On April 23-26, 2014 over a hundred young consecrated men and women, from 36 countries and belonging to 56 religious families rallied around the slogan: “We choose the Gospel!” at the permanent Mariapolis in Loppiano, Italy.

The meeting has been in preparation for some time in view of the year 2015, which will be dedicated to the consecrated life, but also to the common choice of the Gospel which goes beyond the different charisms and is shared by all.

On the first day there was a theological discussion with Fr Alessandro Clemenzia, a professor of Trinitarian Theology, including personal experiences and experiences from some of the residents of the Mariapolis. This was followed by a tour of the Mariapolis, Mass at the Shrine, and supper in  focolare-communities and family homes.

On the second day there was a workshop on: the relation between Gospel, life and studies; the Gospel and the spirit of poverty; communitarian relationships; and a poor Church for the poor. Then there was a visit to the Sophia University Institute and an evening of entertainment with young people from Loppiano.

On the last day there was quite a comprehensive dialogue with Cardinal Braz de Avis, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. “Father Joao,” as he loves to be called, first expressed his happiness at seeing so many young people. “This spirituality of communion,” he told them, “must enter into all the charisms, it must become the soul of all the charisms” and all must “have a living experience of it.” Then he added: “For me, the other person is not only my great penance, but the opportunity for me to experience God: I can love, only if I am near to someone . . .” Regarding the difficulties in following this path, he added: “You need to discover and understand the meaning of Jesus’ cry on the cross,” because without the measure of giving our lives that was given to us by Jesus, “we will never come to the point of loving one another.”

Encouraged by the Cardinal’s direct and familiar style, a very open discussion followed. The young people posed many questions regarding the challenges that religious communities are facing today: “How can we continue what we experienced here when we return home to our communities?” How can we be truly free while living within structures and under vows? How can we avoid living like patients in a plaster cast? How can we grow more in the spirit of unity? How should we look at the problems in our congregations and in the Church?”

The Cardinal’s answers were just as direct: “When you return to your communities, don’t talk, but live. If you want to be free, ‘return to Galilee,’ as Pope Francis says, to where God first looked us in the eye, and cultivate a freedom that begins from within . . . returning to the style of the Gospel.” He also said: “Wherever there is attachment to wealth and power, there is no longer the Church . . . we should enter into the wounds of the Church and humanity, as the Pope invites us to do . . . look to the past with gratefulness, to the future with hope and live the present with passion . . .” After opening his heart about his fraternal relationship with the Pope, he announced some of the upcoming events for 2015, especially the September 23-26 global meeting for  young consecrated people. Then he told them: “The Pope loves you, and our congregation is your home.”

Their discussion lasted for two hours and was a total immersion in the life of a Church that is questioning herself, without hiding anything, a Church that is being motorised by Pope Francis to enter into a deep and radical renewal that engages every one of us in a personal way, every community and family, the basic cell of society. The encounter concluded with all the residents of the Mariapolis at St Mary Theotokos Shrine, with the holy Mass in the presence of the local Bishop, Mario Meini.