. We cannot “create” God but we can only shed light upon him; we can’t use argument to prove that God exists but we can be the chalice that contains him, the heaven from which he almost imperceptibly shines forth. I understood not only our task in the Church but also how the Church exists in the figure of Mary and Mary exists in the figure of the Church – how both the figure and the reality are the same.” Klaus Hemmerle, Partire dall’unità. La Trinità e Maria, pp. 124, 125.
Aug 31, 2018 | Non categorizzato
“Holy Father, you can truly count on our full unity and fervid prayer facing these attacks aimed at discrediting your person and your action of renewal,” Maria Voce wrote these words in a letter that was sent to Pope Francis on August 30th in which she expressed prayer and support, following the various attacks that have recently been levelled against him. The Focolare president expressed gratitude to the Holy Father for the recent World Meeting of Families held in Ireland which, among other things, highlighted the rapport that was established between the Pope and those who attended. On behalf of the whole Focolare Movement, Maria Voce acknowledged the Pope’s heartfelt and repeated request for forgiveness from the families of the victims, and also the way his message of love was embraced. “In every wound of the Church and of humanity,” Mary Voce says, “we recognized the crucified and abandoned Christ, and, together with you, we look at Mary in order to live with courage your example as authentic disciples.” Finally, Maria Voce thanked the Pope for his recent “Letter to the People of God” which, in addition to expressing the solicitude and love of the Holy Father for humanity, indicates “how to share in the “cry” that rises to Heaven from those who suffered and still suffer, as well as how to work so that such evils are not perpetuated. Let us embrace both his words and his concern.”
Aug 30, 2018 | Non categorizzato
The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation is celebrated every year on 1 September which is running its 13th edition this year. The initiative started among the Orthodox Churches to which other Christian Churches adhered in their commitment to rediscover ecumenical cooperation in the care of creation. In 2015, also the Catholic Church joined the call to all of mankind to take up their responsibility towards creation and the safeguard of the lives of all the peoples of the earth. In 2017, in a gesture to seal this common commitment, Pope Francis and the ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople signed a document which states among other things, that: “ the human and natural environments are deteriorating together, and this degradation of the planet weighs on the more vulnerable people. The impact of climate change affects, above all, those living in poverty in every corner of the globe. Our duty to use the assets of the earth responsibly implies the recognition and respect of every person and all the living creatures. The urgent call and challenge to take care of creation is an invitation to all of humanity to work for a sustainable and integral development. […] We are convinced that there cannot be a genuine and long-lasting solution to the challenge of ecological crises and climate changes without a united and collective response, and without a shared responsibility that can give an account of the actions taken, giving priority to solidarity and services.”
Aug 30, 2018 | Focolare Worldwide
A great number of displaced people waiting to return to their homes still submerged by the devastating floods, has in the meantime been gathered in 3,800 relief camps. The rescue and aid operations are brought ahead amid great difficulties due to the inaccessibility of some zones. In some cases, water and food have been launched from helicopters, given that roads and bridges have been destroyed. The local communities of the Focolare have written: “We’ve just returned from the Mariapolis (at about 300 km from Kerala) held with the members of the Word of Life groups scattered within a range of 120 km. Our hearts are with the people of Kerala which has been destroyed by the strong rains. We are still in the monsoon season, and the hot winds provoke these tropical typhoons. As far as we know, the members of the Movement are safe. A retreat had been programmed for the priests in Trivandrum (south Kerala), but it had to be cancelled since it is not safe to travel and many priests are involved in the tragedy. In the weekend, our local communities will be involved in gathering foodstuff and prime commodities to be sent to the stricken areas. We count on your prayers.” Also Pope Francis prayed for the victims and that “our solidarity and concrete support for the community will not be lacking.”
The following accounts were created for those who wish to donate:
| Azione per un Mondo Unito ONLUS (AMU – Action for a United World) |
Azione per Famiglie Nuove ONLUS (AFN – Action for New Families) |
| IBAN: IT58 S050 1803 2000 0001 1204 344 at Banca Popolare Etica |
IBAN: IT55 K033 5901 6001 0000 0001 060 at Banca Prossima |
| SWIFT/BIC code: CCRTIT2T |
SWIFT/BIC code: BCITITMX |
| Description of payment: Kerala Emergency (India) |
| The contributions paid in the two accounts with this payment description will be managed jointly by AMU and AFN. Tax reliefs are provided for such donations in many EU countries and in other countries in the world, according to diverse local norms. |
Aug 30, 2018 | Focolare Worldwide
Focolare president Maria Voce wrote to the local Focolare community in the Democratic Republic of Congo: “Let us ask the Father to welcome into His Kingdom of peace all those persons who lost their lives in this serious accident, while entrusting to His love the wounded and everyone involved.” The accident occurred on the morning of August 28th in the city of Limate, north of Kinshasa. A silo containing tons of wheat, owned by flour producer FAB Congo, collapsed on part of the Moyi mwa Ntongo Hospital and an adjacent company. Under the weight of the rubble some people lost their lives, including Valentine, a member of the Focolare who was in charge of the laundry services, while other victims were in nearby buildings. “There has been an outpouring of help and support, searching for her body,” writes Aga Kahambu on behalf of the local Focolare community, with police, Red Cross and volunteers working tirelessly. Some of the victims are FAB employees, but the number is still uncertain. It is a very sorrowful time for all of us, but the unity and solidarity among so many has helped to strengthen us.” 
According to the local newspaper, “Actualite.cd,” the count is provisional, because the incident occurred at rush hour” and it reports “significant damage to the facilities, with the destruction of radiology, diagnostics and other departments.” Constructed in 2006 and directed by the Focolare Movement, the medical centre Moyi Mwa Ntongo is considered an excellent facility with 55 beds. Built for the care of child blindness, the centre then took on other projects, such as HIV and AIDS. Moreover, it is a model international humanitarian project: it makes use of specialists and local staff, trained both in the DRC and in Europe. In 2016, ten years after its founding, it finished a modern maternity and neonatology unit, which are essential in a country with one of the highest infantile death rates in the world. Fortunately that unit was preserved from the collapse. The ward was completed thanks to the contribution of people and agencies connected to the Focolare Movement, such as the Giancarlo Pallavicini Foundation and the gentlemen Albina Gianotti and Vittorino Giussani, financers of the Medical Centre since the day it began, and by AMU Luxemburg and AECOM Congo, as well as other supporters.
Aug 29, 2018 | Non categorizzato
“When I was 6, my mother made me sign up to the daily social assistance program at Bukas Palad, which is a social project put on by the Focolare through its AMU (Action for a United World) and AFN (New Families) organizations. She had met a teacher who worked there. I remember her telling me, ‘There you will learn to have a smile that shines.’ My mother also participated in formation meetings and started to commit herself as a Volunteer. Initially I thought that she did it because she had nothing else to do, other than housework, but then I changed my mind when I saw that she also went on Saturdays. My father and brothers noticed she was happier. I was also attracted by the spirit of reciprocal love and unity that there was between staff members. Thanks to the project I was able to complete all my studies and graduate. I can testify that Bukas Palad had a fundamental role in most of my experiences and life choices. I remember quite well all the activities that we had at school and during the weekends with all the students. The training we received helped us become people who were sensitive to others and consider being poor not as an obstacle to doing what we want, but a gift. Through the project I met Chiara Lubich and the young people of the Focolare. Growing up in this environment, I learned that dreams can be reached if we believe that God’s love has a plan for each of us in our lives. I graduated with a degree in education from the University of Cebu, and then I passed the teacher’s entrance exam. Immediately after graduating I started working, continually accompanied by my Focolare ‘family’, who were always at my side, even when I had to face the world of work and life in general. Whether in moments that were satisfying or those that were more difficult, I had one of Chiara Lubich’s sayings with me: ‘Be family.’ When I think of Bukas Palad, I know well what it is to be a family. At first I taught in a private school for five years. Then in 2014, I requested a change to teach in public school. I was assigned to a school in Mandaue, a city that is part of the Cebu metropolitan area. Here things were completely different; there was not the same structure or systems in place that I was used to. When I had been teaching in private school, I thought that being a teacher meant having a huge heart and a brave soul. Now that I work in a public school, I believe I need a heart that is even larger, a soul that is even more courageous, and even more strength. Each time I’m tempted to leave this work behind, something keeps me here – especially the children. I see in them myself and my friends, many years ago, when we dreamt of becoming what we are now. Perhaps I will not be able to give them the same help and support that my family and I have received, but I try my best to transmit that same love to them.”
Aug 28, 2018 | Focolare Worldwide
Aug 28, 2018 | Non categorizzato
In a communication issued by the local headline “Actualite.cd”, the hospital’s health department reports that “seriously ill and severely injured patients were urgently transferred to the nearest hospitals” and that the priority at this time is to rescue those people “who are still under the rubble” and to give support to those who have been affected. Significant damage has been caused to facilities, such as the destruction of the radiology department, the centre for diagnostics and other sectors.
The maternity department and pediatrics, as well as an operating theatre were inaugurated two years ago. The collapse of the silos owned by the FAD Congo company caused damage to surrounding buildings including a factory, where there have been other casualties. Several authorities, including the mayor of the municipality of Limete, have arrived on the scene.
The Focolare Movement expresses its solidarity with the victims in their suffering and assures its spiritual closeness to all families involved.
Aug 28, 2018 | Non categorizzato
Politics as a vocation 70 years from the encounter between Chiara Lubich and Igino Giordani in Parliament. The roots of good politics lie in the deepest aspirations for common good. From the encounter at the House of Representatives between Igino Giordani and the founder of the Focolare Movement, Chiara Lubich, ensued a story that spread to every part of the world, involving the civil and political commitment of men and women who believe in the unity of the human family. The convention aims not only to commemorate this event but to actualize its message, and relaunch it to meet the challenges of today. Tuesday, 18 September 2018 – 4.30 pm Sala del Refettorio – Palazzo Dan Macuto Via del Seminario 76 ROME Contacts: Centro Igino Giordani Tel. 06/94798314 Email: info@iginogiordani.info
Aug 27, 2018 | Non categorizzato, Word of
for ages 4-8 | for ages 9-17 | Print | Audio
The Word of Life this month comes from a text attributed to the disciple James, who was a prominent figure in the Church in Jerusalem. He exhorted Christians saying there should be coherence between what they believed and what they did. The first paragraph of the letter highlights an essential condition that makes this possible. Christians needed to be free from all wickedness in order to welcome God’s word and be guided by it on the journey toward fulfilling their Christian vocation. The word of God has a creative power that produces fruits of goodness in both the individual and in the community. It builds relationships founded on love between each of us and God and among us all. James says this word has already been “planted” in us. “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.” One place where God clearly speaks to us is the Bible, and for Christians the Gospels are especially important. We can welcome God’s word by reading Scripture with love, and we see its fruits when we put it into practice. We can also listen to God in the depths of our hearts, where we often experience an influx of many voices and words. These might be slogans, or refer to choices we might make, or people to admire or maybe worries or fears. How can we recognize God’s word and leave room for it to live in us? We need to make ourselves still and surrender to God’s call, so as to listen freely and courageously to his voice which is usually gentle and quiet. God’s voice asks us to avoid being closed in on ourselves and to venture onto the path of encounter and dialogue with him and with others. It also calls on us to work so that human coexistence can become more harmonious and we can be increasingly ready to recognize one another as brothers and sisters. “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.” How can this be? It is surely because, from the very beginning, God stated clearly that humankind was created in his “image.” In fact, every human being is a “you” in relation to God. Every person is called into existence to share in God’s life of love and fellowship. In addition, for Christians the sacrament of baptism incorporates us into Christ, the word of God who entered into human history. God has, therefore, sown the seed of his word in every person. This word calls them to do what is good; it calls them to justice, self-giving and fellowship. When the word is welcomed and cultivated in our own “soil,” it produces life and fruit. “Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.” In fact, the word of God can transform our daily life into the story of our liberation from the darkness of personal and social evil. However, we need to accept the word personally and consciously, even if it is an ongoing process and we are imperfect and fragile. Our thoughts and feelings will become more like those of Jesus himself. Our faith and hope in God’s love will grow stronger, and we will notice other people’s needs and help them. Chiara Lubich explained this in 1992: “We saw a profound unity between Jesus’ love for the Father and his love for his brothers and sisters. There was total coherence between his words and his life, and this fascinated and attracted everyone. “We too should be like him, accepting his words with childlike simplicity and putting them into practice. His words shine out in their purity, strength and completeness. By living them, we become the kind of disciples he wants us to be, disciples who are equal to their teacher, like Jesus spread throughout the world. What greater and more beautiful adventure could there be?” Letizia Magri soundcloud.com/…/word-of-life-september-2018
