Focolare Movement

Welwyn Garden City (UK): Are you getting enough happiness?

Apr 3, 2014

Young people from Word of Life groups in Belfast, Dublin and from University College Dublin made their way to the ‘Centre for Unity’ in Welwyn Garden City, on the outskirts of London, for the annual Focolare Regenerate event.

The event, now in its sixth year, saw its numbers double from last year as around ninety young people from the Netherlands, Finland, Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland came together for the occasion. All over Europe the event was followed online as talks were streamed live through the internet. In fact, at its peak, as many as twenty-eight laptops were linked to the event and joined in the discussion. This year “Regenerate” took the theme of happiness as its focus point. Bishop Brendan Leahy from Limerick, the key speaker, led the group in questioning the difference between happiness and joy and between happiness and sorrow. The programme was interspersed with workshops, break-away group discussions as well as large feedback sessions in order to interrogate the subject most fully. The youth had the choice to attend lectures on happiness and psychology and happiness and economics by Angela Manning and Fabio Tufano respectively. As well as questioning the meaning of the word ‘happiness’, the weekend presented the very practical ways in which we can look for, work for and, indeed, find happiness. It reinvigorated those attending to return home living the Focolare spirituality anew in the pursuit of a very real and shared happiness. You can still watch part of the Happiness discussion online at http://www.livestream.com/regenerate2014 Source: www.focolare.org/gb

___

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Your email address will not be published.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

This curse of war

This curse of war

Igino Giordani, when writing his memoirs, reflected on the terrible period of the First World War, in which he himself had to enlist, saying, “I saw the absurdity, the stupidity and above all the sin of war…”, as Benedict XV called it, the ‘useless massacre’. His words challenge us to think about how history could teach us to work for peace today, by opposing the new, absurd, useless massacres of our century.

Jubilee of youth: pilgrims of journey, hope, reconciliation

Jubilee of youth: pilgrims of journey, hope, reconciliation

A pilgrimage in Rome during the event that will see the participation of young people from all over the world. It will follow the historical itinerary of the Seven Churches with catechesis, prayer, testimonies, spiritual insights inspired by the charism of unity, music and sharing.

Indonesia: spreading hope

Indonesia: spreading hope

In Medan, capital of the province of Sumatra, Indonesia, following the 2004 tsunami, the local Focolare community set up the Sumber Harapan Social Centre, which means Source of Hope, to meet the needs of the poorest people in the city. Maximus and Fretty, leaders at the centre, tell us about the work they do.