Belonging to various churches – a single reality

Jan 18, 2024 | Non categorizzato

From January 18-25, 2024, all churches in the northern hemisphere will celebrate, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In the southern hemisphere it will take place on the Feast of Pentecost. This year the motto chosen is from the Gospel of Luke: “You shall love the Lord your God … and your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Locally, in each country, city, diocese, and church community, moments of prayer, conferences, round tables, and ecumenical meetings have been organized. In Rome, Pope Francis will conclude the week on Thursday, Jan. 25, together with representatives of various Christian churches with the recitation of Vespers in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. On this occasion we offer a short video documentary on the meeting of people from the Focolare Movement belonging to various Churches held on October 13 and 14, 2023. It was attended by 150 people belonging to the Movement from 15 Christian Churches: Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Churches, Anglican Church, Lutheran and Reformed Churches, Pentecostal Church and Catholic Church. It was a meeting among people who have been living the spirituality of unity for years and have responded to God’s call in the various vocations of the Movement. It was a moment of deep communion in an exchange of testimonies of life in their own Church and in the Movement, each with different forms and expressions bringing into play talents, culture, knowledge, within the horizon of a constant commitment to unity at all levels. A meeting marked by a great joy of coming together with strong bonds of unity, as in a family in which differences are valued as richness that can be known and shared to become a gift for all. https://youtu.be/Ab7gLDEeL2I

Like disciples – missionaries

Jan 13, 2024 | Non categorizzato

From Dec. 26-30, 2023, at the International Mariapolis Center in Castel Gandolfo, Rome, was held the congress “Giving Roots of Joy. The call to be disciples-missionaries and the spirituality of communion.” It was a moment of encounter among seminarians, deacons and young priests that focused on meditation, reflection and sharing with the international participation of some groups connected via internet from Congo, Argentina and Romania. Antonio Carozza, a seminarian from Sulmona, Italy, tells us about it. How can we become roots of joy? This is the question Pope Francis asked us on the eve of WYD in Portugal, and which he also posed to us in the meeting for seminarians, deacons and young priests held in Castelgandolfo (Rome) from Dec. 26-30, 2023, with the intention of deepening the contribution of the Focolare Movement’s spirituality of communion, to the Church’s synodality and missionary spirit. I am experiencing for the third year in a row this appointment of the Christmas season and for the third time I was surprised by the beauty of coming together; coming from different places we found each other, met and recognized each other. It is always an exciting experience to reconfirm the beauty of our spirituality centered on unity and fraternity among all, so that it is not just a slogan but an experience, an embodied life experience. A moment experienced with particular emotion was the meeting with Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, who wanted to listen to our reactions on the theme she proposed this year, “Called and Sent”; we felt welcomed and listened to in our different experiences. In particular, Margaret shared with us how she felt about the outbreak of violence in the Holy Land. Strong was her invitation to witness to God’s love by making us neighbors through true words that flow from a deep inner life and the authenticity of a life lived because only those who have experienced love can love, only those who have experienced failure and forgiveness can become credible witnesses. The same love and passion emerged from the words of Jesús Morán, Co-President of the Focolare Movement. We understood how we cannot be fathers if we do not first learn to be sons; Christmas reminds us precisely of this fact, our whole life is called to be Christmas. In fact, Jesús reminded us how in pastoral commitment, to which we are all called in various capacities, we need to give birth to Jesus, and to do this we must first become like Mary. Pastoral work can only be Marian. Another highlight was the talk by H.E. Bishop Brendan Leahy, Bishop of Limerick in Ireland, who shared with us his experience of participating in the Synod, making us understand how Synod means first of all conversion. In fact, the Synod invites us to pursue a process of conversion made of mutual listening and a renewed listening to the Gospel and the Magisterium of the Church. A special moment of grace was the participation in the General Audience of Pope Francis, who urged us to be custodians of our hearts. We heard echoed Chiara Lubich’s words, “if the heart is set on God alone, everything else falls.” With many new insights and with hearts filled with joy, we returned to our parishes and seminaries where, as disciples-missionaries, we are called to make ourselves roots of joy for others every day with the spirit that Chiara herself left us: to “make unity around us, in the environment where we are” in order to be one, to be Jesus, because his love makes us enter deeply into the hearts of others.

Antonio Carozza

God in the streets of the world

Jan 11, 2024 | Non categorizzato

Father Adolfo Raggio, 95 years old, is a priest who is a “citizen of the world”. He says that when he met the spirituality of unity, which he likes to call “the Ideal,” his life changed. From a parish in a small town in Liguria, northern Italy, the roads of God led him to different countries, where in each place he gave life to  people and communities who live the spirit of the Focolare Movement., In this video, he shares his journey, which still today keeps him active in serving his brothers. Watch the video (activate English subtitles) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N66bxl2KoU

Interview: Carlos Mana Voice: Giuseppe Vetri Filming and editing: Javier García

Be reborn every day

Jan 1, 2024 | Non categorizzato

Renewable Energy Community

Dec 29, 2023 | Non categorizzato

Following Pope Francis’ Encyclicals on care of our common home, Laudato Sì and Laudate Deum, a community in in Formia (Italy), has promoting greater energy efficiency and developed renewable forms of energy.  “In some places, cooperatives are being developed to exploit renewable sources of energy which ensure local self-sufficiency and even the sale of surplus energy. This simple example shows that, while the existing world order proves powerless to assume its responsibilities, local individuals and groups can make a real difference.” (179). These are the words of Pope Francis in the encyclical Laudato Sì on caring for our common home, published in 2015. After the publication of this letter and in the light of the new apostolic exhortation Laudate Deum (4^th October 2023), many communities around the world felt inspired to do something concrete for the care of the environment, to change their lifestyles and to take action against climate change. The Focolare community in Formia felt this responsibility and decided to instigate a positive change in the care of people and of the environment. At the beginning of 2023, after a short organisational process, with a varied group of entities, they started a Renewable Energy Community around a Parish in their Municipality. The purpose was to produce, consume, sell and share electricity. Their inspiration was the desire to implement what Pope Francis proposed in Laudato Sì. Referring to local communities, the Pope affirmed that they can make a real difference, “as they are able to instil, a greater sense of responsibility, a strong sense of community, a readiness to protect others, a spirit of creativity and a deep love for the land. They are also concerned about what they will eventually leave to their children and grandchildren” (179). Hence the idea of developing renewable and low-polluting forms of energy by promoting greater energy efficiency. And even more: on one hand there is a desire to give more attention to solving the environmental crisis while on the other, an effort is being made to address the difficulties that some citizens have in paying energy bills. The energy community involves a variety of partners: from the parish to families, from educational institutions to commercial activities. Bringing different entities together risks the occurrence of misunderstandings or different visions. This is why, from the outset, efforts were made to involve everyone and explain the objectives of the project so that everyone was aware of the path to be followed. For this reason there have been several meetings to understand the motivations, overcome doubts and difficulties. The local community then participated in a public tender for funds. The subsidies were specifically intended for Renewable Energy Communities. The contributions they received allowed them to launch the project.

Lorenzo Russo