Jan 17, 2020 | Non categorizzato
The Focolare Movement alongside the many who have suffered loss and damage: “The life and needs of the person is at the center of our efforts. Listening, welcoming, sharing is what engages us at this time. But a great effort will be needed to plan the reconstruction”. Solidarity continues with the victims of the earthquake that struck Albania on November 26th , 2019, resulting in 52 deaths, over 2,000 injured and considerable damage to structures. Almost two months since the earthquake, fundraising initiatives, commemorative events and aid interventions in the territory are engaging institutions, ecclesial and welfare realities. Once the emergency was over, all efforts are now directed to promoting the coordination of those working on the ground to plan and start the reconstruction. In the midst of current uncertainty, great comfort comes from feeling part of a family an extended network of people that ensures support and proximity. This is what lies at the heart of the Focolare’s active commitment. We heard from Fabio Fiorelli, a focolarino who lives and works in one of the centers of Tirana. Since the night of the earthquake, what initiatives has the Movement been able to carry out in support of the people affected? “Some of us have linked up with the national and diocesan Caritas by collaborating to prepare clothes and blankets for those who are homeless, and by going to the temporary shelters to listen to the people and play with the children. At the suggestion of the families belonging to the Movement, on December 21st we prepared an afternoon of Christmas celebration for the youngest children – and others – with songs, games, a ‘living’ crib and gifts from Santa Claus: a moment of serenity and communion so as to move forward. In addition, in Durazzo, a psychologist from the Movement, whose own house was damaged, collaborates with a team that reaches outlying villages that were very affected by the earthquake, where people live in tents and lack primary necessities. On a very practical level, a list has been compiled of the families of the Movement whose homes have been seriously damaged, our engineers have carried out inspections and cost analyses for repairs. What other activities are you planning? “A “project” has been drawn up with objectives and strategies to be undertaken in synergy with the United World Association (AMU), which is part of the Movement, and we are waiting for it to be implemented. Immediately after the earthquake, during the emergency phase, Marcella Ioele, responsible for one of the Focolare centres in Tirana, together with others, reached Durazzo and the surrounding areas to give out help ,working with Caritas and the local Church and to give support to the victims. We asked her what experiences moved her , and the others with her, as they talked with displaced people: “A young woman told me that when the tremors began, her brother, who was at home with the family, instinctively ran away to get out of the building, but immediately came back to take care of them. This gesture helped her to understand that in these moments she must not think only of herself but of those close to her. Another girl wanted to take action to help those in trouble, but having to assist her elderly mother she couldn’t leave. But – she told us – she could listen to and comfort the many who passed by, and she was happy because she felt she was giving her contribution in this way”. How do people feel today? “On the one hand people have to take responsibility for what collapsed , having authorized the construction of unsafe buildings and it is also clear that there is a lack of preparation for managing emergency situations. On the other hand, the solidarity shown in the initial phase by other countries raises the hope that a better Albania can start again from here. To see peoples working together , who until yesterday were separated by ancient hatreds, was a sign of hope. There is great gratitude especially towards the people of Kosovo came forward in a very significant way, almost as if they wanted to reciprocate the love they had received when they were here during the emergency in Kosovo. Some of them came to take families to their homes. The earthquake,” a young man told me, “brought us closer together than ever before. Others told us they could see the presence of God even in this reality of pain”.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Jan 15, 2020 | Non categorizzato
“Jesus has shown us that love means welcoming the other person as they are, in the same way as He has accepted each one of us. Welcome the other person, with their own style, their own ideas, even their own defects, their diversity. (…) Make space for them within us, removing every prejudice, preconceived judgement and instinctive rejection”. (Chiara Lubich) The “Village of misery” The residents of this slum area situated along swampy river banks, often have no alternative but to leave their children alone at home during the day while they are out struggling to earn a living. A while ago, following torrential rain, the swollen river entered many of the dwellings, and unfortunately a baby, only a few months old, was swept away. We live in a residential area not far from this area. Shocked to hear of this tragedy, we tried to find a way to respond and encouraged friends and relatives of the family to get involved. We found a suitable place, and hired rooms to start a crèche where parents could safely leave their children during the day. Nearby we also launched a nursery school for the older ones, so they didn’t remain out on the streets. This initiative is bearing fruit: new relationships are being forged between those who work there and the families; there is a sharing of goods, time and services. Gradually another dream is also taking shape: to offer better alternative accommodation to those families living in the “Village of misery”. Using a system focused based on self-help, this year we have built and inaugurated the first new houses. (S.J.B. – Argentina) Political convictions In our office it was impossible not to speak about politics. Impossible not to experience the huge divisions between our different points of view. I got so tired of this daily tension which kept increasing every time someone would proclaim “truths” that others could not accept, I decided that rather than trying to change the office, I had better change myself. So I set myself the challenge to try to understand what was pushing one or other of my colleagues to defend a certain position. This attitude of mine provoked a certain curiosity, especially after they had attacked me personally as a “conservative Catholic bigot”! It’s true to say that prayer helped me, but also my parish community encouraged me to have more charity. One day my most virulent “enemy” said to me, “I don’t know where to attack you any more! I see that you’re happy. Your freedom confuses me!” Without too many formal explanations, a constructive friendship has been established which is now helping our other colleagues to engage in a more understanding attitude with one another, even while we retain our own convictions. (F.H.-Hungary) Thieves inside my home I opened the door to them because they looked like nice young men. Instead, they demanded my money, and began opening drawers and cupboards while one of them held my arm tightly behind my back. I was too terrified even to cry out. When they left I collapsed on the floor in shock. They could have shown some pity for my age. Then I managed to go out onto my balcony and cry for help, though the thieves were long gone by then. My neighbours came but all they could do was to help me tidy up as I tried to see what had been taken. What could I do? That day I felt as if all the misery of loneliness and old age had fallen upon me. I couldn’t get to sleep that night. I kept reliving the events of the day. They had seemed such nice young men, they could have been my grandchildren. Why had they acted like this? I managed to find some peace within myself when I decided to pray for them and for their own mothers. And I thanked God that I was still alive. (Z.G.-Italy) Don’t deny life I met a neighbour I hadn’t seen for many years, since we moved away from the area. I almost didn’t recognise her because she looked much older than her years. I could tell she really wanted to talk and open her heart to share what she had lived through since we had last met. “It all began one day,” she told me, “when I decided to have an abortion because I thought it would solve the problems my husband and I were having at the time. Far from it, in fact he blamed me for not giving him a son and then left me for another woman, leaving me to struggle alone to bring up our two teenage daughters. Time passed, and one of my daughters confessed to me that she was pregnant. Her boyfriend had given her an ultimatum: abort the child or he would leave her. I confided in her what I had never told anyone before, and pleaded with her not to deny life, as I had done. Seeing my tears, it was my daughter who comforted me. She later explained that seeing my grief made her decide to keep her baby. And so it was. The father did not leave her. They are together with their beautiful daughter who is also my own consolation”. (S.d.G.-Malta)
collated by Stefania Tanesini (from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, anno VI, n.1, gennaio-febbraio 2020)
Jan 14, 2020 | Non categorizzato
News has spread worldwide of the eruption of the Taal volcano, which began on January 12, just a few kilometers away from the Focolare Mariapolis Pace in Tagaytay on the Philippine island of Luzon. Thanks to social media photos of the houses and streets covered with ash and mud have reached everywhere, as well as first-hand accounts of the many who in these days are leaving the tourist region of Tagaytay, about 60 Km from the capital Manila. The Philippine authorities have called for the total evacuation of about 500,000 people following the alert issued by the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Philippines (PHILVOLCS). An explosive eruption is feared. “It’s like walking through a ghost town – comments a girl on Facebook, describing Tagaytay, her city: everything is one colour: grey; there is no electricity or water and earthquake tremors are frequent”. Mariapolis Pace of the Focolare Movement is about 30 km from the Taal volcano ; it was inaugurated in 1982 with a distinct role in dialogue between people of different religions and this morning we reached Ding Dalisay and Chun Boc Tay, responsible for the Focolare Movement in the Philippines, to get news about its inhabitants; they assured us that the evacuation of its inhabitants has almost been completed. “Almost all the focolarine have left; the priests and seminarians have been transferred to the San Carlos Seminary and the 7 Gen – the Focolare youth – are now in Manila. Some of the focolarini are with their families and while others have remained in their respective focolares, our families are quite well and some have moved. We are distributing food and water for the needy and we are making arrangements to house displaced people if necessary. It is difficult to communicate because we cannot recharge our mobile phones and we cannot use computers. Yesterday we celebrated mass and dined together by candlelight. We try to merit the presence of Jesus in our midst”. Ding then recounts the extraordinary resilience of the Filipino people, visible in normal gestures that become heroic in extreme situations like this: “It is incredible the creativity of the poorest people who, even though they have nothing, invent unexpected resources at the service of those who need them more than they do. We have seen a disabled man who has put a table at the side of the road to hand out soot masks for free; or the owner of a small restaurant who has displayed a sign that says: ‘Those who need a meal can enter without paying’; or a gentleman who offers to clean the ashes from every car that’s moving in the area with his water pump”. The Focolare community in and around Tagaytay thanks everyone in the world for their prayers, messages and for the many phone calls. We continue to follow the situation and to give news about it especially through the social networks of the Focolare Movement.
Stefania Tanesini
Jan 11, 2020 | Non categorizzato
How does the life of a focolare pan out in daily life? We went to Stockholm, Sweden, where we accompanied the focolarine at home, at work and in various activities with the Focolare community. https://vimeo.com/378511957
Jan 10, 2020 | Non categorizzato
The immediate establishment of a high-level trilateral committee between special representatives of the United States, the European Union and Iran, with a mandate to re-establish dialogue between the USA and Iran. The appeal by the Movement for politics and policies for unity and New Humanity of the Focolare Movement. The Movement promoting Politics and Policies for Unity expresses its grave concern at the escalating conflict between Iran and the United States. The institutions of international politics, together with non-governmental organizations, have a special responsibility to act at the service of peace and rights peoples’ rights. Only steadfast international dialogue and diplomacy, in a spirit of hope, can take genuine steps towards peace. We are facing one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century. There must be a way to resolve it, shown by human values and willing hearts. “We no longer see people’s faces, those who suffer, are limited, tormented and ultimately slaughtered on battlefields”: these are the words of Hon. Igino Giordani in a heartfelt speech to the Italian Parliament. We are called to see, to rediscover the face of every person, to say no to war, to every act of war. To achieve peace, however, tireless diplomacy and negotiation are needed, because war and terrorism represent complete defeat for humankind. This is why we urgently call for the establishment of a high-level trilateral committee between special representatives of the United States, the European Union and Iran, with a mandate to re-establish meaningful dialogue and ultimately achieve a peaceful solution to the conflict. Mario Bruno Marco Desalvo President – Mppu Movement New Humanity NGO contact: Mario Bruno +39 334 998 0260 Text as pdf
Jan 6, 2020 | Non categorizzato
76 years after that December 7th 1943, Paolo Balduzzi takes us to Trent to visit some of the significant places of those early days of Chiara and the Focolare community. Today, the city from which everything began is bringing into its civil and social fabric signs and practices derived from a mentality of fraternity that from that city has reached the ends of the earth. https://vimeo.com/378511451
Jan 3, 2020 | Non categorizzato
On 30 August 2019, one of the last sunlit days of summer, Albert Dreston left us. The focolarino, professor and theologian also played a lead role – for generations – with football at Loppiano, the Focolare’s international centre in Italy where he lived for 52 years. Even during his earliest years, life was never simple. He was born in Rhineland in 1939, and at the age of six he lost his father in World War II. Despite the pain and amid the tears, he made his first great discovery of God. “Suddenly,” he recalled, “there was a strength and a voice inside me, as if God were telling me, ‘You are no orphan; I am your father’. From that moment on, I never missed my father, and I never ever felt alone again.” At a young age he had to have a lung removed, and it seemed he would not live for long. As often happens, however, what someone who could lose everything does is to take a step toward a great “treasure” they have discovered. That is exactly what happened in 1957 at Münster when, in a meeting with some focolarini, he was touched by “Jesus in the midst, the fruit of reciprocal love”. His life started upon the path of the Ideal, which would help him live through the tribulations and physical difficulties with a new awareness. The next year Fr. Foresi and Chiara agreed that he would start his life in focolare. A few years later, it would be Fr. Foresi yet again to tell him that, once he had finished his Old Testament studies, he would go to teach at Loppiano, the first permanent Mariapolis. It was in 1967, when Albert was 28 and his physical condition had improved, that sports at Loppiano became an essential way to get to know, share and relate to others. In that framework, a new era started for him – he became the young trainer among young people from all over the world. Throughout his years of service at Loppiano, he never stopped being a resource for others. He taught both in class and on the field, with the dedication of a football enthusiast, the intelligence of a teacher and the love of a focolarino. You could not really say that he was a star player of the beautiful game, a great goal scorer. He was more than that. In recent years, having seen 75 springs, it could happen that he did not feel up to playing. Yet you would find him there, 30 minutes early, to gather the players and set up the same field that in a few months will be named after him. He was truly much more than that, a champion of perfect timing – in a single game he could be groundskeeper, coach, referee, linesman, sweeper and overall sports director. There was always a team to build, and he always managed to select a pair of good defenders, whether they be African, Brazilian or Asian. Albert Dreston was Loppiano football. He was a true captain, a teammate to everyone, even when on the opposing team. He was a genuine legend. To speak his name today is to open the great book of the Focolare Movement, which is rich with wonderful people and precious lives. It is to dwell on a chapter of someone who, in quite different ways, knew how to give of their time to help others. In recent years the question came up of whether he could keep playing, whether it was the time to have a farewell game, hang up his boots and close his story in style. Someone took courage and whispered it to him respectfully. Yet all of us who tried were kidding ourselves. Albert, headstrong with German consistency, responded, “I will go straight from the sports field to potter’s field.” And so it was, kind of. He bid us farewell on a Friday. As usual, this was perfect timing: for the last call at the match vigil, to form teams and continue without delay… on the Elysian fields. Enjoy football heaven, captain… and thank you!
Andrea Cardinali
Jan 1, 2020 | Non categorizzato
Chiara emphasised a number of times how working to establish relationships of peace throughout the world is something revolutionary. The new decade is set to begin, which also marks 100 years since the birth of Focolare’s founder. “Do you know who the peacemakers are that Jesus speaks about?” With these words Chiara opened her comments on Word of Life for February 1981. Once again today, for the International Day of Peace, these words are aimed at us more than ever. Those who make peace create and establish connections, smoothing out tensions, Chiara explains. Doing so we will discover that there are infinite opportunities to be true peacemakers. https://vimeo.com/333055787
Dec 30, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The relationship built with Focolare members and communities worldwide is one of the most beautiful experiences for us who work at focolare.org. We take the opportunity of this Christmas Season to thank all those who send us news, and thus allow the life of the charism of unity to inspire many. An email we received from Fr. Domenico De Martino, a 36 year old priest from Naples, who is a missionary in Burkina Faso, has really been a great gift. It has brought us closer to people who live in a part of the world where peace, dignity and religious freedom are seriously threatened and where the use of telecommunications is extremely low. Violence by extremist groups, that hit Burkina Faso during the past five years, caused hundreds of deaths, a wave of kidnappings and the closure of many schools and churches. It has also led to a massive and continuous displacement of people who moved from the affected regions to the capital and other large urban centres. According to the latest information by the UN, 486,360 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were registered at the beginning of October, more than twice the number displaced in July. Numbers continue to grow steadily, and there are even reports of one million IDPs. 
Fr. Domenico, a member of the Missionary Community of Villaregia , came to know the Focolare Movement at the age of 12, when he came across the Word of Life, a monthly commentary on the Scriptures in the spirit of the charism of unity. Chiara Lubich started this commentary more than 40 years ago, and Domenico came to know about it during his visits to the missionaries. He related: “When I was 17 years old, I wrote to Chiara Lubich and asked her for a Word from the Gospel that could be a light to guide me in my life. I also wanted to share with her all about my vocation. I still treasure her answer to my letter; I keep it in my Bible and every now and then I read it again. She indicated words from St John’s Gospel: ‘If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him’ (Jn 14:23). I always try to go deeper into these very stong and demanding words, to find the meaning of my life. I was ordained priest in 2012 after a year’s experience in Lima, Peru”. For the last two years, Fr. Domenico has been doing missioniary work in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. He is involved in a number of projects that aim at integral human promotion. He told us: “Burkina Faso literally means ‘the land of upright people’; family and a sense of community are among the most treasured values of the Burkinabé people. Most of the 160 students, who attend the school we have started to promote literacy, are girls and young mothers who had no opportunity to study before. We have also set up a project to help women start small businesses to make ends meet. Many present their projects to ask for our support but it is not always easy to choose. The Gospel and the desire to be part of this people guide us in our choices. In recent months, schools in the capital city have started to function again, but unfortunately, it is not the same for schools in other parts of the country. Terrorist groups burnt many schools in the North, North-East and North-West of the country, and at the end of the last scholastic year several teachers were killed. “The tactics used by the bandits or terrorists are always the same; they arrive in the villages, take everything – cattle and crops – empty the small shops, and then they look for teachers and tell them that if they don’t leave, they will be the next victims unless they teach Arabic or what they call ‘the true religion’. I had the opportunity to talk to some teachers, who despite this desperate situation still have to report to work because the state obliges them to do so, but there is great fear. Our area is quiet, but we try to be close to our people and share in their fears and anxieties. Last September, 40 soldiers lost their lives during an attack on a military base. Among them, there were 3 of our young parishioners. We were particularly close to one of them, who was the eldest son of a family we know quite well. When we went to visit this family to offer our condolences, we met the grief-stricken widow and her two sons, and it was extremely difficult to understand why so much hatred and horror. Jean, the soldier’s father, who always tells me: ‘You priests are God’s sign for us; we can ask you everything because you give us God’s word, his comfort and his will’, was also there. This time, I could only shake his weak hand without uttering a word, and make him feel that God is near”. In this serious situation of great instability, one perceives a sign of hope in the communion that continues to grow among different Christian churches and people of other religions, especially Muslims. They get together and unite in prayers for peace. Fr. Domenico spoke about another sign of peace when he related about a project to help with the payment of school fees. To date, 96 children have benefited from it. “We were shocked when we found out that many children do not have a birth certificate; it seems as if they do not exist at all. We encounter various complex situations that require our attention and assistence. It is amazing to discover that placing God at the centre of our activities leads us to deeper understanding and better organization, because we look at the person as a whole. We are trying to get organized about birth certificates, and this will allow us to give back dignity to the children of our neighbourhoods”. It was evident that Fr. Domenico had so many other things to relate. His words full of love for the Burkinabé people brought us closer to this country. He concluded: “Communion helps us to be Church in the real sense of the word; we actually know what is happening around us and we become fully committed to help all God’s children who suffer and are in need”.
Stefania Tanesini
Dec 28, 2019 | Non categorizzato
A non-profit organization that has been operating in the Italian capital for thirteen years. It collects surplus or unsold food, prepares 250 meals a day for the poor and, simultaneously, works to promote social inclusion. 
Over-buying food and consequent wastage are modern-day plagues that affect society in many parts of the world. However, there are also people who, silently, collect food that would otherwise be thrown away and give it to people who are most in need. They do so not only to offer immediate help to people who are hungry but also as a practical means of accompanying people as they rebuild their lives. This is what RomaAmor does. This is a non-profit organization that was founded by Dino Impagliazzo in Rome in response to the invitation of Chiara Lubich, who in 2000, receiving the honorary citizenship of the city, asked others to cooperate in bringing a “revolution of love” to the capital. For 13 years RomaAmor has been offering 250 meals a day to the homeless people around the Tuscolana and Ostiense railway stations and in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. Dino is now 90 years old: serving others still fills him with joy. “There are sometimes many difficulties in helping others,” he explains, “you have to make sacrifices but then you feel a great joy for having done something worthwhile. Christ taught us that the essence of Christianity is to love God and our neighbour, and Chiara Lubich invites us to live for universal brotherhood: this is the foundation of our service to the poor.” Dino received the International Carthage Award in 2018 for his longstanding service to the community because “his work increases public awareness and provides formation thus contributing to the ethical dimension of the city.” The project also “provides valid alternatives to the value attributed to people and material goods.” The following is taken from an interview with Dino. How did RomaAmor begin? It began almost by chance. I started on my own by preparing a sandwich for a poor person I used to meet at the station, and gradually I thought of involving as many people as possible in doing something similar – my wife, people living in my block of flats or from my neighbourhood. We have always regarded our neighbours as our brothers and sisters irrespective of whether they were poor, healthy or sick or in trouble. We try to treat them as members of our family For Food Day 2019, the Pope stressed the need for a return to sobriety in lifestyle and he spoke about the importance of cultivating healthy relationships with ourselves, our brothers and sisters and the whole of the created world… It’s essential that we make this choice. You cannot reason in any other way if you are a Christian and know that each person is your brother or sister because Jesus has told you this very clearly: as a consequence, you live not only for yourself but in relation to others. You cannot think in any other way if know that among us there are people who are healthy and well placed and others who are sick and struggling. You must always be ready to help and do so with joy. The “culture of waste” tends to dominate our society; you choose to serve the poor and needy and so you are going against the tide of public opinion… This aspect of what we do is important, but we don’t just collect the food on its date of expiry, cook it and bring it to people in need. We also try to create relationships with them. That way we do more than just feed them. We try to adapt the meals to the people we help: children, the elderly, women, the sick have different needs, and for our Muslim guests we prepare meals without using pork. Our goal is also to promote inclusion: I invite volunteers to try to establish a close relationship with at least some of these people. When they offer the meal, I ask them to bring two trays, one for the person in need and one for themselves so they can sit down and eat together. Is the group important? It’s fundamental, we do everything as a team – decide the menu, cook and share tasks. One of us looks to see if there are sick people, someone else is busy in maintaining the link with the local authorities and we encourage one another. We spend a lot of time together: we start cooking in the afternoon, we finish at eight o’clock in the evening and then we go out for two hours. We share everything, both the joys and the difficulties. Have any of the people you have helped become volunteers? They certainly have! One third of the volunteers are foreigners who are living in reception centres and are waiting to be recognised as political refugees. Some of them are referred to us by social services. There are also the seminarians sent by the dioceses. We are from different backgrounds but all work for the same purpose. What attracts young people to RomaAmor? There are lots of young people who are volunteers – in fact, the number increases steadily. They come and are so happy that next time they bring their friends.
Dec 26, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Partnership agreement signed between FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and New Humanity, the international NGO of the Focolare Movement. Objective: to continue to work together to defeat world hunger by 2030.
©FAO/Giulio Napolitano.
Stefania Tanesini
Dec 23, 2019 | Non categorizzato
A Christmas greeting from Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement Christmas is, for all of us who celebrate it every year, a long-awaited moment, full of emotion, joy and relationships. But in the midst of such a joyful and happy Christmas atmosphere, we often forget that this feast day is rooted in a mysterious event, I would say an almost scandalous event: the scandal of a God who lowers himself and becomes human; the scandal of the Almighty who becomes a weak child; of the Unlimited One who enters the limits of human flesh. God does not do this only out of solidarity, to be close to us and to share our existence. He enters our human condition to show us, through our own language, gestures and emotions, his own life, the life of God: a life capable of repairing rifts, healing wounds and rebuilding relationships. God did this 2,000 years ago and wants to do it again today. In a month, January 22nd 2020 marks the centenary of the birth of Chiara Lubich, the founder of our Focolare Movement. On this occasion I cannot help but remember the core of her message, of her spirituality of unity: the discovery that Jesus can be born today too, where two or more people love each other “with the love of service, understanding, and sharing in the sufferings, burdens, anxieties, and joys of our brothers and sisters; with the love that covers everything, that forgives everything, typical of Christianity”. Hence we resolve to make all our relationships become the crib, the cradle that welcomes Jesus in our midst, who wants to rebuild our fragmented world today. My wish for Christmas is that this celebration will bring deep joy to all, in the commitment to train ourselves every day to attract, through mutual love, the presence of Jesus among us, thus allowing him to transform the world.
Dec 22, 2019 | Non categorizzato
A top figure in Thai Theravada Buddhism, the Venerable Ajahn Thong died on 13 December at the age of 96. Together with Chiara Lubich, they experienced the highest level of Buddhist-Christian dialogue. Midway through the 1990s, Phramaha Thongratana, a Thai Buddhist monk, had the opportunity to meet John Paul II and get to know the Focolare Movement and Chiara Lubich. He became known in Catholic circles as Luce Ardente. Thanks to him, the great master Ajahn Thong spent some time at the Focolare’s little city of Loppiano together with his young follower. After the early meetings that they had with Focolare’s founder, there was great hope for further dialogue between Buddhism and Christianity in Thailand, which, in the monks words, needed to be accomplished “gently, with exquisite compassion, with much love and caring for it with our hearts.” To this he added a fundamental consideration for dialogue: “These two terms – Buddhism and Christianity – are only two words … it is the good and love that unites all people of every race, religion and language, and helps everyone to meet and coexist together.” From that moment his commitment was decided and at times astonishing even: “As long as I breathe and live, I will try to build true and beautiful relationships with everyone in the world.” Chiara Lubich confirmed these sentiments with an invitation and a prediction: “Let’s continue to prepare the way, living according to the light we have received, and many will follow.” With this background the elderly, venerable monk Ajahn Thong arrived at Loppiano, where he stayed at the Claritas spirituality centre, which regularly welcomes those from religious orders of various congregations, who come for an experience of communion between charisms. Two Theravada monks together with Franciscans, Salesians, Jesuits, Dominicans and others: it was prophetic. Venerable Phra Phrom Mongkol was deeply touched by the welcome he received and, meeting Chiara, he commented, “The fact that you invited Buddhist monks to come here to be among your people is something so beautiful.” This was not just simple formality or politeness, although those are characteristic of the Thai people. These were the early steps of a profound spiritual experience, which the monks were already quite aware of. Chiara’s expectation of that first meeting was one of an attitude of listening aimed at learning, not teaching. “I am happy with this visit in order to learn something beautiful.” she said. “What is the heart of your teaching?” From that point, an unforeseen path unfolded. At the start of 1997, in fact, the Catholic leader was invited to Thailand by these top figures of Buddhist monasticism. It was not to be just a courtesy visit. Chiara was invited to address and share her Christian experience with various groups of monks, nuns and lay Buddhists, both in Bangkok and above all in Chiang Mai. It was there, at the Wat Rampoeng Temple, that the great master introduced her with these remarkable words: “All of you, my followers, might ask yourselves why this mother, who is a woman, was invited. I would like you monks and seminarians to forget this question and not think of her as a woman. Those who are wise and able to point to the correct path for our lives, whether woman or man, are worthy of respect. It’s like when we are in the dark: if there is someone who comes to bring us a lamp to guide us, we are grateful, and it doesn’t matter to us whether that person who came to bring us light is a woman or man, a child or adult.” These few words seem to be a condensed version of the great wisdom of this capable man, together with others, who was able to walk the way of dialogue fearlessly, bringing others along with him on this prophetic experience. Lubich herself, touched by this sensitivity and openness, noticed a higher presence in this relationship and turned to the great master with words that feel like a prophecy: “Let’s continue to prepare the way, living according to the light we have received, and many will follow.” And so it was. For 25 years this dialogue has continued and developed. Even in death, there was something in common between this ancient monk from the thousand-year-old Theravada tradition with a Catholic woman who recently founded a movement in the Church. On 7 December, in fact, the celebrations for the centenary of the birth of Chiara Lubich opened in Trento, including an interfaith event on 7 June 2020.The venerable great master had expressed his desire to attend. Theirs is a friendship now destined to continue in eternity.
Roberto Catalano (Co-director for Focolare Interreligious Dialogue)
A conversation with the Great Teacher Ajahn Thong a service of the Collegamento CH of 13 February 2016 https://vimeo.com/155543298
Dec 20, 2019 | Non categorizzato
During the past 15 years, the Focolare Centre “Nueva Vida” has carried out a very important social action, that supports young people and their families in an area on the outskirts of Montevideo,Uruguay. Luis Mayobre, director of this centre has been interviewed about this activity. “The youth are the driving force of ‘Nueva Vida’. This social action challenges and stimulates us not to lose sight of what is most important: mutual love, which we want as the only law for our centre”. Luis Mayobre said these words at the beginning of the interview. He has been the director of Nueva Vida almost since it was started in 2004, when the Archbishop of Montevideo asked the Focolare Movement to continue a social activity started by a religious woman in one of the suburban districts of the Uruguayan capital. This is how Nueva Vida began. Its objectives are inscribed in its name: it wants to instil hope of a new beginning in all those who go to the centre, which forms part of the CO.DE.SO Association (Communion for Social Development established by the Focolari) and collaborates with the INAU, the institute for children and adolescents, a public entity that manages policies for Uruguayan children and adolescents. Mayobre related: “Violence marked the year 2018 and the inhabitants of Barrio Borro lived in anguish and fear. Their life was at risk due to clashes between two families of rival drug traffickers. Shootings took place day and night, and educators and staff at Nueva Vida, together with the rest of the people, had to face this terrible situation. As families were seeking for shelter, the number of people at our centre almost doubled itself. Many were robbed and their poor homes were occupied by drug traffickers”. How did you manage to cope with such a hostile situation? “We reported the situation to the Minister of Internal Affairs, but we had to wait for a reply, which took quite some time to arrive. So we offered shelter and support to some of these families. Later we obtained state services for them and they were given new homes. One of these families – two of their children participate in our youth centre activities – was being threatened with death. Our coordinator contacted another daughter of this family to ask for help, even though she knew there were family problems between the daughter and her parents. Luckily things turned out well; the daughter provided her parents with a piece of land where a new, more dignified and safe house could be built. I also remember a case of family violence. When our team came to know about the situation, the intervention of the local authorities was sought to safeguard the children and their mother. Regardless of threats and insults, we carried on with our work to help the family regain its peace and security”. Who are the ones that come to the Centre and what services do you offer? “Our three projects are: the CAIF, the Children’s Club and the Youth Centre. Living in an atmosphere of violence made us decide to be builders of peace, hope and, above all, joy, so as to overcome hatred and fear. We have tried to create a pleasant environment where 48 children between the ages of 2 and 3 years and 60 younger ones – from 0 to 2 years – participate in various workshops with their mothers. We also organize educational excursions to create spaces of beauty and harmony. This proved to be a very positive experience in which even the so-called “rival” families participated and relationships improved considerably. In our Children’s Club we take care of 62 school-age children, ranging from the age of 6 to 11 years. We are committed to fight early school leaving and we work to ensure that everyone moves on to the upper classes. In 2004, 36% of the children were early school leavers, now there are only 5%. We encourage children to take part in art and music workshops and in other recreational activities to help them become aware and develop the cultural values of coexistence and attention to others, and also to learn the ‘culture of giving’. We educate to abolish violence from all forms of behaviour. Swimming lessons and outings help to promote education in health care and hygiene. 52 young people, between the ages of 12 and 18, come to our Youth Centre. During this year, about 95% of them have participated in after- school activities. We have been organizing these activities and considering them as part of our programme since the very beginning. 6 of these young people attend high school: quite a big success when you consider that most of the children attend classes only during the first school years. We also organize complementary workshops, such as fabric processing, carpentry and communication, to enhance their formation. All these ativities are prepared by Focolare Members on a voluntary basis.”. What kind of relationship is there between the centre and other associations in this area? “Over the years, a network of all institutions that work in Borro has been set up; we collaborate with all of them and we support one another. We also participate in the life of Our Lady of Guadalupe parish, which.is the parish in our area.The parish priest and another priest come to visit us once a week. There are also volunteers from other countries who come to give a helping hand. Elisa Ranzi and Matteo Allione, the two Italians, who visited us this year, left an indelible impression. We thank heartily all those who come to help us; their collaboration is of great importance to us. Every help, no matter how small, is very precious to us”.
Stefania Tanesini
Dec 18, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The diocesan phase of the causes for the beatification of Chiara Lubich and Father Oreste Benzi, respectively founders of a Movement and a new ecclesial Community, was concluded during the month of November 2019. Many new ecclesial communities, inspired by charisms, were born during the 1968 turmoil, a twentieth century revolutionary phenomenon that affected countries on various latitudes. Founded by lay people, they touched the lives of youth, spontaneously lay down their foundations and spread in society. Even these ecclesial communities stimulated a revolution, an evangelical one, the prayer to the Holy Spirit invoked by the Fathers who participated in the Ecumenical Vatican Council II, which ended in 1965. At the dawn of the twentieth century there were already some new charismatic realities germinating in the Church. Towards the middle of the century, twenty years before the Council, the Focolare Movement was born. The inspiration that brought with it innovations was given to a young lay woman from Trent, Chiara Lubich, born in 1920. The Second World War raged furiously when this young woman of bountiful faith, realized her dream and gave herself to God on December 7, 1943. The preferential love for the poor, the community life sustained by a collective spirituality based on the Word of God, proved to be the place where the charism of unity incarnated and soon spread to the world. Father Oreste Benzi was born in 1927 in San Clemente, a small village near Rimini. He was ordained priest at the age of 24 and dedicated himself to adolescents. The leitmotif of his life was “a friendly meeting with Christ”. He spent the summer months with adolescents at Casa Madonna delle Vette at Canazei, and the Pope John XXIII Community was born there in 1968. It embraced a constant commitment to love the poorest of the poor in close relationship with Christ because: “only those who know how to be on their knees can stand alongside the poor”. He carried out works considered to be unrealizable: from the daily sharing with the poor and the oppressed to the fight against human trafficking. Chiara and Father Benzi were two different people: a woman and a man, a layman and a priest, a woman from a mountainous area and a man from a place near the sea, but they were both founders of works generated by a charism, a light that became part of history. They founded new realities in the Church, that re-propose the old and new message of Jesus, while involving those who adhere to them in a renewed journey of faith and humanity. The adamant witness of the Gospel does not stop at the founders, but extends itself to members. It was also thanks to Movements and new Communities that at the end of the second millennium, the holiness of people started to advance, and continues to be part of daily life. “Sarò santo se sono santo subito”- (I will be holy, if I am holy right away), this six S slogan was devised by Chiara for those who want to follow Jesus on their path to holiness. There are various Focolare members whose causes of beatification have been initiated. In 2004, when Father Benzi’s Association was granted the final recognition by the Holy See, he affirmed that this was: “an inestimable gift” because “the brothers and sisters who are members of the Community (…) can live joyfully and peacefully in the absolute certainty that the vocation of the Community is a sure way of sanctifying themselves (…)”. The cause for the beatification of the Servant of God, Sandra Sabattini, a member of the Pope John XXIII Association has been initiated. On October 31, 2007 Father Benzi phoned the International Centre of the Focolare Movement; he was eager to inform Chiara about the latest initiative organized by his Association and to ask for her support. This was one of his last telephone calls; unfortunately he never heard Chiara’s positive reply as he passed away the following night. Chiara returned to the house of the Father on March 14, 2008. November 2019 marked their two paths, distinct but very close to each other.
Lina Ciampi
Dec 16, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Every little gesture of love, every kind act and each smile we give transforms our existence and fills it with a continuous and fruitful sense of expectation. Children’s Choir Jesus is present in everyone and so, before the Christmas holidays, we decided to visit the local hospital with a group of children to bring some cheer to the patients. We were hoping to sing some carols. We were not allowed to enter the children’s ward but we were given permission to perform in the hospital entrance hall. It was surprising to see the complete change in the visitors: many of them came in with a very serious expression on their face but, as soon as they saw the children singing, they began to smile. Several of them came back to listen together with the patients they had come to visit. Other patients who were not waiting for visitors were brought to the large hall to listen to the performance. Some of them even joined in with the choir. The hospital staff were also very happy about the atmosphere that we created. The management team has already invited us for next year and has promised that we can sing on the children’s ward. (N.L. – Netherlands) In the kitchen I work hard as a cook in a kindergarten school. One day, when I was listening to the school-keeper say that he regarded every child as treasure to be protected, I realised that I had never thought of putting any love into what I was doing. Now, however, I have begun to use my imagination because I have understood that every meal is nourishment for people who, one day, will have the world in their hands. Sometimes I hide a little surprise “treasure” in the dishes I prepare or I arrange the food in a different way. The children show such joy and surprise – you really don’t know the impact a little act of love can produce. (K.J. – Korea) The accident My work at the drug rehabilitation centre had become overwhelming. I was taken up by the thousands of things to do but found no satisfaction in anything. I felt a sense of emptiness within and God seemed always further away. One very wet evening, I was coming home when the car I was in skidded, crashed into a wall and ended up on the opposite side of the road. I was taken to hospital and as I waited in the casualty room, the sight of a crucifix hanging on the wall gave me courage. While the doctors were examining me, I felt a gentle sense of peace: it was a feeling I had not known for a long time. Fortunately, apart from minor injuries and bruises, I was not seriously hurt and so I was discharged quite quickly. I needed to rest in bed for some time but there were always lots of people around me, lots of telephone calls and lots of gifts. I was very touched by the fact that many of the people I know who are suffering from various forms of addiction visited regularly. They said, “You survived because you are doing some good in the world.” My work colleagues were also very supportive and it became obvious that we had built a solid bond. Thanks to that enforced rest, I began to want to pray again; I think I have understood why God has not yet taken me to be with him. (Lucia – Italy) Washing dishes In the parish, we organised a party for homeless people and gave them a hot meal. At the end, there was a lot of rubbish to clear up and pots and pans and dishes to wash. In the kitchen, the parish priest had already begun to tackle the washing-up and was, obviously, happy with the evening. I was struck when he said, “Everything is prayer” and I asked him: “Doing the dishes too?” He said, “Your greatest treasure is understanding that everything has immense value because behind that pot you are washing there is a neighbour who needs you.” From then onwards, my heavy work as a bricklayer, my children who needed to be taken to the nursery and even the light to repair … everything became an opportunity for me to go beyond the action itself and transform it into something sacred. (G.F. – ltaly)
by Stefania Tanesini (taken from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, year V, n.6,November-December 2019)
Dec 15, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The phenomenon of forced migration to Europe remains one of the unresolved issues in the debate between EU countries. Too divided by particular interests to identify a common policy, inspired by the principles of solidarity and sustainability. We talked about it with Pasquale Ferrara, Italian ambassador in Algeria. According to the UNHCR*, 75,522 migrants landed by sea on the European coasts of Italy, Malta, Cyprus, Spain and Greece from January 1st to October 21st 2019. In addition, 16,322 migrants arrived by land in Greece and Spain for a total of 91,844 people, of which 9,270 in Italy, 2,738 in Malta, 1,183 in Cyprus, 25,191 in Spain, 53,462 in Greece. Data that follow a decreasing trend ( in migration) and documents the emergency phase, but are not enough for Europe to start a broad and constructive dialogue on the subject: the prospect of the creation of a European system of flow management remains very remote, and in general the comparison at the institutional level does not take into account the perspective of African countries. In Algiers we joined the Italian Ambassador, Pasquale Ferrara: (2ND PART) It has long been said that it is necessary to formally establish a collaboration with the countries of North Africa, but also with those of transit. Good intentions but few concrete facts… To move on to concrete facts, we must take note of the reality, of the fact that the African countries, especially those of the North we consider transit countries, which are themselves countries of destination for emigration. Egypt is home to over 200,000 refugees on its territory, while in 2018 just over 120,000 people arrived in the whole of Europe. The few hundred illegal migrants who arrive from Algeria are all Algerians, not sub-Saharan migrants who pass through Algeria, because often these migrants stay here. Moreover, these countries do not accept programs aimed at creating “hotspots” for sub-Saharan migrants. Here the Turkish model does not work, where the European Union has given 6 billion euros to manage camps where more than 4 million Syrian and other refugees are accommodated. The operation worked in Turkey because there was war in Syria and because of Turkey’s strategic interests. In Africa the phenomena are very different and other ways have to be found. What forms of collaboration could work? We don’t need asymmetrical collaborations but equal partnerships. We must bear in mind that it is not only we Europeans who have a migration problem, and so it is necessary to respect these countries with their internal needs, including those of migration. Only then can we try together to manage the phenomenon. For example, there are already cooperation agreements between Italy and Algeria dating back to 2000 and 2009 that work well. What do they include? The joint management of the migratory phenomenon in terms of the fight against exploitation and trafficking of human beings, the trans-national criminality that uses the phenomenon to finance itself, the danger of terrorist infiltration. There are also provisions for the agreed, orderly and dignified repatriation of illegal migrants. There is talk that Western countries must support African countries in order to create better living conditions thus discouraging migration. How viable is this? Under the current conditions of the international economy and political culture, I see it as impractical and, all in all, ineffective. Firstly, we are already talking about a billion Africans: no European or world ‘Marshall Plan’ could address such demographic dimensions. Among other things, Africa is very diverse, there are countries in advanced development conditions: Ghana has a higher rate of technological innovation than several developed countries; Angola is a very resource-rich country that is trying to reorganise its economic structure in a more participatory way. We have leaders, such as the new Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali, who is 42 years old and looks to the new generations. He has already planted 350 million trees in a worldwide reforestation program called the Trillion Tree Campaign. Uganda is experiencing a period of strong development. The problem is rather the dramatic and unfair economic disparities, and here the West can intervene by helping to improve the governance of these countries, so that it is more inclusive and participatory. But let us remember that these are the same problems of socio-economic polarization that we have in Europe: unfortunately, we cannot give many lessons in this field. Reflecting on the migratory phenomenon at an institutional level, the economic dimension is at the forefront, while the human dimension is neglected. What does it mean to put human person at the centre of the migratory problem? Behind every migrant there is a story, a family, a rough journey, the difficulty of obtaining money and perhaps debts with criminal organizations. Of course we cannot allow illegal immigration because everything must be done in accordance with the law, but giving value to the human dimension means taking into account this past and not seeing these people as numbers that arrive on board boats or by land. I was deeply struck by the story of that 14-year-old boy from Mali, found at the bottom of the sea with a school report with excellent marks sewn into his jacket. That is a story that leaves us speechless. And behind it is a family tragedy, a human tragedy, a torn social fabric. I recommend Cristina Cattaneo’s beautiful book, “Shipwrecked without a face. Giving a name to the victims of the Mediterranean”. But let’s not forget also the stories of our Navy – in particular that of the commander Catia Pellegrino – who saved thousands of shipwrecked people. People, faces, real events. * https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean (read part 1 of the interview)
Edited by Claudia Di Lorenzi
Dec 13, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Inauguration of the exhibition “Chiara Lubich World City” in Tonadico di Primiero “Chiara cannot be understood without situating her in the context in which she is lived”. With these words, Jesús Morán, co-president of the Focolare Movement on Sunday, December 8th , concluded the speeches of the inaugural ceremony of the exhibition dedicated to Chiara Lubich which opened at Palazzo Scopoli in Tonadico di Primiero the day after that of Trent. “During the war Chiara dedicated herself to her city, Trento, but it was in Primiero, in 1949, that God gave her the key to understanding what she was called to do. Chiara found the light here, in the mountains, but it is necessary to go to Trento and to every city to understand the consequences of her charism. This is the deep bond between the two exhibitions, where Tonadico’s is not an appendix to Trento’s, but the story of a decade of light. 
The gratitude of the Primiero valley was expressed in different tones by the Councillor for Culture Francesca Franceschi (“Primiero represents the origin, the retreat where Chiara found answers to her questions”), by the Deputy Mayor Paolo Secco (“Our task is not only to keep alive the memory, but to be a community that responds to the ideal inspirations that moved Chiara”), by the President of the Primiero Community, Roberto Pradel (“Chiara dedicated herself to building relationships between people: may the seed she sowed bear fruit”). Giuseppe Ferrandi, Director of the Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino, illustrated the deeper meaning of the two exhibitions: “For the first time our Foundation has created an exhibition dedicated to someone: the person of Chiara has to be dealt with by not only Trento but also others. Trentino, which can claim her birth, must discover the dimension of strong attachment to traditions alive in Chiara, the result of relationships, but without stopping at them to open up to the world in order not to be sterile. Who better than Chiara Lubich can guarantee us this capacity for relationships that the world needs today? Alba Sgariglia, co-responsible for the Chiara Lubich Centre, expressed the gratitude of the whole Movement to the Foundation: “We worked in tandem for this historical stage. From here, from these mountains, Chiara projected herself towards the whole of humanity: this is the mission that she understood here. Annamaria Rossi and Giuliano Ruzzier, curators of the exhibition with Maurizio Gentilini, underlined its characteristics: large images, quotations and brief captions flow along the walls of Palazzo Scopoli, right in front of that chalet where Chiara and some of her first companions went to rest in the summer of 1949. On the ground floor of the palace, which preserves the detachments of the frescoes from the chapel of San Vittore, there are some writings and essential memories of that summer and videos of the first Mariapolis, the summer holidays, which until 1959, year after year, were enriched with people of different vocations, cultures and backgrounds. The witness of the “little towns ” of the Movement in the world, the permanent Mariapoli, in which today, as in the experience of Primiero, unity is possible – it is experienced and witnessed to.
Paolo Crepaz
Dec 10, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Schönstatt leaders from various European countries visited the Focolare’s international headquarters at Rocca di Papa near Rome on 20 November. On Wednesday 20 November, leaders from the Schönstatt Movement from Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain and Switzerland visited the Focolare’s international headquarters at Rocca di Papa. The group included Fr. Heinrich Walter, former president of the General Presidium of Schönstatt. One of the goals of the visit was “meeting Chiara” by visiting her house and praying at her tomb. A second objective for the leaders of Schönstatt was to open a dialogue with Focolare about the social and political changes in Europe, the role of the Movement with their charism, and the significance of the communion between them, especially Together for Europe – in the context of ecclesial, political and cultural transformation. The delegation was welcomed to the Focolare’s centre by Co-president Jesús Morán and a number of its councillors. In order to put the charisms at the service of the good of the continent, it quickly emerged in the dialogue that there was a need to carry out cultural projects that were the product of each organisation’s talents, as well as the communion between each of them. The meeting and the dialogue were also made up of less formal activities, which were valuable and productive. This was obviously just a single step on what has become a long journey or communion and collaboration between Schönstatt and Focolare, which began at St. Peter’s Square in Rome on the vigil of Pentecost 1998. Beyond that, for 20 years by now, ever since the beginning Schönstatt has also been part of that network of movements and communities that make up Together for Europe. Fr. Heinrich Walter is an effective member of the committee directing it. Close relationships, characterised by unity between Christians of various churches and confessions, have grown between Focolare and Schönstatt these years, as well as beyond it. It is a unity that requires deep, true reconciliation, which is considered a direct gateway to unity while maintaining the necessary diversity that enriches and completes each other. The Schönstatt Movement was founded by Fr. Josef Kentenich in 1914 at Schönstatt, near Koblenz in Germany, and has an educational charism.
Severin Schmid
Dec 9, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Keep awake: is an invitation to keep our eyes open, to recognize the signs of God’s presence in history, in everyday life and to help others, who live in the dark, find the path of life. Another child “Are you prepared to have more children when you already have three?” asked a friend of mine. I answered that each child is a unique gift and that the experience of motherhood cannot be compared to any other, because the joy of a new birth is beneficial for the whole family. I also spoke about the economic aspect that mysteriously seems to emphasize that every child is wanted by Heaven. My friend, then, shared with me that she was expecting her second child, and together with her husband she was planning to have an abortion. A new creature would compromise the family’s economic situation, she remarked. When we came to part, she stated: “I feel ready for a new motherhood”. (PA. – Italy) Give trust When a cousin of mine came over to visit us, small objects disappeared from our house and then reappeared in his parents’ house. Mum shared this very gently with my cousin’s parents, but they were so hurt that our families ties were broken. As Christians, we wanted to do our best to change this unhappy situation, and the opportunity cropped up when my cousin, now a teenager, was expelled from school because he was caught stealing from his companions. My father spoke to the parents and suggested the name of a specialist who could help my cousin. Amidst great pain and shame, they had to admit that their son was a kleptomaniac. My mother came up with idea to spend our holidays together with them, while she helped us children to be generous and show full trust in our cousin. My cousin was very happy. The whole family benefitted from psychotherapeutic assistence and also medicines. One day, when my aunt was talking about her family, she confided: “Our pride made us feel superior.We were sick of arrogance “. (J.G. – Spain) Justice and understanding I am a magistrate in a locality scourged by the Mafia presence. It happened that while I was questioning for very long hours a prisoner burdened with a lot of crime, I was asked if I would like to have something to eat. I agreed, as long as the prisoner would have something to eat too. Shocked with this simple gesture of mine, the prisoner almost couldn’t believe it. But suddenly I was gripped with the fear of finding myself face to face with the offender during breaktime and I felt like going away. At the same moment another thought flashed to my mind: “If I am here to love this neighbour of mine, I have nothing to fear”. I continued the interrogation with the same attitude towards him: I tried to make him understand the gravity of his deeds, but without judging him and speaking very calmly to him. Sometime later he wrote to me from prison. Did he write to ask for a less severe judicial sentence? No, he wrote at length to share all his miseries and ask for understanding. It was strange that he wrote it to me when I had issued a a sentence against him. Evidently, something must have struck him. (Elena – Italy)
by Stefania Tanesini (taken from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, year V, n.6,November-December 2019)
Dec 8, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Focolare founder’s birth were inaugurated in Trent. The “Seal of St. Wenceslas” was awarded to Maria Voce by the autonomous Province of Trent. “Chiara Lubich city world” is the title of the exhibition that was inaugurated on December 7, at the “Tunnels Gallery”, Trent. This event opened the centenary celebrations that mark the 100th anniversary of the Focolare founder’s birth. This exhibition is under the patronage of the President of the Italian Republic and is being promoted by the Trentino Historical Museum Foundation in collaboration with the Chiara Lubich Centre. Giuseppe Ferrandi, the Director of the Historical Museum Foundation introduced the speeches delivered during the inauguration ceremony. In these speeches, Chiara Lubich emerged as a figure with a very broad-minded personality, deeply rooted in the history, culture and traditions of the Trentino region, endowed with a charism, through which she spoke a universal language and crossed every geographical and cultural border to promote her message of peace and brotherhood. The exhibition offers an engaging and interactive journey, which helps the visitor to get to know Chiara Lubich, while promoting a commitment towards those values that marked her life. During this celebration, the Province of Trent awarded the “Seal of St. Wenceslas ” to Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement. It was stated that Trent wanted to confer this award to the Focolare President “for her ability and tireless commitment to shed light on the values of unity and peace”. Maria Voce answered: “I am truly grateful and moved by this recognition. And as it accentuates the values of Chiara Lubich and the Focolare Movement, I feel that it is for the whole Movement”. “Two words come to mind when I think of Chiara Lubich: charism and prophecy”. Giorgio Postal, President of the Trentino Historical Museum Foundation said these words during the inauguration of the exhibition. And he continued: “So, questioning ourselves about Chiara and placing her in history becomes a way to face the challenges we encounter both as a society and as individuals”. Maurizio Fugatti, President of the Province of Trent said: “We feel proud to be part of this journey, which provides us with the opportunity to get to know and understand deeper the great message of Chiara Lubich, an exceptional woman from Trent, who managed to give her remarkable message of peace and unity to the whole world” Mgr. Lauro Tisi, Archbishop of Trent, invited everyone, especially the Focolare Movement, to “make the God of Chiara known” so as to contribute towards a complete change in the narration of God. During this year, we are all invited to make known “this God who irrevocably protects all”. “From this vision of God love”, he concluded, “springs a positive vision of creation, of nature, of man and of the body”. This invitation was immediately accepted by Jesús Morán, the Co-President of the Focolare, who recalled that the motto of the Centenary is “Celebrate to meet” Chiara Lubich, a woman who “lived unity at 360°and gave us the navigation chart for the third millennium”. “This centenary will be an extraordinary opportunity to discover Chiara in so many ways”, said Alessandro Andreatta,the Mayor of Trent. “She was a woman of encounter, of dialogue, of unity, of faith, of service, of hope. She was at the heart of the Church and of humanity”. Lorenzo Dellai, former Mayor of Trent, who gave Chiara Lubich the seal of the city in 1995, recalled how she urged the people of Trent to live up to the spirit of this city. “I think that today there is an ever-increasing need for this charism, this prophecy”. Senator Stanislao Di Piazza, under-secretary of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, delivered the message in the name of the Italian Government. “Chiara was a person who had a particular love for Italy”, he said, while he recalled her meetings with politicians from all parties to promote the value of fraternity, so that “a new political model could be created”. Messages were also delivered by the various representatives of similar exhibitions that will be set up during the year in Mexico City, Sydney, Mumbai, São Paulo, Jerusalem, Algiers and Nairobi. This project is under the patronage of the Council of Europe. Although these exhibitions will be similar to the one inTrent, yet each will have its own particular characteristic: for the one in São Paulo it will be the the Economy of Communion project launched by Chiara Lubich in Brazil; the one in Sydney will project the aspect of a multicultural land; Jerusalem, a city that maybe more than any other needs peace and brotherhood. The one in India was represented by the message of Stefania Constanza, the Italian consul in Mumbai. Among those present for the inauguration, there were Veronica Cimino, vice-mayor of Rocca di Papa (Rome); Francesca Franceschi, town councillor of Primiero San Martino di Castrozza; Alba Sgariglia and Joao Manoel Motta, co-responsible for the Chiara Lubich Centre and the curators of the exhibition Giuliano Ruzzier, Anna Maria Rossi and Maurizio Gentilini, the author of the recent biography of the Focolare founder. Numerous relatives of Chiara Lubich were also present. _________ The exhibition at the “Tunnels Gallery” will be open till December 7, 2020 (Tuesday to Sunday, from 09:00 to 18:00). Translations in the main European languages are availlable. Admission is free. Besides the three sections of the exhibition set up in the “Tunnels Gallery”, there is another section that was inaugurated on December 8, 2019. This section has been set up in Palazzo Scopoli, in Tonadico, in the mayorship of Primiero San Martino di Castrozza (Tn). It is dedicated to the years 1949-1959: from Chiara Lubich’s profound spiritual experience lived in Primiero during the summer of 1949 to the summer Mariapolis that took place there until 1959.
Anna Lisa Innocenti
Dec 7, 2019 | Non categorizzato
“Give yourself completely to me” – 7 December 1943 Today the Centenary Year of the birth of Chiara Lubich is being officially inaugurated. It will be celebrated wherever there are people who have made their own her “Ideal” – as she used to say –, the Ideal of unity and universal brotherhood. “Celebrate to meet” is the motto inspiring the most varied events that will take place in 2020. “Celebrate” because Chiara Lubich will be remembered, but in order to give many people the opportunity to encounter the message she lived to the full. Of particular importance is the “Chiara Lubich: world city” exhibition, created by the Trentino Historical Museum Foundation and the Chiara Lubich Centre (Rocca di Papa), which is being officially opened today at the Tunnels Gallery in Trent, her city. Why is this happening on 7th December 2019 and not 22nd January 2020, the anniversary of Chiara’s birth or indeed on 14th March, the day of her death? It is simply because on 7th December 1943, Silvia Lubich became Chiara, so to speak. A few days before, in fact, she had responded to a request from her mother to go and get milk on a nearby farm. Her two younger sisters were reluctant to leave the house because of the cold, and Chiara decided to do this act of love. On her way, she had felt a clear and strong calling: “Give yourself completely to me”. Back home, Silvia had written an ardent letter to the priest who had accompanied her spiritually and, after putting her to the test, he granted her permission to give herself to God forever. Thus, on that 7th December 1943, before dawn, during a morning mass celebrated for the occasion, Silvia, secretly “married God”, as she herself would say. Thirty years later she reflected on that day: “Imagine a young girl in love, in love with a love which is the first love, the purest one, a love which is still undeclared, but which begins to enflame her heart. But there’s one difference. Here on earth, a young girl, who is in love in this way, has the image of her beloved in front of her; instead this girl doesn’t see him, doesn’t hear him, doesn’t touch him or sense his fragrance with the senses of the body, but rather with the senses of her soul, through which Love entered in and invaded all her being. Because of this she feels a joy which is so special, difficult to experience again in life, a joy which is secret, serene, and jubilant”. The young Silvia Lubich had been fascinated by Chiara of Assisi’s answer to St. Francis when he asked her what she wanted: “God!” That eighteen-year-old girl from Assisi, who was so beautiful and full of hope, had been able to encompass all the desires of her heart in that one Being worthy of all love: “God”. With this example before her, Silvia had changed her name to Chiara, because she too had the same feelings within herself. Changing a name is like acquiring a new identity. This change, at first just a heart’s desire, actually came about on 7th December 1943. That morning Silvia married God and became Chiara. Later, the date of 7th December was chosen as the symbolic starting date of the Focolare Movement. By giving herself to God completely, the foundation stone was laid. Years later, the Catholic Church gave the ‘building’, (the Movement that developed) the name “Work of Mary”. With the name “God” Chiara’s divine adventure began and with it that of the Focolare Movement. “God” is what 7th December means to Chiara Lubich. Therefore there is no better date to inaugurate the centenary year of her birth than this.
Michel Vandeleene
Dec 4, 2019 | Non categorizzato
From a talk given at a press conference on 18th November by Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Sant’Egidio Community and personal friend of Chiara’s. A few days before the official opening of Chiara Lubich’s centenary on 7th December, we share part of a speech given at a press conference on 18 November by Andrea Riccardi, founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio. As a personal friend of Chiara’s with whom he worked to build pathways for unity among various Movements in the Church, he offered a reflection on Chiara’s humanity and historical authenticity, much of which is yet to be discovered. Time sometimes reduces great figures to “prayer cards” which gather dust and are gradually forgotten. Chiara’s heart was full of Holiness but she was much more than a prayer card. She was a real woman, a “volcanic” woman, a native of Trent who was open to the world. Starting from Trent she went all over the world; that was Chiara’s story: from Trent to Rome and the world. What is said of her is true, that if you visit some of the remotest parts of the world, even in Africa, not only do you find Chiara’s followers, you also feel her presence and her thought. A hundred years have passed since her birth. A hundred years is a long time. Chiara was born in 1920, the same year as John Paul II, and whenever he saw her he would call her “my contemporary”. Both were influenced by the tragic events of the Second World War. Chiara felt its effects deeply in Trent where her charism matured – so to speak – in the midst of the Second World War, in a world that was deeply divided and torn by the pain of war. Chiara is also, in my view, an important figure outside the Church. She was not just a figure within the Church, even though she was deeply rooted in the Church, in unity with it, but she was always projected outwards to the world. She was not merely a “Sacristy Christian”; she loved and look outwards to the whole world. Chiara was an historical figure. Twentieth-century Christianity was made up largely of men who left women to engage in a little bit of mysticism or some experience of charity. Instead, Chiara was a woman who made history in the round. Not only mysticism and charity but also politics and a passion for real change in life. This is the person I met. She had a great capacity for personal relationships and friendship: she had the charism of friendship, everyone was unique for her. She was a woman who met thousands of people, and yet, for her, no two people were the same. Then she had another great skill: that of communicating a passion. She was a passionate woman, passionate about the unity of the world. Unity is the key to understanding her existence and her quest for peace which is also ecumenism. She was deeply sensitive to ecumenism – more than many experts in ecumenism – and I would like to recall, in this regard, her relationship with Patriarch Athenagoras, about whom I have also written a book. There is also a letter that I published which stated “It is said of Miss Chiara Lubich that because she is a woman and is not a theologian she is too fervent”, but today I would like to say that, precisely because she is not a theologian and is a woman, Chiara understood more than the technicians of ecumenism. Unity also means dialogue to achieve peace. Chiara wrote, “The children of God are the children of love, they fight with a weapon that is the very life of humankind”. Life is a gift and through the gift of life we struggle to change the world and to change others and achieve this ideal. Chiara was consumed by a passion for the ideal. And this seems to me to be a fundamental point to come back to and reflect on. Maria Voce mentioned that we are in a time of division. I would add that we are also in a time of small passions. Chiara might be very unpopular today, precisely because the world believes in divisions and lives with its own small passions. But I believe that the year you are dedicating, that we are dedicating, to remembering, reviving the memory of and meeting Chiara Lubich is also a year that challenges both these little passions and being resigned to a divided world. Chiara wrote: “We hope that the Lord will bring about a new world order. He is the only one who can make humanity one family. Only He can bring out the distinctiveness of all peoples so that, in the splendour of each one being at the service of the others, the one light of life may shine forth. In this way our earthly homeland will be more beautiful and become a foretaste of the eternal homeland”. I think that celebrating this centenary is a service to humanity and to the thought of our time, which lacks vision. Her contemporary Wojtyla wrote “the world suffers, especially for lack of vision”. I believe that this world of ours can flourish again with Chiara Lubich’s vision. Just a word of warning: we need to be careful when we use the word celebration. Maria rightly prefers to speak of an encounter. It is a demanding encounter and this encounter, dear Maria, must also be history. We must have the courage to rewrite Chiara Lubich’s story in her time, to better understand how her action has changed history. I am thinking, for example, of the adventure of sending focolarini to Eastern Europe and how this contributed to the fall of the Berlin wall. Chiara did not choose to seek refuge in the West and be resigned to the wall. And so I am sure that this centenary year, which begins today, will make the person of Chiara grow in a new encounter with our times, and not diminish her.
Dec 4, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The president of Azione Cattolica Italy met with the Focolare’s General Council, and what emerged was a shared commitment for Albanian earthquake victims. On the afternoon of 29 November, close to 50 people – including members of the national administration of Azione Cattolica, members of the Focolare General Council, and Focolare directors in Italy – came together at the movement’s international headquarters at Rocca di Papa. From the start there was a great, tangible harmony that, as the meeting unfolded, showed all the richness of communion. “It is an opportune time, and the Spirit urges us in this direction,” said Matteo Truffelli, president of Azione Cattolica Italiana (ACI). “By staying close to other realities in the Church, we experience an abundance of ecclesiality,” affirmed Jesús Morán, Focolare’s co-president. Following a prayer by Monsignor Gualtiero Sigismondi, the ecclesial assistant for ACI, Focolare President Maria Voce explained the movement’s specific calling to unity. Truffelli in turn presented the areas of focus for his association: the missionary activity that Pope Francis has invited Azione Cattolica to take part in – a challenge that they aim to take on enthusiastically and universally. A sharing of experiences from the two organisations in various fields followed. Those from Focolare retraced Chiara’s inspirations in ecumenical, interreligious and cultural dialogue: from Evangelicals, to Orthodox, to Anglicans, and today with movements from various Christian churches on the path of Together for Europe. The key to interreligious dialogue can be found in human fraternity. The relationships with the founders of movements in other religions have also been productive. In this age of diversity, the challenge is to manage cultural differences, rejecting others, and the risk of fundamentalism or assimilation. There is a vast range of projects in the fields of politics, economics, disarmament, environment and education, but the aim is also to show the Church as it truly is. Children and teens play a lead role in responding to the most important contemporary issues. Asking themselves how best to make their own experience of faith tangible in everyday life, ACI began the Fuori Sede (“offsite”) project for young people, students and workers, who aim to carry out their tasks wherever they find themselves. A Marian pilgrimage is aimed at adults who gravitate towards more popular religiosity. Finally, they are also collaborating with the Italian bishops conference through the Policoro project. As the afternoon of communion drew to a close, Truffelli proposed a common project to support those who had been struck days earlier by the strong earthquake in Albania. Moran spoke for many with his positive reaction. Experts from the two organisations are already developing a plan of action to achieve this collaboration.
Lina Ciampi
Dec 1, 2019 | Non categorizzato
What is the vision from North Africa of the migration towards Europe phenomenon? How is it possible to make it person centred, thus moving from a purely economic to a human vision of migration? Interview with Pasquale Ferrara, Italian ambassador in Algiers. According to the UNHCR*, 75,522 migrants landed by sea on the European coasts of Italy, Malta, Cyprus, Spain and Greece from January 1st to October 21st 2019. In addition, 16,322 migrants arrived by land in Greece and Spain making a total of 91,844 people, of whom 9,270 in Italy, 2,738 in Malta, 1,183 in Cyprus, 25,191 in Spain, 53,462 in Greece. This data shows a decreasing trend (in migration) and documents the emergency phases. It is not however enough so that Europe starts a broad and constructive dialogue on the subject: the prospect of the creation of a European system of flow management remains very remote, and in general the analysis at an institutional level does not take into account the perspective of African countries. In Algiers we joined the Italian Ambassador, Pasquale Ferrara: Mr. Ambassador, what is the vision from North Africa of the migration towards Europe phenomenon? Seen from Africa, migration is a historical and structural phenomenon, especially intra-African, because the vast majority of migrant and refugee movements take place between African countries: more than 20 million people live in a country other than their country of origin. Migration to Europe is different and people fear an uncontrolled influx. To speak of migration in terms of differences in development is only part of the picture. In Europe, a distinction is often made between political refugees and economic migrants. But often African economic migrants are the result of bad political management in countries, because there is a problem of governance, of appropriation of resources by oligarchies, of social inclusion. Therefore, in some way, economic migrants too can qualify as political refugees. Over and above the issue of illegal migration, as far as North Africa is concerned, it would be necessary to restore in the Mediterranean the circular mobility of populations that has always been observed in history. It means, for example, the possibility of coming to Europe for a period of study or work, and then returning to the country of origin. At the moment, these movements are subject to the granting of a visa, but it is very difficult to obtain one because of the many and necessary controls. For many people it is challenging, so the temptation of those who receive visas, even if they are well-intentioned, is often not to return to their country of origin. The visa must be maintained, but with a view to encouraging circular mobility, it is necessary to think of a more structured system. Then there is another factor that stimulates migration, and that is the difference in the quality of services that a society offers: health services and social security services in general, whose lack of availability and quality also influences, together with other factors such as endemic violence, the sense of security, or school services, so that even those who are not in a situation of absolute poverty try to come to Europe to give a better education to their children. We should therefore invest more in the training of the ruling classes, professionals and educators. In Algiers, even though the numbers are small, we are trying to do so, increasing the scholarships for young Algerians who go to Italy to study music, art, restoration, as an investment for their professional future. Is the West responsible for the impoverishment of African countries? I would be very cautious. This is a narrative that is useful for certain Afro-African oligarchies to dismiss their responsibilities when faced with a governance that is dubious in its legitimacy and in its results. The colonial period has marked Africa a lot and the past responsibilities of the West are ascertained, but at least 50 years have passed since decolonization and it is difficult to attribute to the West the problems of today’s African societies. The quality of governance is of great importance. Rather today in Africa there is a strong presence of China with programs related to natural and mineral resources in almost all countries. China considers Africa a large market, but the exchange is asymmetrical in favour of Beijing. However, to compensate for this imbalance, China carries out infrastructural works, stadiums, theatres and cultural centres for billions of dollars at its own expense. Europe is taking uncertain steps in managing this phenomenon. There is a lack of Community policies and it seems that the principle of shared responsibility does not warm the hearts of Europe. The choice of solidarity cannot depend on the good will and changing direction of individual governments. The migration issue must be dealt with exclusively by the European Union as such, as is the case with the trade policies for which the EU states have given Brussels exclusive responsibility for negotiating agreements with non-European countries. Today, however, on the one hand, because of a matter of national sovereignty, the states want to retain control over migration and borders, and that is understandable. On the other hand, they accuse Europe of inaction, but they do not give it the mechanisms it needs to operate effectively. But it seems to me unlikely that there will be progress in this area, given the resistance that this issue encounters in relation to internal policies. * https://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/mediterranean End 1st Part
Edited by Claudia Di Lorenzi
Nov 29, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The local Focolare community and Emergency Coordination of the Movement, together with Caritas and other religious families, are working to help those affected by the earthquake. The night between 25th and 26th November, a powerful earthquake struck the northern coast of Albania, in the city of Durazzo. To date there are at least 47 dead, 600 wounded and thousands of people displaced, but there seem to be many people still under the rubble. The earthquake produced enormous damage, buildings collapsed and hundreds of people are now homeless. The quake was felt in other areas of Albania and the Adriatic coast. The local Focolare community is working together with Caritas Albania, diocesan Caritas, many parishes and religious families in mapping the territory to survey houses, schools, churches and damaged buildings, and in planning coordinated assistance. Our people in Tirana wrote, “We are with Caritas and other groups and, as always, we work together.” Particular attention is being given to villages and areas far from the largest urban centers – unknown to the media – which have also suffered significant damage. They emphasized, “Creating bridges, fostering communication channels, networking needs and resources is a shared priority.” The Focolare Movement are helping concretely: welcoming families and people who cannot return to their damaged homes and offering accommodation in the homes of other families in areas not affected by the earthquake. They also offer the possibility of making a technical estimate of the damage suffered. Moreover, the Focolare is providing psychological assistance to the victims of the earthquake who are also affected by the state of continuous alert due to continuous tremors. Solidarity was expressed by the Focolare centers in Macedonia. The youth of the Movement are working to bring help too. There is a clear awareness that a concerted effort is the priority of these first days of the emergency, while in the coming months the need to make a reconstruction plan will follow. Pope Francis has expressed his spiritual closeness and paternal support towards the affected people and territories: “I am close to the victims, I pray for the dead, for the wounded, for the families,” he told the General Audience on Wednesday 27th November. “May the Lord bless this people that I love so much.” ________________________________________ For those who want to collaborate, the following current accounts have been activated: Azione per un Mondo Unito ONLUS (AMU) IBAN: IT58 S050 1803 2000 0001 1204 344 Codice SWIFT/BIC: CCRTIT2T Banca Popolare Etica Azione per Famiglie Nuove ONLUS (AFN) IBAN: IT11G0306909606100000001060 Codice SWIFT/BIC: BCITITMM Banca Intesa San Paolo PURPOSE: Earthquake emergency in Albania ————————————————————– The contributions paid on the two current accounts with this purpose will be managed jointly by AMU and AFN. There are tax benefits for these donations in many countries of the European Union and in other countries of the world, according to the various local regulations. Italian taxpayers will be provided deductions from taxable income, up to 10% of the income and with the limit of € 70,000.00 per year, with the exception of donations made in cash.
Nov 28, 2019 | Non categorizzato
With the motto “Celebrate to meet”, the opening, next December 7th of Chiara Lubich’s centenary was announced to the press. The launching in Trento will inaugurate the international exhibition “Chiara Lubich world city “.
© CSC Audiovisivi
© CSC Audiovisivi
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Nov 27, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Published by Città Nuova and entitled ” History and prophecy: Chiara Lubich’s way to unity”, this book will be presented in preview on November 30 in the Auditorium of the Gemelli Clinic, Rome. At the moment, it is available in Italian only. The author, Maurizio Gentilini who is an Italian historian, has chosen the title “History and prophecy: Chiara Lubich’s way to unity” for his work. This is the latest biography written about the foundress of the Focolare Movement on the eve of the hundredth anniversary of her birth. Translations into English, Spanish and Korean are planned. For those who live in the Rome area, it will be possible to meet the author on November 30 at 4.20 pm, in the auditorium of the Gemelli Clinic. The book is one of the publications prepared by the Città Nuova Publishing House for Chiara Lubich’s centenary year. This begins on December 7 – a symbolic date because on that day in 1943 Chiara consecrated herself to God, thus beginning the adventure of the Focolare Movement. The volume represents an attempt to reflect upon the biographical journey of the foundress of the Focolare Movement one hundred years after her birth and twelve years after her death. The biographer’s aim was to produce a book which would appeal to a wide range of people but would also provide a deeper presentation of individual aspects and major issues related to the person of Chiara and the Focolare – the laity in the Church, Vatican II, the world, ecumenism and peace. It wants to offer a presentation of her life within the context of the many and complex historical events that she witnessed, thus enriching this aspect of the many editorial works which have already been produced. The author, who likes to define himself as a “simple baptized person”, tries to read the events he describes by making constant reference to sources and by applying a historical-critical method. He understands everything that has happened with the sensitivity of a believer and through the hermeneutical key that finds its synthesis in the relationship between spirituality and action, between history and prophecy.
Stefania Tanesini
Nov 25, 2019 | Non categorizzato
An important anniversary was celebrated at the ecumenical little town of Ottmaring, then sealed with a ceremony in the city of Augsburg, Germany. There was a renewed commitment to be ambassadors of reconciliation and signs of hope in the various churches and society.
Foto: © Ursula Haaf
Foto: © Ursula Haaf
Andrea Fleming
More info: https://www.together4europe.org/en/
Nov 24, 2019 | Non categorizzato
“In a divided world, united in Christ” was the title of an annual meeting, which for the past 38 years has been bringing together bishops from various Churches. This ecumenical event, from 21st to 25th October, has been termed historic for the island of Ireland. “Powerful reflections across the ecclesial spectrum on witnessing hope in division. Prophetic … Holy Spirit breathe!” This tweet from Darren O’Reilly, co-leader of the Koinonia community based in Belfast, gets right to the heart of some exceptional days, between 21st and 25th October in Northern Ireland, for the 38th meeting of Bishops from different Churches, friends of the Focolare Movement. This year’s focus was on sharing reflections and testimonies on the challenge of unity in Christ, in a world as divided as it is today. 
These meetings, promoted by the Focolare Movement, offer bishops a space of dialogue and sharing on the spirituality of unity. This year 30 Bishops, belonging to 18 different Churches, from 14 different countries, were welcomed to the cities of Larne and Belfast. As every year, the location was selected for its symbolic meaning, this time for the “peace process”, an experience of commitment towards reconciliation within a divided society. The participants got to know something of the history and current state of the ecumenical journey in Ireland. They could not but be impressed by the constructive relationships and noteworthy fruits they saw. Bishop Trevor Williams of the Church of Ireland, delivered a well-received presentation of the history of Christianity in Ireland, and afterwards commented, “It was heartening to hear the Bishops’ concern for our ‘unfinished business’ of peace building and their joy at witnessing so many activities undertaken by Christians from different traditions to heal the divide”. The local Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor, Noel Treanor gave a significant contribution by outlining the ecclesial, social and political panorama. The Bishops visited significant places in the peace and reconciliation process, such as the East Belfast Methodist Mission, where they were welcomed by pastor Brian Anderson, currently President of the Irish Council of Churches. They participated in liturgical services in Presbyterian, Anglican and Catholic churches. In the Catholic church of St Patrick, in front of a congregation from different Churches, the Bishops witnessed to how they live the New Commandment of Jesus, renewing a “pact” among themselves: a solemn commitment to love the other’s Church as their own. This pact is always one of the highpoints of these meetings. But it was in the afternoon of 23rd October, that an open session at Larne touched the hearts of many and has been termed “historic”. The Catholic Bishop of Limerick, Brendan Leahy, described it as such, “It was like the experience of the disciples on the road to Emmaus who felt their hearts burning as Jesus was among them and explained and talks with them”. Over one hundred people participated from all over Ireland, from many different Churches (Apostolic Armenian, the Church of Ireland (Anglican), Orthodox – Patriarchate of Antioch, Presbyterian, Catholic, Methodist, Moravian, Lutheran and Syrian Orthodox). The President of the Methodist Church in Ireland was there and a representative of the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, representatives of the Irish Council of Churches, the Irish Interchurch Committee, the Dublin Council of Churches, as well as different movements and groups. The participation of Bishops from different Churches highlighted the fruits of the “dialogue of life” which was always encouraged by Chiara Lubich: a dialogue exercized by the people, including its pastors, a people united in Christ through the love lived by everyone. For example, the witness of true friendship in Christ and collaboration between the two Archbishops of Armagh, Eamon Martin (Catholic) and Richard Clarke (Anglican), both primates of all Ireland. This “dialogue of life” finds expression in the commitment to address, in the most varied of ways, the challenges, social and civil wounds of Ireland. Such as “Embrace Northern Ireland” – assisting refugees; the “Four Corners Festival” – promoting encounters and friendship across the geographical and sectarian divides which still affect Belfast; the Dublin Council of Churches involving 14 Churches. Rev Ken Newell, a former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, described the meeting as a “new Pentecost, where Christians of different Churches from all over the world were one in the Spirit, where the unity of the Church was felt … for the well-being of the world”.
Stefania Tanesini
Nov 21, 2019 | Non categorizzato
“To love in a Christian way we must “make ourselves one” with every neighbour […] We can enter as far as possible into their hearts and minds in order to truly understand their needs and share their sufferings and joys. It means ‘bending towards’ others, somehow becoming them, making ourselves them. This is Christianity. Jesus became man, he became like us to make us like God. In this way, people feel understood and supported” . (Chiara Lubich) Pupil to be excluded One of my colleagues confided in me her concern about a particular pupil we both taught whom she felt should be excluded from school. I asked her if there were any subjects he was doing well in: “Shouldn’t we try to help and support him?” She started to change her viewpoint: “Well, he’s actually quite good in some subjects”. Together we discussed what we could do for him. We invited the pupil to have a chat with us and explained the situation. Within a few weeks, things changed in a way we could never have imagined. One day, when I was with that same colleague, she said to me: “This story has also done me good with my children. I was awfully angry with the eldest one who wastes time on his guitar and neglects everything else. After the effort we made with this pupil, I started encouraging my son and one day he sang me two poems that he had set to music. It was a complete surprise to me and my husband but his siblings, knew how talented he was. When you do something for someone, your heart dilates and you see things you didn’t see before. (C.A. – Poland) Wife and mother-in-law One of my friends shared with me how hard it was for him that his wife and mother-in-law didn’t get on: their quarrels and resentments were affecting the whole family and the children were suffering because of it too. I listened to him for a long time. All I managed to say was not to take sides but to listen to both of them. I also tried to stay close to the family by offering them cakes or other gifts. After some time my friend came to see me at work. Everything had been resolved in a most unexpected way. “It was the way you listened to me that gave me the strength to do the same”. (J.F. – Korea) Give and there will be gifts for you I had recently offered a homeless man the bottle of water that I used to fill every day and take with me in the car. One day, feeling thirsty, I stopped to take a drink at a fountain but it was proving very difficult: a bottle would have made things much easier but of course I had given mine away. Just as I was leaving, an elderly gentleman who was putting some bottles in his car asked me if I was thirsty. “Yes but as you can see, I can’t drink from this fountain”. At that moment, wanting to make me happy, he gave me one of the bottles he had just put in his car. This filled with joy because it reminded me of the phrase “give and there will be gifts for you”. (R.A. – Albania) The strength of a friendship One day as I speaking to a friend from the parish, I was surprised to hear her say I should give more time to my family. What would she know? She’s not even married was my first reaction but her words turned around in my mind. I started to think about my relationship with my four children. Everything seemed to be fine but… something wasn’t quite right with M. One day he was listening to music in his room, so I decided to go in with some excuse and asked him what he thought about a certain matter. After a while he just broke down in tears. It was so unusual because he was normally such a strong, confident lad but after a while he started to tell me what was wrong; how he had been badly let down by his girlfriend and had come close to committing suicide. I was completely shocked. My friend had opened my eyes, and I decided I needed to pay the same “attention” to my other children. I had always thought I was the perfect mother. I had always taken care of everything but something was missing: the love of the present moment; that love that is ready for the unexpected. (F.G. – Philippines)
by Stefania Tanesini (taken from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, year V, n.6,November-December 2019) _____________________
Nov 18, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The Focolare Movement’s contribution towards dialogue between Christian Churches. Maria Voce spoke at the Angelicum, in Rome, on the 25th anniversary of the Encyclical Ut unum sint “It all started from discovering that God is Love”. Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement indicated this as the starting point that led to the progressive intuition and definition of the spirituality of unity, that animates the Movement founded by Chiara Lubich. She was speaking at the St Thomas Aquinas University in Rome, where a monthly cycle of conferences is being held to mark the 25th anniversary of the Encyclical Ut unum sint. 
During her speech she highlighted the contribution towards unity among Christian Churches offered by the charism God gave to Chiara Lubich and the spirituality of communion derived from it. The key ideas of this spirituality indicate the steps that lead to the unity of the human family, to the realization of Jesus’ prayer “…that all may be one”, “the goal of the Focolare Movement”. The discovery of the Love of God, Father leads to the awareness that we are all brothers and sisters. And, therefore, as Chiara Lubich used to explain “loving God as children means loving our brothers and sisters”. So, love towards our neighbour is another key idea of the spirituality of unity – Maria Voce affirmed. In other words, this means that one is to follow the path of the Gospel. Quoting Chiara’s words, she said: “Immediately, we perceived that the charism of unity is […] a light to understand the Gospel better, to see it as a source of love and unity and a strength to live it with determination”. She related that soon they realised that Jesus’ new commandment, “… love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34), indicated the measure for their love. They had “to be ready to give their life for one another”, as Christ did. Thus, the first focolarini started to live mutual love, and they made a pact of unity among themselves. This was “the beginning of a particular lifestyle suggested by the Holy Spirit: it had a communitarian dimension”. Whilst putting mutual love into practice, Chiara and her companions experienced the presence of Jesus among them. The Focolari President quoted Lubich: “We saw our lives take a qualitative leap foward: we felt a new peace […] We realized what was happening, when we read the Gospel words: ‘Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them’ (Mt 18:20). Mutual love united us […] Jesus present among us sealed our unity”. Maria Voce explained that seeking to have the presence of Jesus in the midst contributed to the name “Work of Mary” by which the Focolare Movement is also known. This name expresses the Movement’s commitment to imitate Mary; just as she gave birth to Jesus, the Focolare members live to give birth to the spiritual presence of Jesus in the midst through mutual love . It was soon realized that the spirituality of unity could be lived in various situations. Maria Voce related: “At the beginning of the 1960s, Chiara Lubich met brothers and sisters of the Lutheran Church; then she met Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, Orthodox and members of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, and it was discovered that this presence of Jesus in the midst could also be established among Christians of different Churches”. This discovery opened the path to dialogue, both on a theological level and on the level of “life”. It was supported by the experience of unity among Christians of different Churches , already a reality within the Movement. However, experiences of lack of unity may also occur. Focolare members consider these as an opportunity to “work” for unity and rebuild it. While quoting Chiara Lubich’s words, Maria Voce explained that the road to unity is Jesus foresaken: “Since Jesus covered himself with all our evils, we can discover his face behind every pain […], we can embrace him in all sufferings […] and say our yes as he did. […] and He will live in us, as the Risen Lord”. She continued: “Later, Chiara discovered the face of Jesus foresaken also in the divisions between the Christian Churches. Even here, ‘the main work of the Focolare Movement’ is to heal the divisions and work for unity”. Then, she highlighted the contribution that an experience of unity among theologians of various Churches “could offer to ecumenical dialogue”: “If theologians let themselves be guided by being one in Christ”, Jesus “will facilitate the understanding of the different theological points of view” and “together they will rediscover the truth”. The last part of her speech was dedicated to the charism of unity as a road to holiness. Maria Voce recalled that the diocesan phase in the cause of the beatification and canonization of Chiara Lubich has been completed, and the process now goes to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Nov 15, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Pope Francis’ words to the university institute: “I leave you with three key ideas: wisdom, the pact you make together and going out to others. I ask you to continue your journey with joy, vision and decision.” “I am happy with the road you have covered in twelve years since your life began. Push on! The journey has just begun!” These were Pope Francis’ opening words when he greeted the academic community of the Sophia University Institute today in a private audience. “In the path that lies before you, there is no shortage of reference points: there is the charism of unity from which your University was born and there are also the points that I outlined in the Apostolic Constitution Veritatis Gaudium which your academic and formative project wants to reflect. Your participation in the preparation and development of the Global Educational Pact is evidence of this.”
© Servizio Fotografico Vaticano
© Servizio Fotografico Vaticano
Tamara Pastorelli
Nov 13, 2019 | Non categorizzato
“Challenging the future: men and women in dialogue”. This was the title of a meeting held at Castel Gandolfo, (Italy) from 18 to 20 October 2019, organised by the Focolare Centre for Dialogue with People with non-religious beliefs. It was an opportunity to express hopes, needs and ideals from different cultural perspectives through a wide-ranging dialogue between people without a precise religious affiliation and Catholic Christians. Two young Muslims were also present at this meeting entitled “Challenging the Future: men and women in dialogue”, held at Castel Gandolfo (Rome, Italy) from 18 to 20 October, organised by the Focolare Movement. The choice of theme stemmed from the search to understand in depth today’s women and men, adults and young people, belonging to different faiths and non-religious affiliations. What holds us all together? What is the specific contribution of male-female collaboration for a peaceful future and effective work for the common good? When does education on male-female relationship start? “Everyone is different, but at times young people are excluded because of what they look like. Real heroes don’t do this, even if it’s not always easy”. These are the opening words of the short film “Real Heroes”, by Belgian director Erik Hendriks, which opened the conference. The documentary, filmed with a cast of students, was followed by a wide range of contributions which proved to be a source of enrichment for all those attending at the three day meeting. The focus of the meeting was the Focolare’s distinctive approach to work: working together and with co-responsibility between men and women. An important contribution was made by Piero Taiti, a medical doctor and pioneer of the Focolare’s dialogue with people of non-religious beliefs, on Chiara Lubich’s prophetic message. Moreno Orazi is an architect who describes himself as a ‘troubled Christian’, still searching, with many questions about faith. He presented examples of the masculine and feminine in the social environment. “We recognise the strong influence that the difference between the feminine body and the masculine body has from a psychological point of view. At the same time I also perceive a substantial reciprocity of feelings from the point of view of existence and affectivity, at the deepest level. For both men and women, solitude and a lack of recognition of the person, of their hopes and expectations, cause deep suffering. There is an inner voice emanating from the body of women, to which men have reacted ambiguously in the past, amplifying or ignoring it according to their own interests at the time, but never perceiving it as the key to ascertaining the essence of the feminine”. For psychiatrist Giuseppe Auriemma, reciprocity, which springs from the relationship between men and women, is a valuable resource for overcoming differences. “Reciprocity calls for effort and commitment. It involves overcoming the rigidity of opposing positions, resisting the temptation to resolve differences in victory by the strongest; overcoming a mentality of taking and possessing. In reality, it is a hard journey towards liberation. Men and women must be aware of their specific characteristics, which can be gifts and a source of enrichment as well as limitations. Only in this way can they live in a relationship, a true meeting, because each will have something to give and something to receive”. Donatella Abignente, lecturer in Moral Theology, outlined a perspective from the Catholic Church: “There is a lively debate going on now in the Catholic Church. At the Synod of Bishops on Amazonia, the Pope asked for women’s ministry of the Word to be officially recognized. This was met with resistance from those who place too much importance on individual rights and particularly on the rights of the strongest; so that women only become important when they acquire enough strength to make their own rights count. Rights should be acknowledged on the basis of fellowship. As regards reciprocity, it can only be built freely, which does not mean neglecting one’s own fulfilment, voluntarism based on mortification, or altruism which resembles the search for one’s own perfection through service. It is not about becoming women or men, but of becoming persons within the free giving of fellowship, committing ourselves in a transformation that will last our whole lives”. Valuable contributions were offered by people from beyond Europe. Vania Cheng spoke about the man-woman relationship in China; Ray Asprer gave a perspective from the Philippines; Mounir Farag, Haifa Alsakkaf and Giovanna Perucca reflected on women in Islamic societies. In her talk, “Interpretative keys to interpreting the history of man-woman relationships” sociologist Giulia Paola Di Nicola presented an overview of history, outlining some of the changes which have developed over the centuries, the division of roles, hierarchies and values which over thousands of years have characterized approaches to the ordering of society.
By the editorial team
Nov 11, 2019 | Non categorizzato
An interview with Brother Gino Alberati who has been a missionary in the Amazonian sub-continent since 1970. Now that the media spotlight upon the green lung of the earth has faded because the forest fires have been extinguished and the Catholic Church’s Synod on the Amazon has produced its final document, we feel it is important to continue to publicise news about the people who live in the Amazon and contribute to its development every day. There is a great risk that we could regard this piece of land as something from an exotic postcard and very distant from the life of our big cities. It is one of the most extensive multi-cultural workshops on the planet. This aspect of the area certainly makes less of a stir than the environmental issues with which it is associated but respect for this fact is equally central to the survival of its population. For this reason, taking up the cultural challenge in the Amazon and supporting human education and training is of vital importance.
© ACN Kirche in Not
Stefania Tanesini
Nov 10, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The diocesan phase of the Cause of Canonisation and Beatification of Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, ended on Sunday 10th November. Over 500 people filled the Cathedral in Frascati (Rome) where the last session of the diocesan inquiry took place. Participants included Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the President of the Focolare Maria Voce (Emmaus) and the Co-President Jesús Morán, some relatives of Chiara Lubich, two representatives of the Orthodox Church, several mayors of towns in the Lazio region, priests, lay people, men and women religious, as well as many friends who knew Chiara and the charism of unity of the Focolare.
The last 3 of the 75 boxes are sealed
Lorenzo Russo Focolare Movement Communication Office
Text: State with greeting by Maria Voce
Nov 7, 2019 | Non categorizzato
St Paul’s words “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (Rom 12:15) invite us to “make ourselves one”, to put ourselves “in someone else’s shoes”, as an effective way of living real love. When we put this into practice, we notice things starting to change around us, beginning with our family relationships, our schools, places of work and our local communities. With gratitude we discover how our love, when given freely and sincerely, sooner or later will be returned and become reciprocal. Welcome A woman with a troubled past came to live in our locality. When we realised who she was, we did not want to have anything to do with her. In fact, we discovered she had murdered her own son, and had not been sent to prison because she was pregnant and suffering from depression. Our parish priest reminded us not to condemn her, but actually every time we saw her, it was extremely difficult not to think of what she had done. As time passed, helped by the parish priest, this woman became the measure of our capacity to welcome others. And with our sustained effort to “look at the other person through new eyes”, the whole quality of our community life improved. We reflected it was precisely through this woman in need and our mercy towards her that God was giving us an important lesson from the Gospel. And we received a real gift one day when, through her tears, she shared her story with us: all her sufferings and the violence she had herself endured. She thanked us because we had proved to her that love exists and that the world is not only evil as she had known it up to then. (M.P. – Germany) Supporting deaf and dumb children Our institute is funded partially by the State and partially by our own efforts, through selling our own hand-made craft items. But there are always so many in need. One day the parent of one of our pupils came to tell us they couldn’t find the money to solve a serious problem. I took the last money we had and give it to him. Later that same day a visitor came whom we had never met before. She told us, “I saw the statue of Mary in your garden and stopped to pray. I respect what you do here, it is admirable. I don’t know what I can do for you, but maybe this will help”. And she gave us two bank notes totalling exactly double what I had given away in the morning! (J. – Lebanon) On a cruise trip I’ve never known my mother to be healthy. She has always been unwell and for decades confined to bed. My father despite his brilliant and successful career, stayed close to her, ensuring she had everything she needed. One day I was invited on a cruise trip and I accepted immediately, making any number of excuses to myself. On that trip, while my colleague was talking about his family, I realised that I had very little to say about my own, it seemed I almost felt ashamed of the ongoing suffering in my family. However, when he asked about my parents and I started talking about my father’s dedication to my mother, I found I was actually so proud to have a father like this, and I began to understand that suffering is of value. When I returned home, I immediately went to ask forgiveness from my parents, not so much for having left them to go on holiday, but because I had not been able to recognize that they needed me. With that “cruise trip” my life changed. And the last days of my mother’s life became a gift for the whole family. (S.S. – Spain) Asking forgiveness Early one morning in the kitchen, my wife and I were agitated over unresolved problems. We could see no way out and, as on other occasions, a furious argument was about to explode. I paused just for a moment and asked myself if all the promises I had made to God to make a new start were valid or had they all gone up in smoke? I went to my wife and, even if I did not find it easy, I asked her for forgiveness. Immediately, she responded, saying that she was the one to blame … By the time the children arrived in the kitchen, they found not only the breakfast ready, but their parents who were growing with them, striving to transmit to the children the right key to living well. (R.H. – Slovacchia)
edited by Stefania Tanesini (from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, anno V, n.6,novembre-dicembre 2019)
Nov 5, 2019 | Non categorizzato
People of all ages, from East and West, had an important experience of openness, knowledge of different cultures and dialogue in Europe. https://vimeo.com/363570320
Nov 3, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The Focolare’s “culture lab” came to a close on October 27 at Castel Gandolfo, Italy. Its objective: create synergies between professions and disciplines in order to understand how to build a more united society in a world that is continually evolving. Try imagining tomorrow’s world. Try projecting yourself forward into the future and asking yourself what our planet will be like 20 years from now. Dare to have the most utopian ideas, and dream of changing the world today. There is an ancient African proverb that says, “If you want to go quickly, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” It does well to express the challenge of managing the world’s complexity together, not as individuals, but by creating a network of singular talents. It is a challenge being taken up by an international, multicultural group of adults and young people, academics and professionals, who gathered at Castel Gandolfo, Italy. Coming from more than 40 countries, participants got into things straight away, taking in proposals from various experiences and reflections. By opening up a wide dialogue, each will sustain and develop tangible proposals in their own fields. “Change the changing world” was the title of the final day and a half, which was run by young people and aimed at their age group. A number of them signed up to the call to attend “The economy of Francesco” event in Assisi on March 26–28, where the pope will address young economists, entrepreneurs and change-makers. The idea is to make a pact together with them, beyond any differences in beliefs or nationality, to change the current economy and give a soul to tomorrow’s, so that it is more just, sustainable, and with those excluded playing more of a lead role. Speaking of taking a lead role, Adelard Kananira, a young Burundian, showed how the Together for a New Africa project (T4NA) is driving towards creating the foundations for a new ruling class and a new model of leadership in Africa. The first training sessions for this project were held in Kenya this year, with more than 150 participating – young people, educators and professors from East Africa. Their goal is to tear down the walls that exist between tribes, political parties, ethic groups and countries, in order to reach the common good of development and peace. Giada and Giorgia, instead, hope to bring change through their commitment to the reality where they work. Giada, 23, works in the film industry as an assistant director, which is extremely demanding work that she wouldn’t trade for anything else in the world. She hopes one day to make films that transmit harmony, which she works to create every day with her colleagues, sure that cinema can be a powerful means that can truly contribute to changing the world. Giorgia, 32, is a member of a local council in Italy with a mandate for youth, innovation, participation and the local economy in her district. Her dream has already become reality: in her town there are shared financial statements, the objectives of Agenda 2030 are front of mind, new development models are sought out, and projects to safeguard the environment such as urban gardens are progressing. Through their commitment, both young people and adults are already influencing the future by fulfilling their ideas and spreading and instituting best practices. They are already aiming to change, at this very moment, a changing world.
Patrizia Mazzola
Nov 1, 2019 | Non categorizzato
A serious illness and unexpected hospitalization in a foreign country led to a deep bond of friendship and sharing between two Focolare communities in Colombia and Venezuela. We never envisaged that a telephone call we received one evening would lead to an unthinkable chapter in our lives. We were informed that a relative of a Focolare member in Venezuela was admitted to one of the hospitals in the city of Bogotá (Colombia). This Venezuelan, who arrived in Colombia as a migrant, in precarious conditions, worked as a bricklayer. He had to be hospitalized because he was seriously ill. The next day, two Focolare members, who both felt God’s call to show love to this brother, who was a stranger to them, met at hospital when they went to visit him. They introduced themselves to him and assured him that he could count not only on the two of them, but also on the larger family of the Bogotá Focolare community. He told them that he was in Bogotá with his son, who was now replacing him at work. The doctors warned that his condition was very serious. When we contacted his son, we found out that they were living in a poor hut. Through an appeal to our community, we managed to provide clothes and shoes for them. Later, the son had to stop working to dedicate more time to his father. So, some of us started to see to his breakfast, his lunch, his need to rest; we wanted him to feel the warmth of a family. Others took turns to visit the father in hospital, so that the son could be relieved. Meanwhile we continued to see to their basic needs. The time came when the father expressed his wish to return to Venezuela. He shared with us that his experience in Colombia made him feel God’s love and brought a true conversion in his life. He wanted to see his little daughter again, to be with his wife and die in peace. He could not travel by land, so money was needed for the necessary documents and for the flight. The doctors and nurses were also greatly touched by this situation, so they helped in various ways and collected a large sum of money. In the meantime, he needed specialized care and despite difficulties, after some time he was admitted to a specialized medical centre. Here, the doctors realized that there was nothing more they could do. He should have been discharged out hospital, but considering his situation, they decided to keep him there until his departure for Venezuela. We asked a priest to visit him, and he was able to confess and receive the anointing of the sick. On the day of their departure from Bogotá, there was a blackout in Caracas (Venezuela) so the plane could not leave. They had to wait for three more days; they stayed in a hotel near the airport, until finally they were able to depart. When the son contacted us, he expressed a lot of gratitude for the love received; he told us that his father managed to arrive home and passed away very peacefully after some time.
The Bogotá Community(Colombia)
Oct 29, 2019 | Non categorizzato
How are things in Fontem? Many people are asking for the latest news from this the first Focolare small town in Africa, in South East Cameroon, an area afflicted by an ongoing armed conflict. Here is a recent letter from Etiènne Kenfack and Margarit Long, the Focolare coordinators for Fontem, who are currently living about 300km south, in Douala. Dearest friends of Fontem all around the world! Our thanks for expressing such concern about our situation. Your participation gives us joy, comfort and the courage to carry on. The socio-political crisis of this region, which has led to acts of violence, remains unresolved. The sound of gunfire has ceased at present, but the situation remains tense. Life goes on. People are still arriving at our hospital looking for help, even though now we are only able to offer a much reduced service. Over the past few months 1,894 people have come for a consultation. 644 of these were admitted for treatment, including 36 pregnant women who have since given birth. It’s now the rainy season, so we’re trying our best to keep up with essential maintenance on the electricity sub-station which supplies power to all the main infrastructure in Fontem. A small group has remained looking after the Mariapolis Centre, and together with others they’ve formed an amazing team taking care of the grounds in order to prevent the tropical forest from taking over the land. Recently, to everyone’s great joy, Bishop Nkea sent a priest to Fontem once again. This is an unequivocal and tangible sign of the Bishop’s care for the Bangwa people. The new priest is in close contact with the local leaders of our Focolare community there, and of course his presence has facilitated participation in the sacraments, especially Sunday and daily Mass. Also in this most recent period, the anniversaries of two Fontem pioneers – Pia Fatica and Fides Maciel, both buried in our cemetery – were solemnly commemorated. We are very concerned about the exploitation of the media for political gain. All too often we’ve noticed news being circulated which is most definitely incorrect. So we’re appealing to you to regard any news about Fontem, including on personal social media platforms, with the greatest responsibility and prudence. Please try to verify the original source of any such news before sharing. Our own “strategy” in this crisis is to increase the communion and collaboration between everyone who has remained in the little town, in order to achieve joint decision-making. As you can imagine, this is not always easy! It can take time and effort, again and again, to listen to one another really well. However, it’s clear to all concerned that this is the only way to go ahead together and continue witnessing to the life Chiara Lubich brought to this land. Aracelis and Charles are responsible for the Focolare community in the first little town in Africa. They tell us about the current situation and explain how life is going on in Fontem today. https://vimeo.com/363570844
Oct 27, 2019 | Non categorizzato
The story of Dorotka and her family “An eXtra Something” is a film telling the story of Dorotka, a teen from Bratislava, Slovakia. She has Down syndrome, a genetic anomaly. Despite the difficulties this brings, it soon proves to be an “added value” for those around her. Her mother Viera explains what happens at the heart of a family when they learn they are expecting a child with Down syndrome. 
“It was a shock! We didn’t expect it that and we had never even seen someone with Down syndrome before. But Dorotka looked just like our other four children. We knew that panicking about an unknown situation doesn’t help, although keeping a cool head does. “Yet secretly, somewhere in my soul, I was afraid we would not be able to love her. In the time that followed, extraordinary things began to happen. Many precious people came into our lives, they helped us a lot, and they still help today. And our relationships in the family have become stronger. Our four older children have become more sensitive, loving, and the whole family is united as never before.” How does feeling surprised change to feeling gifted? The name Dorota means God’s gift. She already had this name during the pregnancy, and we believed that God never gives bad gifts. We just received something we don’t understand yet, and we felt it was a little test of our trust in God. At the time we began to hear many ideas and reflections, in which we sought God’s will in the present moment. It helped us a lot, as we clearly felt that this was God’s will for us. A friend of ours sent us a note that read, “This is true happiness, because it is built on pain”. How did you decide to share your experience with other families? Early on a doctor introduced us to other families who had children with Down syndrome. Together we did different therapies, we shared our experiences and eventually established an association called “Up-Down Syndrome”. We longed for the children to grow together, so that they were not only attached to their own family, and prepare them so that they can continue together on the road to some independence. We then founded the “Dúhadlo“ theatre, which opens new horizons for children through drama therapy. How did the collaboration with the University of Bratislava begin? A friend of ours teaches medical ethics at the Faculty of Medicine. Nine years ago she invited me to tell our story to students and get them more acquainted with the Down syndrome diagnosis. I am very grateful to have had this possibility. We felt that young doctors could still be influenced positively, and over the years we have always had positive feedback from students. “An eXtra Something” is the name of a documentary film that tells the story of Dorotka in her daily life, her joys and struggles. Why this title? Our original intention was to make a short video for World Down Syndrome Day. Pavol Kadlečík had no experience with Down syndrome and was so amazed that he decided to make a longer film. None of us knew that such a beautiful documentary would eventually be produced. Down syndrome is a genetic disorder in which the 21st chromosome does not form a pair, instead it forms a triplet. Therefore, this diagnosis can also be called Trisomy 21. This means that these people have one extra chromosome, and often it is called the chromosome of love. There’s something extra in them, and they have this special ability of unconditional love. There is no fiction in this film. It shows the daily life of the main character and her family, classmates, friends from theatre and music, and includes the struggles, joys, successes and disappointments. It bears witness to the love in this family and their “yes” to life. Dorotka, did you enjoy shooting a movie about you? When I was standing in front of the camera, sometimes I was a little anxious, and I had stage-fright. It was hard not to look directly into the camera. But the cameraman was great, and I enjoyed it. Palko made everyone happy with the idea of this film, and I would like to continue with a new one. What would you say to people reading this interview? I became an actress to make you happy. Try to love others.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Oct 25, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Youth for Unity from Oceania went to Lake Mungo to find out about the life and culture of the aboriginal people. It was a unique experience that opened hearts and minds. https://vimeo.com/362748693
Oct 23, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Beating an addiction to gambling is possible, but not alone. Here’s the story of Christian Rigor from the Philippines, who found God at Fazenda da Esperança, as well as his life’s deepest meaning. The idea of “aiming high brings to mind various things: work objectives, personal projects, dreams worth fighting for. They are often all-embracing challenges that we dedicate a good part of our lives to. Yet there are goals and then there are goals; some have a more subjective value than collective. To reach loftier goals you have to follow a path of growth, put yourself in question, develop a sense of responsibility for the collective and open your horizons to faraway worlds. Then there are lesser goals that turn us inwards, that close a person within their own self-interest, isolate them and eventually become destructive. The objectives we choose guide our way of life. Although you can always change which path you’re on. Christian Rigor, a 30-something from the Philippines, knows this well. A peaceful childhood in a well-off family allowed him to study and specialise in Europe. As a teen he had a full social life, but he wanted to make “easy money”, without working for it. His taking things lightly was fatal from the first moment he entered a casino. Thus began his road to gambling addiction, caught in his need to recover his inevitable losses. It was a dark chapter of his life, aiming for misplaced goals. Along the way he lost friends, work, a fiancé, and the trust of his relatives. He also lost his personal wellbeing, which from the edge of the 24th floor of a building, reached its lowest point. The turning point came when, encouraged by his mother, he decided to move to Fazenda da Esperança, a project with houses set up throughout a number of countries around the world. In its DNA is the Focolare’s spirituality of unity., which inspired its founders. The rehab programme there is dedicated to people who suffer from various forms of dependency. “During the programme I learned to look beyond myself, beyond my egotistical and superficial worldly desires, and live for a greater goal. I learned to aim high and found God. That’s how I learned how to love God and those around me, in everything that I do in the present moment, even when it is painful or difficult.” At Fazenda da Esperança, life is organised in three dimensions: spiritual, collective, and work. Each provides an opportunity to grow personally. “As a Catholic, I learned to go deeper in my personal relationship with God, to listen to his word and live it, to look for unity with him at Mass and to pray as if speaking with a friend.” Collective life taught him that to “love God fully, I need to love those around me, to see the presence of Jesus in them.” It trained him to go beyond differences to serve each neighbour – sharing food, listening to friends who were down, taking care of things at home. At work, whether particularly heavy or just normal, Christian learned to give the best of himself. “I didn’t care how difficult, physically taxing, boring, dirty or gross it was.” Along his road to recovery, he was called upon to be a coordinator for his group. “It was difficult for me to be both gentle and firm, especially during arguments. One time I was unjustly accused of stealing, and I did not feel appreciated. I wanted to give up, but then I decided to stay because I wanted to heal my addiction and be a new person. I dove into loving in each moment, despite others’ judgement. I asked God for help and I felt closer to him.” Today Christian takes on the challenge of his life beyond the protected space of the Fazenda, and when faced with the temptation of gambling, he finds refuge in God. In reality he’s discovered that true happiness lies in aiming for other goals. “I realised that I find happiness when I love God, when I feel his presence during prayer, in the people that I meet, in my activities, and when I love in the present moment. To aim high, you don’t need to accomplish who knows what; you just need to do everything with love. Today, this is my lifestyle.”
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Oct 21, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Ana Clara Giovani is a Brazilian journalist who made a video-blog of the event. https://vimeo.com/363569902
Oct 20, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Ten days of protests with hundreds of people arrested and five victims. An appeal for dialogue by the Ecuadorian Bishops’ Conference and the United Nations finally bears fruit. The Focolare Movement’s commitment to contribute towards peace. On October 2 Ecuador’s President, Lenin Moreno announced a package of austerity measures. The decision to end fuel subsidies caused a rise in the price of a number of necessary commodities that triggerred immediate protests, and a state of emergency was declared. Ecuador, a Latin American country with more than 17 million inhabitants (71.9% mestizos, 7.4% montubio population, 7.8% afro-Ecuadorian, 7.1% indigenous Ecuadorians and 7% white Ecuadorians), found itself forced into peaceful protests, that did not need much to become violent and provoke repressive action by law enforcement agencies. “Peace is over” wrote a young Ecuadorian, who also sent me a video showing anti-riot tanks in the square. A friend who wrote to me a few days later, related: “I heard xenophobic expressions and stories about mestizos and indigenous people, who were betrayed and then attacked. It is so painful to hear about women and children who lost their lives. It has been said that five were killed during unexpected bombings at dawn. Despite all this suffering, people are peaceful and the weapons used during their protests were large bucketfuls of water to extinguish the fires caused by bombs, bicarbonate, vinegar, masks against gases and eucalyptus branches. On the front line there were youth, aged between twenty and thirty, who were not afraid to die. At the square, there were no indigenous people in the evening, but there were about 30 thousand others, people of all ages and colours, all feeling let down because the government was not doing anything about the situation. The National Assembly declared to be on vacation leave, and so there is no channel for dialogue”. In this delicate situation, the first to come forward were the bishops who together with the UN/Ecuador proposed dialogue, in particular between the indigenous people and the Government. After meeting the parties, they convened a meeting on Sunday October 13. They wrote: “We rely on everyone’s good will to establish a dialogue in good faith and find a prompt solution for the country’s complex situation”. Even the Focolare Movement expressed its commitment towards peace. “We are living this painful present situation by being generous, overcoming fear and putting aside our convictions, while we try to understand the others and put ourselves in their shoes. We feel a sense of helplessness when we see brothers fighting against one another. We would like our actions to be a compendium of heart, mind and hands, while we ask ourselves: is what I feel, think and do an expression of true love for the other, whoever he may be? Do my actions contribute towards dialogue, towards peace? We believe that every citizen has the right to demonstrate in favour of justice and democracy, while we reject all forms of violence from wherever they may come. We would like to highlight our preference for the less privileged, as the Pope teaches us. We want to be more radical in living the Gospel by our love for Jesus forsaken, who is presently revealing himself in the suffering faces of our indigenous brothers, in injured policemen, in young men’s faces smeared with blood, in those who mourn their loved ones killed unjustly, in journalists who have been assaulted, in those who attack others because of different opinions, in the ones who prefer to ignore what is happening, in those who spread false news and in stigmatized immigrants”. Promoting dialogue among the many different cultures present Ecuador is a primary commitment for the Focolare Movement in this country. Today, this dialogue seems to be compromised. Theysaid: “This difficult situation could lead us to think that all our arduous efforts in favour of intercultural dialogue and unity have been in vain. But no, they aren’t! Maybe God is calling each one of us to intensify our Christian living and act as builders of peace wherever we are”. And they concluded: “Let us ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten us all on how to proceed in these difficult times”. The “time-out” for peace is a daily appointment. As I write (while there have been more than 700 arrests and 5 victims), an agreement has been reached. The directives issued by the Government on October 3 have been revoked and both parties will be involved in drafting new ones. We hope that all protests will stop and that social peace will be restored.
Gustavo E. Clariá
Oct 18, 2019 | Non categorizzato
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]One priceless treasure that Jesus himself left us is his word, the word of God. This gift “involves a great responsibility on our part… God gave us his word so we might bear fruit, and he wants to see it carried out in our lives and actions to bring about that deep transformation in the world that he can do.” Renewed faith Our financial situation had become quite insecure. One Sunday we were disappointed at having to give up going on a trip, not even having enough money for petrol. We walked to church, and during the Mass the readings seemed to be particularly for us, especially the words, “The jar of meal was not spent, neither did the cruse of oil fail”. We returned home full of renewed faith. That afternoon, by chance we met someone who just a few months before we had not been able to sell a plot of land to. Discussing it right then and there, we reached an agreement in just a few minutes. (L. and S. – Italy) It taught me what consistency means After my father died there were some dark years, really negative experiences and serious disappointment at not being accepted to flight school, which was so important to me. Around then I met someone, a true Christian, who was quite committed at home, work, in the union and with neighbours. His example taught me what it means to be consistent with Christian ideals: being one with God and at the same time available for each neighbour. (Ettore – Italy) A gift at every birth When we were married, I was working the night shifts on my own and my wife was a physiotherapist. We lived off a small amount of money, but it didn’t seem to us a good enough reason to not welcome life. Each birth of a child (now we have four) coincided with a new career step, almost like a gift that each newborn brought with them. Still today we experience tangible love from on high each day. It is so abundant that we manage to put some money in common with others. (Michele – Italy) The postman I had ordered an iron and ironing board that were supposed to arrive in the mail. The postman had only delivered the first, saying that the board did not fit in his car, and telling me that I could pick it up directly at the post office. When I went to the office, an employee there became really angry, telling me that the postman was required to deliver the board as well, perhaps by loading it at the end of his route. The day after, the postman told me that he had received a good telling off and apologised. “No need to mention it further,” I told him, “we can stay friends like before!” The next Sunday, during a small party, I received a gift of a paper tree with the Word of Life that month: “Rejoice in the Lord always”. Straight away I thought, what if I give it to the postman? I did just that, and the next day I placed it above the letter slot. When I returned home I found a card with a heart on it and the word “Thanks”. (Monica – Switzerland)
edited by Chiara Favotti
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Oct 17, 2019 | Non categorizzato
Ecuador was hit by a terrible earthquake in 2016. The Esmeraldas Province, which was already fragile, suffered serious damage. The survivors found themselves in a very difficult situation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ykobg_KQys
Oct 15, 2019 | Non categorizzato
On 10 November, the diocesan phase of the process of beatification of the founder of the Focolare Movement will end in Frascati (Italy). It will continue in the Vatican, at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The Diocesan phase of the cause of beatification and canonisation of Chiara Lubich will end at St Peter’s Cathedral, Frascati, at 4.30 pm on Sunday 10th November, with the holding of the last session of the Diocesan Inquiry presided over by the Bishop of Frascati, Most Rev. Raffaello Martinelli. With the definitive closure of this phase, all the documents of the inquiry will be sealed and sent to the Vatican. This follows almost five years of investigations and research into Chiara Lubich’s life, virtues, reputation for holiness and signs thereof. After this stage, the study of the documents will continue at the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The process initiating the cause started on 7th December 2013 – five years after Chiara Lubich’s death – with the presentation of the official request to the Bishop of Frascati by the Focolare Movement. On 27th January 2015, Bishop Martinelli responded to the request by solemnly opening the cause. On that occasion Pope Francis sent a message in which he recalled the shining example of life of the founder of the Focolare Movement to those who “preserve her precious spiritual heritage.” He also urged the Focolare “to make known to the people of God the life and works of the one who, by accepting the invitation of the Lord, lit up for the Church a new light on the path to unity.”
Focolare Movement Communications Office
Oct 14, 2019 | Non categorizzato
195 young people from 67 countries, between 17 and 35 year of age, represented all Focolare youth as they met to get to know each other, discuss together and plan for a more united world. https://vimeo.com/363570137
