Jul 21, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Like an anchor takes hold of the seabed, guaranteeing sailors’ safety, hope holds us firm to God and strengthens our faith. French class High school French class – and the teacher wasn’t coming. We were two classes together that didn’t know each other, and the waiting grew uneasy. At this point, overcoming any fear of being judged or laughed at, I took the initiative to share a few sheets of poems in French with my classmates, a language I am quite fluent in. Then I began to write the ‘Our Father’ on the blackboard, once again in French. Meanwhile, the others began to copy the text. I had just finished writing when the teacher came in and, seeing the students silently at work, was surprised and almost moved. As a result, she gave an A (the highest grade) to the entire class. Ralf, Romania A son’s suicide Luca was 19 years old and far too sensitive. He found it hard to accept the evil that seems to prevail in the world at times. When he committed suicide, the only thing that brought comfort and hope to our family was anchoring ourselves in God and the support of the community. As a couple, we found ourselves on a higher level in our relationship. Our other son, Enrico, reacted by making himself useful to others and now works in a community for young misfits. Of course, as time went by, we continued to feel Luca’s absence, but one fact gave us strength. A friend of ours told us about a young man suffering from cancer. Fed up with everything, he refused chemotherapy and preferred to let himself die. Our friend told him about Luca, who had attended the same institute as he had, and how his tragic death had ‘woken up’ many people to be more sensitive to others. That young man, in the end, agreed to resume treatment. This episode made us realize that life goes on. It inspired us to be strong and to sow hope in all those we meet. Maurizio, Italy My real ambition After working for years in a successful music group, as my family grew, I took a job in a cultural agency that organized concerts. But with the raging pandemic, many things changed for me: few contracts, few shows. With an increasingly uncertain future, I wondered how I could get by. Then I got a phone call from someone I had met because he had helped me load and unload instruments. He asked how things were going for me and if I needed work, since the supermarket where he worked was short staff. I accepted. So I went from dealing with philharmonic orchestras to pointing out to disoriented elderly ladies which shelf to find eggs or vinegar… The great lesson of the pandemic was precisely this: love comes through small, silent gestures, not deafening proclamations. In my youth my real ambition was to become rich… now I am rich on another level. I have discovered a truer and more beautiful dimension of humanity. M., Czech Republic
Edited by Lorenzo Russo.
Excerpted from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, year VII, no. 4, July–August 2021.
Jul 20, 2021 | Non categorizzato
On the outskirts of the capital of the Central African Republic there is a school that was founded by members of the Focolare Movement. Today it welcomes more than 500 children, many of whom have missed out on many years of education because of long periods of war. 
We are in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic, a landlocked state in the interior and central part of the African continent. The capital is located in the south-west, in an area that borders on the Democratic Republic of Congo. Four years ago, a kindergarten and primary school called Sainte Claire was founded in a suburb of Bangui. It currently has 514 pupils. It was opened in response to an appeal that both Pope Francis and Maria Voce, president of the Focolare Movement at the time, had made: to go out to meet people’s needs, particularly those living on the margins of society. “For us the most urgent need was education,” explains Bernadine, a member of the Focolare and headmistress at the Sainte Claire school. “After long periods of war, many children had missed several years of school. We could then help them catch up and reach the level of their peers.” The school is located in a suburban neighbourhood and so has welcomed many children from families who had fled the city when the war had destroyed their homes. “They come here to start a new life – it’s like a rebirth,” Bernadine continues. The Sainte Claire Institute is Catholic and, founded by members of the Focolare Movement, seeks to transmit teachings based on the culture of unity. The director explains: “Each day begins with morning prayers; then we throw the dice of love: on the different sides of the cube we read short phrases which help us live the day well. The next day, before rolling the dice again, we share the experiences of the day before. Some children helped their mother to wash the dishes, others made peace with a friend after a fight, …” At the moment, the war in the country has been suspended and the political situation is more stable. However, there are still many consequences that have an impact on the population, including the curfew from 8pm to 5am. Then there are numerous complications related to economic and social factors. Bernadine explains: “A few days ago, for example, there was a big rainstorm that damaged the electricity cables. Since then we only have electricity for 2-3 hours a day. This changes people’s lives a lot – starting with food, which cannot be stored. Not to mention all those who work relies upon electricity: they haven’t been able to work at all!” The pandemic has obviously effected our lives too. In 2020, the Sainte Claire institute had to end the year in March instead of June and this has had an impact on the education of the pupils who were once again left without a school. But the economic consequences for the whole country were also harsh: borders were closed and the Central African Republic, with no access to the sea, had difficulties with the delivery of goods from abroad. Prices have risen sharply. Despite these current difficulties, the school’s activities have resumed During this year’s United World Week (1 – 9 May), the children helped prepare an area that will be used for activities by planting grass seeds for the lawn. In a few months time, this area will be used for a variety of sports. Education, therefore, does not stop, not even in the midst of difficulties: it still allows new seeds of hope for a better future to be planted.
By Laura Salerno
Jul 19, 2021 | Non categorizzato
It is a partnership of perfect fellowship, which requires from us great faith in God’s love for his children. This mutual trust works miracles. We will see that, where we cannot do anything, Someone else has been at work, who has done immensely better than we could. The greatest wisdom is to spend our time living the will of God perfectly in the present moment. Sometimes, however, such nagging thoughts assail us, either about the past or the future, or about the present, but concerning places or circumstances or people, to which we cannot directly devote ourselves, that it takes a huge effort to steer the rudder of life’s ship and stay on course by doing what God wills of us in the present moment. A perfect response on our part requires of us a will, a decision, but above all a trust in God that can border on heroism. “I can do nothing in that particular case, for that person dear to me who is sick or in danger, for that complicated situation… “So I will do what God wants of me in this moment. I will study hard, I’ll sweep the house well, pray well, take good care of my children.… “And God will attend to unravelling that tangled knot, comforting the sufferer, resolving that unforeseen problem.” This is a partnership of perfect fellowship. It requires of us great faith in God’s love for his children and this enables God, then, through our response, to have faith in us. This mutual trust works miracles. We will see that, where we could do nothing, Someone else was truly at work and did immensely better than we could. Our heroic act of trust will be rewarded. Our life, limited to a single field, will acquire a new dimension. We will feel we are in touch with the Infinite, that which we yearn for, and our faith, gaining new vigour, will strengthen our charity, our love. We will no longer know the meaning of loneliness. We will see, more clearly than ever, because it is our experience, that we are truly children of a Father who can do all things.
Chiara Lubich
Cf. Chiara Lubich Essential Writings New City Press, Hyde Park New York, 2007, pp 70-71
Jul 17, 2021 | Non categorizzato
The experience of the Manaus focolare in helping the homeless. A way of being a Church that reaches out and going to the existential peripheries to seek out the most needy A few months ago, a focolarino from the focolare in Manaus, Brazil, felt the desire to do something to help people in difficulty. So, he got in touch with various priests and nuns to make himself available. After about a month, the possibility arose to help with the “pastoral care of the street people”, that is to help the homeless. The whole focolare was involved: Renzo, Daniel, Francisco, Valdir and Junior. Every Sunday evening in the square in front of the church “Nossa Senhora dos Remedios”, in the historic centre of the city, one of those places that is very crowded during the day and very dangerous at night, we help with a short Celebration of the Word, then we give the homeless a meal and stay with them to listen to them. They pray with us and share what they experience during the week. Other volunteers give them a meal and quickly leave. The homeless recognise us and thank us because for them, being together, praying, talking, sharing their lives, being listened to, fills their souls as much as meals fill their bellies. They have told us this on several occasions. Our presence is shaped by love, by always being available to exchange a few words and build relationships with everyone, including the pastoral team. But all this is not enough. So, every Friday afternoon, we offer to help the homeless with a shower or a change of clothes, donated by generous people. We have also involved the Focolare Community to collect clothes, shoes, slippers… and it is great to see the understanding towards this action and to receive very positive echoes every time we communicate this experience: many encourage us to continue or come to help. Unfortunately, with the lockdown for covid, various activities to help the poorest people have stopped. So, we met online to work out what to do, and Archbishop Leonardo Steiner was also present. He was impressed by the situation and donated a sum of money to continue to offer one meal a day, for 20 days, for two hundred people, divided between two large squares in the city centre. Of course, working for two or three hours with all the necessary safety equipment and the heat of Manaus is tiring, but it is also a concrete way of going to the existential peripheries, to seek out the neediest, the Father’s favourites, offering the pain of being able to do so little in the face of these Abandoned Jesuses with so many needs, and we cannot do more for them than to give them a smile, a listening ear and our love. Providence is not lacking: the authorities of the Public Ministry (of Labour) have sought us out to give us money and resources to guarantee three hundred meals for 15 more days. This means more work for us volunteers, but you can’t say no to such providence and then we believe that God will manifest Himself to give us the energy and health or other volunteers to help us.
The focolarini of the focolare of Manaus
Jul 15, 2021 | Non categorizzato
The first World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, called for by Pope Francis on 25th July 2021 is approaching. Grandparents Sarah and Declan O’Brien tell us how they live their dialogue with grandchildren who don’t know anything about God. I was deeply influenced in my faith journey by my grandfather. He came from a traditional Irish family who settled in Yorkshire in the late 1800s. Eventually, thanks to his hard work and his honest nature, he became a respected and successful businessman in Bradford. Essentially, he was a man of God and he loved the Church, but he didn’t talk much about these things. The thing I noticed about him was his love for everyone and his kind love for me, his granddaughter. His way of life had a great effect on me and greatly influenced the decisions I made later on. Now my husband Declan and I are grandparents! The parents of our four grandchildren have chosen not to educate their children to faith in God. We respect their decisions as we seek to discover new ways to convey the values of faith, offered with creativity, fun and love. One way is to spend time with our grandchildren where they live in Paris. Pope Francis tells us: “Time is greater than space”. Since our four grandchildren live abroad, the time we spend with them is even more important. In this time together, we try to love our grandchildren with patience, tenderness, kindness, mercy and forgiveness. We too experience their love and mercy. Of course, we are far from perfect and make a lot of mistakes along the way, and in family life we can’t hide behind a mask. Our grandchildren can see our authenticity or lack of it. When we visit them we all sit together around the dinner table. But sometimes our son, a person who impresses us with his love for everyone, engages in controversial discussions with us. Our grandchildren can see how we respond to these situations, if we are just trying to score points over each other or if we try to have a real dialogue. Often we fail, but when we try to put ourselves in our son’s shoes, listening well, forgiving him for some outrageous remarks, pouring him another glass of water, bringing a positive light to the discussion, when we succeed in these things, and our actions are inspired by love, we hope this will be noticed by our grandchildren. A second way to convey our faith is to share important things with our grandchildren. Spending time with them allows us to talk, when the time is right, “about important things with simplicity and concern” (Amoris Laetitia 260). We try to have the courage to say what is truly important to them. And they too can talk to us, if we are there to listen to them, about important things. And so we are able to live short moments of dialogue with them, as between friends. Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare said, “No long sermons, just a few words are enough”. A third way is prayer. We are unable to pray with our grandchildren, but of course we can pray for them. When we go out for a walk together, we can sometimes visit a church. Once we happened upon a Eucharistic adoration where they received a blessing. We enjoyed the silence of being in church with them. They realize that we go to Mass and sometimes they have asked to come with us. Our grandchildren don’t read the Bible stories, but at Christmas we received a nice pop-up children’s book and I read the story of Christmas, which they had never heard, to two of our grandchildren. Perhaps the only Bible they can read is through us. Our hope, our joy, our love can be their good news, “a source of light along the way”, as Pope Francis wrote in Amoris Laetitia (290).
Sarah and Declan O’Brien
First published in Living City and shared at the World Meeting of Families 2018 in Dublin
Jul 14, 2021 | Non categorizzato
“In faith, man clearly shows that he does not rely on himself but entrusts himself to the One who is stronger than him,” writes Chiara Lubich, meditating on a passage from the Gospel. Moments of darkness, apathy, painful memories can become an opportunity to deepen our relationship with God, to show Him our trust in Him, even in difficulties. The need for a father Since my parents separated when I was three years old, my life has always been marked by the absence of a father. I became introverted and rebellious, picking on everyone; I didn’t know who to turn to to talk about my problems. It even seemed as if my mother no longer understood me. I was 15 when my religious studies teacher, without lecturing me, put me in touch with a group of committed young people. I started taking part in some of their activities with children in poor neighbourhoods. I got on so well with them that I never left them. A few months’ experience in O’Higgins, the little town of the Focolare, opened up new horizons for me. It gave me something to live for: contributing to making the world more beautiful. The idea of loving everyone slowly gave rise to a thought within me: “What about Dad? What will he be doing now? Has he missed me after all these years of silence?” I couldn’t rest until I had gone to see him in our old house. He almost didn’t recognise me. He had aged, a tired man. We looked into each other’s eyes, and all the past just melted away. (Luis – Argentina) I was falling in love As an unsuccessful singer-songwriter, I had plunged into a state of total apathy. In that dark period I gave up everything I had believed in. I saw God as a ball and chain for me as a musician and a woman, so I got rid of Him by living as if He didn’t exist. That was until I received a phone call from Carmine, an actor friend of mine who needed my help with a play he was working on. As he was about to leave for Bologna, he convinced me to take the train with him to talk about it during the journey. I ended up telling him my whole life story. I so wanted to open up, and he listened to me so well, so well that… I fell in love. That year we worked together. I wrote the music and he directed. Then all of a sudden Carmine became ill. Afraid of losing him, I found myself face to face with the God I was pretending to ignore but now I no longer felt He was a stranger. Love had melted my heart and that pain irrigated it and gave it all the fruitfulness I had before to sing my songs. (Chiara – Italy) Freed from a burden An offence I received years ago but later forgot came back to my mind when I met the “guilty” person. It wasn’t so much the man that came to mind but my husband who had not defended me at the time. Feelings of pain and humiliation were still smouldering under the ashes and I could not help my outburst. Then a thought came to my mind: “Be merciful as your Father is merciful”. It was as if Jesus was saying to me: “How do you intend to give me everything if you are still full of these painful memories?” Strong words, but true. Finally by the grace of God I was able to take the step of forgiving. The Father’s mercy freed me from this burden. (Bernadette – Switzerland)
Edited by Lorenzo Russo
(taken from Il Vangelo del Giorno, Città Nuova, year VII, n.4, July-August 2021)
Jul 13, 2021 | Non categorizzato
He was playing his music in the airport lounge as people walked by with an air of indifference. There was a “game” of glances and smiles happening. These are the mysteries of good relationships, capable of generating reciprocity. Small gestures that make you share something with the other person and feel part of the same humanity. 
I was returning to Paraguay after many years in Europe. I felt moved when I first glimpsed the red earth and green areas that are so typical of the country as the plane began its descent for landing. The international airport, Silvio Pettirossi, had not changed much. The first impression as I stepped out of the aircraft was the suffocating heat that brought back distant and much-loved memories. Instead of feeling asphyxiated, I took it as a warm hug from the many loved ones I would find there. I waited for my luggage in the baggage reclaim area of the arrivals and departures hall and I noticed the duty free shops and a bar but then my ears were invaded by the wonderful notes of a Paraguayan harp. I looked around to see where the music was coming from. And there he was, sitting in front of the bar, as if totally embraced by his large musical instrument, a man with a serene face and indigenous features: the Paraguayan harpist. His music spread through the room, filling it with harmony and the joyful notes of a Paraguayan polka. I was struck by his discretion and the indifference of the people, as if they were so used to the harpist’s music that they were not aware of it. It was as if it were part of the scenery, like the bar, the shops or the area for collecting luggage. The man seemed resigned to producing such beautiful notes, without anyone – apparently – noticing his presence. I instinctively reached into my pockets and remembered that I had set aside five dollars for a tip to give to whoever would offer to carry my suitcase to the car that would pick me up on the way out. (There were usually boys who did this). I approached the harpist discreetly, looked at him gratefully, and left the five dollars in the hat in front of him, fearful of hurting his feelings, knowing that his music was worth much more. It was a simple gesture, but my intention was to thank him and recognise his talent, even on behalf of those who didn’t seem to notice him. Three unforgettable weeks passed by, full of encounters with people who I loved a lot, and then, once again, I found myself in the same area in the airport, but this time waiting to take the plane back to Montevideo, where I was staying. My friends were still waving goodbye to me over the glass barrier when, to my great surprise, my ears could hear the notes of “La Cumparsita”. This was the tango that gained popularity thanks to the incomparable voice of the French-Argentinian singer, Carlos Gardel. But what had happened? We were in Paraguay and it was usual to hear Paraguayan music. But where were the notes of that tango coming from? I looked around and there he was again, in front of the bar. He was sitting with his harp and gave me an almost complicit smile. It was as if he was saying, “Did you like that surprise?” I said, “That I was delightful,” and gave a similar smile back again but with a questioning look. I wondered how he had managed to recognise me – among so many people passing through that room – and again, how he had guessed that I was Argentinian! These are the mysteries of good relationships, capable of generating reciprocity. They are small gestures that make you share something with another person and feel part of the same humanity. Since that time, whenever he saw me in the arrivals and departures hall, with the luggage area and duty free shops…. he stopped his polka and started to play a different tango, dedicated to his Argentinian friend.
Gustavo E. Clariá
Jul 12, 2021 | Non categorizzato
In June 1944, Chiara Lubich found herself alone in Trent after her family had fled to the mountains following the bombing of 13th May that had half destroyed their home. Chiara had stayed in the city to follow the young women who were following her ideal. The letters of that period were the first bond among the emerging community of the Movement. My little Sister in God’s Immense Love! Listen, I beg you, to the voice of this little heart! With me you have been dazzled by the burning light of an ideal that overcomes everything and contains everything: by the Infinite Love of God! Oh, my little Sister, it is your God and mine who has established between us a common bond that is stronger than death and will never pass away. It is one, like the spirit; immense, infinite, gentle, steadfast and immortal as the Love of God! Love has made us sisters! Love has called us to Love! Love has spoken in the depths of our hearts, saying: “Look around you. Everything in the world passes. Each day has its evening and each evening comes quickly. Each life has its sunset and the sunset of your life will also come quickly! Yet don’t despair: Yes, yes, everything passes, for nothing of what you see and love is destined to last forever! Everything passes, leaving only regret and new hope!” Yet don’t despair: Your constant Hope, that goes beyond the limits of life, tells you: “Yes, what you are looking for exists. In your heart there is an infinite and immortal longing; a hope that doesn’t die; a faith that breaks through the darkness of death and is a light to those who believe. Your hope, your believing is not in vain. It’s not in vain!” You hope, you believe — so as to Love. This is your future, your present and your past: everything is summed up in this word: Love! You have always loved. Life is a continuous seeking after loving desires that are born in the depths of your heart! You have always loved! But you have loved badly! You have loved what dies and is vain, and in your heart only vanity has remained. Love what doesn’t die! Love the One who is Love! Love the One who in the evening of your life will look only at your little heart. You will be alone with Him in that moment. The one whose heart is filled with vanity will be terribly unhappy; immensely happy will be the one whose heart is overflowing with the infinite Love of God!
Chiara Lubich
(Cf. Chiara Lubich, What you are searching for exists, June 1944, in Early Letters, New City Press, Hyde Park, New York 2012, p. 18)
Jul 9, 2021 | Non categorizzato
Helping others, expecting nothing in return, doing it with faith. This also allows us to bring salvation, tenderly “touching” those who are suffering, in need, in darkness, in bewilderment. “Give …” Grandma had been particularly generous in giving me a substantial amount for my expenses. I had already worked out how to use that money when a friend told me about problems in his family: his father was unemployed and they could only manage one meal a day. Later, when I left him, carrying his pain with me, I remembered some experiences I had read in a book lying around the house. Some words of the Gospel, to which I had never paid attention, or rather, which I had never taken seriously, were quoted: “Give and it will be given to you”. What strange words, I said to myself, whoever uttered them could only be a madman … or a God! The word “Give” was hammering inside me. The next evening I went to see my friend and gave him everything I had in my wallet. He was surprised and happy. I felt an irrepressible joy. But there’s more. A few days later, I received an unexpected phone call from an important magazine: they agreed to publish some of my writings, for which they offered me a hefty fee. (Vincenzo from Italy) In hospital A very old patient was ranting and raving. Because of her age and health conditions, my colleagues and I decided to try to help her feel our closeness more. One morning, on behalf of all of us, I left a greeting on the bedside table. When I went to her for routine checks, she was serene. She told me: “My son, last night I felt death near and I thought that I would take all my wickedness with me” – and taking my hand – “I ask you and everyone for forgiveness because you have never judged me”. In short, she seemed a different person. That old lady helped us to live our service better. (KV – Hungary) The “Bundle” Project With the raging pandemic, some seasonal workers in a large agricultural centre lost their jobs. When we heard about this, with some friends from Southern California (USA) we started a project called “Bundle”. It consisted of collecting clothes, books, board games, small appliances and other useful items, which could be redistributed to those families in need and so alleviate some of their expenses and mitigate the hardship imposed by the circumstances. This sharing initiative, which was lived with great enthusiasm, has not only engaged our community, but also involved work colleagues and other people who know us. In only three days, we were able to fill a van with what was collected and deliver to communities in central California. In return, we received a box of cherries which we in turn we shared with our friends and neighbors. The experience us galvanized us and made us happy. It was to see the “give and it will be given to you” of the Gospel fulfilled. (GS – USA)
Compiled by Lorenzo Russo
(from The Gospel of the Day, New City, year VII, no.4, July-August 2021)
Jul 7, 2021 | Non categorizzato
The meeting with President Margaret Karram and Co-President Jesús Moran was an opportunity for mutual understanding and deep communion in the common commitment to unity. 
On Saturday June 26th a delegation from the German Lutheran Church visited the International Focolare Centre in Rocca di Papa (Italy). Welcomed by Focolare President Margaret Karram and Co-President Jesús Morán, the members of the delegation also met members of Centre Uno, the movement’s centre for Christian Unity and some members of the General Council of the Movement. The delegation included Bishop Frank-Otfried July, President of the German section of the World Lutheran Federation (DKN/FLM), and Bishops Ralf Meister and Karl-Hinrich Manzke, respectively President and in charge of relations of the Union of German Lutheran Churches (VELKD) with the Catholic Church. It was an opportunity for mutual understanding and deep communion. Listening to each other made everyone feel like brothers and sisters already united in Christ. The meeting with President Karram and Co-President Morán, in particular, was a moment of exchange on how to face the challenges of today’s world. What emerged from the dialogue was a harmony in the “passion for unity in Christ”, which however must be extended to all humanity: evangelical love urges us to seek the sister and brother beside us. The sharing of concrete examples of evangelical life, of reconciliation even in the smallest of ways, of the choice of God in daily life, offered participants hope in the journey of unity that is being pursued also at the theological and institutional level. One of the bishops remarked: “Changing perspective means making more specific what it means to follow the Messiah. Starting with oneself, not asking what do I want to receive? But rather what do I want to give, what can I give? Whoever lives this way is inspired by the Spirit, and whoever is inspired by the Spirit is hope for the world”. The delegation was in Rome on the occasion of the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the excommunication of Martin Luther by Pope Leo X. The excommunication came four years after the beginning of the Reformation (1517) and marked the definitive break within the Western Church. An anniversary celebrated today, however, not to sanction the split, but rather to highlight, deepen and develop the more than “fifty years of constant and fruitful ecumenical dialogue between Catholics and Lutherans” which, as the document written on the occasion of the 2016 Catholic-Lutheran Joint Commemoration of the Reformation reads, “(years that) have helped us to overcome many differences and have deepened understanding and trust between us”.[1] The day before the visit to the Focolare, Pope Francis, meeting with representatives of the Lutheran World Federation on the anniversary of the Confessio Augustana (June 25th 1530), had said among other things: “Dear brothers and sisters, on the path from conflict to communion, on the day of the commemoration of the Confessio Augustana you have come to Rome so that unity may grow among us. (…) I said ‘on the path from conflict to communion’, and this path is only made in crisis: the crisis that helps us to mature in what we are seeking. From the conflict that we have lived for centuries and centuries, to the communion that we want, and to do this we put ourselves in crisis. A crisis that is a blessing from the Lord”. [2] During their stay in Rome, the delegation of the German Lutheran Church had several meetings in the Vatican, such as the one with Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, during which they also discussed burning pastoral issues such as, for example, the admission of the non-Catholic partner to the Eucharist in mixed marriages. Among the meetings planned, besides the one with the Focolare Movement, there was also one with the Community of Sant’Egidio.
Heike Vesper
[1] Joint Declaration on the occasion of the Joint Catholic – Lutheran Celebrations of the Reformation, Lund (Sweden), October 31st 2016 at https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/event.dir.html/content/vaticanevents/en/2016/10/31/joint-declaration.html [2] Talk of Pope Francis to representatives of the World Lutheran Federation, Rome (Italy) June 25th 2021 at https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2021/june/documents/20210625-lutheran-federation.html
