Focolare Movement

The witness of Ginetta: the Gospel, a social revolution

Mar 6, 2007

On March 8, the process of beatification began for Ginetta Calliari, one of chiara Lubich’s first companions, and one the founders of the focolare Movement in Brazil

On March 8, six years after the death of Ginetta Calliari, one of the leading figures in the Focolare Movement in Brazil, the Catholic Church will, at the start of her beatification process, begin a study of her life, with a view to recognising her as a model of Christian living. The process will be opened in the cathedral of Osasco, near Sao Paulo, at 20.00 local time. Ginetta was, for many religious civil and political leaders in Brazil, a spiritual guide and a source of inspiration for their ideals and activities. Over the 42 years that she lived in that country, Ginetta gave her all to spreading the culture of fraternity and the ideal of unity, the distinctive characteristics  of the Focolare. With resolute faith in the transforming power of the Gospel, she drew thousands of Brazilians into this adventure and gave life to numerous social and cultural works.   She was one of the first champions of the Economy of Communion, a project launched by Chiara Lubich in Brazil. This aims to help bridge the gap between rich and poor, by involving producers of goods and services, in a wide variety of business sectors, in the allocation of part of their profits to social concerns.   Ginetta Calliari (1918-2001), born in Trento (Italy), was with Chiara Lubich right from the beginning of the Focolare Movement in the 1940s. In 1959, she was among the first young focolarini to leave for Brazil, the first nation outside of Europe where the Movement spread. The Movement now numbers about 300,000 people in 61 places.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to Newsletter

Thought of the day

Related post

For a Politics of Fraternity

For a Politics of Fraternity

From 25th January-1st February, 100 young political leaders from 36 countries worked on a politics based on fraternity. Pope Leo: fraternity among you is already a new sign.

Let Justice Flow Like Rivers: A Call to Integral Ecology in Ireland

Let Justice Flow Like Rivers: A Call to Integral Ecology in Ireland

The “Let Justice Flow Like Rivers” Creation Care Conference, held in Newry on 17th January 2026, brought together church leaders, community activists, educators and faith-based organisations from across Ireland for a day of prayer, listening, and shared commitment to care for creation.

Closeness: a bridge to shorten distances

Closeness: a bridge to shorten distances

The presentation of the book “Closeness, a path to peace. Pages of life” written by Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, took place in the Jubilee Hall of LUMSA University (Rome) on the 30th of January 2026. It was a unique opportunity for exchange and dialogue, which aimed to offer a tangible experience of “closeness” with an outlook of hope towards the future.