Ten young People of the Focolare Movement in Ireland went to Belgium to meet with over 100 young people from North Western Europe – to celebrate Easter together and to recharge their batteries as they strive to live their lives enriched by relationships inspired by reciprocal love.
The programme took its title as “Breaking Barriers,” and was rooted in the challenge that Pope Francis gave the entire Focolare Movement after its General Assembly in September 2014: “Go Out, Together, Prepared!”
The congress clarified what it meant to live the Ideal of the Focolare movement in 2015. The atmosphere of ‘breaking barriers’ yielded moments of deep sharing that became the foundation for the success of the congress. As Lauraine, one of the MCs from Belgium, during the weekend said: “Getting to know each other in deep and meaningful ways is the only way that we can break barriers.”
The Congress brought together young people from all over Western Europe, Malta, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, the UK and Sweden and gave the young people the possibility of really breaking barriers; personal and international barriers.
Eli from Slovenia, said the congress was the moment where she “got her power back to change the world.” It gave a witness to the words of Pope Francis: Go Out. Together. Prepared. Sarah, from England said: “we all need more moments like this in our lives!”
Inserted into the programme of the days spent together were also moments, to plan on how to “Go Out. Together. Prepared.” The group reflected on the last five years of the United World Project and how they might continue to make the next five years even more a service for the society they live in.
Elisabeth from Belfast commented: “I know that we want to build a United World in Belfast, so buoyed by this looking back over the last 5 years, we are aiming to launch a pop-up coffee shop in Belfast, run by the young people of the Focolare, it will build a united world – it will provide, simply: “Coffee, Craic and Chat (CCC)!” Conleth said: “We all thought globally, now we can go and act locally!”
Returning home from the meeting, Christelle from Belgium shared with everyone on Facebook: “I woke up after the congress with no voice,” but “it was a chance to explain how I had been trying to build a better world with people from all over Europe, over the Easter weekend!”
The coinciding of the congress with the Easter festivities was as Mark, from Lurgan, remarked: “very special!” It allowed each and everyone to explore their lives in the light of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection. This gave a “new depth” to everybody’s commitment.
