The Mariapolis is the Focolare summer gathering where people of all ages, backgrounds and faiths meet to take timeout together. It is like a retreat but different because it is lived together with each day having talks, workshops, outings and fun, moments of reflection and discussion.
Focolare takes its inspiration from Jesus’ prayer: “May they all be one” (Jn 17:21) and includes Christians of various denominations, followers of the major world religions and people with other beliefs.
A “little city” where the only law is love.
Many summer Mariapolises are held in a variety of settings, with different programs, yet each of these temporary “Cities of Mary” (hence the name Mariapolis) is a portion of society renewed by evangelical love. Cultural, racial, religious and generational differences disappear in this mosaic of humanity made one family by a common desire to live out the Golden Rule “Do to others as you would want done to you”.
Mariapolis is an occasion to gather with many and, in a dialogue of true openness, learn to be a gift for one another.
Press Release – Sunday 19th June 2016
Former Northern Ireland police Ombudsman, Baroness Nuala O’Loan and an authority on Climate change, Dr Lorna Gold will be among the speakers at Focolare’s annual summer gathering which takes place from the 6th to10th July 2016 in Dungarvan.
DUNGARVAN JULY 6th – 10th Every year Focolare has an annual summer gathering called The Mariapolis, where people
of all ages, beliefs and backgrounds come together to have an experience of love and mercy, inspired by the Gospel.
The joint UK and Ireland summer gathering of Focolare took place at Liverpool Hope University from 28th July to 2nd August with the title “Signs of Hope”. Each day explored aspects of Hope: Hope for Community, Hope for Everyone, Hope for our World, Hope for tomorrow and Hope for dialogue, a morning dedicated to inter-religious dialogue. Speakers were Muslim scholar Dr.Mohammad Shomali, Hindu leader Dr. Puri and Roman Catholic Bishop Brendan Leahy.
Susan Gately who participated in the event wrote two articles for catholicireland.net
