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It was a cold evening in Dublin but the warmth spreading from the packed Oak Room melted any chill away and the time flew as all present “remembered and celebrated” the life of a much loved Argentinian lady who touched hearts and continues to inspire and encourage many folk in their efforts and struggles to live out the Gospel message of love as she did.
The speeches at the book launch
Lord Mayor
Warm Welcome to all of you to the Mansion House
I am delighted to host this Book Launch on the 40th Anniversary year of the Focolare Movement in Dublin here in the Oak room of the Mansion House.
This very Mansion House that hosted the first sitting of Dail Eireann in 1919 where Cathal Brugha read a Declaration of Independence is indeed a fitting setting to remember a young revolutionary Argentinian woman.
Lieta Betono arrived as a young 20 year old with a vision of better world where all were of equal importance, a world where universal fraternity dominated. She lived and promoted that vision in her everyday life and through it grew into a passionate citizen of Dublin, where she lived for over 30 years. She was a founding member of the Focolare in Ireland.
We are here this evening to launch her biography written by Susan Gately a close friend and collaborator.
To celebrate this event, I am pleased to welcome Bishop Raymond Field, here with us tonight and Brian Gallagher an eminent solicitor here in the city. Indeed Brian was instrumental in Lieta Betono settling in this city but he will tell you more about that later.
What joins such a diverse collection of people together in the Mansion House is respect for an honorary Dubliner who worked untiringly through the Focolare movement for young and old alike.
While she herself may never even have stepped inside the door of the Mansion house she paved the way for others to do so. In 2004 the Youth for Unity began long standing relationships with previous Lord Mayors who gave their patronage to their initiatives. Together with this office these young people worked to promote a greater civic awareness amongst their peers. To date they have organised three fun runs in the city of Dublin. These “Run4Unitys” unite teenagers of every social religious and cultural background through the medium of Sport. The common thread among them is to live the Golden Rule “treat others as you would have them treat you”.
