Dec 9, 2017 | Non categorizzato
In the modern world, obedience is no longer appreciated for what it truly is. The appeal for liberty, equality and fraternity proclaimed during the French Revolution is reflected daily in our newspapers, our homes and streets and even in our parishes, convents and monasteries. … It follows that we often find in our subconscious a veiled sense of distrust concerning this precious virtue, almost as if it were in opposition to the discovery that the Gospel makes us all brothers and sisters in Christ. … Obedience does not imply abdicating our own personality or an inhuman humiliation. Quite the opposite, it helps us be truly ourselves and develop our personality, because it puts us in a social context that is essential, from both a human and a divine point of view, to the true manifestation of our skills. When the will of those who are my legitimate superiors in civil or ecclesiastical governance tells me what to do or what to avoid, even if it contrasts with my projects and ideas, it always raises me up to a broader and more general level, the level of the common good. The sense of hindrance and resistance that I feel, due to this contrast, is the contribution I must make to being raised up. It is then that I become more fully human. The more I find myself united with others, the more I discover we are brothers and sisters. This fraternity is the outcome of fellowship. Far from being in contrast to fraternity, obedience becomes an indispensable means for creating it. … Often, when speaking of this virtue, people talk only of its ascetic side, the progress made by someone who renounces their own will, the freedom from their passions that they acquire, and so on. This is of course true, but obedience gives us something better still. It makes us mystical sharers in Christ’s humanity and allows us to experience the mind of Christ in our lives (cf. Phil 2:5) Mary is the perfect model of this inner obedience. We see this in her reply to the Angel Gabriel, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord”, and when she travelled to Bethlehem following the edict put out by the Roman Emperor. We see it in her “haste” to go and help Elizabeth after she had the inspiration to do so, and when she asked Jesus for a miracle during the wedding feast at Cana. We see it on Calvary, when she gave up the Son of God to stay with John, and later when she prayed with the apostles while awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit. Her life was in continual obedience to God alone, by obeying people and circumstances. By letting Mary live again in us, we will share in her inner depths and her willingness. An example of this was Andrea Ferrari, a focolarino who was dying [after a road accident]. Someone spoke to him about accepting God’s will and he answered with a wittiness that revealed his deep union with God, “We have learned to recognise God’s will always, even in front of a red traffic light”. Translated from: Pasquale Foresi – Parole di Vita [Words of Life] – Città Nuova 1963 – pp 197-8-9-200
Dec 8, 2017 | Focolare Worldwide
Peace, respect for the dignity of every people, and dialogue were some of the lofty goals left by Pope Francis to the populations he visited during his recent trip in Asia. Testimonies from the Focolare community have begun to arrive from Myanmar in recent days where, together with others, they were involved in taking care of different aspects of the trip – things like translations, maintaining order, health care, and the orchestra. Here are a few of the reports: “Pope Francis’s coming was a dream come true for us. It took a while for the amazement to become conscious awareness of what was really happening.” “The tears streamed down the cheeks of the elderly. But also the youth, for whom it was more difficult to grasp what was taking place, were overjoyed.” The small minority of Catholics in the country felt encouraged: “We were a little flock and isolated. Finally we saw our shepherd up close. These people are no longer on the margins, but under the world spotlight. Finally something happened to be proud of. The Pope is in Myanmar.” “We don’t have to be afraid of anything anymore.” 
Gennie works with Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), civilians who are forced to escape persecutions and, unlike refugees, haven’t crossed international borders. In the majority of cases, while waiting for a new life, they’re deprived of help and protection. After Pope Francis’s visit, she writes: “Today this hope is renewed. “My own personal hope is in Love, and from now on it will be more and more alive in me.” “On November 28 we left with a group of a hundred people from the farthest villages of the country. We travelled in at least five buses. “The trip was organized by our parish. Seeing the Pope was like a dream for us. We left at nine o’clock in the morning and travelled for ten hours. We were full of enthusiasm, we prayed and sang. We took a short-cut, but it took all of us around twenty hours to get there because we didn’t want to let our friends fall behind and be on their own. But nobody complained about that.” 
The group reached Kyaikkasan Ground of Yangon at around 5:30 in the morning as Mass was about to begin. It was attended not only by the small Catholic minority, but also by Muslims, Buddhists and faithful of different religions. “Our group couldn’t get in, but we found a spot near one of the entrances. Through the Pope we were able to feel the Church’s love for the smallest flock. You could sense a very strong love also among the whole population, not only among the Christians. Our taxi driver told us that he had been driving people for free to the stadium since early morning, and that the public trains were doing the same.” One Buddhist youth, who had just attended the Mass, wrote: “Here too I felt I was in a family. I notice a deep peace in my heart.” Gennie continues: “The new criteria that should be observed from now on are totally topsy turvey and new: the VIPs are all there in the Magnificat . . . He has raised up the lowly . . . filled the hungry with good things.” “We have to thank everyone for this experience – the Yangonians, who were always so patient with the crowd; the people who prepared the event, but especially Pope Francis who made the decision to come to such a far-away land. It’s a new daybreak for Myanmar.” Valentina is a medical doctor. She and other doctors lent their services to help with the health care. “It was an occasion that put us together, without borders. We Catholic and non-Catholic doctors worked straight through and were very tired, but we received a sort of grace, that of being able to love without stopping.” Jerome worked as a translator: “For me it was especially beautiful to see the youth waiting from early in the morning at the Cathedral of St Mary in Yangon. At the end of the Mass the Pope turned to us with lots of encouragement for us to work or peace. I now feel called to greater generosity, to be joyful and brave as he asked us to be.”
Dec 8, 2017 | Non categorizzato
Today, December 8th, is celebrated one of the most heartfelt and popular feasts dedicated by the Catholic Church to the Virgin Mary: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It falls on the the day when, in 1854, Pope Pius IX, through the papal bull entitled “Ineffabilis Deus” (Ineffable God), sanctioned that the Virgin Mary, by means of “a singular grace and privilege”, had been preserved from that common heritage of the human race, which is original sin, from the first moment of her conception. This formulation follows a long series of theological disputes about the birth of the mother of Jesus. In the East, from as far back as the sixth century AD, there was a celebration of the conception of Mary, which was widespread in the West from the 10th century onwards. The solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary is inserted within the context of Advent and Christmas, thus the expectation of the birth of Christ is awaited through the remembrance of the Mother.
Dec 7, 2017 | Non categorizzato
“I believe that God can and wants to make good to be born from everything, even from the worst malice.” These were the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer at the end of 1943 when the world was in the throes of a global war. That was the historical context in which the Focolare Movement was born. The first stone was set in Trent, Italy, on December 7, 1943 when a young woman in her twenties consecrated her life to God: Silvia Lubich who went by her Third Order Franciscan name of Chiara (Claire). And the weather seemed to make the contrast even more severe, according to the account that Lubich gives of her walk at dawn towards the Capuchin College for a private ceremony, during which she would consecrate herself to God forever. “There was a storm raging, so I had to make my way pushing the umbrella in front of me. Even that wasn’t without meaning. It seemed to say that the action I was about to take would be met with obstacles. The water and wind blowing against me seemed like the symbol of an adversary. When I reached the college, the whole scene changed: A huge door opened in front of me on its own. There was a sense of relief and welcome, almost like God’s arms opening to me, as He was waiting for me.” That change of scene was reflected in her life. The completeness and sacredness of that action that took place in total seclusion and poverty – only three red carnations to celebrate with – were more sonorous in Chiara soul than all the atrocities of the War that stood as the backdrop, almost the “picture frame” of that scene. For her, the real scene was the one that God whom she had discovered to be Love was building around her. “There was an ideal, only one, that would never fall short, not even if we died. It was God-Love. And we were totally stuck on him with all the strength of our being. We didn’t stick to Him because we had nothing else left, but because a Force in us was rendering us happy at having discovered Him in our life as the only All, the only Eternal, the only one worthy of being loved, because love never passes away, the only one, therefore, who would fully satisfy our heart’s needs. For years we had been receiving Holy Communion every day and believed, since we belonged to all the Catholic associations, that we were good Catholics. Only insofar as the Lord God took everything away from us to give us only Him, did we understand the First Command of God for the first time in our life: “Love me with all your heart, all your mind…..” It was only then that we truly felt should love Him like that, so totally, heart, mind and strength, in order not to deceive ourselves.” Lucia Abignente, “Qui c’è il dito di Dio”, (Rome: Città Nuova, 2017), 25-26.
Dec 6, 2017 | Non categorizzato
The summer school will take place at Igarassu – Pernambuco, Brazil and is promoted by the Social-One international research network, a team of sociologists and social services experts which is inherently inspired by Chiara Lubich’s charisma of unity. Our scientific reflection has always been enriched by occasions of meeting and dialogue among researcher, scholars and social service professionals. The summer school, organized in partnership with the Department of Sociology of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco and the Centro Universitário Tabosa de Almeida ASCES – UNITA, represents a special occasion of deep confrontation and scientific exchange. Aim of the summer school is to fathom the perspectives of analysis and actions aroused by the category of agapic love in the framework of the social sciences and humanities, believing that the concept could provide new interpretations and perspectives of interventions for the promotion of a society based on equity, inclusiveness and dialogue. In order to support the participation of young scholars, 18 scholarships are available for covering travel, accommodation and participation expenses. pdf School Programme pdf Call for scholarships pdf Presentation, application form and call for abstract Email contact: info@social-one.org
Dec 6, 2017 | Non categorizzato
Not a rival, but a daughter For quite some time, my relationship with my husband became difficult due to my mother-in-law. She could not detach herself from her son and considered me as the person who had robbed her of his affection. I was considering leaving my husband, the house and the children, when the Word of Life for that month arrived. That comment was regularly sent by my friends, but I never read it, even though I considered myself a Christian. But at the time I was devastated and God felt so far away. This time, however, I read it, and from the very first line I felt it spoke to my heart. In tears, I begged for God’s help. Days later, my husband and I participated in a meeting for families, as a last resort. In that atmosphere of openness, we found the strength to repeat our ”Yes”. It was the turning point of my life. Always with the help of the other couples, I managed to conquer my mother-in-law’s affection. With time she started to consider me no longer as a rival but as a daughter. When she fell ill, I assisted her with love and devotion, preparing her for her encounter with the Father. (Lucero – Columbia) Providence On the morning of 24 December I had gone to the market to buy food for Christmas Eve dinner. But I still had not thought of the drinks. On arriving home I received a letter from some acquaintances, asking for a loan. It corresponded to the sum of the drinks. I consulted Giselle and we replied: ”We are sending you the sum as a gift, don’t worry about repaying us!” Even if only with fresh water we passed a wonderful evening with songs and music. Days later, unexpectedly, we received a bigger sum than what we had given. (G.P. – Kenya) At the station I was about to go to my daughter who lives in another city, but on arriving in the station I realised that because I had stopped to welcome a person, the possiblity to have a discount for the elderly had expired. However, upon thinking that it was more worthwhile to have made an act of love than having a discounted ticket, I managed to stay serene. But then, while I was at the teller’s the clerk told me that for that day, and not only that???, they had programmed a sole discounted price for all destinations. The discount was more than double the price of what my pass would have allowed. (G.M. – Italy) The risk Sometimes one of our sons would invite a friend to sleep over at our place, one who was a bit unreliable. In the face of this situation, my husband and I decided to get to know him more. We discovered that he had left his family, and was suffering from a depression. Besides drinking, he also consumed drugs which he had also offered to our son. Despite our fear of this risk, we tried to love him the way the Gospel teaches us to do. One day he confided that he had stopped taking drugs and now wanted to live like us. ”Your life has a meaning,” he said. With time, besides helping him to go to rehab, we contacted his parents who started to take care of him. (C.A. – Brazil)
Dec 5, 2017 | Non categorizzato
Dec 4, 2017 | Focolare Worldwide
Masaka, Kampala, Entebbe and great Lake Victoria – this is the wide territory that Henry has covered in his country, Uganda, the “pearl of Africa.” He’s gone from the village where he was born, to his economic studies at university in the capitol, to the shores of the largest lake on the continent. It is so large that it counts more than 3,000 islands. This is where the White Nile begins, which then flows into the longest river in Africa, the Nile. Everything is big in Uganda: the parks, the impenetrable forests, the nature reserves. Henry dreams big too. “At Masaka, where I went to university, I noticed how people didn’t have time to cook anymore,” he says. To resolve the problem, Henry started a business to produce meat and fish products. At just 24, together with two others his age, he started the Sseruh Food Processing Company Ltd. in Entebbe. On the other side of the world, in Argentina, another entrepreneur, Gonzalo Perrin, had already started a company some years ago: Pasticcino, which produces cookies for a number of cafeteria chains and coffee roasters. Urged on by the spirit of the Economy of Communion, Perrin moved to the Soladaridad industrial park at Mariapolis Lia, a little city of the Focolare. There he promotes a culture marked by the values of reciprocity, care for the disadvantaged and the environment.
Henry Sserugo and Gonzalo Perrin
Henry shows the fish products of the Sseruh Food Processing Company Ltd
Dec 3, 2017 | Non categorizzato
Established in 1981, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated every year on 3 December, with the aim of encouraging and promoting a more widespread and in-depth knowledge on issues concerning differently-abled people, supporting full integration in all areas of life and removing all forms of discrimination and violence. Since July 1993, December 3 has also become the European Day for Persons with Disabilities, on the initiative of the European Commission and in agreement with the United Nations. To celebrate this Day, many countries will organise events in different areas of social life: in the field of education and work, urban planning and the development of new technologies geared towards differently-abled persons, as well as tourism accessible to the elderly.
Dec 2, 2017 | Non categorizzato
Dublin, the capital of Ireland, will host the 9th World Meeting of Families, an initiative inaugurated by St. John Paul II in 1994, and since then held every three years in different international seats. The theme chosen for Dublin is “The Gospel of the Family: joy for the world.” Further to the two recent Synods on the family (2014-15) and the apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia (2016) of Pope Francis, families and those who engage in “family” issues are looking forward to this event which will give prominence to the Christian family and its specific gift of being “joy for the world” and light in the challenges contemporary life poses. The event is being promoted by the new Pontifical Council for the Laity, Family and Life. Alberto and Anna Friso of the Focolare who work with this organization will also attend. But it is the host diocese that is preparing for the meeting with great passion, and has already set in motion a mighty organisational machine for the outlining of the programme, logistics, preparatory catechesis, and reception of participants. Also the Irish ”new families” are full of enthusiasm, and have relayed their willingness to collaborate in all ways with the organizational team created for this purpose by the diocese. During those days they will be happy to welcome to their country, the greatest number of ”new families” possible from all over the world, to live unforgettable moments of in-depth studies, communion and celebrations. Official website Program For info and registrations
