Schönstatt: A Hundred Year Mission
Fr Kentenich
June 10, 1999: Chiara Lubich and Andrea Riccardi visiting Schönstatt
Art Exhibition: From Loppiano to Macau
Some of the original sculptures included in the display at the Macao Exhibit are “Silk Road Symphony,” “Promised Land,” “Brother Sun, Sister Moon,” and “Matteo Ricci.”. They are the fruit of the personal expriences of Lau Kwok-Hung, in Hung art. Born in Hong Kong in 1953, the artist has been living in the international town of Loppiano since 2000 where he works at his studio and draws inspiration from the spirituality of unity. Instead of the traditional scalpel, Hung uses an oxy-acetylene flame at 3000 ° C. Drop by drop: that’s how Hung creates his sculptures, which seem to mimic Chinese calligraphic brush strokes, but a closer look reveals a tangle of rebar forming human figures in motion. 
Each of the works on display in Macau has that andante quality which is the title of the exhibit. A term that plunges us onto a musical landscape where there is metre and rhythm, but also an outgoing movement, the discovery of the other. We met up with Hung on his return from Asia. How did this rather extraordinary experience of your solo exhibition in China come about?“In February of this year, I was in Macau. I was invited to the Seat of the Government by Madam Florinda Chan (Secretária para Administração and Justiça), to meet the leaders of the Instituto para os Assuntos Cívicos and Municipais. At the end of my presentation of the artistic process I use, the leaders unanimously decided to hold an exhibition of my work within the year. The place they proposed for the exhibition was the prestigious Taipai-Houses Museum. Moreover, they decided to arrange the trip, the publication of an exhibition catalog in three languages (Chinese, Portuguese and English) and the shipment of my sculptures by plane.” Is it your first solo exhibition in China? “I’ve done group exhibitions in the past, but this is the first solo exhibition in Asia. Many people were working behind the scenes. I’d especically like to mention Nico Casella who followed the beaurocratic process for obtaining the required documents and went the extra mile to ensure the safe arrival of the shipments. Then there’s Julian Andres Grajales who works with me at the studio, but there are so many others I should mention. . . The private viewing took place on September 25, marking the opening of the event that will last a month. On that occasion, Madam Florinda Chan invited me to conduct a guided tour, briefly presenting my work to the invited guests.” 
How long did you stay in Macau? “I was there for ten days, during which I was able to meet many people and dialogue with them, both at the conferences and during the private tours I conducted. One particularly interactive meeting was the one with 700 students from Colegio Mateus Ricci who expressed genuine wonder and gratitude; but were also interested in the practical technique, the inspiration and the style.” Were there any surprises? “Yes! One of the many surprises was when the Administration of the Colegio Mateus Ricci decided to purchase one of my works for the 60th anniversary of their institute in 2015, the sculpture is dedicated to Matteo Ricci, man of dialogue.” Has anything remained with you from this Asian experience? “I have great gratitude in my heart for the many relationships that were begun with so many people. . . unity was the protagonist.
Burkina Faso. Pray for Peace
“Having heard of the uprisings in Burkina Faso, I telephoned the focolarini in Bobo-Dioulasso for some news, and to assure them of my prayers and unity. I spoke with Dominique who assured me that the situation is tense, but calm,” writes Augusto Parody Reyes, Spanish medical doctor who spent 24 years in Africa and now works at the Focolare’s International Centre. Here is a brief description of the constantly evolving situation as reported by the Missionary Service News Agency (MISNA). Recently, in Ougadougou and other major cities there were unprecedented protest marches to block the nomination in the 2015 elections of President Blaise Compaore who has been in power from 1987. But the protests in the capital worsened on October 30th continuing in the afternoon after an assault and the burning of the parliament. Local news sources reported at least one dead in clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officers. There were also reports of lootings of shops and banks. In the afternoon, the demonstrators also surrounded the Presidential headquarters. Proclamation of a state of emergency, dissolution of the government and appeal for negotiations with the demonstrators were the key elements of a radio message given by the Head of State following hours of disorder and violence in the heart of Ouagadougou. Then it was learnt that president Blaise Compaore had not resigned and had cancelled the national state of emergency which was declared a few hours earlier. Those latest measures were announced in a television speech by the president. The president’s statements added further confusion to an already complicated and uncertain situation. It is currently uncertain who holds power in the capital city of Ouagadougou. A few hours earlier the chief of staff of the armed forces had made it known that the “executive and legislative powers would be entrusted to a transitional body that would be constituted through consultation among all the active forces of the nation.” Moreover, the goal of the transition would be “the return to constitutional order within 12 months.” The military also declared a national cease-fire between 19:00 and 6:00. This was the situation on October 30th which is continually developing. Meanwhile the president resigned and his whereabouts are unknown. The military has divided in two groups: the army and the presidential guard, each with its own leader. Focolare members in Burkina Faso say that they felt expressed in the appeal made by Cardinal Paul Ouedraogo bishop of Bobo Dioulasso and president of Caritas Burkina Faso: “We are praying for peace. We call on all parties to exercise restraint and to limit the damage during this critical period for our country.” Updated November 3, 2014
Pope Francis’ video message for Loppiano’s 50th anniversary
The Holy See Press Office released the text of a video message from Pope Francis on the 50th anniversary of the founding of Loppiano, the Focolare movement’s first “little town.” The town, located in north-central Italy, has 2,600 residents from 70 nations.
“Dear brothers and sisters, inhabitants of Loppiano, good evening to you all.
I also wish to greet all those who today populate the citadel which Chiara Lubich had created, inspired by the Gospel of brotherhood – that universal brotherhood – and all those who from every corner of the world have linked up to participate in the Loppiano’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
Loppiano is at the service of the Church and the world, and I thank the Lord for this little town which is a living and effective testimonial of communion between people of different nations, cultures and vocations, and who make sure, especially in daily life to keep alive among you, mutual and constant charity.
I am glad that you chose to celebrate your anniversary on the same day in which the entire Church celebrates St Francis of Assisi, testimonial and creator of peace and brotherhood. It is really a happy coincidence also for me.”
The inhabitants of Loppiano, those who are permanent citizens and those who pass a period of training wish to become experts in mutual acceptance and dialogue, operators of peace, and generators of brotherhood,
Continue with renewed enthusiasm along this path, and I pray that you remain faithful and continue to incarnate more and more the prophetic design of this citadel which blossomed from the charisma of unity, exactly fifty years ago. All this was in harmony with the profound message which the Second Vatican Council was announcing in that period, to testify to the light and wisdom of the Gospel with mutual love towards all. Loppiano is, therefore, a school of life, where there is only one Teacher: Jesus.
Yes, a school of life, that makes the world hope once again, and that bears witness to the Gospel is truly the yeast and salt of the new civilization of love. And to do so, by drawing from the spiritual sap of the Gospel, you need to imagine and experience a new culture in all fields of social life: from family to politics, to the economy. In other words, the culture of relationships. The basics of wisdom is the sincere desire for education, and taking care of education means love. Therefore it is not surprising that Loppiano has for some years now become the seat of the Sophia University Institute established by the Holy See. There is an urgent need for young people, men and women who, besides having a qualified training in various disciplines, are at the same time imbued with the wisdom that springs from love of God.
Dear friends, my heartfelt wishes for all of you and Loppiano, to look ahead always, and aim high with faith, courage and creativity. No mediocrity! I entrust you all to Maria Theotokos, Mother of God, who embraces you all in the shrine which is the heart of the little town. And I ask you to pray for me. I bless and greet all of you.”
Volunteers, contemplatives in the midst of the world
Photo © Giancarlo Nuzzolo
Photo © Giancarlo Nuzzolo
Maria Ghislandi, Maria Voce, Paolo Mottironi, Jesús Morán. Photo © Giancarlo Nuzzolo
Paolo Mottironi, Patience Mollè Lobè – Photo © Giancarlo Nuzzolo
Reformation Day 2014
International Congress 2013
Kathrin (first row left) with Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti and a group of Swiss focolarini – November 2012
Chiara Lubich in Grossmünster (2001)
Μελέτες e Μάθε να χάνεις: First books by Chiara Lubich in Greek
“Meditations” (Μελέτες) (1959) is the first published collection of meditations by Chiara Lubich. Now Greek has been added to the long list of translations of that book and “Knowing How to Lose”, (Μάθε να χάνεις), a book on Mary at the foot of the Cross. In his preface to the books, Patriarch Bartholemew writes: “We hail the publication of these books, which coinicides with the 50th anniversary of the encounter between Blessed Pope Paul VI and Athenagoras I in Jerusalem, and we hope that Meditations may become a favourite that will bring benefit to all who seek the path of love and peace in today’s world. . .” I personally knew the memorable founder of the Focolare Movement for over fifty years when she had been invited by our predecessor, the unforgettable Patriarch Athenagoras, and I followed closely her sincere efforts for unity and restoration of full communion between the ancient Churches and the new Rome, in the context of the dialogue of love. . . ” Chiara’s love for the Orthodox Church is well known: from 1967 to 1972 she had 25 audiences with Patriarch Athenagoras, a relationship that continued with Patriarch Demetrios and the current Bartholemew I. 
In Thessaloniki and Athens, Greece, two events were held to make Chiara Lubich more known in the Orthodox Church and in the Roman Catholic Church in those cities. It was significant that the Orthodox Metropolitan Chrisostomos of Messinia, in charge of relations with the Catholic Church in Greece, was sitting at the same table as member of the bi-lateral theological commission, Jesuit Father Kontidis who saw to the publication of the book, Dimitra Koukoura Orthodox professor of Homeletics, and Florence Gillet, theologian from the Chiara Lubich Centre. Nikos Papaxristou, an Orthodox journalist, moderated the presentations with a bit of autobiographical detail: “The first time I heard of the Movement was from Patriarch Bartholemew.” Universality, “femininity that is of Mary,” spiritual depth, ecclesial and social renewal from the charism of unity were some of the topics discussed. Metropolitan Chrisostomos affirmed: “There is a prophecy in Chiara that has given a new start to the age of ecumenism.” “The Ideal of Chiara is at the service of humanity,” he continued, and “is an examplary living spirituality that appeals especially but not only to the laity, opening a path of faith for so many people. . . ” Cipriot, Lina Mikelliddou and Greek Orthodox Anna Kuvala, from the Focolare Movment also gave their testimony: “Knowing this Ideal,” Lina said, “my life changed: every person became a candidate for unity.” Among the attendees in Thessaloniki, Archimendrite Ignathios, representing the city’s Metropolitan Nnikiforos, Abbot of the Orthodox Monastary of Vlatadon. Also present were several professors from diverse faculties of the Aristotelean University of the city, including Dr. Vassiliadis, Deacon of the Faculty of Theology. Bishop of Corfu-Zante, Bishop Spiteris who was unable to attend, sent a message. Also in Athens: several personalities from the Orthodox Church: Father Thomas, Vicar and representative of Archbishop Ieronimo, Metropolitan of Syros, Polykantriotis, Archimendrite Sotiriadis responsible of Diakonia (for charitable works) of the Holy Orthodox Synod (episcopal conference). From the Catholic Church: Apostolic Nunzio Bishop Adams, incumbent Bishop Foskolos, and Don Rossolatos, newly nominated Bishop of Athens. Another presentation of the two books will take place on October 31, 2014, in Nicosia – Cyprus.
Myanmar: A light begins to shine in a small village
“I thought my life would end up like everyone else’s, without any challenges, but now I’ve been ‘awakened’ from a great dream because, during this youth camp I received so much strength and courage” (William, 20 years old). “Now I know what it means to love: serving others. I made many new friends and it was one of the happiest moments of my life” (Maung, 21 years old). “These three days were like a vitamin pill for carrying on toward my future” (Benjamin, 18 years old). These are only a few of the impressions following a youth camp that was held in Kanazogone, a tiny village in southern Myanmar (October 3-5, 2014). The idea began with the Youth for a United World from Yangon (also known as Rangoon, capital of Myanmar since 2005). “We took off in a bus, 23 young people from Yangon, then continued by boat since the road didn’t reach this remote village. We were welcomed by a small community in this mostly Christian region, which is under the guidance of a priest focolarino, Father Carolus. Another 60 young people joined us from the surrounding areas. 
For many it was the first time attending a meeting of this kind. Right from the start the young people listened with attention and embraced our message seriously.” The programme focused on the figure of Blessed Chiara Luce Badano. “When we began watching the video of her beatification,” the young people explained, “the rains were falling so noisely that we couldn’t hear the audio. So we stopped and improvised games until the rain stopped. . . The presenters proposed that we prayt together asking Chiara Luce to make it possible for us to hear the video. Shortly afterwards the rain suddenly diminished significantly. But the great miracle was the testimony of her life that reached the heart of each young person. It was a solemn moment, like when we spoke of peace: peace within ourselves when we forgive others, peace with those around us, concluding with a time-out for world peace. Many of the young people made a decision to begin loving the people around them, especially the closest people like their families.” 
“We wanted to do something useful for the village,” they recounted. “Even though it was such a hot afternoon, we went with the tools brought by the young people to remove the weeds that were growing along the river in the forest. We worked in the mud, with snakes and mosquitos everywhere. . . Some were amazed that they were doing such work, but everyone was overflowing with joy! And we left a beautiful garden behind. In the evening we feasted. We invited all the families and thanked the women who had cooked our meals for those two days. Many came and joined us in spite of their shyness.” “Even though there was no electricity – except for the generator – no telephone nor internet. . . oh, how difficult it was to leave that place!” The return trip to Yangon will never be forgotten, because of the group’s joy that was expressed in loud laughter and endless singing during the 15 hours on the bus.” “When we reached home, with the excuse that one of us would be travelling abroad for studies, we immediately organised a reunion that same week, to share photos and know more about the life of Chiara Luce. The atmosphere of those days in Kanazogone returned and our new friends also expressed a desire to imitate her.”
Living the Gospel: Mending a broken friendship
At the restaurant “Following an argument with an old friend, he, feeling offended, decided to end our friendship. I wrote him a letter asking for forgiveness, saying that perhaps, quite unintentionally, I had hurt his feelings. I didn’t get an answer back. Through some mutual friends, I came to know that he was adamant in keeping his distance: a wall had gone up between us. I started being afraid of meeting him, and sometimes on the street, I would change my direction if I saw him coming from afar. Until one Saturday evening. My wife and I decided to have dinner in a restaurant. We had already ordered our meal when, at the door, I saw precisely that person together with his wife. As soon as he too became aware of my presence, he hesitated, as if he wanted to leave. My wife and I looked at each other for a moment: we immediately understood one another. We went towards them with a smile and invited them to sit at our table. He accepted, at first he was quite perplexed, but then he was clearly happy of the invitation. The evening passed peacefully. It took so little for our relationship to go back to what it was before, as if nothing ever happened.” .R. S. – France Miracle? “During a written exam one of my classmates, considered by all as the worst in the class, asked me insistently to allow him to copy the assignment. I did not think it was right so I didn’t pass my work to him. After the class he wanted to take his revenge on me so my friends suggested that we inform the teacher about it. But instead, I had another tactic. I went to him and I asked him: ‘What would you have gained by fooling the professors? If you want, we can study together starting from the very beginning.’ He accepted. Now he is quite diligent in his studies. Everyone told me that I had worked a miracle… but I know that these are just the effects of love.” E. – Cameroun The terrorist “I’m a primary school teacher and I’m often sent to teach in the mountain villages, where communist terrorists usually hide. I had already experienced an encounter with a group of them, but I was able to hide among the rocks. But once, they kidnapped me and took me to their camp. I remember the endless days during which I underwent long interrogations. Despite my fear, I tried to answer them with much respect. To one of them who had tried for hours to indoctrinate me on the socialist ideology, I objected saying that first of all we must change ourselves if we want to change the structures of power that seem to be unjust: ‘What can change us is the love we have for one another.’ Maybe my words touched him. The fact is, after the interrogation, he set me free. From that day onwards I always continued to pray for him. Recently I recognized him in a news broadcast on television which showed a terrorist who had given up his weapons to the military, leaving his group.” N. – Philippines
November 2014
And so a hymn of praise and gratitude wells up from the human heart. This is the first step to take, the first teaching to grasp from the words of the Psalm: to praise and thank God for his work, for the wonders of the cosmos and for human beings fully alive who are his glory and who alone in creation can to say to him: ‘For with you is the fountain of life.’ But it was not enough for the Father’s love to pronounce the Word through whom all things were made. He wanted the Word himself to take on our flesh. God, the one true God, became man in Jesus and brought to earth the spring of life. The source of every good, of every being and of every happiness came to dwell among us, so that we could have it, so to speak, within hand’s reach. ‘I came,’ says Jesus, ‘that they may have life, and have it abundantly’ (Jn 10:10). He has filled with himself every bit of time and space in our existence. He wanted to stay with us always, so we could recognize him and love him in the most varied guises. Sometimes we find ourselves thinking, ‘It must have been amazing to live at the time of Jesus!’ Well, his love has invented a way of remaining with us, not simply in one small corner of Palestine, but in all places of the earth. He makes himself present in the Eucharist according to his promise. And there we can go for nourishment to feed and renew our life. ‘For with you is the fountain of life.’ Another source where we can draw the living water of the presence of God is our brother, our sister. Each neighbour who passes by, if we love him or her, especially any in need, cannot be thought of as someone to whom we do good, but as someone who does good to us, because they give us God. In fact, by loving Jesus in our neighbours (I was hungry … I was thirsty … I was a stranger … I was in prison [see Mt 25: 31-40]) we receive in exchange his love and life because he himself, who is in our brothers and sisters, is its source. Another wellspring rich with water is the presence of God within us. He always speaks to us and it is up to us to listen to his voice, which is our conscience. The more effort we put into loving God and our neighbour, the louder this voice becomes and drowns out all the others. But there is a privileged moment when, as at no other time, we can draw on his presence within us. It is when we pray and try to go into depth in a direct relationship with the one who dwells in the depths of our soul. It is like a deep stream of water that never runs dry, that is always available to us and that can quench our thirst at any time. All we have to do is to shut out for a moment everything else from our soul and recollect ourselves, and we will find this spring, even in the midst of the driest desert. And we do this to the point of finding that union with him where we are aware that we are no longer alone but together, the two of us: he in me and I in him. And yet, through his gift, we are one like water and the spring, the flower and its seed…. The Word of the Psalm reminds us that God alone is the source of life and therefore the source of full communion, peace and joy. The more we drink from this source and live on the living water that is his Word, the more we will come close to one another and live like brothers and sisters. Then the words that follow in this Psalm will come true: ‘in your light we see light,’ the light that humanity awaits.
Chiara Lubich
Adapted from the version first published in January 2002
Hungary, a “dice” for future citizens
Jánoshalma is a town of about 10,000 inhabitants in southern Hungary, where about 3% of the population belong to the Rom ethnic group and social integration is a burning issue. It was the last town that conferred honorary citizenship to Chiara Lubich while she was still alive, in February 2008. Within this context, last 7 October the Dice of Peace installation was inaugurated in Chiara’s birthplace, Trent. The Dice was installed in the park in the centre of the city facing the Town Hall, almost like a symbol of the city’s aspiration, close to the playgrounds created some years earlier with the contribution of the local Focolari community together with the Municipality, upon the request of some children who had told the Mayor that they did not have a nice playground. The proposal, launched by the Focolari Movement, was accepted by the Municipality. The building of the Dice, the sides of which are 120 cm high, with the load-bearing framework the height of a person, in a diagonal position, was the fruit of the generosity of many: the company that did most of the works, for example, offered to do it for free…. 
The originality of this huge dice is that it can be “cast,” exactly the way small dice are cast: it can be turned in various directions and inspire people to live up to the phrase which pops up… The inauguration was attended by 150 people, among which were various elementary and high school students and even toddlers frequenting the kindergartens. The representatives of the Catholic School, who for many years have used the dice in their classes, had proposed it to the entire town. There were also the gen4, children living the Focolari spirituality, who narrated to the crowd some of their experiences on how they try to love everyone. The next day, some children on their way to school, changed their itinerary in order to pass by the dice and give it a “turn.” For those who want to practice a bit of the Hungarian language, these are the first six phrases of the dice: megbocsátok a másiknak – forgive the others meghallgatom a másikat – listen to others mindenkit szeretek – I love everybody elsőként szeretek – I am the first to love szeretem a mellettem lévőt – we love one another szeretem a másikat – I love the others
EoC: work as a vocation
«Last year I was fortunate to have partecipated in a workshop of the Economy of Communion in Loppiano. There my eyes were opened: up to that moment I was still in the process of deciding on “what shall I do”, without asking myself “who am I”. I understood that work is a vocation: I had, therefore, to find my vocation, that which would make me happy.
I was concluding my university studies in biomedical engineering. In October, 2013 I graduated from the Polytechnic University of Turin, after presenting my thesis at the Polytechnic University of Lausanne in Switzerland. I spent 5 years at the Polytechnic, lessons 8 hours a day. I would study at night, spending entire days without building any true relationships with my colleagues. In certain famous environments, individualism is very strong, there is the fear of being overtaken and the professors also transmit the “anxiety of being the top”.
After many sacrifices I was going to graduate on schedule, having achieved the highest grades. There was a big probability that I would also be granted the doctorate in Switzerland with a high salary, a house by the lake and great friends who were waiting for me there. It was a fundamental moment in my life, wherein I could decide on very important things for my future.
But something frightened me: the attachment to a career and to money. I wanted to have the instruments neccesary to be able to work, I would say, “against the current”. During times of crisis, young people like me have a difficult time in finding work and I didn’t want to close myself up in my career without looking at anyone else. It was with this state of mind that I arrived at the EoC workshop full of many questions. I didn’t find all the answers, but I found an atmosphere of openness, where entrepreneurs , professors and youth were all together, all equal, as we looked at Italy today with all its challenges.
https://www.focolare.org/it/focolare-worldwide/asia/filippine/I understood that having a lot of money would have been the first obstacle to my happiness, which for me means something entirely different. This was confirmed when I went to the Philippines, before beginning my doctorate that I knew I was granted while I was on the plane! This was a social trip that I had already planned, wherein I experienced first-hand a culture that was quite different from mine.
I arrived right at the moment of the strongest typhoon in the world, supertyphoon Yolanda, in Novembre 2013. The Filipino people, even if they are often struck by similar tragedies, had that dignity that made me also feel that … I had everything I needed to be happy! I understood the difference between “poverty” and “misery”. “Poverty” is what I saw in the Philippines, whereas “misery” is poverty without trust, without hope, which I saw in the faces of many of my Italian friends due to the (economic) crisis. Here in Europe depression and the psychologists enter into the picture… It’s true, there is a crisis. But we still have a roof over our heads and even daily meals. The dignity that I discovered in the Philippines is a lesson that will be useful for my working career.
Because of this, I gave up a career in Switzerland and now I am working in Loppiano, in a company of the Economy of Communion that was started to form young people not only on a relational-social level but also through work. Here I don’t work as an engineer, but I do manual labor, since automatic equipment does not exist. I work with clay, using my hands. And I feel that, in order to be a good engineer, after years spent studying, I also need to know what an ordinaruy labourer does. Maybe for some it seems like I am wasting my time, but I would like to be that engineer who, when he looks at the labourers, knows that he is looking at persons with their dignity, and who puts them at the center of his own work». (Maria Antonietta Casulli, 25 years old, Italy)
Families: opening up to adoption
“When we got married we had many projects. And one of these was the great desire to have a child. It was a great disappointment to discover that there were problems hindering this conception. It was hard to accept and I was convinced that there had to be a medical solution, which made us hope for the best. I was 22 and therefore, they did not immediately suggest in vitro fertilization techniques (FIVET), but started with less invasive treatments. In the meantime, while waiting for something to happen, I turned to a priest of my parish for help and advice, and he encouraged me to consider the true value of life, the precious gift that God has entrusted to the responsibility of man. The suffering I was undergoing was caused by my strong desire for motherhood, to be achieved as soon as possible. I was torn as to the path to follow. Some doctors proposed the FIVET as the right solution. The other path was to put our trust in God. So, with great difficulty we decided to stop and not do anything anymore. It appeared to us that assisted conception itself refutes some important aspects of man. We believe that life is a gift of God and not a “product” to be manufactured in a laboratory, without the donation of love between spouses. In fact, with this technique the child is not conceived in their flesh but in a test tube. I had always considered adoption as a beautiful thing, a great act of love, but my desire to bear a child led me not to take this path into consideration. Our suffering had opened my eyes to go further and realise, as St. John Paul II said in his Familiaris Consortio, that “ married life does not lose its value but can be fertile beyond one’s capacity to procreate, and that fatherhood and motherhood can be fulfilled in a marvellous way in the many forms of relationships and solidarity towards those in need.” And so I started to consider the possibility of adopting a child, and when my husband listened to my wish and agreed too, it was then that we “conceived” in an emotional bond, the child that God wanted to give us. In the autumn of 2004 we submitted to the Court for minors, our declaration of willingness for a national and international adoption. So we waited. Our child still had not been born but was already in our hearts and thoughts. He still did not exist but we were already praying for him. Samuel was born in Vietnam and on 19 April 2007, the association we had addressed told us that a child had been assigned to us. It was the start of great, indescribable emotions. We shared this joy with our relatives and friends; we were so happy we wanted to shout it out to the whole world. We only had a photo which for us, adoptive parents, is like the first scan in which you see your son but still cannot cuddle him. After having undertaken a journey within the world of our emotions, we now had to take a real journey, get on a plane that would take us to the other end of the world to reach our son. On 29 May 2007 we held him in our arms for the first time, and it was an overflowing joy. Each year, we shall always remember this day as a second birthday because God has blessed our family with the gift of Samuel. We want to thank the Lord for all the gifts he has given us: Dorotea, adopted in 2012, and Michele, who was entrusted to our care.” (G. and G. – Italy)
Jordan and Iraq: “We also pray for the terrorists”
Photo – EPA
Hong Kong: The Umbrella Movement
In order not to interrupt the daily activities the students organised study areas in the open in order to continue studying.
The students leaving their messages and committing themselves to live this period in peace.
The students: Sophia University’s greatest asset
There are many ways of implementing change today. And for once it is the youth who lead the way: from Occupy Wall Street, to the Arab springs, and the “umbrella movement” of Hong Kong. The times change, along with the instruments, weapons and of course, the causes, but the biggest drive engine to improve oneself and the world, will remain forever the same. And this was the message launched last 20 October, by the students of the Sophia University Institute, during the opening ceremony of the Institute’s seventh academic year. From the general view, to a close up on this tiny Tuscan university that has made its entry into the worldwide panorama – the 115 students come from 30 different countries – Ukraine, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, Cameroon and Congo. “Hot-spots,” but in search of redemption, as can be seen from the choice of many young people, who are the new assets of these nations, and last but not least, of Sophia. They are eager for knowledge, education, and the wish to prepare to work on themselves and the world they live in. With the globalisation phenomena it is undoubtedly much easier today, since there is also a Sophia Foundation that collects funds and awards scholarships that allow Indian, Brazilian and also European and Italian students to enrol and train themselves in a culture of unity. Sophia has undertaken its utmost commitment to balance the academic offer on the basis of the needs of humanity, the markets and the employment world, as the Dean, Piero Coda, underlined, though this is not all. The “gold mine,” the added value of this place is also its “human assets,” the students themselves, who had the sensibility to see the novelty behind it and the revolutionary capacity of the courses offered, whether in politics, economy or ontology. 
Samar Bandak is 30 and a Jordanian of Palestine origins. He returned to Amman more than a year ago, after completing his course in politics at the IUS in 2012. He is currently one of the directors of the National Caritas association, heading the department for the educational support of millions of refugees who have sought refuge in a country with a total population of five million. This explains his academic choices which are not really “obvious,” considering that he graduated in Nutritional Sciences: «I discovered that the principle of universal brotherhood can be a real political category alongside with liberty and equality. It is a choice, an answer that mends injustice. We don’t only study at Sophia, but give experience a central role. » Patricio Cosso, currently student representative, comes from Argentina. «Five years ago my aim in life was to specialise in Finance or Business Administration in order to work in a bank or do something similar to what they do in Wall Street,” he said. “Then in 2011, in a bookshop I found a text that spoke of Economy of Communion. This byword seemed to me, quite impossible since it attempts to conjugate egoism and sharing. How can these two realities coexist? I would never have imagined finding myself here today, trying to make professional training comply with ethical convictions. Here I have started to discover that every query receives its proper importance in the quality of brotherhood I imbue in my relationships, cultural and religious divergences, wars, and the economic crises of our peoples.” “Imagine and experiment on a new culture in all fields of social life: from the family to politics, and economy. That is, the culture of relationships: in the words of Pope Francis.” Yes, because in his overwhelming video message, in Italian, for the 50th anniversary of the International Town of Loppiano, he also mentioned Sophia, (“wisdom” in Greek), among the experiences he recalled, and confirmed that the route to follow starts from “Wisdom, sparked by the sincere desire for education” and that “dedication to education is love.”
Focolare Priests Assembly
Give a response, along with the entire Focolari Movement, to the demands of the Church and humanity. Experiment on new roads to go towards all, fully aware of their own identity and the specific contribution they are called to give: «The existential periphery is also our sick, the elderly, those who have abandoned the ministry… the periphery is the Church itself when it does not comply with God’s will.» This, in short is what emerged from the “five intense days, full of communion and great joy,” in the words of some who described the experience they lived at the centre of Castelgandolfo in the assembly of the priests-focolarini. The programme consisted of the approval of the priest-focolarini statutes and mission, a one-day retreat and the report on the past six years and new prospects. There were also work group sessions on specific themes and the election of the new director. The last day was dedicated to the goals targeted for the next six years, and the dialogue with Focolari President, Maria Voce, and Co-President, Jesús Morán. The morning meditations with selected thoughts of Chiara Lubich, helped to go deeper into the specific calling of the priest-focolarino. Particular focus was given to the figure of Fr. Silvano Cola who had helped Chiara to found this branch of the Movement, when it still had to be defined. In 1965, during a first meeting with the diocesan priest-focolarini, Chiara had summarized her views on the priest-focolarino, as one who would always strive to achieve the prayer of Jesus, “Father, that all may be one,” and that «he will not rest until this becomes a reality in his parish […]. And therefore must not be content […] only with the good members of the parish who go to Church, but try to maintain a relationship with all […] and who must keep moving, and not be stagnant.» Chiara spoke about focolarini who set their lives in conformity with the Church and explained that the «priest-focolare is like that salt which has to penetrate into the diocese to make it a tasty soup, meaning to say, a “fully ‘salted’ diocese.” But if this salt remains an end in itself, it would be a nonconformity to one’s vocation. When the report on the past six years, was presented, the priorities targeted in the previous Assembly were analysed, among which was the relationship with the new generations, family life with the elderly and sick priests, and the spread of the spirituality of communion within the Church. The dialogue which followed testified to the commitment of all and mainly questioned three aspects: education, community life, and the need to go out. They were reminded of the keywords of the targets advocated by the general Assembly: go out together, and be well prepared and strongly fine-tuned to what Pope Francis said to the Focolarini in the audience of 26 September. Then followed the work groups and plenary session, during which the agenda for the next six years was laid out. 
Imbued with this reality, the assembly voted and the votes converged on Antonio Bacelar from Portugal, who said he accepted «with God’s grace, and was ready to give my life for each of you». It was a very touching moment. Fr. Antonio confided: «What I desire deeply is to discover more and more the meaning of our Marian priesthood. A lot of queries will arise like “how will things go?” We shall let God guide us, with Jesus in our midst we shall find the way. Humanly speaking, I should be overwhelmed but with you all by my side, it will be an extraordinary adventure.» To end, he remembered a citation of St. Teresa of Avila which Bacelar himself recalled the day before: «If we love, we shall accomplish much in a short time, without effort.»
From Rwanda to the Synod on the Family
Dieudonné & Emerthe Gatsinga from Rwanda
Chiara Lubich: “This is how I saw the Pope”
Audience with Pope Paul VI (1975)
Paul VI, the Pope of the Council
“At 80 years of age and in the 15th year of his pontificate, Paul VI may look back on his pontifical work, amid social and intellectual turmoil, as a rejuvenation process of the Catholic Church. […] Pope Montini has received the Second Vatican Council’s message to ‘update’ itself in order to act against the frenzy of the “death of God,” “irreligious Christianity,” and archaic conservatism, a work that entails patience, foresight, courage, updating of the main pontifical institutes and the creation of new dicasteries and services, among which are the “Iustitia et Pax” and “Pontifical council for the laity.” These and other universal organisations trigger a growing cooperation of bishops and clergy, religious monks and nuns, and laymen and laywomen, in a sense of ecclesiastic renewal: which sprouts from a new communitarian spirit, and fruit of evangelical love which puts an end to individualism and religious classism, and unites the people in the parishes, and local and world institutions at the level of the Church and society in order to fulfill God’s will on earth as in heaven. All of these remind us that the Christian follows God’s will whether in prayer or at work. The Fathers of the Church considered the faithful in prayer, also when they carry out God’s will in all their undertakings. This is why social action – service for the common good – if performed with one’s mind turned towards our Father in heaven, acquires a characteristic and outcome of authentic religiosity. Because of this, when speaking to a group of bishops from Cuba, Paul VI reminded them that the Church continually invites the faithful to be “new men” in justice, truth, and charity, so that it can educate the social conscience of the faithful, favour active cooperation towards the good, teach them to overcome their own egoism and never resign themselves to being “inferior citizens.” This is the inspiration to stimulate a social reform, the dawning of a “new world,” that the young G. B. Montini had foreseen ever since those years when he worked for the Catholic paper of Brescia, “La Fionda,” where he advocated a free school of thought to counter the newborn fascism. With such perspectives, broadness of mind and modernity which explain the development of Christian social movements, and which even non-religious sociologists acknowledge, the Pope reminded the Diplomatic Corps of the most audacious principles of equality regardless of origin or race, in the exercise of religious and civil rights and in condemning racism, torture and all violence towards political opponents. The Pope’s interventions manifest that truth which even we, Catholics, forget: that is, that religion is life, that God is life […]. Love: central theme of the Holy Father’s life and work; the central themes of Christianity are the creation and redemption. He has with love, brought closer to the church, individuals and multitudes, separated churches and hostile states. And in the field of ecumenism, his activities in silence rather than acclaimed, have in fact led to the return of churches, for which we comprehend why Athenagoras in a prophetic and familiar way, called him: Paul the second.” (Excerpt of: Paul VI the Pope of the Council by Igino Giordani, “Città Nuova,” 10.7.1978, p. 26.)
Charisms in Communion: A young religious recounts
Speaking recently at the Focolare’s General Assembly (September 2014) Alessandro, a young Religious who shares the spirituality of unity with other young Religious, had this to say: “How great! I was recently in contact again with Jacopo, Gianluca, Alessandro, Alberto, Matilde, Jenny and many others! And happy memories of that beautiful experience we shared during that last meeting in Loppiano returned to my mind. I hope I can see you all again soon! I feel a strong need and desire to be in communion with them for a while. Do you want to know who those people are? You’re right, I didn’t tell you who I was talking about. They’re all men and women Religious from many different charisms, with whom we are in constant contact, with whom I live in a great friendship that always fills my heart.” At that meeting over a hundred young men and women Religious from 36 countries and belonging to 56 Religious families, gathered around the slogan: Yes! We choose the Gospel. The meeting was prepared with much enthusiasm in view of 2015, the year that will be dedicated to consecrated life, but it will also be one further step on a journey by people who have chosen to follow the Gospel that reaches beyond the diversity of charisms. The presence of Cardinal Braz de Avis, Prefect of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Apostolic Life, highlighted the importance of their meeting. On that occasion “Don João” as he likes to be called, said: “The Pope loves you and our congregation is your home.” Alessandro went on to say: “It was the Lord puting us together, making us experience the joy of donating our charisms to one another. It was just beautiful and answered our deep need: that of having other young consecrated people with whom we could share simple things, concrete things, everyday things from our consecrated life. We found out that we have the same moments of difficulty and darkness, and we told each other how we try to overcome them. Sharing those experiences in order to live them together was like taking a deep breath, like opening the windows of the heart not only onto our own charisms, but on all the charisms of the Church, indeed, on the whole world! That universal breath made us fly high!” Alessandro’s experience seems to echo what Pope Francis said during the general audience in St Peter’s Square on October 1, 2014: “Woe, then, if these gifts become a reason for envy and division! As the Apostle Paul reminds us in his First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12, all charisms are important in God’s eyes and, at the same time, no one is irreplaceable. This means that in the Christian community we are in need of one another, and every gift received is acted fully when it is shared with brothers, for the good of all. This is the Church! And when the Church expresses herself in communion, in the variety of charisms, she cannot err.”
Synod: meeting of the Focolare Movement with Synod Bishops
Marriage preparation, support for women with unwanted pregnancies, willingness to leave everything behind in order to take the Gospel to faraway lands: “Real life” emerged at the seat of the Pontifical Council for the Family on October 12, 2014 in Rome during a meeting of Synod Bishops and auditors with a group of families from the Focolare Movement. They were welcomed by Focolare president and co-president, Maria Voce and Jesús Morán. Among those who attended were Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, Archbishop of Seoul, and the presidents of the Bishops Conferences of the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Uruguay. “How often do we parents make mistakes with our children? At times we’re too permissive, at times possessive, weak or inflexible when there’s no need to be. This is where the ‘begin again’ rule must apply, always being willing to recognise our mistakes and ask forgiveness. And when it’s a son or daughter who has erred, invite them to see their mistake, but at the same time demonstrate your trust.” Often wounded internally by betrayals and guilty silences, the family remains an irreplaceable setting where life is generated and transmitted. Anna Friso (New Families) went on to say that anyone who works alongside families today has decided to live life on the “peripheries” because, “as Pope Francis says, a person is not a Christian in order to stay in the camp but to go into the peripheries of the world.” “And in the peripheries,” Friso continued, “a Christian cannot ask whether people are married in the Church, whether they live together or are separated. We welcome all just as they are. We love them, listen to them deeply and try to help them with their needs if we can. And, at the right moment, to each and every person, no matter the situation or background, we extend the same message: God loves you immensely. No human being is excluded from God’s love.” 
The bishops also listened to the story of Tiziana G. whose 13-year marriage had been made up of lies, arguments, pseudo-explanations and new disappointments. Then she met an old school friend and a new family life began. “I could have gone to a church where no one knew me, and receive Holy Communion,” she recounted, “but out of obedience I never did so.” Tiziana did not hide from the bishops the strong sense of “self-exclusion” she felt, “the great spiritual loneliness” that she experienced and the “huge discomfort while watching everyone else approach the altar while I remained in the pew. I felt abandoned, rejected, culpable.” Then Paolo R. spoke who, although alone, remained in his marriage. It was a painful story that began with the abandonment by his wife, going through the separation and lawyers, until he found himself in an “interior desert.” But he decided to “wait” because “that,” he said, “is what Christian marriage is: a sealed box. You put your life in God’s hands, through the sacrament, through the person you marry, the person you’re in love with . . . but then love needs to be constructed, even amidst pain, one day after the other.”
Dieudonne and Emerthe Gatsinga from Rwanda
Teresa of Avila and the Charism of Unity
“In explaining the meaning of the spirituality of unity to the Bishops of the Focolari Movement during their meeting on 10 February 1984, Chiara Lubich made a few remarks: “It is a journey undertaken together, in which we strive to help the others to reach sanctity in the same way as we try to sanctify ourselves, since what matters before all else, is to glorify God. And what gives a decisive impulse to the personal effort to reach sanctity is Christ’s presence in an increasingly intense manner among Christians which affects each person in an ever deeper way.” And here, once again, Chiara Lubich underpinned the novelty of this type of sanctity and pathway: the term, “An interior castle,” in the same way as St. Teresa called the reality of the soul inhabited by His Majesty, is a very suitable term which we have to discover and highlight. It is the height of sanctity in an individual path. However, the time has come to discover, enlighten, and edify for God, also his exterior castle, so to say, with His presence among us. This – on a deeper reflection – is nothing else but the fact that the Church in which we live, through this spirituality, can more and more fulfill this calling, and grow in beauty and splendour as the mystical spouse of Christ, the foretaste of the Heavenly Jerusalem, which was described in the words: “Behold! The dwelling place of God is with man! And He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21,3). […] When visiting Spain in the first days of December 2003, Chiara wanted to go to Avila, St Theresa’s birthplace, to visit the monastery of the Incarnation where Teresa had lived for more than 27 years […] She signed the monastery’s Golden Book with this testimonial of her “spiritual friendship” with the Saint of Avila: “Thank you, St. Teresa, for all you have done for us, for our journey. Thanks! But we will express our deepest thanks to you in Paradise. Continue to watch over all of us, over “our exterior castle” which the divine Spouse established on earth, as a completion of your “interior castle,” to embellish the Church as you desired. See you soon, St. Teresa. A big hug, Chiara.” I have always considered Teresa of Avila’s interior castle as a proposed evangelical lifestyle for all Christians who wish to live their own universal vocation of sanctity, union with God in the Trinitarian and ecclesiastic experience. But what I consider the even bigger grace, and more exciting adventure, is that of participating with the charisma of unity, in the discovery of this particular design of God, the possibility to live together the adventure of community and ecclesiastic sanctity, in building a splendid, shining exterior castle, personified in the Work of Mary, for the Church and humanity.” Further reading: “Two women and two castles” Excerpt from “The exterior castle, the novelty of the spirituality of Chiara Lubich,” (“Il castello esteriore, il nuovo nella spiritualità di Chiara Lubich”), by Jesús Castellano Cervera (1941-2006), pp. 63-67/68.
EoC: Training for an economy which has a soul
This experience began in 2012 with the first workshop titled: “Start up the Future”. The following year another workshop was held: “Planning Labour and Building the Future”; and this year’s workshop: “Being satisfied with your job”. The young people write: “This workshop encourages us to seek work that will not just satisfy our financial needs, but but will also permit us to develop our talents, initiatives and to live our work-life as a calling, in communion with workmates. It’s a horizon to look towards, a target to aim for. With the help of numerous experts and professionals we became more acquainted with the Economy of Communion (EoC) and examined the indissoluble link us and our work. The workshop was not only a training, but above all dialogue and growth as we reflected on our aspirations and on the importance of recognising our talents in order to be able to fulfill ourselves at work not so much as individuals, but members who belong to a community. Knowing the world of the EoC showed how much our small contribution can become much more significant and pleasing when it is shared along with the resources of others. 
Professor Luigino Bruni reminded us: “working is never just holding some generic place in the world, but a fundamental exercise for understanding one’s place in the world” and, above all, that practising a profession means inserting oneself into a social network. Another important point was also highlighted; that is, the need to look towards an economy “with a soul,” one that centres on relationship. Between training sessions, workshops were offered that focused on: the content and the direct experiences of several EoC business owners and professionals in different fields of work; and self-knowledge through the exploration of personal talents that could be developed and put in common with the talents of others to provide a work experience that would not only be fulfilling for us, but also a contribution towards the common good. Those days together provided us an experience of communion. At a moment in history characterised by the crisis of our economic models, by distrust of institutions, and by individualism, activities such as these are able to instill new hope. But this hope has sprung from concrete examples, from the experiences of those who have stepped into play with an innovative economic model that includes and is based on the centrality of the human person, as well as the gift of the economy. It is a hope born from the very experience of these days together in which, by questioning ourselves and sharing our thoughts, we have turned a glance towards the future.” Flickr gallery
The Philippines: Feeling at Home
“Chiara Lubich left us the family spirit as a heritage, and being open to humanity. This is the magna charta of our local community at Dumaguete, a central region of the Visayas in the Philippines. There have been so many occasions to experience it. We got to know about the situation of a mother and her baby who needed a house to live in for an undetermined period of time. We opened our home to them, without thinking of the consequences. To give them the best welcome we prepared everything, and tried to know more about the culture of their country of origin. A month after their arrival we realised that this would be a big challenge, and we would have to change many of our habits. We both still remembered the discomfort of the previous experience. The mother, nervous and full of hatred, had doubts about God’s love. The child was more and more restless, violent and capricious. When the situation become impossible to bear, we turned to Jesus on the cross, who seemed to say: “ If you do not love me, who will?” This gave us the courage to move on. We understood that we had to take up a dialogue with them in order to love them more concretely, for example, cooking their favourite dishes, or carrying out the most suitable activities. We felt that it was important for the child to go to school and the mother to find some little job. So we did all we could; each suggested some job possibilities, and through a communion of goods we managed to pay for some necessities like the child’s school uniform. Some even took turns to take care of the child while the mother was at work. This was a source of great joy. The two were invited to birthdays and parties of the members of the community, and they found a circle of friends, and soon said that they felt “at home.” With time, through everyone’s love, they began to acknowledge God’s love. The mother had the chance to start a new life, and rent a flat – which we furbished together – and find their independence. Another episode regarded another couple, when the husband was diagnosed with cancer at an advanced stage. Only the wife had a stable income, but they immediately became poor when the treatment began. The community tried to love them concretely: not only with funds, but also in terms of time and trying to gain knowledge on how to take care of a sick person like him. When he become bedridden, the sisters of the Congregation of the Poor of St Francis offered to bring him Holy Communion daily. We lived the entire vicissitude with the couple up to the end. During the funeral, the community took care of the ceremonies, the preparations in Church and the funeral. There was a strong family atmosphere. Our daughter’s friend came to our place while some adults and young people were preparing an activity. It was something new for her, to see how an adult showed great respect and belief in the ideas of the youth, something uncommon in the environment she came from. She told us that before she met the gen (young people of the Movement), her life was ‘a disaster’. She didn’t take school seriously, and made use of drugs. At a certain point my daughter, who is her best friend, had moved to another city to study, but the other gen continued to stay close to her. Now we have taken her in, and slowly she has started to change, even up to the point of improving her performance at school and has stopped consuming drugs.”
Augustine of Hippo: a legacy and a resource
Loppiano’s Auditorium was packed last October 3, in an atmosphere of great expectations. On the agenda was an evening dialogue on “Augustine of Hippo: a legacy and a resource,” inserted within the framework of the fifth edition of LoppianoLab, promoted by the Sophia University Institute (IUS) and Citta’ Nuova Publishing House, and emceed by Marco Tarquinio, Director of Avvenire, the main Catholic paper in Italy. Onstage were two “top advocates of Italian creative thought,” according to New City’s Director, Sophia University, theologian and philosopher, Piero Coda. This was really “an extraordinary lesson” offered within a perspective of dialogue and enriched by stimulating questions addressed by the students regarding the actuality of the philosophy of this “gigantic” figure of the Church and of philosophy. Despite the different profiles of the two main guests and the outstanding diversity between their evaluations of the works of the Bishop of Hippo, what occurred was not so much a rhetoric duel or even an abstract confrontation detached from daily life, but rather, a remarkable outcome which the art of dialogue is able to produce when knowledge and sharing intertwine in a clear action, open to the light of truth. The philosopher, Galimberti, gave the Bishop of Hippo credit for having introduced into western culture the concept of the individual person, underlining the dualism of body/soul, as inspired by a religion such as Christianity which assigns a central value to self reflection on one’s own corporeal existence (“And the Word was made flesh”, wrote John in the prologue of his Gospel). Piero Coda, on the other hand, defined Augustine as the person who “discovered interiority” in the Christian perspective. Interiority is seen as the inner space where man encounters God, and reaches total fulfillment as a bodily and spiritual being, as conveyed in the expression, “withdrawing inwards… so as to transcend also oneself,” which is the starting point of Augustine’s reflections, without however isolating oneself in a blind introspection but in order to perceive also what lies beyond ourselves.” Augustine’s interiority is inhabited by Christ and therefore by the relationship with the other: and this where the discussion faces the concept of “relationships,” since God reveals Jesus Christ, who in turn speaks of God as a father and attests to the universal bond of brotherhood. The third concept which clearly emerged was that of the “city” given that precisely Augustine wrote “De Civitate Dei,” a work that deals with the image of a city which embraces people of all beliefs, open to the quest for a common good rooted in that Utmost Good which is God, through the life of the Gospel. Three overviews offer new meanings that can direct society today towards a fuller integration. Dissatisfied with the consolation of certainties, and a relentless seeker of truth, in this sense Augustine also on this occasion, has revealed to be a personage who is able to bridge the centuries and speak to the youth and adults of all latitudes. It is a landmark which guides us in our quest for the roots of the “person,” of a people, so as to better grasp the present and also work up new proposals for the future. Source: Sophia University Online
War and peace in a school
“I work in a school in an underprivileged area. One of the experiences I had lived at the end of the year was a confirmation of how each of us can build unity in his own workplace. An ugly episode had happened, involving a professor against the school Principal and other colleagues. While I was taking down the minutes of a school council, there was a moment of conflict. The police arrived, the ambulance, etc. and there was a very explosive atmosphere. Injunctions were served, there were threats to sue, complaints… It was a very negative moment, colleagues were taking sides with one party or the other, at times making mischief and then each going his own way. I felt really uneasy, the report I had to make was really tough, and I tried only to describe the facts. I tried to listen to everyone without prejudice. I felt I had to do something to mend the relationships. The various parties trusted me, seeing how I had worked during the year and because of my relationships with the students, the families and colleagues. I was in this state, just waiting for an occasion when the School Principal asked me to do something to calm down everyone and bring peace back. At this point I went to pray before Jesus in the Eucharist and asked him to make me his spokesperson, since I knew I was not capable of resolving the situation with my own resources. So, with great apprehension, I called the colleague who was involved and who risked getting fired. An idealist with a great sense of justice, and in my view, very honest; he wasn’t a believer but was in search, and with whom I had built a deep relationship based on common convictions. The minute he saw my concern over the situation, he loosened up. We spoke about his life, the motivations behind all that had happened, and he said he was willing to take back his words and ask excuse for some of his attitudes, and certainly not in defence of his principles. I then went to the School Principal, and also on this occasion tried to listen and share. At the end they met and cleared things with one another, to dispel the many misunderstanding of the past. After other encounters the situation was resolved. It was a great relief to all, and a chance to start anew and look ahead. My colleague told me: ‘I want to thank you above all because I managed to free myself from the grudges and I was able to forgive, in a civil manner, that is, I managed to move on.” On my part instead, I knew I had to thank God for his love and mercy.’ (G. B. – Italy)
Holland: Freedom and the West
“In Holland there are no wars, no poverty like in other countries of the world, we do not have natural disasters nor the persecution of Christians or of other peoples. We live in a free country where we can do and say whatever we want. And perhaps this freedom was at that moment my greatest enemy. ” Thus begins the story of Laura, a young Dutch girl who helped in the organisation of the 35th National Day for the Catholic youth of Holland. A festival with live music, stands and the sharing of experiences: this year, for the first time, it lasted for 2 days, and was hosted by the little town of the Focolare in Marienkroon (Nieuwkuijk), in a picturesque landscape in the woods. 700 young people arrived there on the weekend of June 28 and 29. “It was a really nice festival, full of joy and sunshine, very informal – continued Laura – The music groups played, someone was eating candy floss or attending a workshop, there was always something to do or experience.” During the preparation, the national television Talpa, contacted the organizers. It was a question of participating in a reality show in which an actor and a singer visit different groups in the Netherlands who share a passion or a way of life. They spend a bit of time with them, have interviews and a dinner to say thank you. When they heard about this festival for young Catholics, they asked to spend the weekend with them. “In this period of great criticism of the Catholic Church in the Netherlands, it seemed that this could be a great opportunity to show to the whole nation a church that is young, vibrant and full of strength and courage. At the same time we were a little afraid, not knowing how the interviews would be modified for the final transmission.” Three young people were chosen to be interviewed during the festival, among them Laura: “During the conversations prior to the final interview, I realized they wanted to create an image of a young Catholic in a precise stereotype: boring and with a limited view on the world. There were questions about pre-marital relations, on living and preaching the Gospel, the prejudices that exist in the Church today and the choices I was making in life at that time. I had to think for a few days before accepting the invitation. So many thoughts were going around in my head, ‘You do not know who will see this program. Maybe my college friends, my neighbours, my teachers, people who do not accept me because of my faith.’ I was sure that with this interview I would transmit a certain image of myself to the whole country, the image of a girl who devotes her life to the Church and to the building of a united world. And I didn’t feel happy about that. I had to take a huge step to overcome this fear of revealing my soul, my ideals, before an audience of a million and a half people. I finally said yes. The interview went very well. There will be people who see the interview and make negative comments or will not want to stay in touch with me. However, the intense and infinite Love that I feel inside of me for having remained faithful to God and to his plan on me as a young Catholic gives me great joy. I could not have given a greater testimony of my faith and my passion for a united world.”
See Vatican Radio article. Pope’s message to the young people
Argentina: Festival gathers a thousand young people
A bonfire with an off-season carnival masquerade. The youth festival held last 28 September 2014 at the Mariapolis Lia ended with a symbolical event. The long-awaited one-day festival had been carefully prepared ahead of time by the young people who have spent a period of time in the little town of the Focolare Movement in Argentina. “We are aware of the many problems besetting our world, and some think that it is up to the others to look for solutions. Here in the citadel there are 90 boys and girls from 20 countries who have decided they were not going to wait any longer. We want to be the actors of this change, and we have found the formula: work to build the unity of the human family.” This was how the young organisers opened the festival onstage, addressing the 1,000 young people who responded to their invitation. They came from Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil. Four hundred came from distant cities, and had arrived the day before. Through various activities they got to know more about the lifestyle of the inhabitants of the little town. They toured the various work stations, the small factories where the inhabitants share their own talents for the benefit of everyone. In the evening, they got the first shocking proposal: to pass the night without alcohol, but with music, dance, the most modern choreographies and… the response was enthusiastic! 
Early the next morning, an unexpected greeting was launched, with which the commitment of each one was boosted by worldwide support. At the Mariapolis Centre in Castel Gandolfo (Italy) the Focolare’s General Assembly was about to close and the President, Maria Voce, on greeting the people all over the world during an internet link-up said: «Allow me to give a special greeting to the youth gathered at the Mariapoli Lia, in Argentina, who are about to start their Youth Fest. We are all there with you, so that you may express your joy and involve all the participants in the theme you have chosen.” 
The entire event was full of creativity: Masks, colours from all over and a splendid sun created the right atmosphere for the launching of the festival. Suddenly a murga (typical theatre groups of Uruguay) invaded the scene; various characters emerged initiating a program of songs, dances and drama scenes. Some shared personal stories on their efforts to be authentic in their decisions made, on living the present moment and making a firm choice of Jesus as the ideal of their lives. They affirm: “We’ve had a beautiful experience here in the Mariapolis Lia; we have started out on a journey which is leading us towards universal brotherhood and we have dedicated a year of our lives to this goal.” “It is precisely with this “mad love” that we are able to give of ourselves, when we try to accept one another as we are, taking off the masks which make of us just another number in the meaningless crowd.” After this daring challenge, the festival proceeded with moments of prayer, games, and workshops, and to conclude, throwing into the bonfire the masks all had received upon their arrival. It was an invitation to take to the places where each one lives, studies, or works, this way of living they experienced at the youth fest.
Maria Voce: a network of families capable of love and support
The many answers to the questionnaire give a very clear picture of the real-life situation of the family in the world. Are there any signs of hope among the many problems aired? The first sign of hope is the Synod itself. Pope Francis wanted it, and this is a sign that the family is a priority even for the Pope. Trust in the Church as an institution has increased because people are discovering that the Church can be an anchor for the family. Another sign of hope is the great potential of families who live conjugal fidelity and openness to life, who support families marked by the problems of separation. These families are, so to say, a “resource”, because while caring and supporting others to carry their burdens,they help them not feel excluded from the Church, or worse still, from the love of God. Several extracts of the Instrumentum laboris emphasize the need of renewed mercy in addressing family difficulties. Will this be the prevailing attitude at the Synod? It seems illusory to expect extraordinary and universal solutions. We hope that the potential of the family, which I have spoken of, will emerge, and that it will not be just criticality. However, one cannot tone down the problem about the sacramental question. The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace. There may be others as well. Recently I received a letter from a Christian lady, who is civilly married to a divorced man. In spite of this fact, she has never felt excluded from the Church and at the distribution of the Eucharist she joins in the line, and the priest’s blessing strengthens the presence of Jesus in her. “I’m on a journey”, she said. It is a journey of faith, beyond the sacraments, that can lead to holiness. When answering the questionnaire, most of the local Churches insisted on the difficulty encountered to understand the Church’s message on marriage and family. Does this mean that the contents have to be revised or does it mean that the language has to be altered? Objections about the contents of the Magisterium documents may be made by those who want to bring to their own measure God’s plan for man and woman. However, some suggestions need to be made about the language of the documents, especially of those dealing with moral issues. More clarity, simplicity and conciseness are required. The average family lives a tight daily program, is pressed by various tasks and a lot of stress, and has no time to read. The Magisterium documents need to demonstrate agility, ability to comprehend the fatigue of those who, despite taking great pains, feel vulnerable. When dealing with young couples, the Church is faced with the problem of re-evangelization, which, at the same time, is an educational problem. What can be done about this? Recently, when the Focolare Movement was received in audience by Pope Francis, he reminded us of our duty “to educate” and to pass on the gifts we received to others. This suggestion is very dear to us. In fact, the Focolare Movement promotes an ongoing formation to all its members, from children to workers, from engaged couples to the elderly, from young people to separated persons, and so on. We are committed to give an ongoing formation that is always more appropriate. However, we have to admit that the media plays a great part – more negative than positive – in the field of the family and of young families. Some media programs introduce transgressive lifestyles and offer models of man and woman that lack reference to values. However, I am convinced there is a way we can plunge through! The dark evil that disorientates families in many parts of the world is a danger mix of individualism and crises, even the economical crisis. What are the initiatives of the Focolare Movement to combat this mentality? A very important initiative is the network of families, who are close to families in difficulty through their discreet support that encourages reconciliation. For couples passing through serious marital difficulties, we have held weekend encounters in the little towns of the Movement. Through relational techniques by experts, but mainly through the contact with the spirituality of unity, these couples manage to find themselves in the hope of a future together. Relationships and meetings for those separated or abandoned alleviate the burden of their loneliness and strengthen their commitment of fidelity to the sacrament. There are also initiatives for couples who have started a new union, sharing with them the educational experience of the children and the desire to feel embraced by the Church and, above all, by God’s love. Having in mind the objective to prevent marriage breakdown, we have recently intensified both our commitment to work for young families and also to instill back into our youth the enchantment of “forever”. Translated in English from the original article in Italian: http://www.avvenire.it/Cronaca/Pagine/Maria-Voce-in-rete-per-dire-no-a-individualismo.aspx
From Poland: “My first year at the Sophia University”
Małgorzata Szwarc (left) with her university friends.
LoppianoLab 2014, a review
Economics, gender, education, family, immigration and interculturalism, gambling, reforms and political participation; companies that “prefer” the poor to making a profit, these were among the topics touched upon in the 15 workshops held at LoppianoLab, from October 3 to 5. On the issue of gender, space was given not only to reflect on this burning issue, but especially to the sharing of stories, sufferings and experiences, in an effort to stimulate dialogue between the different sensibilities. With regard to gambling, reference was made to the more than 60 cities reached by a Movement known as Slotmob, in support of managers of bars and public places that have rejected slot machines and of numerous social and cultural initiatives for the rehabilitation of people, places and communities from this scourge. On the economic front, the Virtual Expo and Convention of the Economy of Communion have allowed a real national map to be drawn of the companies that belong to the EOC. In addition, at the Lionello Bonfanti industrial park, a project called “Tuscany towards Expo 2015” is starting in collaboration with the Region of Tuscany: a series of preparatory events on issues of the common good, from biodiversity and forms of enterprise, to civil economy and public happiness. 
A Workshop of the Economy of Communion, a Seminar on Political Formation run by the Movement for Unity in Politics, and the proposals of the Sophia University, showed the commitment of the many young people present at LoppianoLab to build networks across the country not only with institutions and the world of politics, but also with the world of business and work. “Only a society where we return to trust each other can be correctly defined civil; only then can we say to one another: ‘it doesn’t matter where you come from, as long as we can go forward together’,” the editor of Citta Nuova, Luca Gentile stated. 
There was an unexpected number of participants at the 3 days of LoppianoLab: 3000, in fact, registered. Among these was the premier Matteo Renzi, who stopped off at the Focolare town during the celebration for its 50th anniversary to “bring the esteem, the friendship and the closeness of all the Italian institutions.” The Prime Minister brought attention to three issues: unity, first of all, which he defined as a “political choice with a capital ‘P’,” “a great political challenge that arises from an extraordinary intuition.” The entrepreneurial industrial park and challenge of the Economy of Communion, which constitute “a new model for the economy, an economic paradigm for our time”, in which “there is need to reflect on how the crisis has changed our production and employment system.” Finally, recalling the definition of Loppiano by the scientist Ugo Amaldi (“City of trust”), Renzi stressed how much there is a need for trust today: “Trust which has not only been lost in interpersonal relationships, but especially in the future.” While acceptance, dialogue and care of education to generate the common good – not only of Italy, but of humanity – are the points raised in the video message of Pope Francis, a real surprise for the inhabitants of the town and all the participants at LoppianoLab with his wish to “look forward and aim high with confidence, courage and imagination.”
Pope Francis’ video message for Loppiano’s 50th anniversary
The Holy See Press Office released the text of a video message from Pope Francis on the 50th anniversary of the founding of Loppiano, the Focolare movement’s first “little town.” The town, located in north-central Italy, has 2,600 residents from 70 nations.
“Dear brothers and sisters, inhabitants of Loppiano, good evening to you all.
I also wish to greet all those who today populate the citadel which Chiara Lubich had created, inspired by the Gospel of brotherhood – that universal brotherhood – and all those who from every corner of the world have linked up to participate in the Loppiano’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
Loppiano is at the service of the Church and the world, and I thank the Lord for this little town which is a living and effective testimonial of communion between people of different nations, cultures and vocations, and who make sure, especially in daily life to keep alive among you, mutual and constant charity.
I am glad that you chose to celebrate your anniversary on the same day in which the entire Church celebrates St Francis of Assisi, testimonial and creator of peace and brotherhood. It is really a happy coincidence also for me.”
The inhabitants of Loppiano, those who are permanent citizens and those who pass a period of training wish to become experts in mutual acceptance and dialogue, operators of peace, and generators of brotherhood,
Continue with renewed enthusiasm along this path, and I pray that you remain faithful and continue to incarnate more and more the prophetic design of this citadel which blossomed from the charisma of unity, exactly fifty years ago. All this was in harmony with the profound message which the Second Vatican Council was announcing in that period, to testify to the light and wisdom of the Gospel with mutual love towards all. Loppiano is, therefore, a school of life, where there is only one Teacher: Jesus.
Yes, a school of life, that makes the world hope once again, and that bears witness to the Gospel is truly the yeast and salt of the new civilization of love. And to do so, by drawing from the spiritual sap of the Gospel, you need to imagine and experience a new culture in all fields of social life: from family to politics, to the economy. In other words, the culture of relationships. The basics of wisdom is the sincere desire for education, and taking care of education means love. Therefore it is not surprising that Loppiano has for some years now become the seat of the Sophia University Institute established by the Holy See. There is an urgent need for young people, men and women who, besides having a qualified training in various disciplines, are at the same time imbued with the wisdom that springs from love of God.
Dear friends, my heartfelt wishes for all of you and Loppiano, to look ahead always, and aim high with faith, courage and creativity. No mediocrity! I entrust you all to Maria Theotokos, Mother of God, who embraces you all in the shrine which is the heart of the little town. And I ask you to pray for me. I bless and greet all of you.”
7 ways to live a full life at 93
The world is moving faster and I’m moving slower. Every time I figure out how a thing works someone comes up with something better and, of course, faster. The eyes are failing and the hearing’s shot. The joints are creaking and the digestive system isn’t doing much better, but I’ve discovered lots of chances to be creative in problem solving. Let me share with you seven ways that I have learned to keep living a full life at 93.
1. Giving
The space one occupies as we grow older shrinks, and I’m constantly eliminating things once thought to be indispensable. It’s easier to do this, when one is in the habit of keeping only what one needs. Recently, I gave something away that afterward I realized I needed. Then I thought that the person would make good use of it, and God would take care of me. In fact, a few days later I received from someone else exactly the thing I had given away. So I’ve just decided that giving as a lifestyle never ages, and the hundredfold is always new.
2. New friendship
Everyone is concerned about children when they start school and have to make all new friends, but no one even thinks about a 90-year-old moving into an assisted-living facility and having to start from scratch. She too has to make new friends, because the ones she knew have all died, and she can’t even go home at the end of the day! I’ve had to learn to listen to people who may think very differently and figure out just how each one wants to be loved. I make many mistakes and want to give up at times, but I always try to remember to start again.
3. Prayer
Something that actually gets easier as one gets older is spending more time praying. I used to be very active, so now I try to be just as active praying for everyone. I try to find out everything that is going on, so my list of intentions is up to date. I pray one rosary for my family, another for the Church and the Focolare family here and around the globe, and finally one for all of the problems in the world. I miss going to Mass and feel blessed whenever someone comes to take me, or the priest is able to come where I live. You might think that by 93 I would have worked out the kinks in my life, but I find myself doing the same things I’ve been trying to correct my entire life. Thank God I have learned how to start again in the next moment. Maybe that’s what keeps me young.
4. Health
I’ve found new ways to live the aspect of my life that deals with health and illness. Since it’s pretty clear that my holy journey is nearing its completion, it is still wonderful to be able to go to exercise class, to eat properly, to put in my eye drops and take all my medications as prescribed. I admit that I sometimes get a little downhearted when I see the cost of medications, but then I try to remember to trust in God. I have a pretty active relationship with those who have left for heaven. I entrust different things to different people and ask for strength when the going gets a little tough. I have also been helped by John Paul II’s Letter to the Elderly and by the example of his life. It takes a real act of faith to believe in the value of your life when many around you see things differently.
5. Harmony
I don’t need many clothes or much furniture, but I try to keep what I have in order. With my eyesight so poor, I’m not sure if the colors match, and I might be tempted to think, “Who cares anyway?” But then I remember that even at 93 I have to try to be an expression of the beauty of God in the way I dress and the harmony of my apartment. This gives so much meaning to the little things I’m still able to do.
6. Learning
I’ve always loved learning new things, so I study the documents of the Holy Father (when I can get them in big print) and watch DVDs on the catechism or other topics. I know I’ll never practice nursing again, but it’s part of my vocation to stay on top of the latest advances in my profession. So I keep up to date, and maybe something I read or hear might be useful for someone else. I love wisdom and pray often to the Holy Spirit to help me not say useless words.
7. Connections
I used to keep in touch with people by sending cards or by phone. Instead, times have changed, and, just as I needed to learn to drive at 50, I now have had to learn how to use email so I can get the news and stay in touch with everyone. It is slow going, since I only know how to move that mouse in one particular way. I almost gave up recently, but my family and friends helped me to keep up my courage. It almost seems like a miracle, but, notwithstanding my eyesight, I read every issue of Living City from cover to cover. I also watch the news every day to keep myself informed of what’s going on in the world. Reading about a world that tends toward unity helps me to be hopeful in the midst of so much tragedy. I really believe in a united world.
My conclusion? Yes, it is a little challenging to be 93, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a full and rewarding time.
Agatha O’Donnell
From Living City Magazine
Loppiano turns 50
The official opening is at 19.00 (Italian time) – the celebration of 50 years since the start of Loppiano (Florence-Italian), the first international centre of the Focolare and a place of an on-going experience of a lifestyle based on dialogue and intercultural acceptance. Pope Francis will send a video message to the citizens of Loppiano and to all those following the event. The President of the Italian Council, Matteo Renzi, has confirmed his participation, out of a friendship that has linked him to the town for years, ever since the days when he was involved in politics in Tuscany. The event, which will be streamed live on loppiano.it and TV2000 at 22.30, marks the beginning of a year of cultural initiatives, a journey of discovery and dissemination of the values that animate the life of Loppiano and which have attracted what is estimated to be more than one million two hundred thousand people from all over the world over these past 50 years. With its current 800 inhabitants from over 60 countries, Loppiano is an on-going inter-cultural workshop, a learning experience at the service of peace and harmony between peoples. The first 50 years of the International Centre will be retraced through interviews with the protagonists of the early days, international artistic contributions and witnesses from people of non-Christian religious and cultural traditions who, on returning back to their own countries, have translated their experience in Loppiano into political action, work and educational models in different social and cultural environments. The synergies with the local area and civil institutions are presented through the contribution of different cultural and economic components of the town and the local communities. Hosts for the evening are actress Barbara Lo Gaglio together with the actors Paolo Bonacelli and Fabrizio Bucci. The whole event is a co-production between Loppiano International Centre and TV 2000. The event is part of LoppianoLab, a national workshop of economy, culture, citizenship, communication and training with the method and vision of the culture of unity.
Link all’evento Loppiano: www.loppiano.it Blog Facebook Twitter @LoppianoLab Twitter: #50Loppiano The event will be transmitted live loppiano.it and by TV2000 at 22.30 CET.
The soul of Ethiopia
With its 98 million inhabitants, Ethiopia is the second most populated country of the African continent, after Nigeria. It has conquered peace for almost two decades now, after a terrible war with its neighbour, Eritrea, that lasted for 17 years and which brought the two nations to their knees. Today it is considered the centre of Africa, and hosts the Headquarters of the African Union, where the interests of entire nations are at play. There are also all the embassies of the continent which represent 115 extra-African countries. Liliane Mugombozi, Directress of New City Africa writes about the 10-23 August journey undertaken with two focolarini, upon the invitation of the Bishop of the diocese of Meki. «I have just returned from Ethiopia where I was invited together with Charles and Legesse, by Bishop Abram. For me now, the Horn of Africa no longer stands for terrorism in Somalia or the dictatorship in Eritrea; and neither is Ethiopia the only Airport of Addis Abeba where I stopover on my flights to Rome. 
Addis now for me is the smile of that boy who helped me with my luggage, and the welcoming look of that nun who took me in at the centre where I was able to rest before continuing my journey the next day. I found the country alive and full of heart in that priest who took the trouble to introduce me to the situation of this nation, in that leper woman, outcast of society, in that young man who wanted so much to meet me, and again, in that suffering caused by the walls that still divide the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches. The meeting with four bishops, among whom the Archbishop of Addis Abeba, Bernhaneyesus Souraphiel, had a strong impact on me. They have great hopes in the contribution of the Focolari. In those days we were able to share, from within the life of the small Catholic community: it was a really enlightening experience! The evangelical testimonial of the small group of catholics, reached not only to the Christians of the old Orthodox Church and various Pentecostal churches developing everywhere, but also to others present who were of other religions of the country, like the Muslims. 
We found a lively and committed Church that was able to imbue charity within the structure of society at all levels: in education, healthcare, farming… in a society that is changing and developing at a very fast pace. When walking through the streets, passing among the people, one has the impression of a country “vibrating” on all fronts: political, social, and in the field of communications, with enormous possibilities for development. The Bishops hope to “find the pass key to enter this world with the values of the Gospel. Politics does not suffice, we have to do our part. We have long heard of how the Church needs trained laypersons. And you are among these… the Focolari Movement has to take part in the education of laypersons…” I remembered the words John Paul II had said to Chiara Lubich a few years ago, inviting her to contribute to «giving Europe its soul». Also the words of the Bishops in Ethiopia echoed this, as if to say «also here we need to give a soul to this country. »
The Gospel lived within the family
Reconcilement Years ago my mother and her siblings sold a property, One of my uncles, dissatisfied with his share, opposed the sale of a remaining building in ruins, cutting of relationships with everyone. I thought that this quarrel for four stones was absurd, so my mother and I went to pay him a visit, bringing as a gift a book on the family history with positive experiences. With this quarrelsome uncle, it was just a matter of listening to his side of things, and understanding the reasons for his bitterness. To my surprise, he offered to accompany us by car to the bus station, and on saying goodbye, embraced me and his sister whom he had not greeted earlier on. M. F. L. – Italy She wouldn’t have been born Her parents and friends were pushing for an abortion. But she, an unwed mother, relying on the fact that she could count on us, stood her ground and gave birth to Maria, a sweet but fragile baby. For five months she entrusted the baby to us in order to complete her studies abroad. At times we asked ourselves if we had done the right thing: with none of our children had we ever woken up so many times in the night, and none of them had ever gotten sick like Maria. But then, a thought crossed our minds: without our help Maria would not even have been born, and who knows where her mother would have ended up. When she returned, her family took her in. A year later she got married and now has three children. F. Z.- Czech Republic Solidarity For about ten years now I have been living with my dad and the development of his illness. In place of a shopkeeper, his sharp remarks with everyone and the proud grandpa of his children, there was now a person who depended on others for all his needs. After the initial rebellion on my part, and my negative view of the situation, I realised that this illness had started up a solidarity campaign among many people. In fact people came to keep my mother company, and our relatives were more attentive and willing to help. And then, the Filipino caregiver who had good relations with everyone and was considered one of the family, once separated from her husband, came to assist dad and which gave her the means to support her three kids. N. B.- Italy A golden thread Our children had just finished high school when my husband fell gravely ill, despite the fact that he was as strong as a rock. The Calvary began, with hospital stays and many weakening operations. Since God was our only means of support, Michele and I prepared ourselves for our final separation which was imminent. In a very special moment between us, while his disease tormented him, he would encourage me: «You are a wonderful woman. Our children are lucky to have a mother like you.» And on giving me back his wedding ring, added: «I love you, I will always love you. I will help you more when I shall no longer be on earth.» When Michele died it was as if he had taken us along with him, and at the same time we feel his presence here as never before. A golden thread unites heaven and earth. L. S.- Italy
Myanmar, Thailand,Vietnam: Young people give hope
The young people in Yangon
“Sport for Peace”(Vietnam)
Thailand: the welcome centre for youth from different tribes
The blessing of a long life
On 28th September, in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis met with elderly people and grandparents in the first international day dedicated to senior citizens, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for the Family. The meeting entitled: “The blessing of a long life”, coincided with the Day of Prayer for the Synod on the Family, inspired by many of the Pope’s speeches when he several times recalled the tragedy of the “culture of waste” typical of “a people who does not look after its elderly,” discarding them “with attitudes that thinly hide euthanasia.” «We Christians, – the Pope said – together with all people of good will, are called to patiently build a more diverse, more welcoming, more humane, more inclusive society, that does not need to discard the weak in body and mind. On the contrary we need a society which measures its success on how the weak are cared for». The meeting was an opportunity to reaffirm that – as Monsignor Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, said “Old age is not a shipwreck but a vocation: our years of life have been lengthened, but an adequate reflection on this issue has not been carried out neither in politics nor economy, nor society and not even culturally.” 
“Old age should be re-thought and also the involvement of the elderly in the world must be reconsidered and the Church’s attitude towards them. In addition to all the civil aspects, there is a culture that the elderly can convey – not to see the weakening of life as the final tragedy but as a witness of hope in the next life.” The event of 28th September is part of the Day of Prayer for the Synod on the Family, “the fundamental and primary place where an elderly person can live within a web of relationships that sustain them” – continues Mgr Paglia – “and which in turn they are called to enliven and enrich. The elderly are not only the object of attention and care, but are also subjects of a new vision of life.”
The 2014 Assembly concludes
On 28 September, at 12.30 a direct Internet link-up marked the conclusion of the work of the General Assembly of the Focolare. Everyone sets out with a commitment to live as “world men and women,” a phrase first used by Chiara Lubich and recalled by Pope Francis during the audience on 26 September: “Men and women with the soul, the heart and the mind of Jesus and because of this able to recognize and interpret the needs, concerns and hopes that dwell in the heart of every man and woman.” The exchange during the audience with the Christians of various Churches and people of no religious convictions present had been warm and open. His message to the Focolare found great resonance in the 494 representatives of 137 countries: and indeed in clear consonance with the conclusions to which the 2014 General Assembly had arrived after three weeks of intense work – beginning with more than 3000 proposals coming from around the world – and summarized in the guidelines that will direct the work of the Movement over the next six years. The focus of Francis’ speech was concentrated on three words: contemplate (“immersed in the crowd, shoulder to shoulder,” quoting a thought of Chiara Lubich), go out and educate, accompanied by a strong call to generosity, creativity and the art of dialogue, “that cannot be learned cheaply.” And there are also three words contained in the title of the guidelines issued by the Assembly: go out, together, properly prepared. These guidelines, which also have the specific aim of the Focolare in its title “That all may be one”, will be applied by the Focolare community spread throughout the world, according to the practical needs and the specific requirements of each geographical region. See also: Contemplate, go out, educate: Francis’ 3 words to the Focolare Interview with Maria Voce and Jesús Morán Focolare Assembly: a visible journey of unity Documentation of the Assembly
October 2014
‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ Jesus already sees himself as bread. In the end, therefore, this is the goal of his life on earth. He is to be bread so as to be eaten. And to be bread so as to communicate his life to us and to transform us into himself. So far the spiritual meaning of these words, with their references to the Old Testament, is clear. But later on Jesus’ words become mysterious and difficult when he says of himself: ‘The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (Jn 6:51) and ‘Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you’ (Jn 6:53). It is the announcement of the Eucharist, and it shocks and puts off many disciples. Yet it is the most immense gift Jesus wants to give humanity: his presence in the sacrament of the Eucharist, which gives satisfaction to soul and body, the fullness of joy, through intimate union with him. When we are nourished by this bread, there is no room for any other hunger. All our desires for love and truth are satisfied by the One who is Love itself, Truth itself. ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ Therefore this bread nourishes us with him already here on earth, but it is given to us so that we, in our turn, may satisfy the spiritual and material hunger of the people around us. Christ is proclaimed to the world not so much through the Eucharist, as through the lives of Christians who are nourished by the Eucharist and by the Word. They preach the Gospel with their lives and their voices, making Christ present in the midst of humanity. The life of the Christian community, thanks to the Eucharist, becomes the life of Jesus. It is, therefore, a life capable of giving love, the life of God to others. ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’ By using the metaphor of bread, Jesus teaches us the most genuine, the most ‘Christian’ way to love our neighbour. What, in fact, does loving really mean? Loving means ‘making ourselves one’ with everyone, making ourselves one in all the others want, in the least and most insignificant things and in those that perhaps might be of little interest to us but are important to them. And Jesus gave us an amazing example of this way of loving by making himself ‘bread’ for us. He makes himself ‘bread’ in order to enter into everyone, to make himself edible, to make himself one with everyone, to serve, to love everyone. May we too make ourselves one to the point of allowing ourselves to be ‘eaten’. This is love, to make ourselves one in a way that makes others feel nourished by our love, comforted, uplifted, understood.
Chiara Lubich
Old age: a hidden beauty
Photo: Antonio Oddi
Contemplate, go out and educate: Pope Francis’ words to the Focolare
Full text of the Pope’s address
Joy, emotions, surprise and also curiosity, were among the many, diverse sentiments and expectations of the 500 participants of the Focolari General Assembly with Pope Francis. The group, in fact, is composed of people coming from 137 countries: Catholics, Christians of other churches, and some also without any religious belief. Maria Voce took the floor to present the Assembly gathered in the Clementina Hall in the Vatican, and addressed the Pope with these words: «Those present here today, are of various ages, cultures, vocations, are lay and consecrated people, virgins and married, and people who have lived an exciting experience of communion in which, due to continually renewed mutual love, have undertaken a journey of community awareness, in an attitude of listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit, so as to identify the guidelines to be followed in order to respond to the sufferings and hopes of humanity today with our specific charisma of unity.» The fact that she cited the Evangelii Gaudium was significant: «It is almost like a school-workshop where we practiced sharing and thinking and working with Jesus in our midst, to rediscover our being a people born from the Gospel and, therefore, called to live and bear witness to our charisma and bring it to everyone. Your apostolic encouragement has been, undoubtedly, one of the spotlights that enlightened our work sessions.» She added another important note that testified to the “ecumenical” aspect of the Focolari Assembly: «We felt the urge to seek with faith, new roads that could allow our Christian brothers and sisters and members of the Movement who belong to various Churches, to participate ever more fully in the life and organization of the Movement.» And Pope Francis exhorted all to live the charisma of unity without compromise, up to the end. (Vatican Radio) Half a century on from the Second Vatican Council, he said, they are called, with the whole Church, to follow a new path of evangelisation, witnessing God’s love to all and in particular to the poor and most marginalised. Greeting especially the Focolari president, Maria Voce, who has been elected to a second term of office, the Pope said the movement was born from a tiny seed in the Church and has grown into a tree whose branches spread through all kinds of Christian families and through all different religions as well. Pope Francis said the movement, which is also known as the Work of Mary, flowed from a particular gift of the Holy Spirit which is the charism of unity. The Focolari founder,Chiara Lubich, he said, was an extraordinary witness to that gift which she spread to so many different parts of the world. The Pope also offered three words upon which all members of the movement can base their efforts as they seek to contribute to the work of challenging task of evangelisation today. Firstly, he said, contemplation is an indispensable condition for effective action. Secondly, he said, they must go out in a spirit of dialogue, giving freely of themselves just as Jesus gave his life for us on the Cross. Finally, the Pope stressed the importance of forming young people, so that they too can serve the needs, concerns and hopes of men and women in the world today.
From Vatican Radio website
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Listen to Philippa Hitchen’s report (Vatican Radio)
Family, an endless resource
Speaking before Bishop Maradiaga, President of Caritas internationalis, Bishop Paglia of the Pontifical Council for Families, and the 150 participants of the seminar (Rome, 18 September 2014) from various parts of the world, this family from Maddaloni (Caserta – Italy), a town defined as “at risk” – struck by the painful experience of the loss of their three-month old son – was asked to give their testimonial on how one can rebuild hope and solidarity in families today. Their third son, Giuseppe, in fact, died following the complications of a banal flu at the age of only three months. «When I got the news I thought I was dreaming, and then came a piercing pain and the certainty that we had to live this situation in unity, first of all between Gino and me. In those moments I felt the strong presence of God who, though permitting this suffering, was taking me in his arms. A family with which we were sharing a spiritual journey of faith suggested we spend a period of time in Loppiano, a citadel of the Focolari close to Florence.» For Gino it was different. When Giuseppe died, I felt defrauded not only as a father but also as a doctor whose profession is to heal sick people, whereas I was unable to do anything for my son! There was darkness and pain. But I let Elisa guide me and I accompanied her willingly.» Immersed in the life of the citadel, «we felt an inner strength growing in us, and which transformed our pain into Love.» Then two other children were born: «If we didn’t have the strong certainty that all that had happened, even the loss of Giuseppe, was part of the divine plan of God who loves us, we wouldn’t have had the strength to beget other children.» With a group of relatives and friends they decided to create a Foundation named after Giuseppe, the aim of which is to develop the culture of family custody «to respond to the appeal of Chiara Lubich, who invited families to empty out the orphanages and give a family to every child.» It «was not created in remembrance of our son but from the wish to continue living that love we could no longer give him. We wanted the “culture of giving” to be the Foundation’s drive engine.» Custody consists in the temporary custody of a child in one’s own family, for as long as the problems of the child’s original family have not been resolved. In the mid-1990s when the project was launched, it was an avant-garde concept in Italy. It started with the education of the family custodians, (presently about a hundred) giving them the psychological and material support, until the formation of a family-home for children who were abandoned. It was among the first structures of the Campania Region. Since then we operate in cooperation with the local administrations and religious institutions, asking each member of the Foundation for the spirit of custody and service. «We still remember the first time we were entrusted with a child – the Ferraro couple confided – a nine-month-old baby, Adjaratu. The words of the social service director at that time still resound in our hearts, “You can’t imagine what a dangerous road you are opening!” To tell the truth, we did not encounter any real danger. But there were difficulties and efforts, and every time these were overcome in the attempt to live evangelical love in a radical way, which had pushed us to operate and become more visible in these 20 years, with incredible events to confirm our efforts.
An interview with Maria Voce and Jesús Morán
“My wish for the new president would be that she might always listen to the Holy Spirit and, as a consequence, build everything “in unity”- Maria Voce had said a few days before her re-election, not knowing that these words would soon become the opening words of her second term. Taking advantage of a break in the General Assembly of the Focolare that is still in progress (it ends on 28 September), the different editions of New City magazine interviewed the newly re-elected president of the Focolare and Jesús Morán, the Co-President. The questions relate to the life of the Movement and the great challenges that await it. We quote below some excerpts; click here for the link to the full interview in Italian. How should we respond to what Pope Francis is saying to the Church and society today? Maria Voce: “We should take the charism of unity as our starting point: we also must think of the poor and the marginalized, but starting from our specific aim. I was thrilled when Pope Francis said in Redipuglia (Italy) that “war is madness.” It is a disease, so it needs to be treated. What kind of care can we, focolarini, offer? The only one we have is our charism, which asks us to build relationships of peace, of mutual understanding even among people who ignore each other, who hate each other, to contribute to the journey towards unity. ” Jesús Morán: “We are not renown for our frantic search for power, it is not our style. Rather we try to start processes. Pope Francis compares the Church not so much to a sphere as to a polyhedron, thus affirming that the most important trends have emerged often in the peripheries. All of this seems to me to be perfectly in tune with a work that has a very strong principle of unity. Chiara (Lubich) herself often started things in the periphery, as exemplified by the Economy of Communion which was born in Brazil, or ecumenism that gained new perspectives with Chiara’s meetings with Athenagoras in Istanbul, while Fontem [Cameroon] showed the inculturation “of the Focolare” … We can live this principle too, that is to go to the peripheries and be open to what emerges there which can then be universalised. ” How to respond to the great challenges posed by the situation in the Middle East, in which the focolarini are on the front line? Maria Voce: “I have the impression that the movement is doing much more than it appears. I received a letter a few days ago from the focolarine in Damascus who asked me for permission to go to visit the community of Aleppo, where there are already some focolarini. I said yes, even if the risks are undeniable: the charism of unity can and must be present in these places in order to build relationships, to bring a little peace. Obviously political solutions at the international level are needed, as well as the humanitarian aid which arrives and is more or less evenly distributed; the Movement tries to eradicate hatred from the hearts of men and women, an operation without which true and lasting political solutions will never be found.” “If there’s something that the charism can do is to spread the culture of encounter, mutual trust, love, helping those in need regardless of their religious affiliation or social status, or the border that divides them. We must also ask what the charism of unity has to say in the face of these conflicts, what effect can it possibly have … I remember that Chiara, citing a true episode that happened in Colombia, said that you can stop the hands of a terrorist simply by doing an act of love. We must do all of this, committing ourselves more and better, all together.” Jesús Morán: “It is basically a question of developing the dialogues that we are involved in. Over the past days in the Assembly in my study group there was a Muslim: to have a brother of another religion with whom to share everything is not a trivial matter, a brother who feels he represents the Muslim Focolare Movement. It’s a miracle! This presence of the Focolare Movement in the Islamic lands must therefore be developed, as well as fostering our inter-religious dialogue. Just a small thing? Maybe, but I think it is something fundamental. An opportunity to have direct contact with people of the movement in these places of suffering: it is important to give voice to the true reality, to what people are living through the words of the protagonists. This often means conveying a different view of the facts and problems than generally spread by the media. ” The Church and society are confronted with the question of the family. In this field the Focolare have a long experience to offer … Maria Voce: “The question of the family in the Church cannot be reduced to an exclusively sacramental matter. The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, but they are signs and there can be others as well. Someone wrote to me after hearing the introduction to a talk I gave on the Eucharist. She is separated and lives with a divorced man with children and feels strongly to be Christian and Catholic, but feels the discomfort of her position that, in a sense, puts her outside of the Catholic Church. But she writes: “I have never felt out of it and continue to attend church. When I go to ask for the blessing of the priest who distributes the sacrament, Jesus also enters in me in that moment. I try to live, to do my part. I’m on a journey.” “God asks us, in fact, to help everyone to follow their own path to holiness, that is, to approach God with the means available (…). Chiara explained to us the “sources of God” in her time and did not put the emphasis only on his presence in the Eucharist, but also on other presences of God in the world, also in the Word and our brother. I think the movement can be an embrace for these families; but since it is part of the Church, embracing these people makes them feel less outsiders because they are embraced by a portion of the Church. Later other experiences, other ways may be found; let’s see what the Synod will say. I think it would be a mistake to expect that extraordinary solutions will suddenly emerge; what will come out are some credible and workable experiences, not so much universal solutions.” Jesús Morán: “The problem of the family before being a sacramental problem is an anthropological one. At stake is the very plan of God for man, on the relationship between man and woman, on the relational nature of human beings as such, therefore on the dynamics of gift, of relationships (which could be defined as “Trinitarian”). Certainly the stakes are high and the Pope has also said: we are not having a Synod to solve the problem of the divorced, that’s not what worries us because in the end you could find the solutions which were already tried out in past centuries. The problem is much more serious: what is happening to man today, how does he develop, how does he learn to relate to others and where does he learn this? This is the real problem of the family. We are comforted to know that also many secular voices, not necessarily Catholic, put the emphasis on this problem of relationships and the future of the family and of mankind. “
Sierra Leone, beyond Ebola
Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia. Nations that rarely appear in western newspapers were associated over the last months to ebola. These countries in fact are those that have been most struck by what has been defined as the most serious outbreak of the viral outbreak since its discovery in 1976. «After the unending suffering due to the war, we are now again being put to the test with this ebola outbreak. There is a growing fear, but also the awareness that by taking the necessary measures – at times going against the nature and culture of the population, like staying in isolation – we can fight this virus. Everywhere the Church is trying to bring its help, as a sign of concrete love to all,” they wrote us from Sierra Leone. The suffering these days is the acuteness of the quarantine the population is asked to comply with: staying at home to stem the risk of contamination. According to the World Health Organisation (report of 18 September) out of over 5,000 cases, more than 2,600 were victims of the virus that causes hemorrhagic fever. «They say we have to be prudent – a religious close to the Focolari said in June – at Mass we don’t even give each other the sign of peace to avoid contacts, but it is difficult to say precisely where the danger lies. Even we in the Catholic hospital had a suspected case who escaped from the hospital specialised in ebola at Kenema, and who came here to be treated without our doctors being informed. You can therefore imagine the anxiety in all of us. Also the meetings of the Focolare community have to be suspended, as also the activities programmed with the youth. We have started a chain of mutual support: phone calls, messages. To say what? “To stress our firm will to continue loving, and now we all have to bear the test once again.” In a letter to the members of the Focolari Movement in Sierra Leone, the President, Maria Voce, wrote to encourage all «to go ahead with courage, to bear witness to the Ideal of unity in all ways possible» and to thank them for their example «which is generating in your land many signs of brotherhood». She also ensured furthermore, of the support and prayers of the Movement throughout the world. «Personally, I try to remain faithful to the commitment and promise to continue living the Ideal of unity also here in Sierra Leone», J.K. confided, on expressing also her pain in having to suspend all the contacts, but also that she is finding support in the Word of Life, the commitment to live the Gospel that brings light even in the most desperate situations, like this. E Alfred wrote: «As you know, the situation here in Sierra Leone is bad. It is difficult for us not to be able to go out. But this will not stop me, but rather, it urges me to live the Gospel more. I am trying to live every moment for Jesus, offering all to Him during the day. To be faithful to the Gospel is still my deepest desire. Thank you for all the love you have for us Gen in Sierra Leone. We feel that you are here with us. ». To conclude, Fr. Carlo, is thanking everyone for taking to heart also “this corner of the world,” when it seems that all around us “fear, anxiety, inactivity and at times disappointment that the authorities are so slow in helping the people” seems to take the upper hand. But slowly we are discovering that all these aspects are the image of Jesus crucified and abandoned and it is then that we start again to love. And this love seems to be newer and deeper. »
Brazil, the healthcare challenges and priorities
“In face of such extreme specialization and advancement in technology which have reduced medicine to the mere biophysical dimension of man, we evidenced the precedence of the spiritual dimension and the stringent correlation between environment, socioeconomic conditions and health. Reducing the gap between rich and poor, and giving incentives to solidarity, also mean reducing diseases and costs of healthcare.” This was the conviction of Dr Flavia Caretta, President of the International Medicine Dialogue Communion Association, who illustrated the general health project for the integral health of the human person at the Symposium, “Integral health – challenges and priorities in Latin America,” promoted by Associação Paulista de Medicina (APM) and the Brazilian Association, “Saude, Dialogo, Comunhão”, a network of Healthcare operators who draw inspiration from the Focolari Movement’s spirituality of unity. It is a burning issue, as seen in the recent Brazilian protests against the cuts in healthcare and use of public funds for the soccer world championships of April 2014, part of the long wave of protests last year where thousands took the streets to denounce the alarming state of the malfunctions of the country’s healthcare system. Doctors, university professors, students and various healthcare operators from all over Brazil took part in this event held in Sao Paolo (Brazil), with participants also coming from Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile, who all discussed this great issue of the integral health of the person. Another strategic point highlighted was the so-called “revolution” of patients who, from passive entities, are called to become active players of care, in partnership with the doctors. In addition, the congress stressed the responsibility of citizens, called to become associate members of the Brazilian Healthcare System (SUS) itself. 
This lively debate led to the creation of an extensive project that may help to outline a healthcare policy model as a concrete answer to the expectations not only in Brazil but also in other Latin American Countries. A model of integrated health – according to Dr. Ruy Tanigawa, member of the Regional Council of Medicine of the State of Sao Paolo – “because of its social importance, is destined to spread.” This was the commitment undertaken by the participants at the closing of the event, who consolidated and widened the network of cooperation at regional and national levels, opening out also to Latin American and international entities.
Focolari Assembly: a journey towards tangible unity
Heinrich Walter, President of Schönstatt with Jesús Moran.
Maria Voce with Gerard Pross, leader of a network of over 100 evangelical movemements.
Inter-religious delegation (Christina Lee, Mustafa Cenape, Shahrzad Houshmand, Adnane Mokrani, Hiromasa Tanaka, Katsuotishi Mizumo)
The various interventions were “precious pearls that enrich the heritage we have all received,” affirmed Maria Voce. A heritage we have “to safeguard together and multiply for the benefit of humanity,” she stressed – just before the election of the new directors of the Focolari Movement – since this is a journey we have to undertake together. And concluded with an image: “Chiara’s embrace which reaches out to all, and leads all towards God, an embrace made visible today, due to the presence of all of you here.”
Living the Gospel by serving
Gambling “Every time my husband gambled there was an argument in the house. Thanks to the relationships I had built with the people at the community centre where I do the cleaning, I would return home with some new strength for facing problems. One day a group was reading the Gospel and talking about loving their enemies. I thought of my husband and how I was always arguing with him, so I tried to have a different view towards him. As months went by something also changed in him. One day he found himself in a fight over the game. He was about to kill his adversary when that small change that had begun in him prevented him from doing it. Since he didn’t want to be living a double life, he also gave up gambling.” A.R.- Philippines Waiting for retirement “As I wait for my retirement letter, I’m gradually handing things over to my colleagues. I’m nearly finished and the letter hasn’t arrived and I don’t really have any specific work to do. What to do? Every day I have to invent some new job: first it’s taking care of those old papers that I never had time to look at; then there are those situatioins that were left hanging until I could speak to people in other offices. . . Then there was that colleague who had to stay home with her sick children. When she returned I helped her to catch up with her work. In other words, there’s never a lack of things to do and the time left before retirement isn’t a time of rest, but an opportunity to live every moment well. I remember the period, just after I began working, when I discovered that the words of the Gospel could not only be read and examined, but lived, and this gave meaning to everything I did. Now I feel that the same enthusiasm should accompany me in this new period of my life.” E.P.-Italy Free of charge Where we live money seems to be the most important thing in most families, often taking the place of more genuine values. But for those who believe in the Gospel and strive to live it, initiatives are born that no one would ever have imagined. For example, when our family group was asked to be involved in volunteer service, to contribute to the construction of a rehabilitatioin centre for the handicapped, the offer was enthusiastically accepted by all. We began by uprooting plants and cutting grass to prepare the terrain. The people in the area were surprised to see us working so hard and free of charge. Doing things free of charge is practically unheard of, since we have always been so accustomed to receiving.” A. C.-Democratic Republic of Congo
Albania, awaiting Pope Francis
“Next Sunday, with God’s help I shall visit Albania. I decided to visit this country which has usffered so much due to a terrible atheist regime and which is now creating a peaceful coexistence between its various religious components (…) I ask you all to accompany me with your prayers (…)”. Pope Francis reminded the faithful of his apostolic journey on 21September during the Wednesday audience, and with these words summarised the dual purpose of the “flash visit:” remembrance and dialogue, in a country which after 50 years of a painful dictatorship is now living a fruitful season of dialogue and interreligious cooperation, albeit in serious social and economic conditions of poverty and unemployment. The Catholic and Orthodox minorities (which together constitute about 26% of the population, besides a big group of various evangelical Churches) maintain good ecumenical relationships between themselves and with the Muslim majority. Because of this the Pope wishes to help the Church and humanity reflect on this successful interreligious cooperation while terror and violence continue to rage in the Middle East. Also in Albania there is a Focolari community which is actively involved in the preparations for this visit, with great joy and expectation. There are about 200 people of all ages and vocations. There are Catholics, Orthodox and also Muslim members, many of whom, are young, and who attended the Mariapolis, the typical annual gathering of the Focolari. “Recentely the community undertook ecologic activities, an aspect which is disregarded in our country, – of the focolarine un Tirana said. We are trying to communicate a culture of respect for the environment. During the last Mariapolis held in a city by the sea, we dedicated half a day to the clearing of the beach, On another occasion we cleaned a big park in the capital and repainted the garbage bins in another green area.” 
Also the New Families Movement and the Youth for Unity supported us from afar with around 60 children with the Schoolmates campaign, which paid for the studies of a group of young boys and girls. “The Pontiff’s arrival is a historic event for our country –Nikoleta explained, – and we are infinitely grateful for having chosen usa s the first among the Balkan countries. He is coming to strengthen our faith in the Albanese Church and the message of peace which is an expression of his support, is of utmost importance for all of us. Reegjina referred that this month there has been a great preparation in the parishes and communities with meetings to help us get to go in depth in Pope Francis’ ideas, and moments of prayer and collection of financial contributions to support the event. We each gave whatever we could. Donika, a freelance journalist, affirmed that this visit is important not only for the Catholics but also for people of other religions, “or for those, like me, who do not refer to any religious faith, The values the Pope brings are universal, with no exception as to race, nation or belief. He has a big, great heart which tends to build up man rather than convert him and offers hope. This is the most important gift the Pope is offering to Albania.”