September 30, 2013

Aldo Stedile (Fons) passed away last night at his residence in Rocca di Papa,Rome, aged 88 years. Fons was among the first to follow the way of Chiara Lubich at the beginnings of the Focolare Movement inTrent in 1949.

“Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water”(Jn. 7:38): this phrase from the Gospel guided the course of his life. To him was attributed the nickname Fons (“fountain” in Latin) and he was affectionately called by this name by everyone.

In the early 1960s he was a pioneer of the Focolare inBelgium,Switzerland,Austria andGermany where he lived for 20 years. Together with Bruna Tomasi who was co-responsible with him for the Movement in central Europe, he helped to begin the ecumenical town of Ottmaring nearAugsburg,Germany. In 1963 he was ordained to the priesthood.

In the 1980s he assumed responsibility for the branch of the Volunteers of God and in 2000 served several roles on the General Council of the Movement, till a debilitating illness appeared.

Fons left us as 200 people were attending a meeting inRocca di Papa,Italy, from several regions around the world. In the funeral chamber set up for him in the chapel of the International Headquarters of the Movement in Rocca di Papa he is receiving the warm and grateful homage of people from around the world for his joyful and authentic witness to the charism of unity.

The funeral will take place on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 15:00 in the Castelgandolfo Mariapolis Centre (Via S. Giovanni Battista De La Salle).