[continued]

Lieta Betono, from my first reading of the book, was a woman whose life was imbued with this rule, she adhered strictly to it. As highlighted in a quote of her’s from the book, where she writes to a group of young people:

“Let us not go down. Let our Flame of love… grow every day and this happens if we love one another. We can not do anything bigger than have Jesus among us. He will then solve the problems of the world but first we have to let Him live among us in our love, which is not mere sentimentalism, not at all, it is real” (page 52)

The book shows her constant warm response to people of every race and religion. And through it all a passionate love for the people of Ireland but especially for the city of Dublin where she lived for over thirty years, bringing her warmth and strength to many.

The City of Dublin wishes to acknowledge the foundations stones that she placed here in the city upon which many civic initiatives have blossomed.

As the motto of the city of Dublin says “The obedience of the Citizens produces a happy city”, I would go one step further and say that the obedience of the citizens to this “golden Rule” produces a happy city. This rule produces citizens who look outwards towards the OTHER and use their talents at the service of the Greater Good of the City. This is the Spirit that Lieta Betono brought to our City; this is the Spirit that the teenagers too have brought through their Run4Unitys in St Anne’s park and the Phoenix Park with the more recent Run4Unity taking place in the grounds of the Belfast parliament –Stormont.

This Spirit is one that many voluntary and ecclesial groups promote in our city. It is one that I too promote in my endeavours to make Dublin a happy home for all, a great place to live and raise a family- the Mansion house has had a recent new addition…. A city where people want to visit perhaps stay and set up business.

I thank the Focolare for their contribution to bringing this spirit into our city and I trust that we can continue to work closely together to make this a city that we can all be proud of and one that can be a model of Integration welcome and warmth for all peoples. ”