Silvana Veronesi in Argentina

May 11, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide

Silvana with Gustavo Clariá (Focolare Website)

Mariapolis Lia

Ivory Coast: the Focolare a permanent witness

Apr 11, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide

The humanitarian emergency caused by conflicts in the Ivory Coast, with thousands of refugees and displaced people, has engaged international NGOs who, in collaboration with the local church, strive to provide aid and refuge to as many people as possible. 600km west of the country’s capital, near Man there is one of the Focolare Movement’s ‘little towns’ which seeks to be a permanent witness of brotherhood and evangelical love. How are its inhabitants reacting to the country’s present crisis?

Adriana Masotti from Vatican Radio asked this question to Vitoria Franciscati, the director of the Focolare’s Centre in the Ivory Coast for 20 years:

We are involved in humanitarian aid in a fairly direct way. Man has become a reception centre because there’s a conflict zone 80km to the west and a large number of people have fled from the very difficult situation. People also come here from the capital Abidjan and we, along with others throughout the diocese, have offered our strengths to receive as many refugees as we can. In our little town we have a medicine dispensary, a clinic and a centre for the fight against malnutrition. The number of abandoned patients and small children (often along with a grandparent) is growing. This work has therefore become more demanding and is being brought ahead. We are also a reference point for humanitarian organisations that come to the region to help the fight against hunger: Médicins sans Frontiers, Red Cross and so on. There is no water in the city and so people come here to our well. Electricity is often down and we have we share our generator that runs for a few hours a day. There’s lots of collaboration therefore with everyone.

You are far from the capital but there are members of the Focolare community who live in Abidjan near Gbagbo’s residence which is hit by the conflicts. What is their experience at the moment?

Our members are present in neighbourhoods throughout the city especially in the outgoing president’s neighbourhood. We are in contact with them various times a day and they are determined and committed to living and spreading a Gospel-based lifestyle, to being builders of peace through a life of love: it’s the only force capable of disarming hearts, the most difficult but most necessary task at present.

The country has been split into two blocs with opposition even within families. How do they deal with this division?

This is the point: starting from home, from the family. Some kids tell us, “I don’t know my father any more, I don’t recognise him”, because division has penetrated; it’s something that deeply pierces. It wasn’t like that before. Ivorians however are very sensitive people and are ready to change, they’re not so hardhearted. We must therefore have faith in them; they are a welcoming people who are used to cohabitation of different ethnic groups and religions. There have never been problems in that regard.

What is the principle contribution that you want to give and that you have committed yourselves to giving to Ivorian society?

Brotherhood. The “Golden Rule”: do unto others as you would have done unto you. That is our specific contribution.

Lived in a concrete way day by day, trying to love the other even if he’s different…

Exactly. Accepting those who are different from me, who have a different way of thinking. I believe that new political systems will arise, have to arise, from Africa’s cultural roots. Prayer, however, is very important at this time because hearts have been hardened and a grace from God is needed.

Source: Vatican Radio – Radio Giornale 10/04/2011

USA: Dialogue with young people

Apr 2, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide

Up close and in person, it’s always a different story. In fact these young people had often seen Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti on DVD, their tone of voice was familiar, everyone knew how simple and uncomplicated they are. However, they were always president and co-president of one of the world’s biggest Ecclesial movements. The excitement among the 130 Gen (young people closely involved in the Focolare) who came from all over the USA for the event was therefore understandable. But any tension was dissolved once the meeting began. The backdrop: a snow-covered Mariapolis Luminosa, the Focolare’s ‘little town’ two hours north of New York.

“Your spontaneity has put us at ease and we feel really comfortable around you” one girl said to Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti. Despite the fact that it was a first encounter, everyone was on the same wavelength from the word go and a true chord of harmony was struck, so much so that the two special guests said in unison that they imagined the Focolare’s founder Chiara Lubich looking at those young faces with joy.

Two lively hours of music, graphics and a confiding exchange of experiences and questions. Two gentle yet intense hours where the young people brought their guests up to speed with the youth panorama in the USA today – without avoiding the difficulties and challenges facing young people. Amongst the topics discussed were the difficulties in talking to peers about God and the Church; the conditioning impact of high university fees (from 10- 60 thousand dollars a year); political polarisation between democrats and republicans. They were eager to receive feedback, views and guidelines inspired by the Charism of Unity.

“You are Chiara’s children, bursting with her legacy and aware that you’re its bearers for everyone. The more it’s shared, the more it spreads. You are young and strong and people, without knowing it, are waiting to be engaged in a project of world unity”, Maria Voce said to them and continued, “Don’t lose Jesus’ treasure, He lives, he is Risen and True and wants to be amongst you and to walk with you through the streets of your cities to proclaim, heal and console”. In this perspective Giancarlo Faletti underlined the vital link between the Word and the Eucharist: “Jesus is an incredible force and he is close to you in your hopes and expectations”.

The heart of the American dream (‘anyone can do it’) meets one of its highest perspectives in the spiritual mandate just received. A challenging task which inspires and fascinates these ethnically-diverse young people. Aiming to be number 1 is fascinating but it involves many responsibilities, leading a girl from San Antonio to thank Maria Voce with straightforwardness, “for having accepted the presidency”.

From our correspondent Paolo Lòriga

[nggallery id=24]

Maria Voce in the USA

Mar 30, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide

Here in Luminosa, the Focolare town for North America, the welcome was second to none. For the visit of Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti it was as if the unusually long winter had been prearranged, so that the snow on the ground would enhance the appearance of the buildings surrounded by woods and grassy banks.  While the two important guests were visiting the offices of Living City and New City Press, a group of agile deer passed by  just 10 meters away from the surprised visitors. “It never happened before’, the residents exclaimed.  “Its the presence of the media” was the thought of others.

After Montreal, the president of the Focolare had arrived in Luminosa, the first step of her ‘discovery’ of the USA after a day’s journey by car, which included the usual border procedures of digital photos and electronic fingerprints.  It is the first time that the President and the Co-President visit the USA.  Their arrival in the Focolare town – located in the Hyde Park area, two hours by car from New York, where President Roosevelt used to spend Christmas – was met by scenes of celebration.  At the entrance to the town, a colorful banner festooned with balloons began the festive welcome, below the US flag of stars and stripes and the focolare flag, a big golden star on a blue background, designed by Chiara when she was here in 1990.

The focolare founder, Chiara Lubich, had visited the town in 1990 and 1997, a sign of her closeness and participation in a project which was dear to her heart for this immense and important nation.   Chiara’s first inspiration for this project goes back to October 1984. The search began for the most suitable location, and fund raising started, sustained by the generosity of many and by the arrival of Providence.  At first some land in Pennsylvania was considered, then in other areas, until the discovery of this place.  That was in May 1985, but it took six months for the contract to be signed, because the local authorities were initially not in favour of it.

The inauguration was on September 14, 1986, even though Chiara, at the last moment, could not come because of her health.  But her absence added prophetic value to the message she sent for the occasion. “It will have its own beauty and its own vocation,” she said, and at the same time asked, “Will it be ecumenical and will people from other religions take part?”  “Everything makes us think so, because above all it must represent these people, and just as the Americans knew how to put together people and ethnic groups coming from different countries and different continents, so the little town in the USA will be an exemplary model of the unity of peoples, the social aspect of what Jesus prayed for, “That All May Be One.”

Twenty five years later, the 33 hectares contain 22 buildings, an outdoor swimming pool and a sports field.  There are 50 residents from different parts of the world, and during the summer many people come to live the experience of a cosmopolitan fraternity.   There are houses for families, youth, priests, religious sisters side by side with the focolare houses.  At the centre of the town is the church dedicated to Our Lady of the Light.   The various halls have meeting space for 500 people, be they youth, families, or bishops.  A lake and a little stream complete the landscape, which is home to a variety of animals, including friendly squirrels.

In this setting, Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti met for two days with those responsible for the Movement in Canada, USA, the Dominican Republic and Oceania.  Then on Tuesday March 29th a retreat began, for 260 men and women from the focolares all over North America.

From our correspondent Paolo Loriga