Darci Rodrigues was someone who knew how to live her life for the cause of unity, in her characteristically “marian“ style. From the moment Brazilian Focolarina Darci Rodrigues left us on 10 February 2022, and again in the hours after her funeral, social media was humming with expressions of appreciation and gratitude for her life. She was well known throughout Brazil and beyond due to the many roles of responsibility she had undertaken in the Focolare Movement, which allowed her to forge relationships with a staggering number of people around the world. “A life as full and challenging as hers never stopped her from being refreshingly ‘normal’, as many have commented, combined with a great spiritual depth. And she was so greatly loved by everyone because of this”, reflected Saad Zogheib Sobrinho, Focolarino also from Brazil, summing up the reactions of many who lived and interacted with her over the years. The young Darci first met the charism of Chiara Lubich in 1963 at a Mariapolis gathering over a few days in the city of Garanhuns, in the state of Pernambuco. “It was such a strong experience” Darci herself said when relating her first contact with Focolare. “I was fascinated! Especially by how I saw the Gospel being lived”. At that time she was a student at the University of Recife, “surrounded by Marxist ideas and strong criticisms of the Church” as she recalled. The contrast with this new encounter with God was overwhelming. She embraced the charism of unity and decided to consecrate her life to God in the Focolare as a Focolarina. Once decided, she left her fianzé, her family and studies behind to attend the formation school for Focolarini in Italy from 1964to 1966. She then returned to Brazil and dedicated herself to working for the aims of the Focolare. After a time in Belo Horizonte, she was transferred to the region of Vargem Grande Paulista, near São Paulo to support the beginnings of Mariapolis Araceli (now known as Mariapolis Ginetta), one of the three main Focolare centres in Brazil. She later moved to the city of São Paulo from where, for 20 years, she guided the development of the Focolare Movement in the south-east and centre-west states of the country. In 2002 she was elected as Counsellor for the Focolare Movement in Brazil. In the Movement’s next Assembly which took place in 2008 after the death of founder Chiara Lubich, Darci was re-elected as a Counsellor, this time nominated by the newly-elected Focolare President, Maria Voce, as ‘Central Delegate’ with a leading role in the governance of the Movement at an international level. “At times I had to tackle difficult issues. But in those moments, I always found peace and a special assistance of the Holy Spirit“, she recalled. “Often I may have had my own idea ready, but then I could recognize that Jesus – through another person – wanted something different, perhaps the exact opposite of what I was thinking! What was important was to trust in the presence of Jesus among us, and not only rely on my own common sense“, she explained. In May 2012 she was diagnosed with serious lung disease. She described receiving the news: “The test results were conclusive. The doctor told me I was going to need a lot of courage to combat it and persevere. But deep inside, I held the strong conviction that nothing happens by chance and that God has a plan of love for each one of us“. To the amazement of her doctors, Darci responded unexpectedly well to the treatment. Her close colleague Gloria Campagnaro remembers that period very clearly. “Life went on as usual, in the sense that she retained her calm demeanour whatever she was doing: therapy, daily walks prescribed by her doctor, as well as her work for the Movement albeit for a reduced number of hours. Her life continued to be fruitful and to build unity“. In May 2020 her illness returned and she was admitted to hospital on several occasions. In these last steps of her life, Darci was surrounded by the love and prayers of the whole Focolare community. She recorded a video message just before Christmas in which she declared her conviction which had guided her whole life: “Jesus is in our midst“. Federal Government spokesperson, Luiza Erundina, responded to the news of Darci’s death with the declaration: “She leaves an exemplary lesson on how to live fully the ideal of unity and fraternity which humanity needs so badly“. What stands out from the countless expressions of gratitude to God for the life of Darci Rodrigues is a universal recognition of the serenity and joyous welcome she extended to every person she met throughout her life, wherever she was.  In essence, as someone described it, hers was a ‘Marian’ presence.

Luís Henrique Marques Editor of Cidade Nova magazine