Entering into the other person’s culture

Oct 9, 2016 | Non categorizzato

The results of “risking it” in Argentina

Oct 7, 2016 | Non categorizzato

“This festival was an incredible experience! It did its job in my heart and it allowed us to enjoy a very beautiful atmosphere of real brotherhood that recharged the batteries!” “I realized that I can decide to stay inside the cave, or step out of the cave. I discovered how important it is for me to open myself and share with others what is taking place inside me.” “I saw so much vitality, joy and depth in these young people.” “It was a very nice experience. I leave with the certainty that it’s possible to live a different kind of life, that we’re not alone in the effort to be what we really want to be – and to take that risk.” These are only a few of the thoughts that were shared by the thousand young people gathered on September 24-25 for the Youthfest 2016 at the Focolare’s Permanent Mariapolis Lia in the pampas in Argentina. It has become a traditional event that is repeated every year, thanks to the creativity that young people are able to have when it comes to transmitting to their peers the ideals they live for. This year, more than a thousand young people arrived for the event from Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Brazil and many cities of Argentina. They were drawn by the title: “Risk it! What you’re looking for exists.” What did the title stand for? An experience of brotherhood, sharing the life of the Gospel for 48 hours, which is the main characteristic of this permanent Mariapolis of the Focolare Movement. Currently 85 young people from 17 countries live there with other families and adults. They share an experience and, through music, theatre and dance also put in common the problems that young people find themselves immersed in: family relations, school, successes and failures in life, addictions, painful moments and, above all, the encounter with a God who is near, who has a personal answer for each and everyone. But the idea didn’t end there: they tried to involve everyone in building a more united world, regardless of one’s religion or belief. This year’s program was a combination of theatre, music and testimonies that happened on stage, beneath the large emblem that stood at the hall’s entrancel. The sign contained a one-word challenge: RISK IT! The language chosen for conveying the experiences and putting together the theatrical pieces, was direct and personally engaged everyone. The songs that were sung with such energy and captivating rhythm, helped to express this commitment in seeking something great to live for. The outdoor program – like the tour of the Mariapolis, lunchtime, strolling – made room for more sharing among the Latin American young people who had demonstrated their desire and capacity to build a more united world, a society that is for everybody. It didn’t take long for the feedback to arrive: “From Paraguay I want to thank all of you who made us live such and unforgettable day. We’re filled with emotion and prepared to accept the challenge!” “This morning, while I was on the bus going to work,” writes another person who attended the event, “the days we spent together came to mind and the desire to live today well, to give that little extra, to risk it.” Source: Southern Cone website

LoppianoLab 2016: Embracing the cry of the least

Oct 6, 2016 | Non categorizzato

The title of this year’s edition of LoppianoLab was a challenge that was launched by the thousands of people, both in person and via live-screening, who took part in the event. While there is an Italy where the so-called absolute poor have increased by 130% in seven years, where every day its southern shores become a bridge to the hundreds of thousands of migrants fleeing poverty and wars – at the same time there is the desire to be involved: volunteers, associations, young people who want to experience what it’s like to work according to new business models that are able to meet the daily emergency. Involvement is the spirit behind those that brought their experiences and projects to LoppianoLab 2016, from  the fields of economy, politics, welfare, immigration, communication, technology and instruction.  The project, which was promoted by Lionello Bonfanti Business Park, the  Città Nuova Editorial Group, Sophia University Institute and the town of Loppiano, was begun in 2010 to be a national laboratory that would set in motion “those qualities that have made the Italians great, creativity and industriousness, welcome and solidarity, art and culture,” as Focolare president Maria Voce said in her greeting. Experts from the world of culture, politics and economy presented during the programme together with many other voices from civil society that presented projects from hundreds of associations, individuals and communities that form a close-knit network of people who are eager to translate ideas, projects and lifestyle into praxis. Three days, three focus groups to take on the challenges to peace: the challenge of techno-scientific innovation, development, and poverty. Two important anniversaries were also celebrated at LoppianoLab: the 25th anniversary of the Economy of Communion Project (EoC) and the 60th anniversary of  the Focolare’s Città Nuova. Thirty multi-ethnic workshops, three via direct-streaming, along with workshops for children and teenagers: “Loppiano Kids and “Time to Give” with a series of meetings focused on topics related to poverty, solidarity and ecology; and “Loppiano Young” with performances and artistic exhibitions assisted by the international Gen Verde Band. Focolare co-president Jesús Morán offered some remarks at the end of the firest day. He spoke about  three challenges that the world faces today: globalization, post-globalization, post-humanism. Also the humanitarian challenge of the sub-human, a challenge that calls for a “culture of resurrection,” in order to totally assume the suffering of the person that suffers. According to Jesús Morán, the question we should ask is how much space should be given in our own lives to the least, the “abandoned ones” of today Finally, during “The Wealth of the Invisible Poverty forum,” a proposal was launched to create an observatory on poverty that would create an information system to monitor the effects of the EoC around the world and study the results and methodologies of specific significant cases. See also: Città Nuova online Loppiano Economy of Communion

Anne: “My night has no darkness”

Oct 5, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Anne with her mother, Eleanor.

With Focolare friends in Melbourne

Experience shared at Health Symposium “Darkness to Light – Spirituality of Unity in Chronic Disease and Disability” Focolare Movement, Australia, July 2016

30th anniversary of the Mariapolis Centre in Castel Gandolfo

Oct 3, 2016 | Non categorizzato

A bit of history: In 1982, John Paul II placed the Papal Audience Hall in Castel Gandolfo (Rome) at the disposition of the Focolare Movement. The refurbishment of the huge, empty building started. Through the contribution of all the members of the Movement around the world (even children), the  International Mariapolis Centre was inaugurated in 1986 and has since hosted thousands of conferences. People from all over the world have attended congresses, symposiums, seminars and training courses, meetings for ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue. All these activities focussed on the one objective, that of contributing to universal brotherhood, which became tangible through living the life of the Gospel, through workshops and in-depth discussions, all of which took place in this embryonic “city of Mary”, in this “home”, as Chiara Lubich called it. Download invitation  

Pope Paul VI: Prophet, Apostle, Mediator

Oct 3, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Catholic Church leaders, representatives of the Islamic world, civil authorities, representatives of associations and the people of Brescia and neighbouring cities filled the cathedral of the Italian city on the 23^rd of September, for the conference on “Paul VI, a Spiritual Portrait“. The event included the testimony of Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement, in a speech read on her behalf by  Rosi Bertolassi. Her speech touched on three aspects of Giovanni Battista Montini’s life and work as: prophet, apostle and mediator. The President of the Focolare first of all expressed the deep gratitude that bound the Movement she represents to Blessed Paul VI, who was “…one of the gifts God wanted to make to humankind in our time.” She recalled the time when the Church was studying the emerging Movement, saying, “When he became Pope he played a key role  in discerning the charism of Chiara Lubich and in making possible what, at the beginning of the sixties, still seemed” impossible,” expertly identifying juridically appropriate ways to express the specific character of this new movement in the Church.” “Therefore”, she stressed, “Because he was “imbued with the Word, we saw the figure of Giovanni Battista Montini – Paul VI – in this triple dimension of prophet, apostle and mediator.” In the prophetic dimension, Maria Voce highlighted “his ability to open new paths with courage and wisdom, to break down walls and express the renewal of the Church which his soul craved for,” Examples were Pope Paul VI’s historic embrace of peace with Patriarch Athenagoras in January 1964 in the Holy Land; or when, in 1970, through an historic decision he raised two women, St Teresa of Avila and St Catherine of Siena, to the status of  Doctor of the Church – a title previously only given to men; or when, in the 1975 Holy Year, he knelt to kiss the feet of the Orthodox Metropolitan Meliton. “Paul VI was truly the Pope of dialogue. This is how Pope John Paul II described him in Concesio during his pastoral visit in 1982, emphasizing his predecessor’s ability to dialogue with the whole of humanity.” Maria Voce also emphasized his apostolic dimension saying, “In Ecclesiam Suam (…) we perceive the thought and mind of the apostle whose name he had chosen, the name of the missionary apostle and the first theologian of Christ, the one who made himself all things to all people. Pope Paul VI did not spare himself so that the announcement of the Gospel could reach all nations.” In this respect, Maria Voce recalled his apostolic journeys “that brought him closer to the peoples of the world, making the Church more one and more ‘catholic’, as Paul VI  liked to emphasize, in the etymological sense of the word. Particularly significant and universal in outlook was his historic and profoundly human speech delivered at the United Nations. I am pleased to recall once more his innovative inclusion of the laity in key areas of work of the Church; his confidence in the contribution of lay people’s ideas; and his recognition, in Octogesima adveniens, of the legitimacy of  a variety of political opinions while remaining faithful to Gospel principles.” Finally, his ability to be a “mediator of the One Mediator“. After recalling his surprising letter to the Red Brigade which “flowed from his soul at the painful time when his friend Honourable Aldo Moro was kidnapped” Maria Voce affirmed his role as mediator and added, “Paul VI – in the footsteps of his Master – took upon himself the anguish and torment of the world, feeling it deeply as if it were his own. He bore the sin of the world, perceiving truly the weight of it and suffering profoundly, as could sometimes be seen in his face. In that way he manifested clearly the fatherhood of God, bridging the distance between heaven and earth, healing wounds, wiping away tears, bringing peace and unity.”

Klaus Hemmerle. The Sun in the Valley

Oct 2, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Watercolour by Klaus Hemmerle (1980 – Matterhorn mit Zermatt, Schweiz. http://www.klaus-hemmerle.de)

Carlo and Alberto: Friends also in holiness

Sep 29, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Carlo Grisolia and Alberto Michelotti

In the mountains

The Focolare thanks everyone

Sep 28, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Members of the Focolare community in Milan welcomes Maria Voce.

Travel Notes from Venezuela

Sep 27, 2016 | Non categorizzato

“I go back after 5 years. The impact is shocking. I don’t recognize Venezuela. The description given to me by the young man sitting next to me on the plane expresses the suffering of an afflicted but unresigned people. ‘I still have a bit of hope!’ he said to me as he described the beautiful sites in his country and invited to visit them. There’s a sense of emptiness in Caracas. Only the children provide a touch of liveliness to the absurd-looking reality. The journey to Puerto Ayucucho lasts 17 hours. Along the way my gaze is fixed on a girl rummaging in the garbage bins, looking for something to eat. But it is mostly the news of two boys 14 and 15 years old who were killed when caught stealing some mangos from a tree, that highlights the level of fear and non-sharing that has been reached. This is another form of homicide that is caused by hunger. The city is on the Colombia border. Its festering wound is represented in the murders of young people who, in the eyes of those who should protect them, appear to be violent thieves to be served the ulitmate punishment. This is also what happened to Felipe Andrés, a young seventeen-year-old who protected his brother by not telling those who had taken Felipe from his grandmother’s house where his brother could be found. Because of that he was brutally murdered with 17 bullets to match his age. We’re in one of the quarters outside Valencia. I’m surprised by the queue for buying gas tanks. Twelve year-old Angel, candid as an angel, confides with disarming simplicity: ‘I don’t grow because I never drink milk.’ Even powdered milk is a luxury item in this country. I’m left impressed by the lively, simple gazes of the little ones I have met. An evening with the youth. You can feel their strong and palpable desire for redemption. Their experiences strengthen their desire to be carriers of hope, beginning with their friends at school, at work…. La Nuvoletta. A minibus takes us up to the Mariapolis Centre called La Nuvoletta. On the way we pass through some poverty-stricken areas. Here too, we find long queues of people hoping to be able to buy at least something. Gabriel thanks me for the lunch I offered him. ‘You know, I only eat pasta on Sunday.’ ‘And the other days?’ I ask. ‘On the other days, only sopa.’ I ask him if he likes being with people. “Yes,” he tells me, “because here everybody’s happy.” At the departure time, another bombshell: I learn that Fabián, such an innocent and lively child, had lost his father a few months earlier, murded by assassins. It felt like I was reliving my own experience: the illness and death of my father, which led me back to God. We look at each other and seem to understand one another. We arrive in Maracaibo, the hottest city in Venezuela. We look around and travel the 8 or more kilometres across the bridge that connects Maracaibo to San Francisco. A day with the Young For Unity awaits us in Tamale. Hearing a thirteen-year-old say: “I encouraged my mother to forgive those who had killed my father,” cannot leave you indifferent.    The next appointment was in a parish. They greeted us with songs and then the dicusssion began: ‘What do you do when a kid tells you that he doesn’t go home because there’s nothing to eat?’ I try to respond by talking about the suffering and silence on the part of God that Jesus felt on the Cross. We say goodbye with a thought that one of the boys shared with everyone: ‘The strength of love is stronger than suffering’.” (A. S.)

Chiara Lubich: “I have only one Spouse on earth”

Sep 25, 2016 | Non categorizzato

During the summer of 1949 Chiara Lubich, who was 29 years old at the time, had an experience of light and life. Leaving that “paradise” up in the mountains was very difficult, but she understood that God wanted her to be immersed in the sufferings of humanity “drying up the waters of tribulation” in those who suffer the most.  There and then she wrote these words: “I have only one Spouse on earth: Jesus Forsaken. I have no other God but Him. In Him there is the whole of Paradise with the Trinity and the whole of the earth with Humanity. Therefore what is His is mine, and nothing else. And His is universal Pain, and therefore mine. I will go through the world seeking Him in every instant of my life. What hurts me is mine. Mine the pain that grazes me in the present. Mine the pain of the souls beside me (that is my Jesus). Mine all that is not peace, joy, beautiful, lovable, serene… in a word, what is not Paradise. Because I too have my Paradise, but is that in my Spouse’s heart. I know no other. So it will be for the years I have left: athirst for pain, for anguish, for despair, for sadness, for separation, for exile, for forsakenness, for torment, for… all that is Him, and He is Sin, Hell. In this way I will dry up the waters of tribulation in many hearts nearby and, through communion with my almighty Spouse, in many far away. I shall pass as a Fire that consumes all that must fall and leaves standing only the Truth. But it is necessary to be like Him: to be Him in the present moment of life.” From: Chiara Lubich, The Cry, Ed. New City London (pp. 61-2)

2016 Luminosa Award to Sikh Leader

Sep 24, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Unity, dialogue, communion – these are words that describe the heart of the mission of the Focolare, and these three words sum up the commitment of Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia, a scientist at Ohio State University in Columbus, USA. On September 18, 2016 he accepted the 2016 Luminosa Award in Hyde Park, NY. “Your decade-long tireless effort in building bridges on various levels” said Focolare president, Maria Voce, “deserves our admiration and deep appreciation. We feel solidarity and fraternal ties with you and with the Sikh community in the promoting, together with others, peace and care of our common home.” Urged by a strong belief that religions have a crucial role to play in the great work of interreligious dialogue, in 2011 he accepted the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI to participate in the World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi. In his acceptance speech the scientist recalled the friendly invitations to interreligious meals and picnics that marked the beginnings of his contacts with the Focolare Movement. A friendship, he explained, that over time developed into trust. He stressed the particular role that religion has always played in American society, precisely because it is a nation of immigrants. While former waves of immigrants seamlessly blended into the people after a few generations, many immigrants from the last 50 years – like Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Hindus, Jains and Baha’i – want to maintain their religious identity. Butalia said “they have made the United States one of the most cosmopolitan countries in the world.” He also observed the importance of acknowledging pluralism as a value “where each part maintains its identity and yet remains part of the harmonious whole.” “We have to focus on building relationships,’ he said; “we need to be able to talk about our differences.” Dr Butalia then proposed to take a step further than the Golden Rule (Do to others as you would want them to do to you,” Mt 7:12). He called his version the “Platinum Rule”: “Do to others as they would want you to do to them,” moving beyond the assumption that the other people would like to be treated the way that you would like to be treated yourself.” He then invited the 130 participants to “listen more than we speak” and to never compare the “best of our religion with the worst of the others.” Referring to Islamophobia, Butalia remembered that all religions are interdependent on each other and that we have to stand up against discrimination against any faith. Closing, he quoted a disciple of the Sikh founder Guru Nanak, “No one is my enemy, and no one is a stranger. I get along with all.”

Dr Tarunjit Butalia with the Sikh delegation

From Assisi to Assisi, from Francis to Francis

Sep 23, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Organized by the Umbria Diocese with the Franciscan family and the St. Egidio Community, the event gathered the religious leaders of the world, and was also attended by cultured men and women and representatives of institutions. Also the Focolare Movement was present in both the preparatory and participation phases, especially the communities in Umbria and in the persons of Rita Moussalem and Roberto Catalano, heads of the Focolare’s interreligious dialogue. With his presence on 20 September, Pope Francis continued the work of John Paul II who had felt the need in 1986 to institute a day of prayer for peace, and had foreseen the role religions could play to avoid conflicts and also contribute to resolving them. In 2011, Benedict XVI had presented peace not only as a commitment of men of faith, but also as a cultural project. But the world is no longer that of the 1980s, the bipolar world of the Cold war. The world is now globalized and multipolar, where the wars have multiplied without ever being wars of religion. Pope Francis greeted each of the leaders personally, starting from a group of refugees who represented the challenges of the world today. It was not only a formal act. There were deep moments of intense bonding that were able to establish important ties for the future.  A second moment was the luncheon at the Holy Convent, to which the Pope had invited all to be by his side. Having a meal together under the same roof was in itself an act of peace, after which, a common moment of prayer followed, but not together. Each religion had a facility where members could go to pray for world peace, according to their own religious tradition. Each did so distinctly; this fact aimed to cancel the doubt that these moments were an attempt to amalgamate all religions together.  The Christians prayed together to demonstrate that unity among the Churches is fundamental in giving important contribution to peace, as followers of Christ. The concluding ceremony took place in the square in front of the Basilica of St. Francis. The leaders of each religion sat in a semicircle around Pope Francis, as a sign that nobody claimed superiority, notwithstanding the esteem and recognition of the Pope of Rome. His name, his example of a measured life, his words and gestures were constantly cited in the course of the 29 panels or round tables that were held during the prior two days in every corner of Assisi. The conclusion was marked by profound and vital considerations by the Christian, Buddhist and Muslim leaders, and also by moving testimonials: that of a young Syrian mother who arrived in Italy through the humanitarian corridors and that of an elderly Jewish Rabbi, who survived the Nazi concentration camps.  The evening was heightened by the speech of Pope Francis who traced a peace roadmap. In fact, «Only peace is holy, not war!» The Pope expressed the meaning of peace by speaking of forgiveness, acceptance, collaboration and education as the fundamental elements to make it possible. «Our future is to live together», he affirmed. It is an idea that universalises the interpretation of the great Bauman who, in the opening ceremony, had underlined how humanity is called today to live the dimension of “we,” and forget the “they.” Once again the framework of Assisi was a decisive element. In fact, peace here is present even in the air we breathe. During these days the Franciscan family offered an example of humble, intelligent and respectful hospitality, constantly at the service of the leaders of the different faiths. It was an evident demonstration of how the humbleness of Francis of Assisi spoke out and asked his followers to make this a fundamental condition for dialogue and peace. It was a sign that peace is built by all of us together, and that each one brings a unique and indispensable gift for the processes of peace.   by Roberto Catalano Source: New City    

Chiara Lubich: “Reinventing Peace”

Sep 22, 2016 | Non categorizzato

“EDUCATION TOWARDS A HUMANISM BASED ON THE UNITY OF THE HUMAN FAMILY” Paris, 19 December 1996: UNESCO awarded the prestigious Prize for Peace Education to Chiara Lubich, Founder of the Focolare Movement, in recognition of her lifelong efforts in the building of Peace, and education of thousands of people of every creed and latitude, towards this goal. The theme of peace education is more than ever actual today. Promoted by the UNESCO and the New Humanity Movement, the event will be celebrated at the UNESCO Headquarters (Paris, France) on 15 November, from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm. A representative from UNESCO will open the session, to be followed by the speeches of Bishop Francesco Follo, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to UNESCO, and Maria Voce and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement, respectively. Other two focal points will follow: five ideas for peace education today, and dialogue in a united and plural world. Invitation: Unesco Event Registration “Reinventing Peace” event Read Chiara Lubich’s speech in 1996 Watch video (Italian) https://vimeo.com/77226264

Getting involved in peace

Sep 21, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Atlanta (USA): We have a dream

Sep 20, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Members of the Focolare community in Atlanta

Emergency aid in response to Ecuador earthquake

Sep 19, 2016 | Non categorizzato

As the news media reported, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit Ecuador on April 16, especially the provinces of Manabi, Esmeraldas, Santo Domingo and Pichincha, leaving nearly 30 people without a roof.

The Focolare Movement immediately got to work in many ways: beginning from the early relief efforts with the many spontaneous volunteers, and morning on to a large-scale fundraiser coordinated by AMU and AFN. Meanwhile a local commission was set up to identify the main priorities for the relief effort and to coordinate over a long term. They write from the commission: “In the past months several of us have gone to visit the different sites of the earthquake, meeting with the communities and seeking to collaborate with agencies that had similar goals. By the end of August the first proposals were ready and we began to collaborate with the Ecuadoran Popolorum Progressio Fund (FEPP) and the Fundación Amiga.” At this stage, the post-emergency interventions that were deemed most serious regarded the production of goods that could be sold and provide economic support for the local populations, and psychological support in overcoming the trauma which – as they write – “is still very quite strong after 5 months.” They also underscored another important point: “We saw the need to offer training in the procedure for applying for assistance from the Ecuador Government for the reconstruction of housing. At first, relief efforts concentrated on three localities, all located in the Province of Esmeraldas: Salima, “10 de Agosto” and Macara, “where projects will carried out to alleviate the consequences of trauma and to reinforce the organizational skills of the community,” they explain. “Moreover, a cooperative bread bakery and a training course in making fishing nets, involving the elderly fishermen as trainers. In the locality known as “10 de Agosto”, handicraft workshops will be held and a group of mothers will be helped in setting up a nursery.” The local commission writes: “this represents the first stage of the project, which corresponds to current funds. As we work with the community, we’ll delve more deeply into the future needs of the people and be able to respond to them. As of today: € 35.502 have been donated by AMU for the Ecuador emergency, € 10.000 of which have already been paid out, whereas the sum of € 10.000 has been donated to the cause by AFN (Action for New Families). Read earlier news: –          Ecuador Emergency –          Two months after the Ecuador earthquake

The God of Today

Sep 18, 2016 | Non categorizzato

“I’d like to console Him, to run through the world, gathering hearts for Him.” This was Chiara Lubich’s first impulse on January 24, 1944 when she became aware of Jesus’s abysmal cry from the cross: “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” If that was the moment when he suffered most,” she reasoned, “then it was the moment when he loved us most. Let’s make Him the ideal of our life!” And to think that back then theology did not take into consideration the abandonment experienced by Jesus! Catholic piety focused its attention on the physical suffering, the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. But World War II and the Holocaust in particular dug a hole in the human conscience that only Jesus’s experience of extreme abandonment could fill. While still young Chiara chose to love the abandoned Jesus in the innumerable faces of personal and collective human suffering, so that the Abandoned One would not be alone in His abandonment. Very soon, however, she experienced something quite unexpected: “You throw yourself into a sea of pain and find yourself swimming in a sea of love.” The agony subsides into joy and transforms relationships, creating communion: “They are two sides of the same medal. To all the souls I show the face of Unity. For me and the souls that are on the front lines of Unity: the abandoned Jesus is all for us.” The years 1949-1951 were a well-spring of new intuitions. The wound of the abandonment as the expression of maximum Love becomes for Chiara the keystone of her vision of human history, of life itself and of God. She contemplates His abandonment as “the pupil of God’s Eye [through which he looks] on the world: an Infinite Emptiness through which God looks at us: God’s window thrown open onto the world, and the window through which humanity sees God.” Years of trial followed as the Church carried out its close examination of the new charism, a time of suspension that Chiara experienced in the light of the Son who was abandoned by the Father, convinced that through it all the Church was being a Mother. Stage by stage, the book traces the trajectory of Chiara’s spiritual adventure, through her letters, notes, diaries and talks that are compiled in six chapters. Its 160 pages, including an introduction by theologian Hubertus Blausmeiser, could accompany and illuminate our daily life. – and includes an introduction by theologian Hubertus Blaumeiser.  With the Church’s official approval of the Focolare in early 1960, a new perspective is opened: Abandoned Jesus becomes the motivating drive behind the thrust to move out and face the social challenges, in every form of suffering. He is the “Teacher of dialogue” in the ecumenical and interreligious environment. He presents Himself as the God of today, who is even able to talk to non-believers and be a source of cultural change. The author takes up the “Holy Journey” with Him, a communitarian journey to holiness that has included hundreds and thousands of people from around the world: “He is the supreme Master of the spiritual life, of detachment from self, detachment from everything, from what is of God, but not God.” “Loving abandoned Jesus,’ she writes, “we find the reason and the strength to not escape from these evils, these divisions, but to accept them and consume them and bring to them our own personal and collective remedy.” And she states with certitude: “If we manage to encounter Him in every suffering, if we love Him, if we turn to the Father like Jesus on the cross: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk. 23:46), then with Him the night will be a thing of the past, and light will illuminate us.”

Igino Giordani: The encounter that made him a new person

Sep 17, 2016 | Non categorizzato

The following is recorded in the personal diary of Igino Giordani: “17 September 1948. This morning at Montecitorio I was called upon by angels: a Capuchin, a Friar Minor, a Conventual, a Third Order man and a Third Order woman, Silvia Lubig (sic!), who is beginning a community in Trent. She spoke like a saint inspired by the Holy Spirit.” Recounting the event: “One day I was urged to listen to an apostle – as they said – of unity. It was in September 1948. I exhibited the usual courtesy of any deputy towards possible electors when some Religious came to Montecitorio, representatives of different branches of the Franciscan family, a young lay woman and a young layman. To see  a Conventual, a Friar Minor, a Capuchin, and a woman and man from the Third Order of Saint Francis all united together already looked like a miracle of unity to me: and I said so. The young lady spoke: I was sure I’d hear a sentimental propagandist tell me about some utopian welfare. Instead, right from the first words I felt something new. A half hour later when she had finished talking, I was taken by the enchanting atmosphere: I would have liked that voice to continue on. Without realizing it, it was the voice that I had been waiting for. She placed holiness within everyone’s reach; she took away the grates that separated the lay world from the mystical life. She made public the treasures of a castle that only a few were admitted to. She brought God near: she made him feel like a Father, brother, friend, present to humankind. I wanted to look into it: and getting familiar with the life of the Focolare of unity – as they called it – I recognized in their experience the realization of the desire that overwhelmed  Saint John Chrysostom: that the laity would live as monks,  minus celibacy. I had much cultivated that desire. What happened was that the idea of God had yielded its place to God’s love, the ideal image of the living God. In Chiara I had found someone who didn’t talk about God, but someone who spoke with God: a daughter speaking in loving conversation with the Father. If I did a critical examination of it, I found that I hadn’t discovered anything new. In the way of life that was opening to my soul, I found all the same names, characters and doctrines that I had loved. All my study, my ideals, the very events of my life all seemed directed to this goal. Nothing new: yet everything was new: the elements of my cultural and spiritual formation began to come together in accordance with God’s plan. They took their rightful place. All was old and all was new. The key that unlocked the mystery had been discovered: love was allowed to pass, which had too often been barricaded: and it burst forth spreading like fire and becoming a blaze.       A collective, socialized holiness – to use terms that were later popularized by the Second Vatican Council – drawn out of the individualism that had accustomed everyone to become holy on one’s own, meticulously caring for one’s own soul, with endless analyses in order not to lose that soul. A piety, an interior life that came from Religious houses, from a certain exclusiveness of the privileged classes was now poured out into the public, into offices and factories, into houses and fields – and into convents – because  wherever you find people, you find candidates for the perfection of holiness. And to live this new life, to be born in God, I didn’t have to renounce my doctrines: I only had to place them in the fire of love so that they would come alive. Through my neighbour I began to live God. Life became a total adventure, consciously lived in union with the Creator, which is what life is. Mary was resplendent with a new beauty; the saints entered among the relatives; Heaven became a common home. This was the discovery, this the experience. This made me a new man.”

The “pink boutique” behind bars

Sep 16, 2016 | Non categorizzato

In 2011, Maria Clara who had just retired,  transferred her services to the women’s jail of Pozzuoli (Naples-Italy), a huge jail, and one of the most overcrowded in Italy. Struck by the cries of pain that reached her ears from the barred windows, she discussed it with her friends of the local Focolare community and 25 of them (boys, girls, families…) decided to respond to the appeal. In collaboration with the diocesan Caritas and other Movements, the group thus immersed themselves into that suffering humanity behind bars. It was not an easy experience, but one that led to refine, in the name of mercy, every gesture and word, so as to be really that presence of love the world awaits. Each one became more aware that they did not go there to “absolve,” judge, or just to carry out social work, but only to give love, focusing on the reconstruction of the person. And probably because of this attitude, very soon they saw the positive aspects emerge in each person. “When I get out of here I want to be a new person,” one of them confided. And another said: “Now I know what it means to be a Christian, and I want to live by the Gospel, loving my cellmates, even if they make life impossible.” Still another said: “I understood that the real help comes from Jesus in the Eucharist and not from the “power–wielding people of the world.” This flow of light and grace was not earned with a magic wand. It was the fruit of continual attention to the needs of the inmates, helping them to rediscover their own dignity through living the Gospel. It consisted in going with them to Sunday Mass, enlivening it with songs, and placing oneself at their disposal to renovate the chapel. It meant asking and obtaining the permit from the jail administration to organise a series of workshops on health education, cooking, yoga, sewing courses, etc., in the Family Home “Donna Nuova” which hosts women under alternative detention regimes. One of the things the inmates needed – not expressed but which immediately came to the fore – was self-care. This inspired the establishment of the “Pink boutique,” a free facility within the jail, with pink walls, curtains and coloured shelves in contrast with the greyness of the cells. It is a point where the inmates, often abandoned or far from their own families, can weekly receive products for their personal hygiene, clothes, underwear, etc., and in short, all that serves to boost their own self-esteem. In the meantime, they could talk to one another or to the wardens and listen to each other’s difficulties, to comfort one another in their regret for not being able to care for their children at home, thus building really close relationships. It was also the occasion to share big and small joys, such as a reduced prison sentence, an unexpected visit, and the steps taken in starting again. All of them are from different ethnic groups and cultures, and belong to various Christian churches and religions. “I remember an Orthodox woman,” Maria Clara recounts, “who during the Unity of Christians Prayer Week, wanted to contribute with a prayer-song. Crying, she told me that she was offering the immense suffering of her prison term for the unity of the churches. We then went to Naples to meet her husband and five children, with some aid for them. We share this experience with some people belonging to Christian churches of various denominations, with which  an ecumenical dialogue was opened in the diocese. This was exactly what they were waiting for! Now also four evangelical sisters have started working with us. Thanks to them, inmates of various churches have established really close relationships that at times, continue even when they leave the jail.”

Gen Rosso releases new DVD for Year of Mercy

Sep 15, 2016 | Non categorizzato

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Asjy1-9mxI After We Are Coming To You (1972), Wherever You Are (1982), Se siamo uniti (1987) and – with Gen Verde – Come fuoco vivo (1998) and Messa della Concordia (2004), Gen Rosso releases a new DVD for the Year of Mercy: Voce del mio canto. We are led into the music by Lito Amuchastegui, from Argentina, who has been with Gen Rosso for 20 years. He composed most of the songs that led to the composition of a complete Mass. He was helped by Beni Enderle for the music, Valerio Lode Ciprì for the lyrics and Emanuele Chirco for the final mixing. Lito has loved music all his life and began singing in public at the age of five. With Gen Rosso he worked as a sound engineer. Voce del mio canto (Voice of my song) is his legacy to the group, as he returns to the place he was born in Córdoba, Argentina. “Writing a Mass is no joke,” he declares. “It requires awareness: you’re talking about who God is for you. In front of every piece I had to place myself in front of Him and ask: are You truly the voice of my song? Are You my only treasure? When there are crosses, are You my Simon of Cyrene? Il Cielo è con noi is one my favourite pieces. It was inspired by a writing of Chiara Lubich in which she says that Heaven has been poured on us, Heaven in all its infiniteness: “you were born among us/ you brought with you the fragrance of Heaven/ you died for us, you are pure love/ you are Divine love. It asks about God not on the theological or historical level, but on the personal level: Who is God for me? So, Voce del mio canto is most of all about an experience: prayer, the joy of experiencing that you are loved by God…. But where did the idea of a sung Mass come from? “The reason behind it was the desire to make music. I took guitar along on vacation and wrote Quelli che amono te (Those that love you) in one sitting. Then I put it to music and shared it with the people who were with me and they liked it. Then I kept going and ended up with eleven pieces, plus two more that we already had. Why a Mass? Perhaps it shows that God was saying to me: ‘I want to help you to give more glory to me.’ I set off from there. What is the story behind each of the songs? Lito revealed that he had put a bit of his own roots into each piece: “One song talks about Pane della Madre Terra (Bread of Mother Earth). We South Americans have strong feelings towards Mother Earth which stem from indigenous tradition. Moreover, I was in Uruguay where I got to know about the ‘candombe’ which has Afro-American features, and I wanted to leave a mark of the experience I had had with the Uruguayan musicians in the Santo. They are a people of singing and praising God, a people of the streets, with tambourines like King David who sang and danced in front of the Ark of the Covenant. Then there was Niña de Nazareth (Girl from Nazareth), a song I wrote before joining Gen Rosso but was never able to put it to music. I worked on it with Beni Henderle, and we came out with the song. Other pieces were a bit more difficult: for the Kyrie Eleison, for example, I had come with 7 different versions. I was trying to convey the experience that God loves us; His mercy is also born from being Love. The rest is relative; whereas, for me, this is like a splinter in my mind.”     What suggestions could you give to those who want to play these songs? “I would suggest to them that these songs aren’t meant to be sung, but lived. I would wish to anyone who would like to use them – in a group, a parish, a choir – that they would be able to have this experience of God: to “enter” the songs. I would wish that they could be able to enter the songs with their souls, so that the correct interpretation of each piece would come out.” Song List:

1. Verso di te (Towards You)
2. Kyrie Eleison
3. Gloria
4. Loda il Signore anima mia (Praise the Lord, my soul)
5. Alleluia
6. Quelli che amano te (Those that love you)
7. Santo, Candombe rhythm (Holy, holy, holy)
8. Agnello di Dio (Lamb of God)
9. Il cielo è con noi (Heaven is here with us)
10. Voce del mio canto (Voice of my song)
11. Come un fiume (Like a river)
12. Ave Maria
13. Niña de Nazareth.

Complete texts and musical scores are included with the CD Where to buy Voce del mio canto CD  

Luminosa Award for Unity

Sep 13, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia

Delegation of Fon from Fontem (Cameroon): Pilgrimage to Rome, Loppiano and Trent

Sep 13, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Monday and Tuesday 19^th and 20^th of September 2016: different arrivals in Rome Wednesday 21^st September 2016: Participation in an Audience with the Holy Father – Pope Francis in the Vatican – after the Audience, visit of the Tomb of Saint Peter the Apostles and the Popes – Visits of some selected holy sites of Rome Thursday 22^nd September 2016: Touristic visit of Rome – Catacombs, Colosseum and Basilicas of  Rome.  Departure to Loppiano (Florence – first Focolare Citadel in the World created by Chiara Lubich) night at Loppiano. Friday 23^rd of September 2016: Visit of Loppiano and meeting with the inhabitants of Loppiano Saturday 24^th of September 2016: Departure from Loppiano to Trento – Chiara’s native town and citadel. A stop in Florence town – touristic visit. Night at Trento Sunday 25^th of September 2016: Visit of Trent and inhabitants, Institutions, Municipality (Mayor) and Bishop of Trent. Monday 26^th September 2016: departure from Trento to Rome – a touristic stop at Venice. Night in Rome – Castel Gandolfo . Focolare International Mariapolis Centre. Tuesday 27^th September 2016: visit to the tomb of Mafua Ndem Chiara Lubich, at the Focolare Headquarters in Rocca di Papa. A meeting with the Centre of the Focolare Movement. Wednesday 28^th September 2016: Departure and end of the Pilgrimage.  

Living the Gospel: Everything belongs to us!

Sep 13, 2016 | Non categorizzato

The fruits of the Word “For years now, three of us have been asking the new parish priest to talk more about the Word of God. So he arranged for us to hold a meeting before Mass every Sunday. The more we strived to put the Word into practice, the more people kept asking to participate. In a few months, we formed a big group. There was a strong family relationship among the frequent participants, and in the parish the atmosphere started to change. Now we were no longer satisfied only with prayer and individual efforts to be good Christians, but were involved in a journey where each one tried to reach the goal of sanctity with the others. We strongly felt the presence of Jesus at our side and in our midst, and this started to show its effects: besides the joyful discovery of a new image of the Church, we began to feel the need to also share material things with the less fortunate, and support the disadvantaged families, disoriented youth, and people who needed to rediscover God’s love. And this was not only within the framework of the parish.” (Lucio – Italy) The forgotten Christmas bonus “I was at the market when I remembered that my parents didn’t have any money, so I did the shopping also for them. On my way home, I noticed a girl crying in the street: she was hungry and her family – she told me – had nothing to eat. After consulting my husband, Antonio, we decided to bring to that family half of our monthly groceries. The next day our neighbour’s daughter came to confide that her father had gone away to look for work and no longer returned. Also they, with many children, had nothing to eat. I said to myself: “Enough of all this, we have already done our part!” But when Antonio reminded me that we still had not given what was necessary, once again we divided the remainder of our supplies. By then there was no money left for the shopping, but every day we received some help from someone. At the end of the month my salary was double. It was not a mistake: I had forgotten about my Christmas bonus.” (B. P. – Brazil) Tradition with a new heart “As a tradition in our society, particularly in the villages, the men do not help in the housework, and the women go to work even when they are sick: they do not consider themselves as victims and neither do the men feel cruel. It was so also in my house. If my wife was doing some chore and was reading a book or watching TV, it never occurred to me to get up if our son was crying: it was her task. When with the help of my Christian friends, I realized that the others had the right to receive my love and help, I felt I had to start especially at home. One day, when my wife who was preparing breakfast had to tend to the baby, I set the table for her. When she returned, she was surprised but did not make any remarks. But when I ironed my own shirt to go to the office, it was simply too much for her…. So I told her about the beauty of being the first to love and doing to others what we want others to do to us. Now there is more harmony in the family.” (W.U. H. – Pakistan)

Foresi: “Mary of Nazareth”

Sep 11, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Ave Cerquetti, ‘Bella Accoglienza’ – Rome, 1961

Montreal: Chiara Lubich’s New Humanity Movement at the 2016 World Social Forum

Sep 8, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Courtesy Week at Yvonne’s school in Toronto, Canada, received a surprise visit from a Minister of the Canadian government who wanted to know more about how the students had used the Cube of Love to change the atmosphere in their classrooms, increase service and attention to others and alleviate bullying. That Peace Project received an award as one of the most exemplary practices in the school district and was adopted by other schools with the encouragement of the Minister of Education. In North Riverside, Illinois, USA, Carol began a social project called “The Art of Caring for Each Other”, which was adopted by the public administration and transformed foreigners and suspicious neighbours into a community marked by welcome and sharing. These are just a few of the best practices that the Focolare’s New Humanity Movement presented at the World Social Forum in Montreal, Canada during the second week of August. Projects, studies, social action and artistic performances helped to imagine that “Another world is necessary, together it becomes possible!”. It was the title chosen for this 12th edition of the worldwide workshop which originated in Porto Alegre, Brazil, 2001, as a response to the economic forum that was held by world economic leaders in Davos, Switzerland. The Social Forum provides an independent space to diverse expressions in civil society that are trying to bring change in the areas of human rights, economy, renewable energy and democracy. The Humanity Movement’s three public workshops at McGill University of Montreal and Quebec were an expo of best practices from the social, economic and political fields that have been influenced by Chiara Lubich’s charism of unity. Jean Charles Bitorirobe from Burundi, now a Canadian citizen, wanted to help heal the wound of ethnic conflict that still divides Hutu and Tutsi in his country and also in Quebec. “Our centre is meant as a cultural centre for all Burundians regardless of their ethnic roots. In February we gathered more than 420 people to share experiences, our sad baggage from the past and traditional customs that should no longer continue to divide our people. Our inspiration is the charism of unity.” Jean Claude also began a soccer team, a Kirundi language and dance class, a fundraiser for 150 mentally disable children from Burundi and a supper of typical dishes and traditional music. “Some people immediately thought we were thinking of starting a political party, but we only want to work for unity, and the ambassador expressed acknowledgement and appreciation of our work.” Cameroon politician and point of reference for the thousands of women Volunteers of the Focolare Movement, Patience Lobè, brought the workshop to a close. She had received death threats and was the target of several assassination attempts for having denounced corruption in the Public Works system in her country. “I felt I had to fight for justice. I don’t know if this is because it is part of my nature, but I do think that God uses us as his instruments.” As a civil engineer she earned a good salary, but the poverty all around her would not let her rest, and so this courageous woman created professional development centres that have led to jobs and cooperatives like the organic chicken farm that is now showpiece of the industrial edifice of the country. “Hunger and poverty are first of all a problem of values, but if we put ourselves together we can create the change and be people that do something new.” And that is totally in tune with the job description of the Social Forum.

Gen Rosso in Spain

Sep 7, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Guitar, drums, acoustic bass, piano, saxophone and the voices of Gen Rosso. Twenty songs from 50 years of music-making: Un’altra umanità, Nascera, Costellazioni, and more. An acoustic and multi-cultural concert in three languages: Italian, Spanish and English. Below are the dates and locations of Gen Rosso’s tour in Spain: September 16, Teatro Jacinto Benavente de Galapagar, Madrid September 18, Teatro Fernández Baldor de Torrelodones, Madrid September 21, Auditorio Fundación Caja Rural de Granada September 23, Gran Teatro de Cáceres Sepember 24, Teatro Auditorio Riberas del Guadaíra, Alcalá de Guadaíra, Seville September 27, Vigil of Mercy at 20:30, Parish of San Pedro Poveda, Jaén September 29-30, Borja Hall, Valladolid October 2, Auditorio Colegio La Sagrada Familia, the Marists, Cartagena, Murcia Gen Rosso International Performing Arts Group is known for its internationality and the personal commitment of its  members to spread a message of universal brotherhood and peace in favour of a more united world.

https://youtu.be/t5Cvfaz-e64

Elisa and Gabriele: Their day without end following the earthquake

Sep 5, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Elisa with the entire family – a twin brother, an elder brother, daddy, and the grandmothers – just a few weeks earlier, had been to the Mariapolis – the Focolare’s summer gathering – with about a hundred other people. It had been an occasion to know each other, share life experiences, and take a step ahead together. Everyone remembers Elisa who before leaving, with her gay and contagious ways had shot a video of the impressions of her group with the help of her twin brother. “The Mariapolis is an experience that leaves its mark in one’s heart forever. I hope to go to the Mariapolis always,” she had texted her mother upon returning home. Instead, Gabriele, her little 8-year-old cousin, in mid-June had participated for the second consecutive year in the little “Gen4 congress.” It was an enchanting three-day event with the little kids who understand “the things of God” better than anyone else. A photo shows him in the role of an angel playing a trumpet upon the passage through the Door of Mercy, together with all the other boys. In the morning of 24 August the news of the earthquake arrived, and also the anguish: Elisa, Gabriele and their grandmothers were under the ruins and all feared the outcome for those who were missing. A chain of prayers immediately started like a tam-tam, but in the evening it was confirmed: they didn’t make it. Their families immediately gave an unwavering testimony: “Their faith in God’s love was such that even in this immense suffering, they enlightened us with renewed determination to live for that which does not pass”, wrote Maria Voce, President of the Focolare, to the stricken communities and families, the day after the earthquake. Meanwhile the Focolare communities throughout the world and Italy had launched the rescue system.

Elisa with her two brothers

Gabriele at the Mariapolis

Mother Teresa, a great teacher of the art of loving

Sep 4, 2016 | Non categorizzato

 “Mother Teresa is … a great teacher of the art of loving. She truly loved everyone. She didn’t ask her neighbour if he or she was Catholic, Hindu, Muslim, etc. … Undoubtedly, Mother Teresa was the first to love. She went out looking for those entrusted to her by God. Mother Teresa saw Jesus in every person, perhaps in a way no others did. Her motto was: “You did it for me.” Mother Teresa made herself one with everyone. She made herself poor with the poor and especially in the same way as the poor. … She didn’t accept anything that the poor couldn’t have as well. We know, for example, that she and her sisters do without having even a simple washing machine, something that many people do not understand. They say: “Nowadays!” But she did not want one because the poor don’t have them. She took upon herself and identified herself with the wretchedness of the poor, their grief, their sickness and death. Mother Teresa loved everyone as herself, to the point of offering others her own ideal. For example, she invited the volunteers who spent a period of time serving in her Work to seek out their own “Calcutta” when they went home to their countries. She said:  it is because there are poor people everywhere. Mother Teresa certainly loved her enemies. She never stopped to dispute the absurd accusations they made against her, but she prayed for her enemies. Yes, in her we can see “the art of loving” lived to perfection. She was … a queen of charity.” Chiara Lubich Message during a Conference Call on 25^th September 1997.

Reead more: The magnificat of Mother Theresa of Calcutta as received by Chiara Lubich – Press releases SIF– 1° Settembre 2016

Fontem (Camerun): Golden Jubilee Celebration 1966-2016

Sep 1, 2016 | Non categorizzato

The diocese of Mamfe, the Focolare family and the Alumni Association of the school, “Our Lady Seat of Wisdom,” are extending an invitation to all for the 50^th anniversary celebration (1966-2016) of the arrival of the Focolare Movement in Fontem (Camerun) and the opening of the school. The celebrations will be held at the “Mariapolis Mafua Ndem Chiara Lubich” (Fontem) from 14 to 17 December 2016. For information: info@focolare-fontem.org Web site: www.focolare-fontem.org

Igino Giordani: Love is creation’s breath of life

Sep 1, 2016 | Non categorizzato

Just as Jesus had immediately inserted himself into the sub-layer of society by being born in a stable amongst the homeless, the refugees, the banished; so too, by allowing himself to be crucified and abandoned, he stood in the midst of the massive crowd of all those who suffer: the oppressed, the discouraged, the hungry and the defeated of every age. His focus on all those in misery gives humankind the measure of his love, and was nothing but the logical consequence of having completely fit himself into humanity’s brokenness. It was his way to make himself the last, the vilest of creatures, the most degraded – the way for to be at the root of all misery, a root that raises to Heaven. Infinity empties itself out of love. He had created the universe, developed and ruled it. The universe represents the production of something of boundless grandeur, somehow proportionate to the greatness of his mind, a world made of worlds, one more wondrous than the next. And humankind – tiny creatures on one small planet – after centuries of studying has only a minuscule idea of all that the universe contains: with stars that in our galaxy alone are four light-years apart and from the edges of the galaxy to its centre span a distance of 30 light-years which they can cover back and forth only 1,500 times in a billion years. In this universe that is infinitely too great for the human mind to fathom, he had also taken note of the misery of the human organisms on planet earth, and emptied himself in order to become one of them. He helped them to the point of giving them the Gospel and his very Self in the form of Food. The Redemption re-establishes the design of Creation, which includes that the existence of the stars and the atoms of the universe and the creatures of earth be in constant harmony for the realization of unity. This is why the Creator breathed into it the breath of life that is love. Health, peace and welfare flower in accordance with this precept. (Igino Giordani, L’unico amore, (Rome: Città Nuova, 1974) p. 64 and 105