Nov 13, 2017 | Non categorizzato
Yesterday, November 12,an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 caused hundreds of casualties in the Iraq-Iran border. 11 people died and thousands are wounded in Iraq, while in Iran the earthquake killed around 348 people and left 6,603 wounded. The devastated areas show entire buildings which had crumbled by the powerful tremor. The epicenter of the earthquake was located at a distance of 31 kilometres from the city of Halabja, 240km North-East of Baghdad, and about 15km from the Iranian border, but the shock waves have been felt by millions of people in Central Asia. Iraqi authorities have ordered urgent evacuation in the area surrounding the Darbandiyan hydroelectric power station. It is feared that many people will be buried under the rubble. Iran’s authorities also sent the country’s armed forces to give emergency help. According to the Mehr News agency, the Iraqi prime minister thanked Iran for its collaboration with Iraq. Pope Francis “expresses his sorrow towards all those who weep for the loss of their loved ones” and “offers his prayers for the dead”. The Pope also “invokes divine blessings of consolation and strength” for the wounded and for those who work in the search and rescue.
Nov 13, 2017 | Non categorizzato
November 19 marks the first World Day of the Poor, which was announced by Pope Francis in order to focus attention, in a respectful and attentive way, on all those who are socially marginalized, excluded or discarded. It is also aimed for us all to choose a simpler lifestyle in response to our disposable and wasteful culture. “As long as Lazarus is at the door of our home,” the Pope said, “there can be no justice or social peace.” It is an invitation to work hard, especially during the week before the event, to create opportunities to meet, build friendship and solidarity, and offer tangible help. People are also being asked to invite the poor to participate in the Sunday Eucharist and later open their homes to them as privileged guests. The logo for the World Day of the Poor reflects its meaning, with two hands that extend toward each other, each offering something. They are two arms that express solidarity and invite the poor to come in and not stay at the door.
Nov 13, 2017 | Focolare Worldwide
Nov 12, 2017 | Non categorizzato
On 9 November, 2017, at the Vienna Cathedral – dedicated to St Stephen – hundreds of people gathered to pray for peace together with Cardinal Christoph Schönborn with an ecumenical group of ecclesiastical authorities. Members of the ecumenical network Together for Europe at the heart of the Austrian capital city, at the vigil of their annual Congress. They came from countries such as Portugal, Russia, England, and Greece. Their aim: unity and reconciliation among various Christian denominations and cultures, as well as solidarity and integration within Europe. See press release
Nov 11, 2017 | Non categorizzato
Within the framework of the 39th UNESCO General Conference, which at the end of two years reunited the Organisation’s 195 members last 4 November in Paris, Dr. Chantal Grevin, representative of New Humanity, presented some good practices against violent extremism. In her speech, Dr. Grevin evidenced the commitment of the Youth for a United World (juvenile section of New Humanity) and in particular the “United World Week” event during which the youths of New Humanity meet and exhibit the various actions aimed at promoting universal brotherhood. For some years now, such actions have been gathered in a specific dossier, already presented before various national UNESCO commissions. At the end, the New Humanity director acted as spokesman for the numerous International NGOs, the International Catholic Office for Infancy and the International Catholic Office for education, that have asked the UN to recognise the “United World Week” and other similar initiatives that aim to promote Art. 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common legacy for the building of a global citizenship. Read the entire article https://youtu.be/eWW_b4UEJDU
Nov 11, 2017 | Non categorizzato
“The mystery of Providence that arrives in concrete terms in Christian life has always been unfathomable, because it has to do with the way God makes himself known to us that was revealed by Jesus: God’s Fatherhood. All of us have worries about material goods: fathers and mothers need to stretch their budget until the end of the month; directors of civil or religious organisations struggle to keep expenses within budget. Every day, turmoil and change occurs among peoples and nations seeking to find new economic alignments. Generally speaking, in terms of economics, the tough laws of competition are uppermost in people’s minds. We often hear that economics is like physics or mathematics. It runs in cycles and foreseeable processes that are necessary and determined. Some things can be forecast and there are inevitable disruptions and crises. Little can be changed, so the textbooks say. However, in one book we can instead find the true law governing economic life on earth, the law that Jesus proclaimed: “Strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Mt 6:33) “There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age” (Mk 10:29-30) In this law, we discover the mystery that occurs when the divine and human are joined. Economic laws certainly have value, but if we do not take into account the fact that Divine Providence exists, which also regulates economic factors, we will never understand why some great things happen. Heaven exists, as well as earth and Heaven has promised to intervene and help the little people on earth, if they look to Heaven. This is not a fairy-tale: it is the daily experience had by many Christian parents; it is the experience had by the Church and by the founders of Religious Orders and many apostles of practical charity. God intervenes in human affairs every time human beings want God to intervene, by adapting their lives to God’s life. All Christians can have this experience.” Pasquale Foresi – Parole di Vita [Words of Life] – Città Nuova, Roma, 1963 – pp.91-92
Nov 10, 2017 | Non categorizzato
At the end of October, the Focolare Movement held a presentation day for the spirituality of unity and initiatives of the community in Greece, with testimonies of families, youths and a priest of the diocese of Athens. “The testimonials make our faith credible,” commented the Archbishop of Athens, Bishop Sebastianos Rossolatos who attended the event. “The Holy Spirit, through the centuries, has sent the charisms to renew the Church. Among these is also that of the Focolare.” An article was published in the Catholic Church’s national daily bulletin, and signed by the daily paper’s photographer, who attended a Focolare event for the first time: “It was a day for social issues concerning the future of our lives and the application of Christianity’s Golden Rule. For all, it was the start of a better lifestyle.”
Nov 10, 2017 | Focolare Worldwide
A magnificent garden of many flowers and colours – that is how the many farms appear in Ecuador that export their prized floral varieties worldwide. It is an image that Sr. Vanessa, a Franciscan youth missionary, used to introduce the spiritual retreat held 22 October in Quito, at the headquarters of the Ecuadorian Religious Conference. Sr. Vanessa had just recently finished a year at Casa Emmaus in Loppiano, the spirituality center for religious sisters who hope to go deeper into the Focolare charism. There in Ecuador she found no better example of the Church and its variety of charisms, with 27 consecrated sisters and one brother from 11 different congregations who had accepted the invitation. Utilizing a group dynamic, the young nun asked each participant to hang the word that each of the founders’ charisms was based on next to the crucifix there in the hall. This showed how the idea of each charism, brought about by the Spirit, is a new Christ unfolding throughout the centuries. Staying with her floral metaphor, each participant was given a flower that was different from the others, just as the charisms are different. They are different beauties that in communion, and in their common service of the Church, find themselves empowered and fulfilled. 
The program featured – in addition to talks that explored the value of communion between the new and ancient charisms in the Church and the truly different manner in which they developed or were nurtured – ample time for sharing. The Ecuadorian Religious Conference, in fact, had promoted the retreat with the title “Communion between charisms, a testimony of hope.” The occasion was the happy coincidence of the Mother Superior of the Little Servants of the Sacred Heart, Sr. Imelda Rizzato, visiting Ecuador. She has known about Focolare spirituality since her days in novitiate. She was able to share the impact that this spirituality had for her. Besides reinforcing her choice of vocation, it gave her a particular inclination to weave relationships of communion with those she met. In doing so, according to her superiors, she was living out the charism of her founder, Blessed Carlo Liviero, in an authentic way. In time the congregation gave her a number of responsibilities, to the point of asking her to be their highest guide. It is a role that she tries to carry out together with her sisters, with an openness and communion with other realities in the Church and other religious families. The goal is the “Church which goes forth” that the pope expects. 
Sr Imelda and the other sisters who spoke were able to bear witness to how the charism of unity by no means conflicts with their individual charisms. On the contrary, it is a true help to accomplish what the Church expects of each charism, individually and in communion between them. News of the retreat even reached Apostolic Nunzio Monsignor Andrés Carrascosa, who not only allowed the sisters of the papal nunziature to participate, but sent his secretary to celebrate Mass. Staying for the entire meeting, the secretary said that it was a “true privilege to be there.” The day after the retreat some of the sisters wished to visit the Focolare center. They were putting down the foundations for their new path of unity between charisms in Ecuador, to open new horizons and give hope to the Church and the world.
Nov 9, 2017 | Non categorizzato
On November 9, 28 years ago, the Government in East Germany declared the opening of the borders with the Federal Republic. To this announcement, tens of thousands of people in East Berlin descended on the streets armed with pick-axes, to demolish once and for all the wall dividing them from the West. The collapse of the wall was universally interpreted as the sign of a new era that had started. The East Berliners were greeted with huge jubilation by their brothers and sisters in the West, so much so that bars and cafes offered free beer for everyone! Less than a year later, on 3 October 1990, Germany was reunited definitively, thus becoming the Federal Republic of Germany. Today, the few features of what remained of the Berlin Wall have become the symbol of a historic era and a memorial to the 170 people who were killed in their desperate attempt to cross the border.
Nov 9, 2017 | Non categorizzato
Georges “Yorgo” Lemopoulos
Geneva, October 2002: Chiara Lubich and Dr Konrad Raiser, who was then Secretary-General of WCC.
