Diocesan Movement
The Diocesan Movement is a branch of the Focolare Movement that works at the service of the local Church. A life based on intense communion among its followers enables this movement to bring the charism of unity to the parishes that it serves. It collaborates with other ecclesial bodies to “Church as communion” to which St. John Paul II referred in Novo Millennio Ineunte.
In order to do this, it promotes and fosters an ever deeper unity of the faithful around the Bishop. It also collaborates in the different pastoral areas of the diocese and offers a new communitarian style evangelization in parishes through the formation of men and women of all ages.
The Diocesan Movement began in Ascoli Piceno, Italy in 1973, when a group of young were attracted by the witness of unity given by the members of the newly formed priests’ focolare.
Chiara Lubich followed its development from the very beginning and formed a strong relationship with its initiator and chief protagonist, Father Pino Petrocchi, now Archbishop in L’Aquila. Bishop Morgante, then bishop of Ascoli, supported the movement as it gradually developed and received official approval.
The movement then spread to the diocese of Teramo and in April 1976 received the approval of the local bishop, Abele Conigli.
In the following years it spread to four other Italian dioceses. Currently it is present in five Italian dioceses: Ascoli Piceno, Teramo, Fermo, Macerata and Pesaro.
Contact:
movparrdioc@dev.focolare.org
