Oct 1, 2018 | Focolare Worldwide
More than 1,200 cadavers have been recovered following an earthquake and tsunami that hit the island of Sulawesi. The Vatican is reporting that “1, 203 bodies have been recovered, but some have not yet been found or identified,” says Insan Nurrohman, vice president of Aksi Cepat Tanggap, one of the principal Indonesian NGOs. Rescue workers are labouring around the clock. Managing to remove people who are still alive is very delicate work. “The government is sending in bulldozers to clear the areas,” says Matteo Amogoni, who is in charge of Caritas Italy for Indonesia and Philippines, “but there is also the problem of no electricity and petrol. At the Angelus, Pope Francis said: “I pray for the deceased, who are unfortunately many, for the wounded and for those who have lost home and work. May the Lord console those who have survived and provide those involved in the rescue effort with strength.”
Sep 27, 2018 | Focolare Worldwide
Families scattered, poverty, extreme insecurity, rising costs, lack of food, public transport, electricity and running water…an entire country in crisis that seemed to be expressed in the prayer of Grace before the first supper that Agostino and Marisa shared in the land of Venezuela: “Lord, thank you that we were able to find this food to share.” “We had planned a meeting with families, first at the Mariapolis Centre near Caracas and, then, in Valencia and Maracaibo. Emeris and Oscar accompanied us and allowed us to participate in their life.” Agostino and Marisa had lived for many years in Santo Domingo, and now they find themselves re-living their experience of poverty, suffering and separation from relatives that forced them to emigrate. It was the same experience of thousands and thousands of Italians who had fled in the aftermath of the Second World War. They had boarded ships with luggage made of cardboard. “For decades the Venezuelan people have welcomed immigrants and now finds itself also forced to emigrate. From wealth and security to extreme insecurity. They said: ‘We were well-off, surrounded by abundance, but we never knew until now how precious it all was. The crisis is the greatest blessing for people and nations, because it leads to progress. Creativity is born from despair as day is born from a dark night, said Albert Einstein in 1931.’ “It took courage to hear those words,” that were spoken in a video produced by the Focolare’s New Families Movement. The families asked to see it again the next day. They told us: ‘You had lived in Santo Domingo and in Cuba so that you could help us here today.’ This economic crisis opened our eyes to the needs of our neighbors.” 
We had a tight schedule in Caracas as the visit went on: “conversations, lunches and dinners with families. They took turns coming to Emeris’ and Oscar’s home. We shared an experience with them that had proven fundamental for us. Having to decide where to live and having completely different ways of thinking, one night, we made a pact to embrace the other’s desires as our own. It suddenly appeared as an unexpected solution that contained all the elements that were important for each of us, but it was novel, a fruit of mutual love.” They recounted: “Many families have a car, but it’s becoming more and more difficult to repair maintain them, both because of the cost and the lack of professional mechanics who are fleeing the country. And the worn out tires are a big problem. A few days later we bought two of the four tires, using the money we had saved for groceries. We put them on the car and were able to keep travelling.” Two hours from Caracas the people of Valencia were suffering lack of water and the difficulty in transport. “In a rural town, Guacamaya, we met the community that had first been in touch with Ofelia who was forced to leave. They decided to find a way to carry on without having to leave their home” There were also quite a few young people “like sponges absorbing everything.” Two days later the trip to Maracaibo was in jeopardy because of the inspection stops on the roadway. But everything went well. Without electric current everything was more difficult: the terrible heat and the impossibility of turning on the air-conditioners, the lack of internet and entire programmes that just had to be cancelled. The night we were supposed to return to the city, so a supper was awaiting us with two families, that night at another family and breakfast with still another family in order not to be a financial burden on anyone. On the way, the road was blocked by a group of demonstrators which forced us to turn around. The family that took us in didn’t have anything for supper. We took some pasta out of our suitcases and cooked ourselves. It was a very beautiful evening. Incredibly, there was electric power that allowed us to sleep that night. The next day, arriving in Maracaibo, we learned that there was no electricity and the change in programme came as quite a relief for everyone.” They also recounted: “”On the morning of the meeting with the community, public transport was scarce and there were long queues for refuelling. The family that had organized everything arrived after quite a long adventure. Their daughter had proposed that they pray for a vehicle that would take them the rest of the way and, shortly afterwards, a car stopped and offered them a ride.” This too is Venezuela.
Sep 27, 2018 | Focolare Worldwide
The Holy See diffused a new message, with the invitation to “proceed with confidence, courage and foresight, with the dialogue long pursued” with the People’s Republic of China, “in order to grow in authentic friendship.” The recent agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, signed a few days ago in Beijing– an agreement that unlocked the nomination of bishops and ratified the “readmission” to full communion with Rome of eight “official” bishops – is opening a new page of friendship which has now resolved the conflicts of the past. China and the Apostolic See – Pope Francis said in his message – “are called upon by history to an arduous but challenging task, so they may act more positively for the orderly and harmonic growth of the Catholic community in China and promote the integral development of society, ensuring greater respect for the human being also in the religious field,” and lastly, that “they shall work concretely to protect the environment in which we live and edify a future of peace and brotherhood between peoples.”
Sep 24, 2018 | Focolare Worldwide
Sep 23, 2018 | Focolare Worldwide
It is an immense territory that many describe with superlatives. It includes eight countries, from the Andes mountain chain, to the Atlantic Ocean, to the highlands of Brazil. It is the planet’s largest rain forest, unique in its dense, impenetrable vegetation that holds countless animal species. Thousands of miles of rivers cross it, including the immense Amazon River (which is around 6,400 kilometers long). Many cities have sprung up alongside it, such as Manaus and Belem in Brazil and Iquitos and Puerto Maldonado in Peru. When you hear Amazon Forest you think of the “lungs of the world,” although today it is a lung that is seriously threatened by deforestation and urbanization, which year after year shrink its borders and contaminate its purity. This symbolic and cultural image that the Amazon region is usually known by, as well as its traditional character linked to its exotic nature and rich natural resources, seemed far away this summer. The “Curso de Férias” (holiday course), promoted by Sophia University Institute and ALC (the promotion agency for the institute in Latin America and the Caribbean), was held July 22–28. It was entitled “Diversity, development, violence and human mobility in Latin America: the case of the Amazon region.” The course mostly emphasized an interdisciplinary approach. It included subjects such as biodiversity, socio-diversity, the lives of local populations (indigenous, those of African origin, “ribeirinhos” who live along the river, and many others), sustainable methods in agriculture, the meeting of various forms of religion, as well as the challenges of urbanization, violence and vested interests in agribusiness. “We don’t speak of the forest; we are the forest. We don’t speak of the Amazon; we are the Amazon,” said Marcia Wayna Kambeba, from India, who was among those participating. Fifty students signed up: university students from various programs as well as teachers. The aim of the course was to invite those present to raise their knowledge of the history of the Amazon, and the responsibility of us all to face the complex reality of the region, and the cultural and historical trajectories that have been woven together there. And the importance of a respectful dialogue between the vision as the world sees it and the various religions present. “The Amazon should not only be seen only through the lens of economic interests and for its rich natural resources,” declared Belisa Amaral, a journalism student in Belem. “The world needs to explore its culture, beauty and people – rich and wise people who love this region, who defend its language, customs and identity despite being threatened widely.” “It was a real and true laboratory of humanity, researching alternatives to resolve – or at least reduce – the social and environmental problems that exist,” says Marcelo Rizzo, from Sao Paulo, an expert in human rights. For him the course was a chance to lift his knowledge and a “greater empathy for indigenous people and their culture, on questions about the Amazon, and about the environment in general.”
Sep 19, 2018 | Focolare Worldwide
Ghana, Togo and Benin are situated alongside one another in a vertical line along the Gulf of Guinea. They are well known for their rich variety of landscape and for their ancient culture and historical ruins. In Ghana, for example, there are many colonial style buildings which remain from the time of slavery, in Bazar in Togo there are many clay settlements and in Abomey, Benin, there are the remains of the royal palace which is now a museum. The Mariapolis for this area was held in Benin. The report of this event prepared by Bernadette, Mariluz and Flora states, “Most of the people from Benin and Togo arrived wearing clothes made from the same cloth. This is what usually happens at big celebrations but what was striking was that the cloth was white.” 
A warm welcome was given to the Archbishop of Cotonou, Roger Houngbedji, who was taking part in a Focolare gathering for the first time. There were 120 participants in total, including many teenagers and children. The programme included workshops on topics related to the practice of the ideal of unity in everyday life, improving one’s own life and making a positive impact upon society: for example, economy, the relationship between parents and children, affectivity and sexuality, handling stress. “The children played “living in the town” and took on different parts – in the hospital, at the market, on the sports pitch or in the restaurant. The young people spoke openly about the challenges they face. One morning was spent clearing the market place which was littered with empty plastic bags that had been thrown on the ground. The mayor had given permission for this public action which created a sense of beauty and harmony. In the past, slaves used to leave from the town of Ouidah for the ‘new world.’ Having been sold to white people, they crossed the ocean chained up in the hold of a ship. They took their last steps in their native land as they crossed the “point of no return” beyond which they were no longer considered to be human beings but merchandise. “We followed in their footsteps praying as we walked along this ‘way of the cross.’ At the ‘point’ we asked for an end to all forms of slavery and thanked God for the missionaries who later brought Christianity to Africa.” 
Moving west to Senegal, the Mariapolis was held in Ngazobil, 110 kilometres from the capital, Dakar. 94 people took part from Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso: these countries lie close to the Sahel region in an area where risks to personal security are high. “It was not easy to travel to the Mariapolis. It took two days’ coach journey just to arrive for people from Mali and three days from Burkina Faso: it was really tiring for the very small children and for the older people many of whom use crutches to walk.” Aurora wrote, “The fact that people undertook such an uncomfortable journey in such difficult circumstances in order to reach a Mariapolis they called an ‘oasis’ or ‘town of peace’ is a witness to the fact that there is an enormous thirst for God in our people.” It was a beautiful experience of communion. Jean Noel Diof, emeritus bishop, attended as did Nana, a young Muslim from Burkina Faso. At the end, Nana said, “As the only Muslim, these four days have strengthened my faith and have helped me to appreciate another religion.” A Christian participant from Senegal said, “I have understood how to be with people from other Churches and with people of the Muslim faith.” A Mariapolis also took place in Zambia, a central-southern area of the continent. Zambia has often been called the “real jewel of Africa” because of its landscape, full of features of outstanding natural beauty such as the famous Victoria Falls. The theme of the Mariapolis was “Mary, mother of unity.” Celestino wrote, “This theme was perfect because of the many divisions in our society at the moment. Such a diversity of people took part and their comments at the end reveal the importance of this meeting.” “A time for reflection and change.” “I have learnt what it means to love, to care for other people and to forgive.” “I have met brothers and sisters from my own country.”
