The election of the co-president was also welcomed by the Focolare Assembly with worldwide applause and today, the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life confirmed his appointment: Jesús Morán has been re-elected co-president of the Focolare. This is his second term of office after the one just concluded alongside Maria Voce.

Jesús Morán is 63 years old and was born in Navalperales de Pinares, Avila (Spain). He first came across the Gospel message proposed by the Focolare Movement during his university studies, through the witness of some of his fellow students. He graduated in Philosophy from the Autonomous University of Madrid and obtained a Licentiate in Dogmatic Theology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Santiago de Chile and a Doctorate in Theology from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome.

From 1996 to 2004 he was Focolare delegate for Chile and Bolivia, where he was ordained a priest on 21 December 2002. From 2004 to 2008 he was co-responsible for the Movement in Mexico and Cuba.

At the 2008 Focolare General Assembly he was elected General Councillor and responsible for the cultural formation of the Movement’s members. In 2009 he became a member of the “Abba School”, an interdisciplinary study centre of the Focolare Movement, due to his expertise in theological anthropology and moral theology. Since 2014 he has been co-president of the Focolare Movement.

The duties of the Co-President

The first duty of the Co-President is full support and collaboration with the President. The Statutes of the Focolare speak of “the fullest unity with the President” in order to offer her the possibility of examining ideas and decisions, listening and searching together for the will of God.

He is responsible for the priests who adhere to the Focolare and ensures that the internal life and activities of the movement are in conformity with the faith and morals of the Church.

Stefania Tanesini