Suppose that just for once the media stopped being part of the problem and became part of the solution. This is a story by Austin Kellerman, news director at the local NBC TV station, and his team. They worked to lessen violence in their city. https://vimeo.com/333061434
Interview with Dr. Pál Tóth: “Applying the principle of fraternity to Europe as a political category means building institutions which pursue collaboration in diversity, to achieve the common good”. European elections are underway for the representatives of the 27 member states of the European Union in the European Parliament. 400 million citizens have the right to vote between 23 and 26 May, considering two opposing ideas of Europe: pro-Europeanism and Euroscepticism. This polarization is identified by some as following the geographical East-West divide of the so-called “Old Continent”. Pál Tóth, originally from Hungary, cultural advisor on the Planning Committee of Together for Europe , a network of over 300 Christian communities and movements promoting a “culture of reciprocity” in the European context and beyond, gives his perspective. “It’s important to realise that as the European Union expands, whereas new member States may quite quickly embrace a market economy and democratic legal system, actually synchronizing all the very different cultural realities present in the Union is a much slower process. I use the word ‘synchronize’ and not simply redressing or adapting after the social and political conquests of the West (of Europe), because I’m personally convinced that East Europe possesses values which are the fruit of a long history of suffering and as such are of great value. We just have to think of the love for truth expressed by the Czech people, from Jan Jus to Vaclav Havel; or the small communities emerging within the “Church of silence” witnessing to the life of the Gospel; or the people who continued to fill the churches in Poland throughout the period of national secularization; or the Orthodox icons which give such unique access to the Christian mystery, especially potent in such an image-dominated era. As I see it, East Europe is not yet capable of expressing these values adequately. It continues to react impulsively to phenomena it identifies as stemming from a moral decline into decadence. But progress is not made by criticism alone; there needs to be a journey of growth together, a ‘synodal process’ – as Pope Francis would call it – involving welcoming, understanding, speaking with clarity but without being offensive, deconstructing our prejudices, and discernment as a community”. The Brexit issue poses an existential question to the remaining States of the European Union: is it better to face present and future challenges alone or in a cohesive unit? “I believe the radical transformation of the world in which we live places challenges before us which we simply cannot manage on a national level. German sociologist Ulrich Beck speaks of a metamorphosis of the world, which calls for a completely different way of thinking than before. Climate change, migration, organized crime, the ‘common evils’ of global capitalism, cannot be addressed effectively on a simply national level, but rather with the force of an integrated political approach.” Chiara Lubich and Igino Giordani, founder and co-founder of the Focolare Movement, were very clear on the idea that a united Europe should promote world peace. In the light of the charism of unity, how do you rate the chances of adopting fraternity as a political category? “Democracy in the modern world has developed as a competitive system, involving the distribution of power, a battle between different parties, a process of checks and balances, civil society curbing the excesses of public power. Applying the principle of fraternity as a political category means building institutions which pursue collaboration in diversity, to achieve the common good. Over the past two centuries, the principles of liberty and equality have been translated into legal and political categories. Now it’s time to work on the category of fraternity, which incorporates the values of reciprocity and mutual responsibility. On the political scene, alongside the political parties as agents of competition, we could see the institutions of civil society emerging to take on public roles. There are alternative models, and movements for spiritual and cultural renewal, such as the Focolare, could play a significant role in this process.” The Focolare’s commitment towards unity in Europe is evident in the Together for Europe project. Ilona Tóth, member of the project’s planning committee, describes how the initiative came about. “At the eve of the Third Millennium, founders and leaders of Christian communities and movements active in Europe (Chiara Lubich, Andrea Riccardi, Helmut Nicklas, Salvatore Martinez and others) pledged to place their charisms at the service of the continent, on a common foundation of mutual love. The aim was to invigorate Europe from a spiritual standpoint, based on Christian values, alongside the established geographical and economic perspectives.” What has been achieved so far? “The Together for Europe network is generating ‘leaven’ for people in Europe with a culture founded on Gospel-based fraternity. These gatherings throughout Europe help to demonstrate unity in diversity. In their own environments, the protagonists launch initiatives promoting peace, the family, protection of the environment, solidarity and a fairer economy etc. They are seeking ways to respond to the demands of a continent in crisis.”
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Less than a century has passed since the end of World War II, yet it seems that today’s Europe has somewhat lost sight of its original challenge. The old continent was setting for two world wars, with millions of dead and many cities and communities destroyed, yet in the 1950s it launched a renaissance that could not even have been hoped for. The founding fathers of the present-day European Union saw beyond the special interests of each country and thought on a grander scale: a community of peoples who would be able to design an economic rebirth and future of peace. We talked with Maria Voce, president of the Focolare Movement, in an interview that took the form of nine questions. It was released in time for the European Mariapolis that will take place over the next months of July and August at Tonadico, in the region of Trent, Italy. The interview unfolded into a plain-spoken, frank conversation, taking on topics such as politics, youth, bearing witness as Christians today, the Europe we hope for, and what a European Mariapolis might mean. Diversity between various communities of peoples is valuable, affirmed Maria Voce, and there is no need to give in to superiority or nationalism. At the Mariapolis, diversity becomes a way for everyone to be enriched, becoming a moment in which everyone can show the wealth of their culture. “If everyone stretches themselves to do this,” she continues, “no one feels the need to assert their identity, because everyone’s identity is recognised, valued and enriched by unity.” And this is what the European Mariapolis can give and signify for those participating, fulfilling together a phrase that Chiara Lubich said back in 2004: “The highest dignity for humanity is not to feel like a cluster of peoples who are often at odds with each other, but being one people out of mutual love that is enriched by each person’s diversity, and as a result safeguarding the unity of the different identities.” Another topic that was covered was the role of young people in today’s society and their scarce participation in political life. Maria Voce does not doubt their abilities, and she values the witness of many young people who presently have an influence, for example, on environmental issues. The new generations are committed “to projects that look to the good of humanity, not just the immediacy of the passing day, for projects that require concrete action and that show an authentic life,” affirms Focolare’s president. The task for Christians, as well, is difficult enough, but they can spread values of solidarity, fraternity, love for the last and the least, for the poorest, by personally living a life that follows the light of the Gospel. The questions could not have overlooked her own meeting with the charism of unity, which happened in Rome during her university years and, as a result, her first experience of Mariapolis, which we discovered occurred in 1959 in the Dolomite valleys, where she got to know Chiara Lubich. Maria Voce herself is a witness to that wide variety of people who took a break each year in those enchanting places. They were attracted by being able to experience reciprocal love and fraternity first-hand, thus fulfilling Jesus’ prayer, “May all be one.” The final question drew out a hope and a wish from her. “My hopes for Europe are that it might discover its beauty and calling: peoples who are united, who are recognisable as themselves, yet who see in each other common principles and values. The history of people is also my history, the history of every European people is also my history. It’s part of my story and lives within my story.”
Patrizia Mazzola
The Risen Jesus wants us to have the experience of new life and peace with Him that we can then share with others. For others Ever since we were young, inspired by our Christian convictions, my husband and I have always tried to live for others. We come from poor families: my parents worked in mining while Ramon’s parents were farmers, and we are well aware of the hardships and needs that result from financial poverty. Our dream came true when we were asked if we would manage a fund for children in an adoption at a distance project. Thanks to the contributions we have received we have been able to follow 23 children and buy a piece of land where we have built a centre that can accommodate about twenty children from poor families, enabling their parents to go to work. There is also a small sewing workshop for mothers. Through many people’s generosity, we will be able to develop this activity for the children’s benefit and for their families. (R. J. – Bolivia) My fourth pregnancy In the ninth week of my fourth pregnancy I discovered I had contracted rubella. The days that followed were the most difficult days we had ever had to face as a married couple. This was a problem that was bigger than both of us. The doctors warned us that there was only a 5% chance of having a healthy baby. Today’s mentality would say that “rejecting” the pregnancy was the right solution. My husband left me free to choose, but I wanted him to tell me he accepted this new creature. This was in fact what I had already done the very first moment I became a mother. I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so intensely in my life. One day my husband said to me: “What if our son has not been affected or has only been slightly affected by the rubella?” It was the sign I had been waiting for. We embraced one another and from that moment on we felt more united. After six months, a handsome, healthy boy was born. (J.O. – Switzerland) Thieves in our home One day, when we returned to the house that we had built with great effort, we discovered that everything in our house had been stolen: the thieves had even taken the sink and the toilet. We couldn’t afford to replace what was missing with new items, so we started looking around second-hand shops when we suddenly recognized some of our things in one of the shops. The shopkeepers said they had bought them from some boys in the neighbourhood whom we knew well because they were our neighbours. We went to their house with the intention of reclaiming what was ours, but also to make the boys understand their mistake. When presented with the facts, they did not deny anything and we went with them to recover our property. On the way, we talked openly about values that give meaning to our lives, while they might have expected a harder reaction. Perhaps this is how we have made our small contribution to peace. (B.O. – Venezuela)
by Chiara Favotti
Another day of global climate action is due to take place all over the world on 24 May. An idea which began with a sixteen year old Swedish girl, the protest coincides with the fourth anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis’ Encyclical “Laudato Sí”. We asked the economist, Lorna Gold, a member of the Focolare Movement who works for “Trocaire”, the Irish Catholic Agency for Development and author of the book “Climate Generation: Awakening to our Children’s Future”, to tell us why we need to commit urgently as individuals and all together to protect the planet. You are a specialist in international development and have worked for almost two decades in academia and non-governmental organisations. Where does your commitment to the environment come from? My work for environmental justice began when I was young and I started campaigning to build a more united world with the young people of the Focolare Movement. I remember, in particular, meeting young people living in Amazonia in Brazil who told me how the forest was being destroyed. I was horrified and very quickly started to campaign in my school and community to protect the Amazon. I later studied and did a PhD on sustainable development, focussing on the Economy of Communion as an example of economics where people are focused not so much on consumerism as sharing and building the common good. In my work in “Trócaire” which works to support people living in poverty, I have seen that if we fail to protect the earth, we are also failing the poor – and all of us. Without protecting the basic conditions for life on which all of us depend, there is no way out of poverty. 
You have been supporting an initiative called “FridaysForFuture” promoted by Greta Thunberg which is being taken up by many young people and parents in Ireland. What do you do every Friday? I have been very concerned about climate change now and for many years have worked hard to influence policies of governments. I was really touched by Greta Thunberg. There have been others like her before but now, with the power of social media, there is a chance for the words of one child to become a “fire” which can move everyone. She was calling on everyone to go out and protest on Fridays, in particular on 15th December 2018. Initially, I didn’t think this was directed at me but eventually I did protest outside our Parliament. And I returned every Friday. The number of people joining us each week started growing and similar groups started springing up all over Ireland. By 15 March 2019 the whole country was mobilised: 15,000 children and adults came out onto the streets of Dublin and 40 locations around the country. How do we make commitment to the planet change our way of life? We have to protest and act. Anyone can start a Friday protest in their local community and log it on the Fridaysforfuture.org global map but you can also do a positive action like planting trees. This would generate a double impact – protest and plant! The global protests will take place regularly now, like this one. Together witth the Global Catholic Climate Movement, which Focolare is part of, we are calling on people of all faiths and communities to join the students that day. How much has your encounter with the charism of the Focolare influenced your work and life choices? 
My choices in life for sure have been influenced by the encounter with the Focolare. I have learned that Love conquers all. To solve climate change we need everyone to work together. We have technologies, ideas and even money. Yet all too often there is a lack of collaboration and genuine goodwill to work for the greater good. I believe the Focolare Movement has an important role to play in generating spaces where everyone else can be supported to work together in a spirit of genuine collaboration. Where did you get the idea of writing a book and why? What kind of commitment do you propose to protect the planet? The idea to write Climate Generation came from my deep concern that parents do not see what is happening to the climate or understand how it will affect their own children. I have worked on this issue for two decades. The situation is terrifying. Unless we change our societies radically in the next decade, our children will face runaway climate change of 4 or 5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. Put simply, civilisation as we know it would not survive. The vast majority of species would be wiped out. Our children would face a burden which is impossible to bear. For me, as a mum, that is just not acceptable. There is huge interest in the book here in Ireland and it has just been published in the USA by New City Press. I am hopeful it will get published in other countries too. In terms of what we can do, I suggest three things: first we need to reconnect with the earth, God’s wonderful creation. We need to find ourselves again in the great communion-fellowship, not only with our fellow human beings but with the entire cosmos. Secondly, we need to change our own lifestyles to minimise our impact on the environment. This involves somewhat of an ‘ecological conversion’ as Pope Francis calls it. A good starting place is to do your own ecological footprint online – there are many tools available on the web – and you will see where you can make the most impact to reduce your footprint. None of the choices are easy – and some require some major changes. Finally, we need to join with others to build political pressure for the BIG changes we need. Individual actions are not enough. Divesting our public investments from fossil fuels is a key step in this direction. Campaigning is also essential until the pressure for change is so big, it is unstoppable.
Anna Lisa Innocenti
Many Venezuelan migrants have arrived in Peru and other South American countries in search of a better life. Irene Indriago Castillo is a Venezuelan clinical cognitive psychologist who collaborates with the Focolare Movement in a variety of ways. She is currently working as an international organisational specialist in Peru. We have asked her about her personal and professional experience in this role. 
What makes the migrants suffer and what gives them hope? The people arriving in Peru have often used the cheapest form of transport possible to travel from Venezuela and have left behind everything they owned and the people they love. After the journey and the challenges of passing through migration controls, the experience which is sometimes called “from illusion to delusion” begins. These people have very little money but they want a better life for themselves: they want a home and a job so they can financially support family members who have remained in Venezuela. Unfortunately, these dreams soon begin to disappear and life becomes very difficult. They suffer a lot because they are separated from their relatives and probably receive very little news from them; the normal pattern of life is lost and they do not feel safe and secure anywhere. Sometimes they are worse off than they were in Venezuela. Adjustment is difficult and this can create difficulties between couples. These people are surrounded by a sea of uncertainty which saps away their spiritual and emotional energy. Only people with a very clear aim and a deep faith are able to overcome such challenges quickly. 
What are their greatest and most urgent needs? Their most immediate need is to earn enough to maintain themselves. They also need to work through the legal processes required to gain permanent residency and to acquire healthcare provision. They need to find ways to maintain contact with their families in Venezuela and they need help and support to handle their frustration, doubts and sadness. There are many children among the migrants: what traumas do they face and how can they be helped? Children and adolescents usually know that the reason why they are migrating is to find a better life, nonetheless, they are still emotionally shocked when it actually happens. They do not have the same capacity as adults to handle change. Through the workshops that I hold for them, I have come to realise that the decision to travel to Peru is always taken by the parents and the young people are never asked for their opinion. Although they understand that migration may lead to a better life, they do not all want to come. They see their parents less, they are anxious, they communicate less and don’t have friends. They do not all get a place at school in Peru and those who do are often called offensive names by the other students. Their sadness, anger and fear is often expressed in forms of behaviour that their parents don’t understand: they may be rebellious or cry a lot or become very isolated. It is really important to spend time with them, to find ways of communicating and to form groups with people of their own age so they feel supported Do you think there is any hope that these young people will have a better future? While there is life there is hope. We need to focus upon their resilience as a means of strengthening their mental and emotional capacity to deal with such great challenges in life. From a human rights perspective, the country in which they are now living must guarantee basic nourishment, healthcare and education. It is also essential to support them as they maintain communication with their family members and build new friendships. They also need opportunities to learn about their new environment and they have great need of spiritual support. These are all means to form people with sound values and a vision for the future and the capacity to make choices which will help them to fulfil their dreams.
Anna Lisa Innocenti
Maria Voce and Jesús Morán continue their journey in Lebanon: the roots of a culture in a country with a very complex social, political and religious situation. The challenge of an authentic dialogue as a key to Lebanon’s rebirth. “It’s time to build a new nation”, said a large poster overlooking the motorway, but the speed of the Lebanese traffic did not give one the chance to find out who published this appeal and the intentions behind it. 
The members of a small Focolare delegation, headed by Maria Voce, its president and Jesús Morán, its co-president, were returning to Beirut from a trip to the north of the country. There, they visited the Valley of the Saints, the spiritual centre of the Maronite Church, the largest Christian denomination in country. This area is also well known for the Cedars of Lebanon, a small forest at an altitude of 2000 metres where one can still find species that probably date back to the time of King Solomon, that is 3000 years ago. The members of the delegation were so impressed by the richness they discovered during this visit, that on their return journey to Beirut they affirmed the great capacity of this people, who can boast of 7000 years of history. The Lebanese managed to survive at the crossroads of three continents and three great religions and to safeguard their creativity in extremely difficult conditions. As they approached nearer to the capital city, they thought more of the country’s present situation, that leaves very little space for hope. In Lebanon, there are currently 18 religious communities. The state and public administrations function on “emergency” management. Ethnic, religious and political groups, big families, economic interests and foreign powers are deeply intertwined. Wounds, caused by the so called “civil” war, that took place between 1975 and 1990, have not yet healed. One of the bishops they met during these days said: “We haven’t had the courage to face the harm we have caused to one another, so no one has ever asked for forgiveness”. Comments show the fear of another outbreak of war. 
“It is time to build a new nation”, said the poster on the motorway. This provoked a very spontaneous question: how can this ever happen? Jesús Morán answered this question during a round table conference held at the faculty of Philosophy at the Holy Spirit University (USEK) near Beirut. His answer could be summed up in one word: dialogue. The Co-President of the Focolare Movement insisted: “Dialogue is part of man’s nature. Through dialogue man becomes more man; he fulfills himself by giving himself to others. It is not so much a matter of words or thoughts but of giving oneself. This requires silence and listening; it requires risking one’s own identity, even one’s own cultural and ecclesial identity. However, one’s own identity is not lost; it is enriched through one’s openness to others”. 
So, does dialogue build a new nation? Is this another one of those alluring theories that the Lebanese people have come across in recent years? The 150 Christians and Muslims gathered at the so-called “Yellow House” on May 13 can answer these questions. Located on the former demarcation line between East and West Beirut, the Yellow House was rebuilt as a historical symbol to remind people of the trauma of war. The testimonies shared by those gathered there were moving and convincing. They spoke of their friendship that began during the war when they were simply made welcome by the Focolare. A Muslim woman described how small gestures of closeness and attention, reciprocal visits and unbiased relationships transformed friendship into a real family. “Dialogue is possible only between people who are true. And it is only love that makes us true”, Jesús Morán said in his speech. The Christian and Muslim friends and their experiences are a proof of this. May be it is just a small seed, that will grow slowly, just like the cedars of Lebanon. But it is certainly a seed with overwhelming strength, from which a new nation can be born.
Joachim Schwind
Luigi Butori is an Italian focolarino living in Ho Chi Minh City. After over 20 years in Asia, he has seen its great beauty but also dramatic situations and contrasts. We went with him to see his work supporting and enabling the poorest of the poor, first in Thailand (see the CH Conference call of September 2015) and now in Vietnam. https://vimeo.com/333055587
The focus for discussion was safeguarding the Amazon – not only one of the richest ecosystems on the planet but also a “forest of cultures.” Look at the Amazon with the eyes of those who live there, “make yourself one ” with the indigenous peoples who inhabit it in relationships of exchange and perfect balance. While the Earth is a mother who gives life, it is humanity’s role to care for it – to protect the wealth of its creatures, while being at the same time a creature within Creation. This is the over arching vision of both the promoters and the participants of the fourth edition of the Village for the Earth, which was held in Rome promoted by the Focolare Movement together with Earth Day Italy. From April 25 to 29, they addressed the theme of safeguarding the Amazon, which has an ecosystem among the richest on the planet and at the same time contains “forest of cultures.” From the park at Villa Borghese, the appeal was renewed for the protection of the environmental and ethnic-cultural biodiversity of the Amazon. Described as one of the Earth’s “lungs,” the Amazon has been exploited and looted for too long by multinationals and governments who see it only as a source of income. The extraction of oil, gas and precious materials, and the growing deforestation of areas destined for intensive agriculture or for the construction of dams and other infrastructure – reports Francesca Casella, Director of Survivor International Italy – is a “deliberate attack” that puts at risk the survival of the ecosystem and the tribes that inhabit it. These tribes are illegally evicted from their lands, deprived of sustenance or even exterminated. “We are hungry and thirsty for justice for all those who have died fighting for our people and for our lives,” Hamangaì, an indigenous student representative of the Patax people in the Brazilian state of Bahia, said. “We ask humanity to stop and listen to the original peoples, the bearers of thousands of years of wisdom.” This cry was answered by the hundreds of organizations, institutions and entities – civil and ecclesial – that took part in the event and agreed to work together for the protection of the Amazon, this land that constitutes an inestimable ecological heritage, but which also offers itself as a model for the coexistence of hundreds of populations with different cultures, ethnic groups and religions. It’s a model to be protected, therefore, according to the spirit indicated by the Lord to Moses in the Bible: “Take off your sandals, for the place on which you stand is holy ground” (Ex 3: 5). This was the biblical passage that Pope Francis quoted during his apostolic journey to the Amazon, in 2016, and that Cardinal Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, proposed once again to the participants in the Village as the model of how our we should approach encounters with the indigenous inhabitants and their land. The bishops of the world will meet in October to discuss the theme of the Amazon, searching for “New paths for the Church and for an Integral Ecology.” This is the title given to the coming Synod by the Pope. The cardinal added that the presence of the Church in the Amazon is significant, with “7 Episcopal Conferences, 106 bishops and thousands of priests and pastoral workers.” A special attention that comes from the awareness that everything is connected, as the Holy Father underlines in Laudato si ‘, where he invites everyone to an “ecological conversion”, or, in other words, to assume the interdependence of all Creation, of nature with humanity and among all peoples, and therefore to change lifestyles in order to overcome individualism and to adopt global solidarity as a criterion for action. In this sense we can look at the work of the Capuchin Friars of the Holy Land, who are present in 72 villages living alongside indigenous peoples. They are also engaged in the fight against prejudice towards the indigenous peoples. While the indigenous are seen, by some, as backward peoples, the Friars assert that there is much to be learnt from them. “We are slaves of time, while being with them you understand how sacred it is to be together, to listen to each other,” says Father Paolo Maria Braghini, a Capuchin missionary for 20 years in the Amazon. He adds, “St. Francis would be happy to live today in that part of the world.” According to Rafael Padilha, professor at the University of Vale do Itajaì, in Brazil, this Amazonian model in its biodiversity, can and must be replicated elsewhere – while adapted to individual realities. He also emphasized the importance of promoting an economy that puts the person at the centre, for example through projects like those inspired by the Economy of Communion born of the charism of the Focolare Movement. Father Laurent Mazas, Executive Director of the Cortile dei Gentili, stated that the challenge, even in the so-called developed countries .is to move from multiculturality to interculturality, “from duel to duet, respecting the treasures of each culture.” At the end of the talk, in the Magnolia Avenue of the Villa Borghese, as a testimony to the common commitment to safeguard the forest and the peoples that inhabit it, a holm oak tree was planted in some soil from the Amazon.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Pope Francis invites young economists from all over the world to join him in Assisi, Italy, from 26 -28 March 2020 to promote a common covenant which will bring about change in present day global economics and reanimate future thinking. “I am writing to invite you to take part in an initiative that is very close to my heart: an event that will allow me to encounter young men and women studying economics and interested in a different kind of economy: one that brings life not death, one that is inclusive and not exclusive, humane and not dehumanizing, one that cares for the environment and does not despoil it. This event will enable us to come together, to know one another and will promote a “covenant” that will change the current economic situation and reanimate economics in the future”. 
These are the opening lines of a message that Pope Francis sent on Saturday 11 May to young economists and entrepreneurs committed to bringing change to global economics. He invited them to contribute to planning an international event entitled “The Economy of Francis” that will take place in Assisi from 26-28 March 2020. His aim is to begin a process of global change whereby economics now and in the future are more just, inclusive and sustainable and do not leave anyone behind. The event is being organised by a Committee made up of representatives from the diocese of Assisi, the council of Assisi, the Serafico Institute of Assisi and the Economy of Communion. The Pope is inviting everyone to join him – people of all faiths and nationalities – to discuss together the most challenging issues the world is facing today including care of the environment and justice for those living in poverty. They are issues which demand courage and commitment in order to rethink the current economic paradigms. Professor Luigino Bruni, scientific director of the Committee, said, “Pope Francis’ invitation to young economists is a historic event because it draws together topics about which the Pope feels very strongly – his preference for young people and his concern to create a new type of economy. Acting on his behalf, we are inviting the economists and entrepreneurs who have shown the greatest sensitivity to and understanding of the Economy of Francis (St Francis of Assisi and Pope Francis) so that the young people who will come will hear the very best speakers and learn about the best economic practice in the world today. The word “Oikonomia” (economy) has a complex background; its Greek root refers to our house rules or how we behave in our homes but, at the same time, OIKOS also refers to the care of our common home. The Fathers of the Church understood Oikonomia from a theological perspective, as a category of universal salvation. Assisi as a setting is very important: it is a town with a message that speaks of a different type of economy. The programme will take place in different parts of the town and will focus upon the three main pillars of the Economy of Francis: young people, the environment and the poor.” The two- day programme, from 26 -28 March, will include a range of talks on topics such as the rights of future generations, respect for life, social equality, the dignity of workers and care for our planet. The Economy of Francis will also be expressed in workshops, artistic presentations, seminars and plenary sessions. Well known economists and experts in sustainable development and other disciplines will reflect and work alongside the young people present. Applications to attend can be made from June onwards. The full text of Pope Francis’ letter and further details of the event can be found on www.francescoeconomy.org
Stefania Tanesini
The most recent event for dialogue between the youth of Buddhist movement Rissho Kosei-kai and young people from the Focolare deepened their awareness, friendship and common commitment for world peace. “All these years, wherever we’ve met, immediately the walls of our diversity vanished, and right away we found ourselves united with the same drive to want to work for world peace. This is also logical, since when our founder Nikkyo Niwano and Chiara Lubich originally met, right away they too found they were one, and for both it was a discovery to find someone seriously willing to work for peace in the world.” This is how Yoshie Nishi, vice director of the Rissho Kosei-kai’s youth branch, began to tell the story of symposia between young people from the Buddhist movement and the Focolare that began in 2008. 
This year’s edition, which happened at the Focolare’s international headquarters in Italy, had the theme “World peace starts from us: now is the time to step forward”. “The world is divided in many places,” explained the Rissho Kosei-kai youth. “Refugees, poverty, economic difficulties, etc, and not just at a national level, but throughout the small world where we live. On one hand, with the spread of the internet, you can create close links with the entire world, but on the other hand, poor relationships exist where conversations with next-door neighbours never happen.” There were many moments to share everyday experiences of peace: changes of lifestyle and actions that involve others and change reality positively. “We want to move forward and always look to each other and the challenges we see in the world,” said Rita and Henrique of the Focolare to their Japanese friends, “contributing to reaching a world that is more united, fraternal, where we can have more peace. But it is a peace that does not exclude people who are outcast, but that makes other people’s needs our own in order to one day arrive at the goal of ‘No one in need.’ This is how the catchphrase that young people in the Focolare have chosen this year reads for the Week of World Unity and for the course Pathways for a United World.” There was also real action in the symposium schedule: preparing and distributing hot meals at Rome’s Ostiense Station together with the RomAmoR ONLUS Association, which helps the homeless, elderly and immigrants. The Japanese delegation then participated in an audience with Pope Francis and experienced a day of sharing and in-depth study at the international centre of Loppiano, with young people at the school of formation and Sophia University Institute.
Paola Pepe
The Focolare president and co-president returned to Lebanon where they celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Movement with the community and various civil and religious leaders. It sometimes happens that the great currents of history are concentrated in the small history of an individual. This happened on Saturday, May 11, during the meeting of the members of the Focolare movement in Lebanon, on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the arrival of the Movement in the Land of the Cedars. In front of the 450 who were present, the presenters had just retraced some of the main stages of those 50 years, when one of them announced: “In the war from 1975 to 1990 my brother died. I was one of those who had a weapon in his hand. Then in 1993 I met the Focolare and the spirituality of unity changed my life.” These few words are a concentration of reality: there is the richness and beauty of Lebanon, the gateway to the Middle East, where three continents and three great religions meet. They say it’s a country that’s been privileged by history. That it lives out the continuous challenge of fraternal coexistence among peoples, religions, Christian rites and denominations. It is referred to as a nation that never gives up and that always finds new resources to start again. This presenter’s announcement expressed the drama and the trauma of a war that lasted 16 years, a war whose origins and roots have never really been addressed. Hidden within this one individual’s story is the seed sown by the first men and women members of the Focolare who arrived in Beirut in 1969. Their witness of a life based on love has not only survived the war but it is manifested in the various expressions of the Movement and in the many ecclesial and social activities that are presented on this day of celebration. 
Maria Voce and Jesús Morán, president and co-president of the Focolare, who came to celebrate with the Lebanese community, were not satisfied with a jubilee that started with the past and arrived at the present. In their answers to questions, they challenged the Lebanese Focolare community to look to the future and to never tire of announcing the Gospel in the style that’s typical of the charism of unity – which means, like Christ, to make themselves one with everyone. They encouraged them not to avoid the differences and conflicts that could challenge their own cultural classifications, but to reach a new evangelical mentality. They encouraged them not to live a superficial witness to ecumenism, but to live a true unity in the diversity of rites and denominations and before ecclesial authorities. They asked them to live inter religious dialogue – especially with Muslims – the way that Chiara Lubich lived it. In this way the prophecy inherent within inter religious dialogue would become manifest. Maria Voce summarized all these challenges in her greeting after the Mass on Sunday, May 12th, the official act with which the fiftieth was celebrated. In the Resurrection Cathedral at Antélias near Beirut, Maria Voce expressed the wish that Lebanon’s people could withstand any fragmentation. This way Lebanon could be a living ‘message’ of coexistence and fraternity throughout the world. This is the special characteristic of the Lebanese people that Pope John Paul II perceived in the 1980s. He saw that in Lebanon cultural and spiritual diversity could be found in the journeys of individuals and of peoples. Maria Voce repeated the words of the Pope, who is now a saint: “Lebanon is more than a country, it is a message of freedom and an example of pluralism for the East and the West.” (1) The 50 years of the Focolare in this country show that the spirituality of unity has the capacity to keep this message alive and up to date.
Joachim Schwind
(1) John Paul II., Apostolic Letter to all the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the situation in Lebanon, 7 September 1989.
The Movement has been in Bulgaria since the 1970s and the community there actively collaborated in various ways during the Papal visit: in the choir, volunteering during the event, in the liturgy and by giving interviews. The two days of the Papal visit went by in a flash, generating enormous interest not only among Catholics, who are only 0.6% of the Bulgarian population, but in all parts of society. Even during the preparations, the media gave great prominence to the event, creating a great sense of expectation in public opinion. During the visit, the main television stations in the country followed everything at it happened. The meeting with His Holiness Patriarch Neophyte of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was very cordial and the Patriarch welcomed the Pope warmly. 
A large number of people took part in the events. The liturgy took place in the square where rallies used to be held by a regime that had harshly persecuted the Church. In fact, the sacristy was in the former Party Headquarters! Fifteen thousand people gathered there, and in other parts of the city they watched the event on large screens, which was unusual for Bulgaria as it is an overwhelmingly Orthodox country. The Pope managed to speak to the hearts of the Bulgarian people, despite the language problems, but through what he did, his very being and his extraordinary capacity to communicate with everyone. An example of this occurred the next day, in Rakovski, a small town which is predominantly Catholic. During the Mass, the Pope, in a surprise change of programme, gave First Communion to all 245 children who were to receive it, not just the 10 who had been chosen. He engaged in a spontaneous dialogue with them, underlining the main points of the faith and the sacredness of what was happening. Then, in the afternoon, at the meeting with the Catholic community, where there were many spontaneous gestures and greetings, Pope Francis delighted the 700 people present in a small church. After experiences from a nun, a priest, a family and the young people, the Pope gave his talk, interrupting it several times to speak off-the-cuff, generating a spontaneous and lively reaction on the part of those present. The Focolare contributed in various ways, wherever they were asked; in the choir, in the distribution of invitations in different areas, volunteering during the events, in the liturgy, giving interviews etc. To sustain the Pope during his visit, they gave him a box of Argentinian tea (mate). The Movement arrived in Bulgaria in the 1970’s. It was the only lay group in the country during the Communist years and the most rooted in the local Church. The women’s Focolare has been in Sofia since 1991 and the Movement’s community is now in 9 cities in the country, comprising Catholics, Orthodox and people without particularly religious beliefs. We have strong bonds of friendship with Orthodox Church leaders at various levels. This visit, amongst other things, has given us the opportunity to deepen relationships built over time, meet new people and renew old friendships.
Majda Šušteršič
The Pope has signed new norms for the whole Church against those who abuse or cover up. The Focolare, too, has drawn up guidelines and procedures, outlined by Co-President Jesús Morán in a report presented during the recent Focolare “Collegamento” Conference Call. Dated 7 May, entitled Vos estis lux mundi – You are the light of the world – the document is a motu proprio, namely an instrument used when a Pope wishes personally to introduce something new or give new instructions to the faithful. This is Pope Francis’ latest action towards combating abuse against minors and vulnerable people within the Church. It is a vital step along this road. A range of legislative measures regarding the Roman Curia and the Vatican City State were announced at the end of the February Summit in the Vatican on the Protection of Minors. Now this latest normative document is directed at the whole Church. It establishes new procedures for reporting abuse and violence. It ensures bishops and religious superiors are held accountable for their actions. It includes the obligation for clerics and religious to report abuse. It encourages the laity to report abuse and violence to the competent ecclesiastical authorities and at the same time it mandates that each diocese must have a system in place to allow the public accessible ways to submit reports of abuse. The repercussions of this move reach beyond the Church into civil life because, as is well known, the scandal of abuse, both in the past and more recent times, touches the very roots of society, within family, school and sporting environments etc. The document deals with such a grievous issue, yet the Pope has chosen to open it with a phrase from Matthew’s Gospel which expresses hope and light, affirming: “Our Lord Jesus Christ calls every believer to be a shining example of virtue, integrity and holiness”. These virtues are to be lived by all people, and most certainly by those who by embracing the life of consecration to God, should never betray anyone’s trust, should never betray a child. As already reported, the Focolare Movement, with great suffering, has found itself not to be immune from this scandal. In a letter dated 26 March 2019, Focolare President Maria Voce and Co-President Jesús Morán communicated to all members of the Movement throughout the world the Focolare’s commitment to facing this issue. “It deeply pains us – they wrote – to recognise that, also in our own large family of the Focolare, some cases of abuse regarding minors (about 20) caused by people who belong to the Movement or by people who have taken part in meetings organised by us, have occurred. Most of these occurred in the remote past (over 20 years ago), but unfortunately some have occurred in the recent past. Consecrated members of the Movement were also involved in these”. They reiterate the Movement’s “zero tolerance” of any form of violence or abuse, and the duty of every Focolare member to take personal responsibility regarding protection from any form of mistreatment, bullying or cyber-bullying, paying particular attention to minors and vulnerable adults. They urge members to report every suspicion of abuse or violence to the local commissions and the Central Commission for the Wellbeing and Protection of Minors, established in 2015 by the Focolare’s International Centre. They unequivocally warn against the temptation not to report cases “for the good of the Movement, to avoid scandal or protect someone’s good name”. In a recent interview for the Focolare’s international Conference Call, the Co-President emphasized the Movement’s full adherence to the Church’s current approach. Dr Morán explains, “we felt we needed to acknowledge publically the fact that we too have been touched by this tragedy, and so we’re working for the victims to find justice, which also involves embarking on a process of accompanying at a general and practical level”. He recognises this as a great purification for the Movement and points out that our commitment to the protection of minors cannot be confined to Focolare circles. “With this letter we have tried to tell all the members of the Movement that it is important to engage at all levels so that this tragedy, this immense pain, which is a social and moral tragedy, should end as soon as possible and there be no more of these cases of abuse”. The Movement’s commitment is now focussed on prevention and formation of all its members, in particular those involved in children’s activities. Essential to this is collaboration with all the Movement’s agencies working with minors, including the Gen 3 and Gen 4 centres and the New Families Movement. Watch the Conference Call report: Protection of minors: transparency, prevention, training https://vimeo.com/333055363
May 10th 2018 will remain a historic date for the first Focolare little town as well as for the whole of the Movement. “I want to look to the horizon and invite you to look together with me, to look with trusting faithfulness and generous creativity to the future that has already begun today. The story of Loppiano is only at the beginning. You are at the beginning.” This is how, a year ago, Pope Francis spoke to the inhabitants of Loppiano. More than 6,000 people were present during his visit, the first of a Pope to a little Focolare town. It was a day that marked both the present and the future. In his expansive speech the Pope addressed both the pioneers of Loppiano as well as the youngest present and he encouraged them all to go ahead along the path they have taken by continuing to make Loppiano the place where “everyone feels at home” and in which “there are no borders.” Pope Francis identified in the charism of unity “a providential stimulus” and “powerful help” to live “the evangelical mysticism of “us”, that is, to walk together in the history of the men and women of our time as “one heart and one soul” (see Acts 4:32), discovering and loving each other concretely as “members of one of another “(see Rom 12: 5). “It is not only a spiritual fact,” Pope Francis explained, “ but a concrete reality with tremendous consequences – if we live it and if we proclaim it with authenticity and courage – on social, cultural, political and economic levels… Jesus has redeemed us not only as individuals, but also in our social relationships. (see the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, 178). “Taking this seriously means shaping a new face of human cities according to God’s design of love. Loppiano is called to this. And you can try, with trust and realism, to always become better and better. This is fundamental and the way to do this is to always start again.” The Pope’s words in their strength and depth have been like a treasure trove to be studied in these past months by members of the Focolare in Loppiano and beyond, to try to understand them thoroughly and bring them to life. But what has changed in Loppiano in these 356 days since that visit? Maria Voce and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare, who recently spent a few days at Loppiano to mark this anniversary, answered this question. As Maria Voce said,”We found it very beautiful. I had the impression of an air of resurrection, I felt that there was a new life that manifested itself in all that was presented to us, with more unity, and with truer, simpler and more direct relationships among everyone.” A little town that was renewed by the visit of the Pope “…who fully understood the point where Loppiano was – and the steps it had to take, and then he helped Loppiano to take them.” As Jesús Morán observed, “You can sense that the Pope has been here, it’s very clear, and it was a fundamental visit which marks the history of Loppiano. We know that the Pope’s words have a grace. They will be fundamental to our thinking about Loppiano today and tomorrow”. The video-summary of Pope Francis’ visit to Loppiano a year ago: https://vimeo.com/275691046
Founder of L’Arche, Jean Vanier, true apostle of “the least”, has died. The Focolare joins in remembering him with immense gratitude. We recall him together with Chiara and other founders of movements and new communities in St Peter’s Square for the historic meeting of Pentecost 1998. The date 30th May 1998 resounds in many hearts as “the meeting of Pentecost”. On that occasion, Pope John Paul II called all the ecclesial movements and new communities together in St Peter’s Square for the first time ever. Four of the founders were invited to speak in front of the Pope: Chiara Lubich, Kiko Arguello, Don Luigi Giussani, and Jean Vanier, founder of the L’Arche community, who left us on 7 May, at 90 years of age. His great work at the service of people with disabilities and those often considered the “least” in society, began in 1964 and led to the creation of over 150 centres around the world. The Focolare also enjoyed his wonderful capacity for friendship, and appreciates the strong support he gave through his faithful presence at all “Together for Europe” (link) events. Jean Vanier’s words to Pope John Paul II in St Peter’s Square conveyed his passion for the evangelical goal of unity. “Welcoming people with disabilities from different Christian traditions, welcoming Muslims, Jews and Hindus too, we have discovered how much the poor can unite us. Men and women belonging to different churches and different religions have helped us discover the mystery of our common humanity. We discover how, if we welcome a poor person, they lead us to the God of love, they lead us to Jesus”. In November 2013, at Montmartre in France, Jean Vanier addressed a meeting of friends of “Together for Europe”. The main theme of the event was the contribution Christian communities and movements can offer to eliminate poverty and marginalization in Europe. Jean Vanier began by quoting the Gospel: “Jesus said, ‘The Kingdom of God is like a marriage feast’ where everyone was too busy to attend. So the king sent his servants into the byways to seek out the lame and the helpless. And this is what I’ve tried to live all my life”. He dedicated himself particularly to those with intellectual disabilities, whom he defined as “the most oppressed people”. “They have changed me,” he declared, “I have seen that the Kingdom of God is theirs”. We express our condolences to his spiritual family throughout the world, and think of the great welcome that surely awaited him in heaven from the host of “the least” he had welcomed into his home and heart while on this earth.
Stefania Tanesini
The Focolare Community is present even in the small Balkan republic visited by Pope Francis from 5 to 7 May. Mato Mikulec spoke to us about the Community’s contribution towards this event. 
“Dialogue has always been one of this country’s main characteristics, and in the Focolare Community one comes across both Christian (Catholics and Orthodox) and Muslim members”. Mato Mikulec, one of the first Focolare members in Skopje, was born in Croatia, but he moved to Macedonia 30 years ago because of work. He lived the Pope’s visit with anxiety and great joy. He said: “As Francis has peripheries so much at heart, he came to support and encourage this country’s small Catholic community; yet he did not come only for this. He considers all men to be precious and he came as everyone’s friend. The Pope really appreciates the spirit of tollerance and of peaceful coexistence that mark this people”. Mato now considers Macedonia as his homeland; the majority of the population (64%) is Macedonian, then there are also Albanians (25%) and Turks (4%); the rest come from other different countries. The two main religions are Christianity and Islam; 99% of the Christians belong to the Orthodox Church while the remaining 1% are Catholics that belong to the Western and Eastern rites. History tells us that Macedonia’s Christian tradition dates back to the time of the Apostle Paul. Later there were other evangelizers who contributed towards the spread of Christianity; among these, the two brothers, Cyril and Methodius who worked among the Slavs during the ninth century. There were many others who influenced the religious and cultural development of the Slavic peoples, but the Balkan region also experienced the painful division between Churches and the powerful dominion of rulers, such as the Ottomon rule that lasted for more than 500 years. Mato continued:“But the people still managed to preserve certain values, such as religiousness, openness to diversity and a keen aspiration to communion. So it is not surprising that such a beautiful flower as Mother Theresa bloomed in this country”. He related that it was Kiro Stojanov, the local Bishop and state authorities who invited Pope Francis to visit Macedonia, while he explained: “Here, we have a very beautiful tradition; every year a State delegation goes to Rome to visit St Cyril’s tomb which lies at St. Celement Basilica. Representatives of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches also join this delegation, and an audience with the Holy Father is included in the programme. It was on this occasion that the Pope was invited to visit us”. He also spoke to us about the first years of the Focolare Movement in Macedonia and Kosovo. He said that the first contacts started in the 70’s when Antonio Petrilli, one of the first focolarini went there to visit Luka Cirimotić, a friend of his who was a priest. In the 80’s a family from Zagreb went to settle in Skopje and thus the first community started to grow; in it there were youths and adults, families and religious, members of different Churches and religions and also persons with no particular religious conviction. It was thanks to Bishop Kiro Stojanov’s commitment, that the female Focolare in Skopje was set up in 2006. The opening of this focolare was the last one to have Chiara Lubich’s personal approval before she passed away. Mato continued: “We realize that diversity is not an obstacle to sincere communion and fraternity, and that these become more visible and more appreciated even by leaders of various religious communities. For us, Focolare members, the Pope’s visit was a moment of special joy. We think that the Pope felt the love and communion among us, while he conveyed the new face and embrace of a Church where even our community has its place”.
Stefania Tanesini
Maria Voce to the young Syrians: “Do not let your values be stolen from you. Join all the young people who want a better world. The world is waiting for you.” “Thank you for the hope and the vitality you have given us”. These are the words that Maria Voce addressed to the Focolare communities of Syria through a video message at the end of her visit to Syria from the 1st to the 8th of May. These were intense days in which the Focolare president, together with the co-president, Jesús Morán, visited the cities of Homs, Kafarbo, Seydnaya and Damascus. They met communities, people engaged in parishes or in social works, families, children, young people, priests and religious. They were received by the bishops and by the Apostolic Nuncio – Cardinal Mario Zenari. They experienced first-hand the terrible wounds that the war has left on the structures and on the souls of the Syrian people – traumas and tragedies of all kinds. They got to know the inside story of the difficult, almost desperate situation of a country that had become the puppet of numerous external forces – a country which suffered a heavy economic war, even before the military conflict was over. So how is it possible that Maria Voce ended this visit by thanking the Syrian people for the hope and strength received from them? One of the keys to understanding this is undoubtedly the last stage of the visit. At the invitation of the Melkite Patriarch, Monsignor Youssef Absi, 230 young people -Catholics and those from several other Churches – met on Monday 6 May at the Greek Catholic Cathedral in Damascus. On this occasion while responding to a few questions, Maria Voce made a strong appeal to the Syrian youth: “Do not let your values be stolen from you. Join all the young people who want a better world. The world is waiting for you.” Later the co-president, Jesús Morán, explained the profound motivation of these words: “These young people have experienced that everything collapses; yet they have preserved a deep thirst for God and a true sense of community. Perhaps they are not completely aware of it, but they are in an ideal spiritual situation, from which great things can grow.” What needs to be done, then, to create the conditions in which these seeds of hope can grow and flourish in Syria? Anyone who knows at least a little about the past and recent history of this country, might suggest a double solution for leaving Syria and the Syrians in peace. The first part of the solution would be for all the conflict to cease. The second part of the solution would be for all the great powers of the Middle East and of all the other parts of the world that want to exploit Syria, to leave the country to find its own way. These Syrian people, who, according to Maria Voce, have such strength and such tenderness, are more than capable of taking their destiny into their own hands.
Joachim Schwind
With the first of May, United World Week (UWW) took off. Many activities already took place on every latitude to accomplish “No One in need,” the title given to this year’s UWW. Imagine looking down on Earth wearing special glasses, capable of highlighting the degree of fraternity experienced in the world among human beings. Certainly, from May 1st to 7th, we would notice an unusual peak, a great fermentation on every latitude of the planet. In fact, “No One in Need“, the 2019 United World Week has already begun and many teens, young people, adults, entire communities are in action, to bear witness that a united world is possible! Let’s start with South America. In Palmas, Brazil, on May 1st, a group of young people invited their friends and all those who wanted to participate, to live for unity and peace. How? By helping a family in economic difficulty with a donation of one kilogram of food. The food collection took place at Cesamar Park, animated by games and music. On the same day, in Loppiano (one of the many international little towns of the Focolare), in the province of Florence, 1400 teens, young people and families participated in the traditional May Day event, this year entitled “Good Vibes.” All were invited to initiate and become leaders of processes of change, overcoming individualism and loneliness with the culture of giving and overcoming prejudice and fear of “the different” with acceptance and fraternity. Proceeding eastward, again on May 1st, in Bandra, India, at Mount Mary Church, the Youth for a United World of that city invited the entire community to a moment of prayer for Sri-Lanka, victim of recent acts of violence, and to commit to peace. Also in India, but in Mumbai, from the 2nd to the 4th of May, a school called “#NoOneInNeed” was held, to discover one’s own needs and those of others, to take on a new life style based on the culture of giving. During the school, many topics were addressed: communication, relational needs, ecology, and peace. There were also various workshops including one work session dedicated to IntotheLABel – the “responsible consumer” laboratory. Among the participants were young people from various parts of India, Nepal and Sri-Lanka. On the island of Cebu, Philippines, on the evening of May 1st, the Youth for a United World launched the #NoOneInNeed campaign at the Bukas Palad Cebu Foundation, Inc. The invitation published on social media was nothing short of original: “Start by bringing your excess valuables or things you no longer use, to share!” Many have already responded to their appeal, like Fred, a player of “Pokemon Go” and a friend of some Youth for a United World who are passionate about the same game. On the evening of May 1st, he brought with him 85 items of clothing that he had worn less than twice and which he no longer considers “his” but of those who need it most. n short, the United World Week consisting of big events and personal gestures, has come alive! And this weekend, it will continue with the race that aims to unite the world – Run4unity (Sunday, May 5th) – also animated by the slogan “No One In Need.” Many cities have already or will be taking part in it. For the third consecutive year, teens, young people and adults will be running on both sides of the border between Mexico and the United States, right next to the wall, in the presence of the mayors of both cities (Mexicali and Calexico). Guests of the Branice Psychiatric Hospital in Poland will also participate in Run4Unity (R4U) for the third time. They wrote, “We are a psychiatric hospital with a century-old tradition. In our hospital we take care of over 500 people with mental illness. Last year around 300 took part in RUN4UNITY and we were the only representatives from Poland.” In New Caledonia and also in Christchurch, New Zealand, the city that suffered two terrorist attacks on two mosques last March, the race will involve young people of different religions. In Italy, R4U will take place in Pisa, Rome, Matera, Ischia, Turin, Foggia, Milan, Abbiategrasso and Perugia, organized by the Maria Montessori International High School together with the Amatori Nuoto cooperative, involving some associations for children with disabilities. Among the various activities, there will also be a hand ball game on wheelchairs, to create an integration experience through sport. To discover other events, just visit the site: Run4unity. Have a great United World Week! And remember to share your stories with the hashtag #NoOneInNeed.
Tamara Pastorelli
Source: United World Project
On Saturday May 4th the president and co-president of the Focolare met with the Syrian community of the movement. The sharing of their testimonies conveyed their pain and their sense of loss and mourning, but also their wealth of culture and traditions – and their desire to live and to rebuild their homeland. From the very beginning, Saturday 4 May promised to be very intense. Three hundred members of the Syrian Focolare community met at the monastery of St Ephrem the Syrian in Sednaya, about 40 kilometres north of Damascus. The day began with the story of the movement, told with the same words that Chiara Lubich used so many times – words that are known, almost by heart, by members of the Focolare communities around the world: “It was during the war and everything was collapsing…” But what made today’s telling of the story different is that after retelling each episode of Chiara’s life, one of the Syrians illustrated it with their own recent experience in this tormented land. There were those who, on returning to their city, could no longer find their houses, those who had lost their jobs, or their physical or mental health. There were those who felt they had seen their futures, or their faith in God or in relationships, stolen from them. Many have lost loved ones. Up to this moment there has been no compensation for many of these losses. “We are dead inside,” says one of them, encapsulating the mood of so many, perhaps of all who are present. 
Yet on the background of the stage, in Arabic, we read “And we have believed in love,” – the phrase that Chiara Lubich and her companions wanted to see written on their graves – ever since those early days when the movement was taking its first steps, in the middle of the Second World War. The final song that expressed the famous “Art of Loving,” which has been explained so many times by Chiara Lubich, underlined this belief in love. It’s the art of loving everyone, of being the first to love, of seeing Jesus in every neighbour, of loving our enemies. Those who were present stood up, began to dance and to express with all their senses a common desire, to turn the page and to make a new start. Right before our eyes we saw once again the two realities that distinguish this journey of the delegation of the International Centre of the Focolare to Syria: on the one hand the encounter with the peoples’ pain: the wounds, the traumas, the despair, the concern for the future, especially for their own children; and, on the other hand, the desire to continue to hope, to take up their lives again with freedom. Both realities are supported by a spirituality centred on a faith that can say: we believed in love. 
This life that unfolds between despair and hope, between death and resurrection, also resounded in the brief intervention given by the apostolic nuncio in Syria, Cardinal Mario Zennari and in the answers of Maria Voce and Jesús Morán. Cardinal Zennari invited those present to welcome the message from 800 years ago, that St. Francis heard addressed to him by the Crucifix – “repair the Church.” The Cardinal added,” But here, it is not just a question of repairing the Church, but of repairing your homeland. It is a question of building a new Syria.” Jesús Morán, co-president of the Focolare, presented to the Syrian community of the movement the example of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who in the greatest desperation “believed in the impossible” and that is, in the strength of the resurrection. But what should they do today in Syria: stay or leave? Maria Voce addressed this fundamental question asked by so many. She pointed out that beyond this choice, which is certainly not easy, there is the issue of living the present moment. She invited those present to seize the moment, to focus on whatever in the present moment seems to be “the will of God,” and then “to live it with authenticity and consistency – even if God occasionally allows us to continue living in mystery.” The day ended with a big celebration. Many different regions were represented and there were large numbers of children and young people present. This might have aroused some confusion in those who, perhaps, had come there thinking they would be meeting people of great poverty. Perhaps there is very little material well-being among them, but there is also a great wealth of life, of traditions, of customs, of dances, of songs, of expressions of joy and of the desire to live. How beautiful these people are, who, despite everything, believe in love!
Joachim Schwind
No more people in need, no more hunger, starting from our own neighbourhood. This is the challenge that the Teens for Unity in Mumbai have taken on and work for. They have collected used plastics and newspapers to recycle to support a centre for women in need and families hit by HIV. What started with a few children now involves over 200 families in the surrounding neighbourhoods. https://vimeo.com/332638856
Homs is the first city visited by the President and Co-president of the Focolare Movement during their journey to Syria, and there they met the small community that chose not to abandon the city during the civil war. These people now contribute towards the rebuilding of their country. “People around us think we are weak when we respond to hatred with love; this is neither easy to bear nor to pass on to our children. But they do not know that love is the most powerful weapon”. This was the most overwhelming answer received when we asked about the great challenges these people have to face. 
And it was confirmed by a young mother from Homs, the third largest city in Syria that was amongst the worst hit during the war. Homs was the first city that Maria Voce and Jesús Moran, president and co-president of the Focolare Movement visited on their journey to this region where one can still note the scars of war, but also perceive the attempts to resurrect the city after years of conflict. On the afternoon of May 1, about fifteen members, who form part of the oldest Focolare Community in Syria, gathered at the Jesuit Centre. They were very happy to meet the president and co-president of the Movement, who went there to get to know them, to comfort them and give them hope, as Maria Voce said before leaving for Syria. But during this first meeting one could already witness a change of roles; these people, who chose to remain in Syria despite great risks, were the ones offering hope, joy and courage to the ones who were lucky to meet them. They related very clearly and authentically about the hard times they lived during the war. Many of them lost all their belongings, but they kept alive their faith in God who is Love, whilst witnessing it in a daily life shattered with bombs, destruction and death. One of them said: “Through our way of life, we try to be a living Gospel, because the Focolare spirituality has implanted in us a different seed. Those who accompany us have taken good care of this seed which seems to be bearing fruit because people around us realize that there is something different”. And it is not just a question of remaining in the same situation or of having the courage to rebuild one’s own life. Many, who are members of this small community of about fifty people, are now engaged in projects that have been set up to help their people: support to cancer patients, physiotherapeutic and psychological support to those who are victims of war trauma, ethical formation courses to primary and secondary school students. Touched by the life of this community, Maria Voce said to them: “You have kept the flame of the Gospel alive. You have understood one the most fundamental points of our spirituality; you have realized that the secret of true love lies in the love for Jesus crucified and forsaken. This meeting with you has really been a grace for us”.
Joachim Schwind
“Inside The Label” is part of United World Week giving people the chance to make a difference by choosing good quality, ethically produced goods and social responsibility. 
Note the date. 11 May, just a few days after United World Week (1-7 May 2019) is “Inside the Label” day when we can “vote as we spend”. This is one of the main actions for 2019 planned by the Focolare’s Youth for a United World, an exercise in “economic democracy”, as the Italian economist, Leonardo Becchetti, who started the day, has called it. Let’s see what it is about and how we can get involved. According to Becchetti, “Voting as you spend expresses the sovereignty of the consumer, who decides with their purchasing and saving power whether to reward or penalise companies and/or countries that act responsibly or irresponsibly from a social and environmental point of view… Many problems we face, as Pope Francis says, are due to an economic system which is no longer able to solve people’s problems and those relating to the environment. The solution is to create a new and sustainable economic model which is both inclusive and participative.” Leonardo Becchetti affirms that “the only way to do this is to build it up from the grassroots, together. Hence the idea of voting as you spend: becoming responsible consumers, conscious of the role we can play and the power we have to reward companies that make profits, without harming their employees, customers or the environment, through the items we purchase. We have the power to judge and choose companies that are leading the way in social, environmental and financial sustainability”. The young people of the Focolare want to encourage people to shop ethically and support companies that are economically and socially responsible. But how is this vote cast? Supermarkets are the “polling stations” where shoppers are invited to take part in a workshop lasting about 2 hours. Scoreboards, ballot boxes and real ballot papers are prepared. The idea is to present the “candidates”, which are a selection of products divided into 5 categories: pasta, coffee, chocolate, tinned tuna and fizzy orange drinks. An information sheet on each product gives details of the characteristics and criteria on which to judge the product such as protection of the environment, respect for workers, traceability of raw materials, etc. The workshop is set out like an election day and votes are cast by the purchase (or not) of products on the basis of their different programmes, i.e. on the basis of the information gathered. And it’s all done like a talk show, with exit polls, projections and the counting of votes. These “Inside the Label” workshops have three aims – to bridge the gap between the consumer and the hidden choices businesses have made concerning their products, so as to generate awareness; to encourage group participation by voting for the products; and finally to generate change. When consumer choices are directed towards the common good, they can influence companies to act more ethically like the companies whose goods were purchased. We will share developments on the “Inside the Label” campaign on this website and the United World Project website, and information on the “candidate” products is also available on the website for this initiative.
Stefania Tanesini
Rome, 30 april 2019 “We are at Fiumicino airport and we are waiting to take the plane leaving for Beirut. Then we will continue to Syria. We will visit these two countries and the people who are waiting for us with so much joy. Truly our joy to find them again is great because we don’t see them after a long time. The thing that I have in my heart right now is the thought that I am going to find a country in full desire for reconstruction. So a country that lives, that has so much hope, both Lebanon and Syria. And I hope that the Lebanese – they too have experienced the pain of war – that they are now in a moment of peace, are so generous as to help the Syrians who are now beginning their reconstruction. There is so much hope. We also want to contribute to bringing this hope, with our presence, with our affection, with the assurance that we are close to them with the whole world. ” Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement
It’s a shop where no money changes hands. Instead freely donated goods are passed on to those who need them. It’s one of the most recent fruits of the experience of the Diocesan Movement in Ascoli Piceno, in central Italy. 
It’s been called the “giving and reusing shop.” Here you don’t pay with cash or a credit card, but with a smile and a firm handshake. You go there to donate objects, clothes or appliances – or to receive those that you need. That’s how it works. It is located in the historic centre of Ascoli Piceno, a city in central Italy that is dotted with towers and medieval bell towers made of travertine stone. “Passamano” is the name of the shop. It means “passing from one hand to another.” It grew out of the experience of a branch of the Focolare Movement called the Diocesan Movement. Deeply rooted in six dioceses of central Italy, the Diocesan Movement operates at the service of the local church, promoting an intense life of communion within the ecclesial reality. Alessia Giammarini, a young mother of two children aged 9 and 6, has been a part of the Diocesan Movement since primary school: “I started attending meetings in the parish every Saturday afternoon when I was in third grade. Later I discovered that there was an entire community around our group, which was made up of young people and adults who took care of the little ones. I still remember the first school camp. For me it was a moment of fundamental growth, where I realized that God was calling me to make a personal commitment. For many years, in addition to running the parish youth group, I was involved in catechism and the choir. It is still a path of growth for me, and for many others. For us the parish is not only 
a place of service, but above all it’s a place of communion.” Alessia’s personal history was further enriched when this commitment was extended to the diocesan level. This is how she explains it… “Some of us entered into service as deacons or as ministers of the Eucharist. Others, like me, proposed a series of radio programmes about the local Christian community to be broadcast on the diocesan radio channel. For each episode we invited people from various movements and associations, religious communities, diocesan bodies … or the bishop himself, to present initiatives and events. Our presence as a Diocesan Movement then began to become visible at the political and institutional level. For example, Ascoli was the first city to be awarded the International Prize “Città per la Fraternità” (Cities for Fraternity). It was awarded because of an initiative we had launched involving the whole city and the mayor accepted the award on the city’s behalf. In recent years we have launched events dedicated to citizenship, such as the “Festa della Fantasia,” (Festival of the Imagination) which was included in the Ascoli Carnevale, or the “Capodanno di tutti,”(New Year for Everyone) which promoted involvement of the most disadvantaged people. ” How did you come to open the “Passamano” shop? “It was the proposal made to the diocese and to Caritas to respond to the multiple situations of poverty caused by the recent earthquake in central Italy. In this city, “Passamano” has become a clearly visible reality, a way to promote the culture of giving, the practice of reusing things and emancipation from the mentality of consumerism.”
Chiara Favott
From #zerohunger to “Into the label”: the youth of the Focolare Movement also take the plunge to work for a better present and future for all: eliminating hunger and poverty, and increasing the sense of social responsability are only some of the main objectives of these protagonists. The 2019 edition of United World Week could not happen at a better moment. It is taking place when youth from all over the world, especially the very young ones are invading squares, parliaments and the social networks with colourful expressions of a unique cry that expresses their aspiration to save the planet in order to have a better world and a better future. Things happening during these days show that Greta is just the tip of an iceberg; we may say that she is the spark that has started the fire and encouraged thousands of children to come into the open and declare why they protest and also reveal their hope. Marina, a young girl from Brazil, who is presently at the International Youth Centre of the Focolare Movement explained: “We will concentrate on giving our message from May 1 to 7, during United World Week which is organized every year. Together with the adults we want to tell the world that we are fully committed to struggle against poverty so that there will be no one in need, and we want to work to eliminate hunger”. Two initatives: #zerohunger and #intothelabel Marina continued: “There are hundreds of initiatives organized in the world; two of these are being promoted in a way to reach as many people as possible. The first one is the #zerohunger campaign through which Teens4Unity are promoting a lifestyle with commitments to eliminate hunger, such as sharing a meal with people in need or involving restaurants in accepting the idea of “prepaid meals”. This means that they allow customers to pay in advance for one or more meals that are to be distributed to those in need. Then there is “Into the LABel”, the responsible consumption laboratory, set up by a group of young people who adhere to the Economy of Communion. This consists of the possibility each one of us has to “vote with the portfolio”, because when we choose to buy a product rather than another, we are also chosing to reward the values and the production style of the company. Chiara, one of the promoting group explained that we also vote when we go to the supermarket, that through our wallets, we exercise our “purchasing power”. Prof. Leonardo Becchetti, a veteran of this concept talked of the civil responsibilty it involves; he explained: “May be we do not think about it, but it is quite clear that when we buy a product we express a preference, we reward and support the work of the company that produces it, the way it carries out its business, its declared mission, its internal processes, the relationships with its employees and suppliers, its environmental impact”. “Global” appointments Two dates have to be kept in mind for the coming United World Week. On May 5 there will be the launching of the Run4Unity, the traditional worldwide relay where teenagers and children express their commitment to build one human family so that there will be no more people in need on earth. From 9 to 16 June, there will be the “No one in Need” event at the Mariapolis Luminosa (USA), where reports about activities carried out worldwide to fight hunger and poverty will be shared.
Stefania Tanesini
Even in the most tragic and complex of situations, there is always something that we can and should do to contribute to the “common good”. Should we close the business? We were about to close the business because the serious economic crisis in our country seemed to leave us with no alternative. However, with our own children we reflected on the fact that for six of our employees and their families, the work with us was their only source of income. We decided to ask for God’s help and search for other solutions even if this meant running considerable risks. Raul was not feeling very hopeful when he went to the largest store in the town to ask if they wanted to buy the tiles we produce. To his great surprise, the managers not only placed an order with us, they also asked if we could become their exclusive suppliers. Work increased and we had to take on more employees. This experience strengthened the bond among us both in the family and in the business. (R. F. – Brazil) Refugees Two weeks before Easter, 180 refugees from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Sudan were moved into the army barracks in my town. Most of them were Christians: many were young, in fact, some were still children. They had been stopped at the frontier with Egypt because they did not have the correct documentation and had been held in a detention centre. They were shocked and overwhelmed by the sub-human conditions in which they were forced to live. They were given only bread to eat each day and occasionally rice but, nonetheless, they still fasted because it was Lent! I felt that Jesus was asking me to love him in a concrete way in those brothers. I spoke to my friends and together we collected money, medicine and food and we began to prepare for an Easter meal for them. In a short time, we had meat, fruit and vegetables – all the things they had not eaten for so long. My father helped by using his car to transport the food we had prepared. You cannot imagine how happy they were. It was an Easter that I will never forget. (M. A. – Egypt) Rubbish Every time that I met our neighbour, we used to argue because very often she left her rubbish piled up in front of our doorway. This had gone on for years until the example set by some Christian friends convinced me that I had to be the first to love. One day the usual problem had happened with the rubbish but I immediately thought that this was my opportunity. I went out with a sweeping brush and began to clear up. She was there waiting for me to react. This time I looked at her, smiled and asked how she was. She was surprised and answered very politely. From that day onwards, every time that she sweeps and tidies the area at the front of her house, she does the same for me and we have become friends. (R.C.- Colombia)
Edited by Chiara Favotti
Rome, Italy ‘Caring for the earth and for the people who live on it. Identifying common goals and ways of making progress towards those goals.’ This is the shared purpose drawing a host of associations, professionals, civil and ecclesial institutions to Villa Borghese in the heart of Rome, from 25-29 April, to form an “Earth Village” for the fourth year running. Promoted by Earth Day Italia and the Focolare Movement, this annual event aims to support the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations 2030 Agenda and to promote the principles expressed in Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Sì – on care for our common home”. Anthonia Testa, from the Focolare Movement in Rome, explains how they linked up with Earth Day Italia. “It goes back to November 2015 when we participated in the Laudato Sì march which Earth Day had been asked to organize. At that time, we were planning our next annual Focolare gathering, the Mariapolis, hoping to hold it in the heart of Rome, as our foundress Chiara Lubich had wished. Earth Day Italia invited us to locate the Mariapolis where and when they’ve been celebrating World Earth Day for many years. It was a truly providential meeting between an organization dedicated to awaking public awareness of environmental issues and us, a people passionately committed to making change on many fronts and to promoting all that is good and beautiful in the city of Rome”. 
The Pope visited the “Village” in 2016 and he encouraged those present to remain firm in their commitment to “transform the desert into forest”. He was not only referring to the physical environment, but also to those human situations where life is under threat … “The Pope spoke about social friendship. He had before him this group of people which included immigrants, imams, ex-convicts, young people recovering from addictions – a forest which is not uniform, not neat and tidy but full of life. The phrase ‘transform the deserts into forest’ has become our mission”. How does the “Earth Village” hope to respond to the Pope’s appeal? The “Village” aims to be a model, a place where everyone can feel part of a community. A place where it’s possible to build solid relationships, which are at the root of an integrated ecological approach. A place where no-one’s contribution is considered small if it’s shared. A place which welcomes the commitment to reach sustainable goals in economic development.” Motivated by Laudato Sì and the UN’s 2030 Agenda, this year particular attention is being paid to the Amazon. What prompted this choice? “The Amazon symbolizes cultural biodiversity both environmentally and ethically. In October there will be the Synod of Catholic Bishops for the Amazon region. In the light of this, the “Village” aims to focus on these aspects and on the Church’s action in this area. Participating in the Village are the Capuchin Franciscans who have animated a Mission in the Amazon region for over 100 years, Survival International which for 50 years has worked to support indigenous tribes, and the Pontifical Council for Culture’s consultation body ‘Courtyard of the Gentiles’.” Meeting people in different environments and situations is a means of evangelization .. “It makes me think of Chiara Lubich words: ‘to lose ourselves in the crowd in order to fill it with the divine’. In the “Village” there are around 200 different associations and dozens of expert speakers, sporting personalities, artists as well as all the people passing through. You have only one ‘instrument’, your heart. And the commitment held in common to love everyone. Many times we really see deserts being transformed into forest, and we cannot but recognize God’s intervention. Personal relationships mature and the pearls of the Gospel can be sown: love in action, social engagement, care for the vulnerable, reciprocity.” Young people are very much in the front line in wanting to protect the environment. What is their role in the Earth Village? “29 April sees children and young people with their schools and universities focusing on the 17 United Nations Goals, through the ‘learning service’. This is a voluntary service launched last year with the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome. This year it welcomes participants from all the pontifical universities and also students from other countries through the support of the Fondazione Scholas Occurrentes.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
While the world is still struck and the people of Sri Lanka are tightening to mourn the victims of the terrible Easter attack, Suchith Abeyewickreme, a young activist for peace and co-founder of an inter-religious network of young people, has written a message to all the Focolare members in the world. What can we do for the people of Sri Lanka, after the horror they have experienced in the wake of the terrorist attacks last Easter? Looking at those horrible images, we ask ourselves how often we have experienced that sense of impotence towards the ongoing violence, or the impossibility to relieve the pain of those who mourn their dead. Yet there is a path: ” It challenges us to believe in God’s love and pray with faith that new hope will be reborn again and the courage to proceed on the way to peace and unity”, as the president of the Focolare Movement, Maria Voce, wrote to Suchith Abeyewickreme, a sri lankan young leader of a youth inter-religious network. On April 25, he wrote a message to all the members of the Focolare Movement in the world. We publish the whole message below: Dear Friends from Focolare, I write to you as we here, in Sri Lanka are mourning the loss of our people due to the recent attacks on Easter Sunday in our beautiful Island. We are shocked, saddened and shaken up by these unprecedented events. Our first priority has been to care and support the victims and their families. We are trying to support each other across Communities in these efforts. Following the attacks with immediate response many stepped out to donate blood, help victims and donate relief and medical supplies. We are now in the process of supporting each other in our farewells to those who we have lost. We stand together at this time understanding that these acts of terrorism aim to cause havoc and spread fear, suspicion and divisiveness through our communities. By standing together Sri Lankans of Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and other various spiritual and cultural backgrounds, are saying to those who impose terror upon us that we will not let them succeed in their aims. We understand that in such attacks, what follows the physical destructions and death is fear, suspicion, hate and divisiveness. While there has been some reactive forces at work lashing out with hatred, majority of the Sri Lankans have been responsible for showing empathy and care towards one another. We are working hard to ensure that these acts by few extremists do not end up being used to discriminate and alienate innocent people or entire communities. These events occurred when we in Sri Lanka were about to commemorate the 10 years since the end of the 26 year long armed conflict on the 18th of May, 2019. As a society we had many wounds yet to be healed from past experiences, but we are now wounded again. But I believe that the Sri Lankan people are strong and resilient, we will work together to heal ourselves and our society over time. It is at this difficult time we must practice the virtues of compassion, love, empathy, responsibility and peace that our spiritual teachings guide us towards. We must rise above the divisiveness to acknowledge our interconnectedness and shared humanity. Our main appeal to you is not for donations. Our appeal is for your time and commitment. Time and commitment to strengthen your work in your own communities to build bridges of understanding across divides, to intensify moderate voices and to stand for non-violence. Around the world there is a lot of polarization, discriminations, hate and violence that offer ideal breeding grounds for violent extremism. We must work together to be the sensitive, empathic and responsible leaders this world needs to heal its wounds. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Thank you for your solidarity at this difficult time. May you be well, happy and peaceful. Thank you,
Suchith Suchith Abeyewickreme Peace Activist, Co-Founder – Interfaith Colombo and Interfaith Youth Network Global Council Trustee, United Religions Initiative
There have been tensions and conflict for a long time in central and northern areas of Mali between the Fulani and the Dogon ethnic groups. The recent massacre of 160 Fulani pastors is just one example of the continuing violence. The United Nations have begun to ask for urgent action to restore peace. Father E.M.S. is a member of the Focolare community in Mali: this is an excerpt from an interview with him. 
The media refers to episodes of violence between ethnic groups: what do you think is the cause of the conflict? The violence began in northern Mali in 2012 and, more recently, it has spread to central areas of the country, particularly to the Mopti region which has a high number of Dogon inhabitants. I know this area very well. Many armed groups and terrorists have moved to this part of the country and they have been welcomed by both the Fulani and Dogon communities. Gradually, the terrorists who speak the Fulani language have begun to attack the Dogon villages and, given that there is no military presence in this region, the Dogon people have begun to retaliate in defence. The terrorists have colluded with some of the Fulani and have begun to ask the Dogon to leave. In reality, this is not ethnic conflict: the terrorists are trying to make it appear as such in order to gain more land for themselves After the recent massacre, the Catholic and Evangelical Churches sent a joint message of sympathy to Mali which was read to the people as they gathered for religious services. What was the reaction to this gesture? Every nation finds consolation when other groups express their solidarity during a time of difficulty and suffering. The messages and prayers of members of the Catholic and Evangelical Churches and of the Muslim community were greatly appreciated by everyone. This is a sign that everyone longs for peace: the people of Mali want an end to violence. This is why there are many meetings and discussions in an attempt to restore calm to people on both sides of the conflict; in fact, people are uniting to overcome violence. Everyone knows that this is not just conflict between the Fulani and Dogon peoples; it is a problem involving the whole country. What is the Focolare community in Mali doing during this difficult period? In Mali, there is a really beautiful Focolare community spread across several different dioceses. All the activities are coordinated by the group in Bamako. There are no Focolare houses in Mali but we have very strong links with the houses in Bobo-Dioulasso and in Burkina Faso. In this situation, what helps us – just as it helped Chiara Lubich during the conflict she experienced – is to know that God is the only ideal that will not pass away. There are many groups that are working hard to restore peace. In my diocese, we members of the Movement are searching for every opportunity to live out fraternal love – to love one another and to love the people around us. We are praying for peace and we are asking other people to do the same: we believe that if we ask God for this gift, he will hear our cry. I would like to ask everyone to remember Mali in their prayers. What I say to the people of Mali – to the Evangelical and Catholic Christians, to the Muslims and to people of no religious faith – is that commitment to our country and to human fraternity should prevail over our differences. We should never forget that what we have in common is far greater than what divides us.
Anna Lisa Innocenti
Enhancing the educational potential of the Internet – the work of Daniela Baudino It’s not a new phenomenon, but we are not yet fully equipped to deal with it. For years now our friendships, family, professional and emotional relationships have taken place not only in our common living environments, but also on the web. Through social media, chats and online communities we can form relationships with anyone, acquaintances or strangers. This is no small thing, because even though we surf the web we have not yet learned to swim there safely. We don’t always know what rules we have to follow so we can stay afloat, and keep away from the hidden “traps” on the Internet, in order to benefit from the opportunities it offers. This applies to adults but above all to young people, who are less aware of the consequences of their actions. Young people struggle more with feelings and emotions as they develop their own personalities and need safe direction and guidance – especially to avoid the concrete risks of online abuse and bullying. Educating young people in emotional maturity today includes learning to explore the universe of digital relationships, which are not only virtual but also real – although limited in time and space. Undoubtedly, the Internet has changed the nature of social relationships. We explored the topic with Daniela Baudino, a digital education expert and tutor in the Up2Me project for emotional and relationship education for children which is promoted by the Focolare Movement in various continents: The most obvious thing is that with the digital environment we have all become “neighbours”, and therefore it is easier to enter into a relationship, even just once, with people with whom we might never have entered into a relationship in the real world. This however means that relationships often risk being quickly over and done with, and therefore more fragmented. There is a risk that this leads to superficiality and that this attitude will then spread to real life relationships. What are some of the illusions that the online environment gives us? First of all, there is the idea that it is the number, or the quantity, of friends, or “likes” that we have that tells us how much we are worth. Then there is the belief that maintaining a relationship requires very little effort, and that there is no need to really get involved. Then there is the belief that we can truly get to know another person simply through contact on a social network. How can we deal with these online relationships in a more aware, informed and positive way? We must become aware of what each of our digital actions entails, for example, in terms of our privacy, our reputation and our relationships. We have to understand that the digital environment is only one way of maintaining relationships. It can enhance the other ways, but it must not replace them. Teenagers in particular are exposed to the dangers of the web. They can become victims of cyber bullying, revenge porn and grooming by adults. What sort of media education helps young people in these situations? I believe we need to re-propose the models we already know in “real life.” We have to help young people to understand that not everyone we meet wants what’s best for us and that there are real dangers online, and that everything we do in the digital environment stays there forever. We have to teach them to think very carefully before clicking. Sexting is a common practice among young people in which they take erotic videos and photos and send them to their boyfriends or girlfriends or even just friends. It’s a game that becomes dangerous if those who receive them, either for revenge or for fun, share these images on public platforms. This puts their friend at risk: it’s called “revenge porn.” Once online, these images can bring the young people to the attention of adult criminal elements. But why do children and young people ignore these dangers? How can we educate them to have real self-respect? These dangers are ignored because they young people have no perception of the reality of the risks they are taking. They completely lack awareness that their actions on the Internet can have real consequences. We need to help them to understand that online interaction affects our whole self – and therefore the consequences of the actions we carry out are very real and lasting. We have a lot of work to do to convince young people of the significance of everything they do online. You are involved in media educational activities, including the Up2Me project promoted by the Focolare Movement. In your experience, does living online have educational potential or is it just a possible trap? I believe that the digital dimension can be a fertile ground for education, because it is a meeting place where we can find different people with different ideas, and this gives us the opportunity to grow in our own humanity. For example, this growth might mean developing a critical approach to things and the ability to question one’s own point of view, or learning to choose the right words so as not to hurt another’s feelings. These are things that adults often don’t know how to do, so it’s good when young people can become specialists in this.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
This is Jesus’ clear invitation in April 2019’s Word of life. He was the first to wash his disciple’s feet so that everyone would understand and live like this in every situation and in every social and cultural context The Missing Component I work in a company that makes computers. I’d been looking for a particular electronic component for months which would hugely reduce the cost of a product but not a single supplier had found it for me. So, I decided that I would design it myself and at the next weekly meeting, being aware of the long hours of work ahead of me, I asked that the order be postponed for another week. However, during that meeting, one of my colleagues who was going through a bit of a difficult time in his family, told us that he hadn’t managed to finish a piece of work which had been entrusted to him. The boss started to shout at him so I offered to finish his work for him. Immediately afterwards, thinking about it, I knew that I wasn’t going to have time to finish my own project and that I was going to be late home for the rest of the week. But on getting back to my office, I found a supplier waiting for me, without appointment, who had come to give me the very component I had been looking for. (M.A.Italy) The Courtyard Many young people from the area play in the courtyard of the apartment building where we live. One of these is Robert, a young guy with problems, who passes the time roaming the streets, often getting into arguments with others. We knew that his parents didn’t have time for him and that he was under the care of a psychiatrist. One day, while he was arguing again, my wife and I went down to the courtyard and invited Robert to come up to our house, where he stayed for the rest of the afternoon, playing with our two children, who were younger than him. In the days that followed, every time things became difficult for him, they brought him to us. We soon learned that Robert had told his psychiatrist how he was spending his afternoons. From the time he started coming to our house his behaviour improved, so much so that he was able to stop his medication. (D.H. USA) The Easter Egg Following a visit to my friend, who was ill, as I was leaving, his wife gave me an Easter egg for my son, Cesare. When I got home I found him playing with my young nephew who was often with us due to the difficult atmosphere in his family. With a wink to my son the egg went into the hands of his younger cousin, who was so happy. Cesare kept playing and when we were on our own I explained to him that when we give a gift we feel closer to Jesus. That afternoon his grandmother arrived with an even bigger Easter egg. Cesare was delighted and said, ‘Dad, why don’t you tell everyone this secret?’ (Z.C Italy) One Big Family After many attempts, an African immigrant which we had welcomed into our parish had managed to get his wife and children to join him from Africa but they didn’t have any of the things they needed. Their accommodation was a building site, with no electricity. So, I offered to do their laundry and others offered food and other necessities. This family, our brothers and sisters, experienced the joy of having found the large family they had thought they’d lost forever having left their own country. (F.F Belgium)
edited by Chiara Favotti
The Resurrection! John and Peter go to the empty tomb and find the linen cloths on the ground, the shroud on one side. Mary Magdalene remains there weeping and sees two angels, one where Jesus’ head had been and one where his feet had been. She talks to them and then, turning, she sees Jesus. The apostles didn’t see him, and among them was the one Jesus loved in a special way on account of his innocence as well as for other reasons. Mary, the sinner, saw the angels and Jesus. «Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.» (Mt. 5:8) Who saw the most on this occasion? Mary Magdalene. The tears which flowed continually from her eyes, and her vigil outside the tomb, were the signs of a love which believes everything and wants everything. Then later her conversation with the angels and with the person she thought was the gardener, almost as though Jesus were a person in whom she alone was interested. These two things had purified her heart perhaps more than the hearts of the others, to such a degree that she merited seeing heavenly beings and the risen Jesus. This is the meaning of the Resurrection. Redemption is completed. Death is conquered. Sin is overthrown by mercy poured out in superabundance from the tree of the Cross.
Chiara Lubich
(From: Chiara Lubich, Knowing How to Lose, New City, London, 1981, pp. 84-85)
Igino Giordani wrote many pages on Mary, on understanding her mystery. Below is one of these in which he invites us to look to Mary at the foot of the Cross, to be like Her. Let your model be Mary Desolate. After having given life to Jesus, she loved and served him, and although she felt detached from him and rejected by the crowd that was not yet Church, her faith never wavered. In the supreme trial, she did not miss the appointment at the foot of the cross. She was as the Holy Spirit had formed her: a heart in which people’s offenses were extinguished; a centre from which only love poured forth. She was complete self-giving. Dead to herself, she lived of God: Only God lived in her. (…) People leave you alone, so that you can be alone with God. Then your soul is no longer distracted or stolen from you: then, in the silence, you converse with the Eternal. You stay, with the Crucified One, on God’s level.
Igino Giordani
(Igino Giordani, Mary, the Perfect Model , New City, Rome, 1989, 131-133)
What meaning does the mystery of God dying on a cross have for the men and women of our times? In that supreme sacrifice, God took upon himself all our faults. He asks us to have the courage to live as he did, out of love for the world. From a text by Pasquale Foresi. “How could Jesus have suffered being separated, even abandoned, by the Father, if he was the Son of God, indeed God himself? Let’s try to delve, at least a little, into what could have happened to Jesus at that moment in his passion, when he felt the pain of being forsaken by his Father. In fact, Jesus personally experienced being far from God. He was able to reach that point because he was a human being, and therefore, united to all humankind. There, on the cross, all of us, each and every one of us, were present in Jesus, because of the mysterious plan of God by which he willed that all humanity be summed up in Jesus. At that moment, all our sufferings and all our faults were taken up by him and made his own. He then turned to the Father and said, “Into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46). In that moment, everything was truly accomplished and all our sins were forgiven. Therefore, if we as Christians are called to re-live Christ, we have to live what he lived. And, in a totally unique way, Christ lived the redemption of the human race. Therefore, for us, re-living Jesus crucified and forsaken means making his sentiments our own. Indeed, it means much more. It means allowing the suffering-love that Jesus lived on the cross to live again in us, so that we too may take part in the completion of his passion and share his glory with him.”
Pasquale Foresi
God calls us (published in Citta’ Nuova magazine 1974, pp 58-61)
https://vimeo.com/330953456
Holy Thursday: this reflection on today’s solemnity is taken from a homily prepared by the bishop, philosopher and theologian, Klaus Hemmerle (1929–1994), for Holy Thursday 1993. If the disciples see in Jesus the great and powerful God on high, they will not find him. They have to bow right down, And look into the dust; Jesus is there, washing his followers feet. Self-giving, humiliation, service, taking ordinary human needs seriously, becoming small, denying self, the harshness of being exhausted, being modest, being hidden: all this, which has nothing to do with divine splendor, is the splendor of the true God, is the inner core of our worship of God, is the Eucharist.
Klaus Hemmerle
(Klaus Hemmerle, Gottes Zeit-unsere Zeit, München, 2018, p. 65 – editor’s translation)
In preparation for what would have been Chiara Lubich’s 100th birthday in January next year, a delegation from the Focolare founders’ home region of Trentino, north Italy, visited the Movement’s international centre near Rome on 16 April. “We’re not here to ‘commemorate’ Chiara Lubich, or to turn her into some kind of monument, or consign her to history. That’s not what’s needed. We’re here to relive her message, link in with her legacy and communicate with her charism today”. With these words, Alessandro Andreatta, Mayor of the city of Trent, explained the reason behind the visit of a delegation from the Trentino region, on 16 April, to the Focolare Movement’s international centre at Rocca di Papa, near Rome, in the lead-up to the celebrations of the centenary of Chiara’s birth in 2020. The delegation included the President of the Autonomous Province of Trento Maurizio Fugatti, the President of the Primiero local community administration Roberto Pradel, the Director of the Trentino Historical Museum Foundation Giuseppe Ferrandi and Maurizio Gentilini, archivist and historian at the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and author of a new biography of Chiara Lubich to be published in 2020. They were welcomed by Focolare President Maria Voce, Co-President Jesús Morán and other focolare members from different countries, together with the leaders of several local councils in the Castelli Romani area, where Chiara lived for over fifty years. The visit was an important occasion in which to consolidate the friendship and collaboration between the city of Trent, the Trentino community and the Focolare Movement. A host of events are being organised to mark the centenary year both in the city of Trent and the Primiero Valley, as well as in many other towns and cities around the world. The celebrations begin on 7 December 2019 with the inauguration of a multimedia exhibition entitled “Chiara Lubich: City-World”, a collaborative venture between of the Chiara Lubich Centre and the Trentino Historical Museum Foundation. “Through this initiative, we hope many people will get to know Chiara and her ideas,” explained Alba Sgariglia, co-director of the Chiara Lubich Centre, “as well as her spirituality, her work and her profile as a tireless promoter of a culture of unity and fraternity among peoples”. According to Giuseppe Ferrandi, organising the exhibition has been a rewarding if complex cultural challenge. “We’re trying to take the extraordinary legacy of Chiara Lubich’s life and words, and transform it into a format within the limits of our exhibition space but without limiting the communication of the content. As our title suggests, the idea of the ‘city’ is central to Chiara’s thinking and writing. For her, the city is a place where debate occurs enabling it to relate directly to the rest of the world. In this way, we are encouraged not to stay confined within the local but to open up”. Part of the exhibition will take place in the Primiero Valley where, from the 1940s onwards, Chiara Lubich and a small group of companions used to go every summer. Every year more people joined them, until several thousand people from all over the world were gathering there to share in the experience of a life centred on fraternity. After Trent and Primiero, the exhibition will be hosted by nine capital cities outside Europe. In each location, it will be further shaped by the culture of the place, in a vision opening up to the rest of the world. Throughout 2020, visitors are expected to come to Trent from all over the globe. There will be a series of national and international conventions and events taking place in the Trentino area and in other Focolare centres across all continents. The President of the Autonomous Province of Trent spoke of their pride at “Being here, today, to express this unity of intent. Trentino is a land of thoroughfares, of borders: Chiara Lubich knew what these characteristics meant and how to communicate with them. Back in June 2001, Chiara spoke to the people of Trent about fraternity from the point of view of the city. Her attitude was to respect all the different stakeholders who form a community, and she knew how to listen to them all. This is the way to interpret the interests and needs of the people for the best outcome”. In her concluding remarks, Maria Voce underlined the value of Chiara Lubich’s attention to the life of the city. “She was in the Primiero Valley when she understood God wanted her to go back to the city of Trent. Throughout her life, in cities around the world – a number of which acknowledged her as an honorary citizen – she experienced a strong sense of engagement which came from identifying particular problems and sufferings, embracing them and introducing seeds of life and love there”.
Stefania Tanesini
Continuous and long blackouts throughout the whole country paralyse basic services and business activities thus making life for people very difficult. A humanitarian drama is leading to deep social divisions. Rosa and Óscar Contreras, a family that belongs to the Focolare community relate how they manage to brave this desperate situation with faith and courage and continue to give their share towards universal brotherhood. Rosa related:“The situation continues to get worse. A few weeks ago, 105 hours of power cuts crippled our city, especially commercial and financial activities. To make matters worse, we lack also constant public services such as water supply, waste collection, telephone and internet services And then, national backouts continue to hit the country….” “In spite of everything we feel that life must go on”, Oscar said. Then he continued to explain, “We have reopened our factory, which produces wooden and acrylic goods and resumed our work. It is a great challenge to keep the business going when sales have really dropped, but we are try our best to comply with the commitment we have with suppliers and employees, without running the risk of bankruptcy. We aim at being creative and open to constant strategical change to be able to react against hyperinflation and complex fiscal policies. This led to a total change in the wage structure of our employees; we try to find new ways to improve their income, to encourage greater motivation and achieve better results. In the meantime unexpected circumstances do crop up. Until some time ago we were able to travel to visit people and be close to them, but presently we cannot do this anymore because our car has been damaged and we cannot afford the expense to repair it, besides being a long process because of power cuts. Meanwhile, our savings are running out, but God’s Providence does not abandon us; recently we have managed to buy a few necessary things to keep us going”. “We have never realized that there are so many unimaginable opportunities to live the Gospel radically”, continued Rosa. “Every day we come across so many relatives and neighbours who are in need and are desperate, that we are obliged to be attentive and share the little we have. Each time we ask what Mary, Joseph and Jesus would have done if they were instead of us. We are pleased to see that many of our neighbours have started to be more friendly. We think that this is the result of initiatives we have carried out very silently to help others and create relationships”. Oscar confided:“However, we must admit that we are really physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted, but still we are certain that the Holy Spirit is with us and that, through us, He can fill others with the joy and hope we seek to transmit. Last week, even though we had no electricity, we thought of meeting some young people from the Movement to share experiences and reflections, and watch a film together. Many say that these difficult times are a favourable opportunity to generate more communion within the families. The absence of mobile phones, TV, schools, work and other commitments is providing space for more dialogue within family circles and for addressing questions that were never dealt with before. Many come together to pray and they share what they have with others. It is interesting to note the change of attitude when people come to purchase or get something; they do not only think about its use for their own family, but they also think about its usefulness for others”.
edited by Anna Lisa Innocenti
Hearing from those who live there gives hope for the most contested city on earth; a different vision from the one in the news. https://vimeo.com/319521993
Roberto Catalano of the Focolare Movement’s Centre for Inter-religious Dialogue offered his insights into the context and geo-political events leading to the drawing up of the historic DOCUMENT ON HUMAN FRATERNITY FOR WORLD PEACE AND LIVING TOGETHER, co-signed by Pope Francis and The Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi on 4th February this year. How can we possibly identify universal fraternity as a primary objective of today’s humanity? Are we not in an age dominated by digital bubbles, with ever more divisive personal and collective boundaries, and new forms of economic protectionism and so on? However, the declaration signed in Abu Dhabi by Pope Francis and the Imam of al-Azhar places the values of fraternity at the heart of the geo-political and media agenda. With a clear and practical approach, the declaration proposes fraternity as the guiding objective, not only for the Christian and Muslim religions, but for the entire human family. Roberto Catalano outlined the steps leading up to this important document which is being recognized as a foundation step in dialogue towards world peace. How significant is the declaration signed by Pope Francis and Imam al-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi on 4 February this year? This document on fraternity represents a significant milestone and the text will remain as a reference point for the future. It’s impossible not to see how profoundly innovative it is. Once more we find ourselves before one of Pope Francis’ “absolute firsts”! Never before in the history of the Church has a pope co-signed a shared document with the leader of another religion. This document was signed in a very precise context, a meeting between the leaders of the Catholic Church and of al-Azhar, characterized by a mutual embrace, talks, and even walking hand in hand. The agreed text addresses not only religious leaders or interested parties but all believers and in fact everyone in the world. The United Arab Emirates can be seen as a cross section of the globalized world: the Arabian Peninsula is the heart of Islam, but there are a growing number of workers from other countries and cultures…. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates and the venue for the signing of this declaration, is on the Southern Coast of the Persian Gulf. All the Gulf States are significant due to their economic and geo-political status. In only a few decades, their oil reserves have permitted a dizzying rate of progress, facilitated also by workers from countries such as the Philippines, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The Arabian Peninsula is the heart of Islam, but it also presents a true Muslim mosaic. Saudi Arabia dominates the region, as the image of Sunni Islam which identifies with Wahhabism, which on the international level supports the Salafi movement. Within this context, there is the emerging phenomenon of new Christian communities. Whereas the traditional apostolic Christian Churches of the Middle East continue to live through dramatic events which often cause them to flee the region, the area of the Emirates is becoming populated with a new set of Christians, a real cross-section of today’s Christianity. The majority of these Christians are from the Philippines and India, but also from other parts of the Middle East. We are living in a period of globalization, and the Church in the Emirates is a striking example of this. During Pope Francis’ recent visit to Morocco, the 800th anniversary of the meeting between St Francis of Assisi and Sultan Malik al-Kamil was celebrated. It seems this pope has embarked upon something of a “pilgrimage of peace”. Absolutely. And the Abu Dhabi declaration fits in with this anniversary, as a sign of the desire to be a “brother who seeks peace with his brothers” and “to be instruments of peace”. The Second Vatican Council Declaration Nostra Aetate states that “in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems” and so the Council strove to urge “all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve, as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind, social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom”. In 2006, a passage from Benedict XVI’s Regensburg lecture sparked controversy in the Muslim world. Many took offence at the quotation, even though it referred not to the Quran but to the relationship between faith and reason, and between religion and violence. It led to a period of stormy relationships, during which the University of al-Azhar cut off contact with the Vatican. In the years that followed, with great patience and diplomacy, these relationships have been rebuilt, in the spirit of Evangelii Gaudium, which after defining inter-religious dialogue as a “duty for Christians as well as other religious communities” (EG 250), affirmed the importance of Christian-Muslim relations. Finally, in May 2016 Imam al-Tayeb came to the Vatican. On his arrival, he made a significant comment: “We are taking up the way of dialogue once more and we hope it will be better than before”. The invitation and welcome was soon reciprocated. In 2017, the Imam invited the Pope to Cairo for an International Peace Conference. On that occasion the Pope strongly affirmed: “Peace alone is holy and no act of violence can be perpetrated in the name of God, for it would profane his Name”. He went on to propose three basic areas which, if properly linked, can “assist in this dialogue: the duty to respect one’s own identity and that of others, the courage to accept differences, and sincerity of intentions.” From then on, a deep spiritual understanding has grown between the two religious leaders.
Interview by Stefania Tanesini
A Foundation set up in Colombia to help children who are forced to fight or work on coca plantations “We would like to create a safe haven where poor children can experience dignity, realize their dreams and grow up in an environment that promotes a mentality of peace and justice”. These were the objectives of Fr. Rito Julio Alvarez, a priest from the Ventimiglia-Sanremo diocese, when he set up the Oasis of Love and Peace Foundation in 2006, in the Catatumbo region of northeast Colombia. 
This NGO was set up in one of the poorest areas of the region where Fr. Rito was born and lived for twenty years. It aims at offering an opportunity that safeguards children in this country from being recruited by the rebels or forced to work on coca plantations. This idea matured from Fr. Rito’s personal experience, that can be read on the Foundation’s website http://www.oasisdeamorypaz.org/ – “He came to know about the guerrillas when he was a child. Very often these illegal revolutionary groups came to the village and tried to persuade children to join them. Some of his companions, even 11 or 12 years old, were enticed by the offer of these rebels, joined them and died in clashes with the regular army.This is what happened to his childhood friend who was killed at the age of 14. Nothing was known, not even about his abandoned body”. He relates: “In the 90’s, the peasants in the territory were made to believe that planting Coca would change their lives, but instead the situation got worse. In 1999, paramilitary groups came into the scene and great massacres ensued”. Rito Julio Alvarez became priest in 2000. From Italy he followed his people’s suffering owing to the war that broke out because of the control of the coca plantations, that involved paramilitary groups, government armed groups and guerrillas. In a few years, in a territory of 250,000 inhabitants there were about 13,000 deaths. Even his family members had to be evacuated and many of his friends were killed. 
The need to help these people was great. Together with his relatives at Catatumbo, he decided to set up a home for child soldiers and for those who came from the coca plantations. He recalls: “We started in 2007, in a small shack where we welcomed the first 10 boys. We had no money but we had a lot of goodwill. We prepared their beds; my sister was a mother to them and she saw to their food. My mother lent me cutlery, dishes, pots and blankets. This is how we started this adventure”. Today, the Foundation handles two projects that comprise the breeding of fish and livestock and banana and coffee plantations. Hundreds of children have been welcomed by the Foundation; some of these have become educators and NGO managers. One of them, whose relative was a drug trafficker in the area, is involved in politics. “I am so pleased when the Foundation welcomes those children whom I have seen harvesting coca leaves with their sore hands”, says Fr. Rito very emotionally, “and here they grow up and live in an environment of peace; they feel safe and can think of a different future. All this encourages me to look ahead without fear. My trust in the Lord assures me that this work can proceed”.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
Amine Mohammed Sahnouni, a young Algerian sociologist, sees education as a process. “We need to give the children more responsibility, trust in them and guide them so that their leadership abilities develop from an early age.” “Children are the pillar of our work, and we dedicate ourselves to them with the aim of helping them grow up strong, since they are the future.” For an education conference promoted by the Focolare Movement in Italy on 2 March, Amine Mohammed Sahnouni, a young Algerian sociologist, spoke of her commitment to education that benefits young people. To build a better world, she said, we need to start with the children. Amine, you said that in order to get results it is important to have a vision, long-term objectives, and if possible, share them with others. What is your vision for the field of education? I believe that we sociologists are doctors for society, and as such we need to go into the field and take on social phenomenon of all kinds. With that perspective, my vision is to “make the world a better place,” not only for us, but for future generations. We all can do this, but only if we start by changing ourselves, even by starting with the small things. If we hope to build a more just society, it’s essential that we dedicate ourselves to training young people. What are the main resources, competencies and methods you propose? My parents always encourage, support and guide me. Ever since I was young, they gave me a sense of responsibility. I still remember the words of my father: “Amine, make us proud of you.” He was always saying to put “Allah,” “God,” in the first place in everything I do; only by doing so would I be able to be a successful person. So to me the first pillar of education is family. There are also various competencies to work on: we need to give the children more responsibility, trust in them and guide them so that their leadership abilities develop from an early age. We need to give them our trust, support and use positive words in a way that they can develop their self-esteem, hopes and objectives. We need to encourage critical thinking in children and teach them to share their opinions in front of others. All these competencies can be acquired by working in the field, through exchange programs where they meet young people from different countries, and by changing traditional teaching methods to make learning easy and enjoyable. Religious leaders, institutions and non-profit organisations call for safeguarding the environment, but their efforts are not enough. Meanwhile it is said that the young Swede Greta Thunberg, who called for young people marching in all of Europe, may be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Does this mean that we need young people to awaken the old? I truly admire the courage and determination of that girl, who, despite being quite young, is completely aware of environmental issues, and this is extremely rare today, even among adults. This great “battler” is sending a strong message to the world, and I have a lot of respect for her. We all need to take inspiration from her example. I believe, in fact, that great victories begin from the small things. Getting on a bicycle and crossing Algeria from the Moroccan to the Tunisian border seems a way to inspire commitment for the environment. Can you tell us how it went? We were a group of friends, passionate and motivated, hoping to inspire young people. Since 2012 our philosophy has been: if you want lasting change, start by changing yourself. In time our goals expanded, and we decided to take up a new challenge: cycling across Algeria from east to west over 15 days. It was a project aimed at raising awareness for safeguarding the environment, promoting the values of citizenship, and educating through sports. My two friends, Elhadi and Naim, and I created a video about our activity, and in just one week the video spread so quickly that people started to contact us offering their help. We received so much support during the trip itself in August 2017, and the results were incredible: two million followers on social media and television. We collaborated with more than 15 associations, children’s organisations and cycling clubs. We felt “Allah,” “God” with us each day and we asked him for courage, support and strength to complete our mission. It was a spiritual experience, and we received prayers from many Algerians and support from our families. Just in two weeks we were able to spark other awareness campaigns, and after the initiative many people followed along our same path.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
At the end of March, the Emergency Coordination Section of the Focolare Movement took action to help the communities affected by the flood in south-eastern Africa, in particular a mission to Dombe. Ildo who is responsible for this mission, sent us this message: “Here we have four houses of rehabilitation, an agricultural school and a day center, which have been completely submerged in water. We have lost everything: furniture, documents, animals, tractors. We are now housed in our small hospital, which was saved along with the church, the nuns’ house and the college. We are taking care of 1,300 people housed in two schools. We are in great need – especially of tents, food, blankets, and simple boats to cross the river. Many people have died in the area surrounding our mission, especially children. There are many more deaths than have been reported. When the water level dropped, bodies were found hanging from the trees. Yesterday I found a desperate young man on the street, who didn’t know where to go, looking for who knows who. When he told me his story I couldn’t stop myself, I just took him with me to the mission to live with us. “The waters rose suddenly,” he told me. “I took my eight-month-old baby, my wife and my two brothers and we climbed a tree. Suddenly the tree fell down and one by one I saw them being dragged away by the water. The only reason I was saved was because I was hanging on to the tree trunk. I was in the water for 30 hours – just three miles from my house.” His name is Silvestre and he is 22 years old. We hear stories like this all the time. We will stay here, determined to help these people who were already suffering before the flood. Something tells me that something great, something really good is going to happen to us. We ask you to pray so that we have enough health and strength to carry on this mission that God has entrusted to us. A big hug from all of us!” Those who wish to can contribute in the following ways: Action for a United World ONLUS (AMU) IBAN: IT58 S050 1803 2000 0001 1204 344 Banca Popolare Etica BIC: CCRTIT2T Emergency Mozambique Or: Action for New Families ONLUS (AFN) IBAN: IT55 K033 5901 6001 0000 0001 060 at Banca Prossima SWIFT / BIC code: BCITITMX Emergency Mozambique
With his profound knowledge of Asia, where he lived for almost 30 years, learning to speak several languages, Silvio Daneo who died recently, has given a unique contribution to the inter-religious dialogue of the Focolare Movement and beyond. His later years were dedicated to helping the lonely and those on the margins of society. He is buried in the cemetery at Loppiano, Italy. “It’s not easy to capture in a few lines a life as intense and full of adventure as Silvio’s. In one of his recent books, he reflected that he had lived seven lives! all “in a continual discovery of the divine treasure in each person in every encounter”. With these words, Focolare President Maria Voce recalled Silvio Daneo. He spent his life spreading the spirituality of unity in many different countries in North America and Asia: USA, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Pakistan and later Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. He embarked on the first of these journeys in 1962, at just 21 years of age. His destination, the United States, where together with two other focolarini, he launched the Movement’s first men’s centre in North America. Four years later he flew to another continent, this time to the Philippines, with Guido Mirto (also known in Focolare circles as “Cengia”). Over the course of many years in Asia, Silvio contributed to the beginnings of Focolare communities in many countries. He demonstrated unconditional love for people, he had an open mind and heart, and was totally dedicated to the wellbeing of each person he met. He would help everyone he could in a spirit of true generosity, which led people to experience and recognise divine love through his practical way of serving in the things of daily life. He was less for giving talks and more for giving practical assistance. For example, a young member of the Focolare Movement was once going to a Buddhist temple to be ordained. Silvio accompanied him, sleeping on the ground for days on end, eating whatever was offered to him by the monks, in sweltering tropical heat, under constant attack from mosquitoes. This act marked the beginnings of the movement’s inter-religious dialogue in Thailand. Silvio’s contribution was fundamental in introducing the Focolare to the country’s Buddhist monks. In 1995, he organized the first meeting between Phra Mahathongrattanathavorn and Focolare foundress Chiara Lubich, keeping in touch with developments for as long as his health permitted. Silvio knew Muslims, Hindus, Parsi, Gurus, and he knew how to identify with the good in the heart of each person he met. Silvio did a lot for me too. To him I owe the openness I find within myself towards the other great religions, and the experience of not noticing the barriers when with someone whose beliefs are different from my own. Silvio wrote in one of his books, “Again and again I must acknowledge how in every Asian country I’ve lived in – wherever I’ve tried to assimilate the culture and traditions of the place – I’ve found myself enriched by the knowledge of the various religious traditions. I’ve had many real opportunities to get to know people in the practice of very differing faiths, and from the witness of their lives, of their prayer, meditation, their coherence, dedication to others, and honesty in their daily action, I’ve gained a fascination to get to know the content of the doctrines taught by the different religions”. In Vietnam, back in 1990, I worked with Silvio on opening up a trading enterprise, which proved surprisingly successful. I also remember one particular day when we were in Bangkok, Thailand. We could not believe our eyes as we saw him down on his knees in the street outside our house. He was treating the bleeding knees of the workers who were building the road, disinfecting their wounds and applying bandages. Nothing like this had ever been seen before, and those labourers were touched to the heart. A few days later, these same workers set themselves to build a ramp linking our house to the new road, and they refused any payment! Silvio spent time with bishops, priests, Imams, Rabbis and monks, often greeting them in their own language, to their obvious delight. “Should it ever cross anyone’s mind to praise me – Silvio wrote in the introduction to his last book – they would, however unknowingly, be committing an error. I am convinced, at least I hope I am, that I’ve been nothing other than an instrument, and all too often a less than docile one at that! … All the merit and acknowledgement is due to Him, to God, the only One capable of achieving such great things”. Silvio spent his later years in Rome, and even though his health was compromised, his commitment to live life wholeheartedly never was. He dedicated his time to prisoners, to those experiencing loneliness and different forms of abandonment, collecting food and other useful goods on their behalf. About a year ago I met him when I was accompanying a group of Thai Buddhist monks to Rome. With that unmistakable smile of his, Silvio greeted us all, and his luminous countenance conveyed a sense of how he had been purified by his illness. This encounter left me with the conviction that life signifies this: to reach the end well, conserving what really counts, knowing ever more powerfully how to transform every suffering that comes our way into Love.
Luigi Butori
“What is important to God is that we are human beings and that we live in mutual love.” Interview with Claude Gamble, pioneer of the Focolare Movement in Morocco. After his apostolic journey to the United Arab Emirates, Pope Francis himself said that his trip to Morocco was another important occasion “to further develop interreligious dialogue and mutual understanding among the faithful of both religions”. Claude Gamble, who was there at the beginning of the first Focolare communities in Morocco, offers us a few brief glimpses into his experiences… What are the challenges for Christians in Morocco today? The challenge is to build bridges. Today we are going through a phase of extremism that involves everyone, Christians and Muslims. In poor neighborhoods it is very dangerous because people are being radicalized into following extreme ideas. For example, a few times in Tangiers, while we were going to mass with a group of people who share the spirit of the Focolare, stones were thrown at us in order to intimidate people outside the church. But we believe in universal brotherhood. We have to bear witness to it. It might take a long while for some people to accept our offer of friendship. In Algeria, where I lived, I found many examples of brotherhood. Every time I went to visit a family I felt at home. They were all Muslims but we were brothers. Friendship is the antidote to extremism. What is important to God is that we are all human beings and that we live mutual love between us. What can we expect from this journey on the pathway to dialogue? Dialogue is not the search for those who have the truth, because God alone has the truth. I believe that the Pope, as a representative of the Catholic Church, can show how he lives as a Christian. This is his experience and, as such, it is not something to refute or argue against. Especially since it is clear that he comes in peace. The beauty of the Arab way of being is their hospitality. Therefore they will welcome the Pope as a dear brother. The meeting between the Pope and the King is an invitation to go ahead together for the good of all humanity. In the Focolare Movement we talk about dialogue but also about “communion”. Living in communion means that I can speak as a Christian, and you can speak as a Muslim, but it is by sharing experiences that we can live together. This is something that can only be done at the level of personal relationships – because dialogue has to be one to one, face to face. How can people of different faiths and beliefs feel as if they are brothers and sisters? At the human level it is necessary to value what we have in common. In the Koran all the suras, except one, begin with the phrase, “In the name of God, the Merciful.” With the word mercy a Muslim comes very close to what we mean by love. So with Muslims we can share the word mercy, which comes from the term rahma which means the mother’s womb, the cradle of life. And God, who is mercy, reminds us of the love of a mother who takes care of her child. It’s the same with the Hebrew word rehem, which has the same semantic root as rahma, and also refers to the mother’s womb. So for the Jews, too, the mercy of God means that we must have the love of a mother for the others. For atheists it is the same: an atheist who believes in humanity, believes in motherly love for others. It was 800 years ago that St. Francis met the Sultan al-Kāmil as a sign of peace. St Francis then sent the first friars to Morocco. Since then the presence of the Franciscans in that country has always been met with great respect. It was in Morocco that the Friars Minor let them be put into prison in order to give courage to the other prisoners. Two of them were martyred. Recently the Vicar General of Tangiers rediscovered more than 160 letters in the Spanish and Moroccan libraries that had been written between the Franciscans and the Sultans of Morocco. In these letters the Sultans expressed appreciation for the work done by the Franciscans and thus a deep respect for the Catholic Church. The current King of Morocco has asked for the book in which these letters are collected in order to learn about this ancient relationship. Ultimately, what common ground can there be between Christians and Muslims? What we do have in common is God. Here is my answer to those who say that we do not have the same God. It’s like in a family where there are several children. When disciplining his first child, the father may have been fairly tough or severe. The last child may perhaps have been treated like the favorite. If you asked both of these children to describe their father, the first might describe the father as someone who inspired fear, while the second might only give examples of the father’s love. They are both describing the same father, but they have each seen him from different angles.
Claudia Di Lorenzi
After the first international meeting for those in the Movement responsible for the protection of minors, Focolare President Maria Voce and Co-president, Jesús Morán, have written to all the members of the Movement on the Focolare’s commitment in this field. “We invite all of you to commit very responsibly to this very important aim of promoting the wellbeing and protection of minors.” Focolare President Maria Voce and Co-president Jesús Morán addressed these words in their letter, sent on 27th March, to all the members of the Focolare Movement in the world after the first international meeting of those in the Movement who are responsible for the protection of minors. (See letter attached) The meeting, held from 14th – 17th March at Castel Gandolfo (Rome), was attended by 162 participants from 38 countries and all continents. It was an opportunity to take stock of the Focolare’s commitment to the wellbeing and protection of every person. This commitment has always existed in the Movement and can be seen in the many training events, initiatives and projects organised all over the world to promote child and adolescent wellbeing. Guidelines and commissions for the protection of minors In April 2014 the Movement adopted “Guidelines for the Promotion of the Wellbeing and the Protection of Minors” and in 2015 a Central Commission for the Promotion of the Wellbeing and the Protection of Minors (CO.BE.TU (in Italian)) was established. Around the world, local commissions have been created in various countries or there are well qualified people responsible for this role. Their task is “to protect, but also to promote formation activities for our members, especially those who work with minors.” The commissions also have the task of receiving reports of alleged abuse and undertaking a process of verification within the Movement. Maria Voce and Jesús Morán explain in the letter that over the years about 20 reports have been received and they communicate that, “It deeply pains us to recognise that, also in our own large family of the Focolare, some cases of abuse regarding minors caused by people who belong to the Movement, or by people who have taken part in meetings organised by us, have occurred. Most of these episodes occurred in the remote past (even over 20 years ago), but unfortunately some have occurred in the recent past. Consecrated members of the Movement were also involved in these.” The President and Co-president affirm with deep gratitude that the establishment of the Central Commission and the local commissions has helped not only to facilitate the reporting of alleged cases of abuse, but also “to understand how to do justice to the victims, how to accompany them and their families and what provisions to make within the Movement regarding the authors of the abuses, in addition of course to the judicial procedures envisaged by the laws of the respective countries.” Zero tolerance Maria Voce and Jesús Morán re-affirmed the Movement’s zero tolerance approach to any form of violence, abuse, mistreatment or bullying, carried out directly on through the Web, towards any person, with particular attention to minors and vulnerable adults. They go on to explain that, “This means reporting to the local commissions and to the Central Commission every suspicion of abuse or violence.” They consider it to be “a real temptation if anyone thinks of not reporting cases for the good of the Movement, to avoid scandal or protect someone’s good name.” In particular they add that, “Every single case represents a deep purification for the Movement. We accept it with humility and deep compassion for those who – perhaps through our lack of attention – have undergone indescribable traumas.” It is a worldwide commitment, not limited only to the members of the Focolare Movement and that, as Maria Voce and Jesús Morán observe in their conclusion to the letter, should be ever more open to the whole of humankind: “We cannot fail to make our own the cry of pain of all the children and teenagers in the world. … It is part of our vocation to go towards them. That is why we must be on the front line in defending those who are weaker, wherever they are victims of any kind of violence or abuse.” Letter Maria Voce and Jesús Morán -Protection of Minors.EN
‘Europe time to dialogue’ is an initiative of the Focolare Movement, designed to contribute to the debate leading up to the forthcoming European Parliamentary elections. You can find the page on Facebook. The choice of a social network like Facebook is significant. According to experts, recent important elections have been influenced by increased activity on social media by groups attempting to sway results – often with motives that are incompatible with democratic principles. This is why we need to become a presence on social media if we want to promote themes related to the common good, inclusion, participation and solidarity. ‘The Europe time to dialogue’ campaign will offer arguments for a more fraternal and a more cohesive Europe in these times marked by the widespread rise of new social egoisms, neo-sovereignties and nationalisms. The culture of unity that springs from the charism lived by the members of the Focolare Movement needs to be at the service of policies that encourage and promote efforts to collaborate, to share and to bring people together. After all, Chiara Lubich and Igino Giordani are included among the great proponents of a united Europe. They consistently held that a united Europe should be a promoter of world peace and global distribution of goods. In reference to “The United States of Europe for the United States of the World,” Igino Giordani, in writings dating from the 1920s, and Chiara Lubich, in the numerous instances in which she spoke to politicians from all over the world, both gave clear pictures of the European Continent’s destiny. This is why the posts in Europe: time to dialogue will have two aspects to them. They will include a message from the past, that is, a quote about a united Europe and its universal mission from leading figures such as Chiara Lubich, Igino Giordani, Pasquale Foresi, Alcide De Gasperi, Konrad Adenauer, Robert Schuman, Paul-Henri Spaak, Jean Monnet and others. They will also include commentary on current events in the light of the teachings of these leading figures. To follow us, just find Europe time to dialogue on Facebook. You can leave a comment or a reflection and then share the posts with your friends.
Alberto Lo Presti
Anna Maria, Jessica and Talat: testimony to friendship among people from the three monotheistic religions. When the walls of distrust and prejudice fall down, you experience that it’s possible to look to the future with courage and hope. https://vimeo.com/319522327
An interview with the Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, present at the Edu x Edu Conference: “We need to rebuild the bond between the one to be educated and the educator”. In an ever-changing world, it is not always feasible to find definitive solutions for certain issues. Yet, it is always necessary to be updated, to put right, to reinterpret and above all to look for solutions for the unsocial situations that grip those engaged in education today. The Church has always, but particularly in recent years, emphasised the pressing need of attention to educational emergency, considered as one of the greatest anthropological challenges we have to face in our times. Pope Francis continues to insist on this challenge because it is the root, the cause of flourishing social inequalities. Very often this is underestimated by politics, and so treated with total indifference. Msgr.Vincenzo Zani, Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education, shared his views about this at the round table on “The vitality of dreams: giving a soul to education” during the international conference held recently at Castel Gandolfo, “EduxEdu”, “Be educated to educate – growing together in a relationship that educates”. This project was launched in 2016, and there are about 400 educators, young people and teachers from the Focolare Communities in different countries that participate in it. This year’s initiative was organized by the Focolare Movement together with LUMSA University, Sophia University Institute, AMU (United World Association), EdU (Education and Unity) and AFN (New Families). 
Msgr. Zani’s speech focussed mainly on the generation gap, the split between cultures, values and ideals, provoked even by the digital revolution, an extraordinary potential but often disorientating. The infosphere era, the developments in information and communication technologies are causing a change in answers to fundamental questions. In the face of such a scenario, what does Pope Francis propose? If we look at the past, we realise that education was a community task, a relational sharing. Networking, a 365 degrees dialogue among all educational agencies are key remedies that can contribute to overcome this challenge. In fact, to educate is not to remain fixed in one’s own securities, and it is neither abbandoning oneself only to challenges, but it is holding on to values and confronting one’s own views with other realities. Msgr. Zani emphasised that one of these dimensions is transcendency, the relationship with God. We are invited to build relationships, to be of service to others, to propose a kind of knowledge which is not selective but relational, one which tends to include, to re-establish the basic principles for an “educational pact”. This pact has to allot the space needed by those responsible for all educational, social activity to build a harmonious relationship among family, school, educational and civil institutions and culture. Thus, if we want to be able to answer to the challenge launched by the Pope, we definitely need to re-establish this alliance. It is precisely to relaunch the commitment towards rebuilding this educational pact that Pope Francis has entrusted the Congregation for Catholic Education with the task of promoting an international event that will be held in Rome on October 4, 2019. Msgr. Zani said: “We need to accompany men and women of the third millennium, especially the young ones, to discover the principle of fraternity, that underlies the whole reality. The significance of this principle is becoming more evident owing to planetary interdependence and the common destiny of mankind. The Pope will be proposing a “Magna charta” of principles and objectives signed by him and by others in authority that represent various vital and institutional sectors in the world. It is intended as a commitment to be accomplished through concrete projects at all levels in the field of education. Rebuilding the educational pact at a global level, educating towards universal brotherhood, means recomposing the state of social relationships damaged by individual selfishness and collective greed, while focusing on mutual respect and love to transform and improve personal and social life. Pope Francis insists that if we want to change the world we need to change education”.
Patrizia Mazzola
