Living the Gospel: “Live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor. 13:11)

Jun 16, 2023 | Non categorizzato

Letting God dwell in us: this is the starting point to safeguard and give joyful witness of the inestimable value of unity and peace, in charity and truth; to enrich ourselves and be seeds of goodness and brotherhood for the world. Without measuring hatred I live in a Ukrainian town on the border with Slovakia. We are not being bombed but we experience the terrible consequences of the war: displaced people with all their needs, the demand for torches and candles, medicines, blankets… A great darkness has descended on our land. News about people who betray others, of those who get rich in these terrible situations, of those who exploit others are the order of the day: when it triumphs, evil has no rules, no limits. But in spite of everything, something else happens: the people here feel involved in the pain of others and look for solutions. The need for warmth, protection and solidarity has returned to families. I witness this paradox of a war of evil and of the triumph of good. We tell the story of Chiara Lubich and her first followers: they too began during a war and they did not measure hatred, but turned on good and then spread everywhere. The forces of evil will not prevail. Our gratitude is a true prayer that rises to heaven like a song of praise to the God who is Love. (S.P. – Ukraine) A chain of love In the waiting room of my shop, the customers usually exchange news and since I hadn’t seen Mrs. Adele, an elderly woman who sometimes came to us, for a long time, I asked one of them for her news. So I learned that Adele was seriously ill and, driven by the desire to see her again, one day I decided to visit her. I found Mrs. Adele, alone and without relatives, completely abandoned. I immediately I circulated a request for help, looking for someone who could keep her company.  Three clients responded immediately. A kind of competition started until one of their sons worked hard to get her admitted to a home that provided assistance and care. I too volunteered to give my services as a hairdresser, not only for Adele but for anyone. Adele’s story has shown me that it is enough to begin with concrete acts of charity; the chain of love then unfolds quickly and effectively. (F.D.R. – Italy) A School of Solidarity In the desert, outside the city of Egypt where I live, there are 1000 people with leprosy. Until a few years ago no one knew about this colony. We went to check the situation and found that they lacked everything. No doctors visited them.  We contacted Carita and we opened our group to other young Christians and Muslims with whom we go there on our days off work. Two of us are medical students and are in charge of medical care, so they brushed up on the methods of treatment for leprosy. Others gave their time to paint the houses and make them more comfortable. A young journalist has published some articles in various newspapers and magazines in order to inform as many people as possible and raise awareness of the problem. Above all, we realized that the patients of this colony need someone to listen to them, which for them is almost more important than medicine. This experience has become a real school for us: it has made us understand how each of us can give our contribution for others. (H.F.S.- Egypt)

compiled by Maria Grazia Berretta

(taken from The Gospel of the Day, New City, year IX – no. 1 May-June 2023)

Meeting on Human Fraternity: work in which we all share

Jun 14, 2023 | Non categorizzato

The Meeting on Human Fraternity took place in the Vatican on 10 June 2023.  The Focolare Movement together with a number of other ecclesial movements and international associations and organisations took part in this international event. It was represented by its president, Margaret Karram and a number of other  focolarini including Christian Abrahao Da Silva who spoke  about his impressions. The meeting had a number of aims: these included  promoting and developing the process of participation,  rediscovering the meaning of fraternity and building it together through dialogue, knowledge, opportunities for encounter and sharing words and actions.  The gathering was promoted by the Fratelli Tutti Foundation and St. Peter’s Papal Basilica, under the patronage of Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter’s  Basilica in the Vatican and Vicar General of the Vatican State. It was inspired by the encyclical Fratelli Tutti and participants included several Nobel Peace Laureates and a number of well known people from the worlds of science, culture and law. They were given the task  of    creating a “Call to Commitment for Human Fraternity.” The document they produced was read by two Nobel Prize laureates, Nadia Murad and Muhammad Yunus, during the Festival held in St. Peter’s Square in the afternoon and was later signed by the Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, on behalf of Pope Francis as well as the group that drafted the document. Christian Abrahao Da Silva, a focolarino who attended the Meeting, tells us what an extraordinary moment it was. Christian, what did taking part in this event dedicated to world fraternity mean to you? First of all, it was a great honour.  Margaret Karram, the Focolare president, another focolarina called Corres Kwak and I represented the  entire Movement during this great event.  Its goal was to  promote fraternity and social friendship among people and among peoples, as an antidote to the many forms of violence and war taking place in the world. The meeting was held in two parts: the morning session  took place in the ancient synod hall, with the presence of representatives of various church movements and associations. Instead, in the afternoon, a large Festival was held in St. Peter’s Square and this connected with events taking place in  various squares around the world. How did the Meeting begin? During the morning, we took part in two working groups where we were asked to answer two questions: “What are we doing concretely to achieve social fraternity and environmental fraternity?” and  “Is there still  an ‘us’?” These were very good sessions in which everyone was involved. People talked a lot about  the “garden” in reference to the Garden of Eden about which   Pope Francis had written in  Fratelli Tutti. The words used most often were were: compassion, responsibility (political and economic), sharing, integral promotion, recognition of every human person, care and welcome.  It was  a real ecclesial experience: there was  great hope that this can grow and  witness to the need to rediscover and strengthen human fraternity. What  impressed you the most? In addition to the group of Nobel Peace Prize winners and the group of ecclesial movements and associations, there was also a group of 30  young students from various Italian schools who were accompanied by their  religious education teachers.  They had taken part in a competition to express the theme of the Meeting in a variety of different artistic forms. Their presence was an important sign of the commitment of the new generations to learning about fraternity. Other things that struck me were  the experiences that some people shared  on Festival stage in the afternoon and the artists who shared their talents so freely and joyfully.

What does the Focolare Movement take home after this event? Pope Francis relaunches fraternity as a new anthropological paradigm on which to rebuild actions and laws because “fraternity has something positive to offer freedom and equality” (Fratelli Tutti, no. 103). This notion brought to mind a talk by Chiara Lubich entitled, “Freedom, equality…what happened to fraternity?” It was one of those events that encourages us to throw ourselves more and more into the heart of our charism of unity. Moreover, Cardinal Gambetti really touched our hearts when he explained the inspiration behind the Meeting.  He said it was both a “process and experience,  a first step in rediscovering the meaning of fraternity and building it culturally.” He continued by saying that  becausé it is not giveǹ biologically, fraternity needs encounter and dialogue, knowledge and shared words and gestures, common languages and the experience of beauty.

Maria Grazia Berretta

Prayers for Pope Francis’ health

Jun 8, 2023 | Non categorizzato

As is well known, on the 7th of June, Pope Francis underwent surgery at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome. The Pope is “in a generally good condition” and is peaceful. He is thankful for the messages of solidarity that are being sent to him from all over the world and asks people to continue praying for him. Margaret Karram has also sent him prayers and affection on behalf of the whole Focolare Movement.  

Rocca di Papa, 8th June 2023

Your Holiness, dear Pope Francis,

We anxiously followed the news of the surgery you underwent yesterday and are delighted with the recent comforting reports about your health. United with the whole Church, we accompany you with the prayers and spiritual offerings of the Movement’s communities around the world. We assure you that we will continue to support you, asking the Father for your full recovery, so that you may continue your invaluable ministry.

I send you my most affectionate greetings and those of the Focolare Movement!

Your daughter in Christ,

Margaret Karram

Guatemala: an ecumenical chapel at the Fiore Educational Centre

May 30, 2023 | Non categorizzato

An Ecumenical Chapel was recently inaugurated at the Fiore Educational Centre in Mixco (Guatemala). The Directors Maresa Ramírez and Luis Martinez told us how the idea came about at the same time as Pentecost, which is when the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated in the southern hemisphere. “We don’t just focus on one Christian denomination, we look for what unites us within Christianity. That’s why our chapel is ecumenical. We want everyone to feel part of the family of our Educational Centre, we want to include each other.” With these words, Maresa Ramírez explained the objective of the new ecumenical chapel built in the Fiore Educational Centre in Mixco (Guatemala), of which she is General Director and works together with Luis Martinez, who is the Administrative Director. The Centre has been welcoming children from different Christian denominations for 10 years and following the pandemic, the number has gradually increased. The chapel is part of the school’s educational plan which is based on academic, physical-emotional and spiritual processes. The chapel offers several elements to try to favour a relationship with God, while taking into account the age of the children who attend the school. Luis Martinez told us: “The project of the chapel includes ideas based on play, using games to bring children closer to God and have a relationship with Him. For example, we have installed tubes that run from the entrance of the chapel towards the Cross, so that if a child wishes, they can send a secret message to Jesus. Then, the clouds create the atmosphere of the sky, because we place God in relationship with the sky. The children are the focus and when they enter this place there is immediately a relationship which is both fun and serious at the same time”. The school offers children this space where they can go when they feel they would like to spend a moment with God. In the area of education in faith and values, the children learn how to do origami, so that they can write their acts of love, and leave them there, offering them to Jesus, “on the basis of what Chiara Lubich taught children: when you do an act of love, think of it like a little parcel and send it to Heaven”. The occasion of the inauguration was a great example of collaboration, since the dialogue between the Focolare Movement in Guatemala and the Ecumenical Christian Council of Guatemala is extensive. Luis Martinez told us, “We have built a relationship with each of the members, in particular with the Catholic Bishop, Monsignor Valenzuela. When we spoke to him, we realized how important the existence of this chapel is, because in the Guatemalan ecumenical reality, dialogue is really essential”.  Apart from these existing contacts based on fraternity,  people from 7 Christian Churches came too and about 25 people participated in the inauguration of the chapel. The inauguration was organized by the Fiore Educational Centre and Monsignor Valenzuela and included psalms, reading of the Word and several prayers of blessing and praise. The pupils said a prayer for peace. The director, Ramírez,  concluded, “It was a very good moment. Those who intervened noticed that the children are at the centre of our educational plan and that we are the first school in the country to have an ecumenical chapel“.

Diego Santizo

Indonesia – dialogue as a way of life

May 27, 2023 | Non categorizzato

The trip to Asia and Oceania by Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement, has come to an end. Here are some updates on what they experienced on the final stage: Indonesia Panongan (Indonesia), 17^th of May 2023 – It is 8 a.m. in the morning in the Catholic parish of St. Odelia, about two hours from Jakarta. Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo, Cardinal of the Indonesian capital, has arranged a meeting for representatives of the government and law enforcement agencies, the municipality, the villages, as well as Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu religious leaders. The purpose was to tell the President and Co-President of the Focolare about a pilot social project, being conducted collaboratively by all these sectors of society, in support of the city of Tangerang/Banten. With more than two million inhabitants, this is the third most populous area west of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, which with all its satellite cities has almost thirty million inhabitants. It is an area where there is great development, but also economic inequality. The people living in the villages are poor, working in the rice fields, living off the land and raising chickens, goats, and a few cows. This area, with an overwhelming Muslim majority, is within the St Odelia parish. Father Felix Supranto – known as “Romo Felix” by everyone (“romo” means “father” in Bahasa, the country’s official language) is the dynamic parish priest of St. Odelia’s. He has the gift of knowing how to bring people together. He is our host along with the many parishioners he has involved in various social projects over the years. The Cardinal explained: ‘The dialogue we have here with our brothers and sisters of different religions is something concrete,’ ‘it looks at the needs of the people. There is a need for houses, to create job opportunities, to bring water to the villages. We are working on this ‘together’ and it is important that the President and Co-President of the Focolare have come here to see what could be a model of dialogue, also outside Indonesia. Our country’s motto is ‘unity in diversity’ and it very much expresses who we are, and how we face challenges.” “We are honoured to have you with us,” said Father Felix to Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, “to share the journey we are on. So far, we have built twelve houses to help the poor and it is this working together that makes us brothers and sisters, even with our differences. The day continued with a visit to a school for children from 6 to 15 years old, to several villages where, thanks to the funds raised, it has been possible to bring water, to breed cows, goats and catfish and where the added value is the full involvement of everyone: institutions and local people. The visit to the madrassa – an Islamic school – is the last appointment of this first day of visits that shows us the supportive and communitarian character that is the real strength of this country. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika – we are different, but we are one Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, ‘We are different, but we are one’ is in fact the motto of Indonesia, inscribed on the national coat of arms depicting an ancient deity, the Javanese eagle. A record breaking country With its 17,000 islands and more than three hundred ethnic groups, each with its own vibrant cultural tradition, Indonesia is a country of rich diversity. And today the population proudly presents itself to the world as an example of tolerance and coexistence between diverse cultures and religions. One example among many: the Istiqlal (Independence) Mosque in Jakarta is the largest in South-East Asia. It stands directly opposite the Catholic cathedral and during major Christian celebrations, such as Christmas, the mosque gives support by providing parking spaces for Christian worshippers; it happens the other way around on Islamic feast days. Indonesia has the highest biodiversity on the planet, but deforestation and exploitation of resources are threatening the preservation of these natural environments with serious consequences. Wealth is unevenly distributed, and it is estimated that 27,000 millionaire families (0.1% of the population) own more than half of the country’s wealth. Although it is not easy to get accurate statistics, the population is estimated at 273 million, making it the fourth most populous country in the world. Indonesia has the highest Muslim population in the world (86.1 %); Christians of various Churches make up 10.53 %, and religious affiliation is recorded on identity cards. The focolarini in Southeast Asia and Pakistan Jakarta, 19^th May 2023 – Seeing the focolarini from Southeast Asia and Pakistan who have arrived in Jakarta to meet with Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, the great potential of the Asian continent comes to light. They witness to the encounter between very different peoples and cultures: from Thailand to Myanmar, from Vietnam to Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. Many of them were connected online, like the focolarini in Pakistan for example, but the distance does not prevent a deep communion in which we witnessed both the challenges of inculturation in individual countries and the strength of unity, which can reach the most diverse environments. There was a very attentive atmosphere during the question-and-answer session with Margaret Karram, Jesús Morán, Rita Moussallem and Antonio Salimbeni (who are jointly responsible for the Focolare’s interreligious dialogue). The women focolarine from Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) asked how to spread the spirituality of unity in these times when it is difficult to interest people, and especially young people. “On this trip to Asia and Oceania,” Margaret explained, “I realised that the way we have been offering the spirituality of unity up to now has to change, because society has changed. We are all living so ‘connected’ to one another that we need to find a way of presenting the various vocations not each one on its own, but alongside one another. Perhaps we could do this when we meet as a community of the Movement at a local level; then it will be God who speaks to the heart of each one, calling them to the different paths. I see that what touches people’s hearts is caring for people personally, building true relationships, made of selfless love. People should find in each of us a brother, a sister, a friend. Only when we have built a relationship can, we invite them to get to know the spirituality of the Focolare”. “Sometimes we might think that we do not have the right means for interesting people in the spirituality of unity,” continued Jesús in the same vein, “but we must beware of giving in to the temptation to adapt what we say to the flow of the world in order to be accepted at all costs. We have to be in the world, because it is beautiful, God created it, but we should feel the contrast with the world; it is Christian to experience it, because we belong to a truth, the truth of Christ, which goes beyond the world’. Dialogue as a way of life Jakarta, 20th May-Yogyakarta, 21^st May 2023 – “Since February 2021, our life in Myanmar has changed completely. My region is the one where the conflict is worst. We wouldn’t want anyone to have to hear the explosions of artillery and aerial bombings, it is not human. We are rooted in God and focused on living in the present – because we do not know if we will be here tomorrow – and we continue to bring our people love and new hope. Every day I understand more Jesús’s words: ‘Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends’ (Jn 15:13)”. The speaker was Gennie, who is Burmese and works for an aid agency that takes care of displaced persons of whom there are more than one million since the coup. Hers is one of the testimonies that recounted the life and challenges of the Focolare communities in Southeast Asia at the forum “Dialogue as a way of life”, held in partnership with the Catholic University of Jakarta “Atma Jaya”. 290 people attended from various parts of Indonesia as well as from various countries in Southeast Asia. Another three hundred were linked by streaming from Pakistan and elsewhere. At the centre of their testimonies is the culture of dialogue that is lived in these countries in everyday life, becoming a way of life, also in the world of economics, as Lawrence Chong from Singapore recounted. Since 2004 he has been running a management consultancy company with two other partners, a Methodist and a Muslim, according to the principles of the Economy of Communion. “Today we are present in 23 countries and our work is to bring about change, to have an impact on the economic system and improve it, based on the principles of interdependence and mutual love.” After the celebration, where the different peoples present shared their great cultural wealth and variety of traditions, Margaret and Jesús answered some questions and shared their initial impressions of this trip. “Asia is the continent where the sun rises, while we come from Europe, where the sun is setting,” said Jesús. “In Asia and Oceania, we found a very lively Church, as well as people of different religions, and we immersed ourselves in the light that we found in the deep humanity of people. We have received so much hope for the Church and for the Work of Mary. This hope will not meet with disappointment if these people remain true to themselves. Of course, we also saw the problems: the poverty, conflicts, and wars. So, it is true that the sun rises in these countries, but we also have before us a great challenge: our hope is that the Gospel can also bear a message of freedom for these peoples”. The Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Piero Pioppo, who came to celebrate Mass, expressed his wish that the message of unity and of communion may grow and spread in this world that is in dire need of it. The roots of the movement in Indonesia Also in Yogyakarta, Margaret and Jesús were welcomed by the Focolare community with the traditional dance of welcome. The meeting there was a journey into the extraordinarily rich Javanese culture and traditions, and an opportunity to learn about the roots and development of the Movement in Indonesia. After several trips were made from the Philippines from the late 1980s onwards, the focolare arrived in Medan in 2004. But no one will ever forget 2006, the year of the terrible earthquake that claimed thousands of lives. Its epicentre was on the island of Java, in the region of Yogyakarta, where the focolare is now located. Bapak Totok, one of the animators of the local community, tells how the people of the Focolare Movement, together with the local people, rolled up their sleeves to help build 22 “Pendopo” (community centres in twenty-two villages) as well as a social project. These centres have been a sign of peace and unity among people of different religions. Sunan Kalijaga Islamic University: in dialogue to promote fraternity Yogyakarta, 22^nd May 2023 – With its 20,000 students, Sunan Kalijaga University is an important national academic centre for Islamic studies and has also had a Cultural Centre for Interfaith Dialogue since 2005. Margaret Karram, together with Rita Moussallem and Antonio Salimbeni, participated in the seminar “In dialogue to promote fraternity” with 160 students, teachers, and members of the local Focolare community. It is a subject that resonates in a special way here, where dialogue “goes beyond” university lecture halls or study forums, as it is both the challenge and the foundation of Indonesian society. “The presence of the leaders of the Focolare Movement is important,” explained Prof. Inayah Rohmaniyah, “because it allows us to take an extra step, not to look only at Indonesia, but to become together builders of a world renewed by the values of the fraternity that we are living, here, today”. The students’ questions focussed on the strategy of dialogue to combine cultural and religious diversity even in situations of social conflict. “Sometimes we talk very much about the difficulties and very little about the riches that these diversities bring in themselves” Antonio Salimbeni replied. “First of all, we are human beings, brothers and sisters, which is why it is important to be open, to understand the religion of the other from his or her perspective; to try to think as a Muslim thinks, as a Hindu thinks, to see the world as the other person sees it. The journey is ending, but a world is opening up Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán first official trip to Asia and Oceania is ending after 45 days travelling, visiting five countries, and meeting several thousand people – 1,500 in Indonesia alone. They met very different peoples and cultures, they have seen the challenges at first hand, but also the vitality of the Church in countries where Christianity is a minority. They have witnessed dialogue between people of different religions taking place in everyday life, dialogue that can give concrete answers to the social and economic problems of peoples and they have shared in the life of the Focolare communities in this part of the world. It is not easy to take stock on the spur of the moment, but nonetheless the question was asked, and Margaret shared some impressions of the recent public meetings: ‘I feel strongly that God is asking the Movement, in Asia in particular, but also worldwide, to take an important step. Dialogue must become our way of life, our way of acting, at all times. We cannot continue as before, looking only at our Movement and doing our own activities. The time has come to go outside, to work with other organisations, with people of different religions, as we are already doing here. So, let’s get going, there’s no time to lose! This journey has given me, once again the confirmation that unity and peace in the world are possible. Sometimes looking at the world today, with its wars and injustices, I have had doubts. But in all the countries we visited, I met many people committed to building a different society, to building bridges, even making great sacrifices. It is they who have given me the certainty that together we can make a difference and give our contribution”.

Stefania Tanesini

The Holy Land: charisms in communion for a new time of Pentecost

May 26, 2023 | Non categorizzato

A unique opportunity to get to know each other, to share and to rediscover the beauty of being a collective  witness to the Resurrection. This is what the Ecclesial Movements and the new communities  in the Holy Land were able to experience on the journey they began together at Pentecost a year ago. Communion, participation and mission: these are the three key words related to the Synodal Pathway that was launched in October 2021. At its inauguration, Pope Francis invited followers of the Universal Church to listen and be close to others; this created the context of the local phase of the Synod.  At the invitation of Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch  of Jerusalem,  the Ecclesial Movements and the new communities present in the Holy Land were able to meet, listen to each other and work in communion in preparing the 2022 Pentecost Vigil.  This was a special occasion when many people experienced the joy of feeling they were one body in the Church, enlivened and renewed by the Holy Spirit.  Within the sociopolitical and cultural context of the Holy Land, there was possibility of generating “unity,” learning from each other’s charism and putting one’s own at the service of all. Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa said, “I think that if we are to feel that we are one body, the first thing to do is to speak, to communicate but, above all, to listen. Listening does not mean only hearing, it means expecting to receive from the other person who becomes the subject –  I am not the subject,  the other person is.” Pentecost marks the time when the Church on  its pilgrimage to meet the Lord, constantly receives  the Spirit from him. The same Spirit  gathers it in faith and charity, sanctifies it  and sends it on mission. At Pentecost 2023 we share an account of this experience of communion.

Maria Grazia Berretta

Watch the video (activate English subtitles) https://youtu.be/I8aQgmAPBOg  

Flood emergency: news from Emilia-Romagna

May 25, 2023 | Non categorizzato

The wave of bad weather that has poured over Italy in recent weeks has specifically affected the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche. To date, many people continue to work in the terrible,  muddy conditions to assist entire communities that have been displaced and have lost everything due to the flood. An appeal for funds has been launched by the Focolare Emergency Coordination Committee. It is a climate emergency that has hit Emilia-Romagna and Marche, two regions of central-northern Italy in recent weeks. A catastrophe that has claimed 15 victims so far and displaced about 23,000 people. Several cities have been completely brought to their knees, submerged by water due to the many flooded rivers. There is extensive damage to homes, furniture and cars, as well as to businesses, farms and crops. In Emilia-Romagna the most affected area so far has been that of Faenza which in one night ended up almost completely underwater due to the rupture of the banks of several rivers. The communities of the Focolare Movement in the area told us, “Many families have been evacuated, for example, a family with three children was rescued when the water had already reached the first floor of their home. Despite having lost everything, the next day this same family, helped by the local Civil Protection Organization, opened their family run restaurant and prepared hot lunches for hundreds of evacuated people.” A social worker from Faenza, a member of the Focolare, said: “A few nights ago, I was in the Town Hall, the headquarters of the Emergency Operations Center. It was a very emotional experience. If I think about it, I cry… I ask Jesus for the strength to do what is best for each person.” In another town, Cesena, the Savio River flooded and the adjoining houses were engulfed. Wherever possible, and thanks to a lull in the rain, the first volunteers started working. In the city of Cesenatico the situation is extremely difficult. The sea has invaded beaches, bathing establishments and streets. In the surroundings of Bologna, on the other hand, there are many small towns still flooded; the people have all been evacuated. A bridge has collapsed that has completely diverted the river bed inwards and the people are saying, “it will take time but help will certainly be necessary”. Reports from these areas say, “The water is not being absorbed by the ground. It continues to rain and is like a wave, which depending on the levels of the ground, behaves in an unpredictable way”. In the south of Romagna, between Ravenna and Rimini, the situation has also worsened in the towns of Russi and Lugo. Other members of the Focolare Movement told us: “In the town of Bagnara di Romagna, we have had water 20 cms deep; the ground floors, garages and basements are full of water, but we’re fine.” It’s a catastrophe that will have to be tackled but despite the enormous difficulties, many people fervently desire to take concrete action to rebuild.  One said, “The beauty is that one of the things to manage is the infinite offers of help we are receiving. Many people are offering homes and hospitality and we are setting up a team that will deal with the numerous requests and offers. The local Islamic Community, in contact with the Focolare Movement, has also expressed willingness to welcome or carry out joint actions. The extraordinary fundraising appeal initiated by the Emergency Coordination of the Focolare Movement in support of the population of Emilia-Romagna and Marche, through the ONLUS Action for a United World (AMU) and Action for New Families (AFN) is ongoing. Contributions received will be jointly managed by AMU and AFN to initiate reconstruction actions.   You can donate online on the following sites: AMU: www.amu-it.eu/dona-online-3/ AFN: www.afnonlus.org/dona/ or by transfer to the following current accounts: Action for a United World ONLUS (AMU) IBAN: IT 58 S 05018 03200 000011204344 at Banca Popolare Etica SWIFT/BIC code: ETICIT22XXX Action for New Families ONLUS (AFN) IBAN: IT 92 J 05018 03200 000016978561 at Banca Popolare Etica SWIFT/BIC code: ETICIT22XXX Reason: Emilia-Romagna and Marche Emergency Tax benefits are provided for such donations in many countries of the European Union and in other countries of the world, according to the different local regulations. Italian taxpayers will be able to obtain deductions and deductions from income, according to the legislation provided for the NGOs

Blessed Doubts: A Podcast to Explore Our Questions

May 23, 2023 | Non categorizzato

Tommaso Bertolasi and Laura Salerno are the creators of “Benedetti dubbi” (Blessed doubts) a new podcast from the young people of the Focolare Movement. The first episode will be available on 23^rd May, 2023. We asked Tommaso and Laura to explain how doubts can really be a “blessing”, in order to get to know ourselves and others better. What is our calling? What is the best road to follow when we come to one of the many crossroads that life throws at us? Do we know ourselves and, above all, who has the antidote for fear? Questions like these, the kind that overwhelm our daily lives, are the subject matter of “Benedetti dubbi”, the new podcast designed for young people and by young people, released (in Italian) on 23^rd May. To find out more about it, we interviewed the authors of this project, long-time friends, Tommaso Bertolasi, a researcher in philosophy at the Sophia University Institute (Loppiano, Florence) and Laura Salerno, a young member of the Focolare Movement, a writer and a student of literature. Laura, how did it all start? It all started in 2018. Tommaso and I were in Argentina. We met at a conference for young people of the Focolare Movement. Since he is a philosopher, he had been invited as a speaker to talk about freedom. I listened to what he said and liked it very much. Over the years he has continued to engage in dialogue with and for young people, so much so that he has decided to compile some of the exchanges in a book, entitled “The last hour of the night”, which will be released by Città Nuova in August 2023. And then came the idea: “Well if a book is coming out, why not do a podcast that deals with the same content?” And so a few months ago I got a phone call inviting me to help him bring this project to life. Tommaso, why a podcast? Sometimes ideas are like a cocktail: they come out of the union of various things. And this is what happened with “Blessed Doubts”. At a certain point I realized that I had a lot of material for meetings, workshops and dialogues, that I had often prepared with young people. Hence the idea of not restricting important themes such as freedom, choices, fragility and vocation to just one occasion but of being able to offer them to everyone. Then I thought that other languages and themes could also be explored and so here is the podcast. I wanted to create a format more suitable for young people, who often nowadays, find reading a challenge. Or at least, they read something after you’ve convinced them it’s worth it. In all this work, an additional factor was the World Youth Day that dictated the timing of this operation a little. I thought it would be nice that the Focolare Movement could offer something to those who are preparing to go to Lisbon. It will be released on the major podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast), one episode per week for 6 weeks. Laura, what age group are you targeting? Our target age range is 18-30 years. This is why the main themes are questions about fragility, freedom, relationships, trying to find one’s place in the world. It’s all about trying to see doubt as a positive thing, as a springboard to live more deeply and more consciously what happens to us. Tommaso, how did you determine the topics to be addressed for each episode? My initial idea was to replicate the contents of the book, paraphrasing it. Working with Laura, however, I realized that her questions led the conversation to other areas, that the young people she had in mind were also her university classmates who do not necessarily recognize themselves in any religious creed. I understood that Laura had deep questions that were partly hers and partly reflected her world of relationships: it was from those questions that we had to start to weave something suitable for young adults. What was the most difficult episode for you, Laura? I think the hardest was the first one. We were both a bit nervous, and then we had to introduce the podcast, make it clear why we think it is important to ask questions, not to exist in anxiety or submerged in paranoia. A further challenge was that a few days before we recorded the first few episodes, I had a bad cold and a high temperature.  Everything always happens at the same time! But we managed to do it also thanks to the super team that supported us during the recording. Tommaso, what did you gain from this project? I learned a lot from all the people with different skills who worked on this project. Indeed, the realization of “Blessed doubts” was a collective operation. And after you listen to the podcast, we’d love to have your feedback, on Spotify, on our social networks (@Y4UW and Movimento_dei_focolari) or via email (ufficio.comunicazione@focolare.org). For further information about other projects in the pipeline, stay connected to the social channels of the Focolare Movement.  

Maria Grazia Berretta

Flood emergency in Emilia-Romagna and Marche (Italy)

May 19, 2023 | Non categorizzato

The Emergency Coordination group of the Focolare Movement has launched an extraordinary fundraising campaign to support people in Emilia-Romagna and Marche. These two regions in the centre-north of Italy are affected by serious flooding. Funds will be made available through the non-profit organisations Action for a United World (AMU in Italian) and Action for New Families (AFN). Donations will be jointly managed by AMU and AFN to begin reconstruction (many people’s homes have been damaged, as well as furniture and vehicles that are essential for transport and work activities. There has also been extensive damage to livestock and crops…) You can donate online at: AMU: www.amu-it.eu/dona-online-3/ AFN: www.afnonlus.org/dona/ Or by bank transfer to the following current accounts: Action for a United World ONLUS (AMU) IBAN: IT 58 S 05018 03200 000011204344 at Banca Popolare Etica SWIFT/BIC Code: ETICIT22XXX Action for New Families ONLUS (AFN) IBAN: IT 92 J 05018 03200 000016978561 at Banca Popolare Etica SWIFT/BIC Code: ETICIT22XXX Reason for payment: Emergency in Emilia-Romagna and Marche Tax benefits are available for such donations in many EU countries and in other countries around the world, according to different local regulations. Italian taxpayers can obtain deductions and allowances from their income, according to the regulations for non-profit organisations.