Peace, the only possibility
Not one more war in the world, not one more son for war: through the eyes of mothers and fathers, a political solution for peace. Faced with the current conflict in the Holy Land, the ferocity with which it began and continues to unfold, and the deep wound it inflicts on all of humanity, the Political Movement for Unity, an international network of politicians, civil servants, diplomats, students and researchers, political party and civil society activists from 22 countries on 5 continents, committed to building a more fraternal, just, and egalitarian world, chooses to adopt a single position: that of peace, reconciliation, and the active transformation of conflicts. We offer our contribution with the strength of a permanent experience, in which politics is at the service of the unity of the human family. We are convinced that the spiritual vision of life, which goes beyond even the ties of religious affiliation, and the historical and cultural diversities that political institutions cannot deny, can be spaces for encounter and mutual recognition. People and communities have the same dignity: we want and can live together, and find solutions to our conflicts together. Therefore, we issue an APPEAL, which necessarily extends to all current conflicts: To learn more and join the appeal, visit the website of the Political Movement for Unity (MPPU). Summary of the November 8th statement. Political Movement for Unity
Merry Christmas 2023
Christmas, 2023 We wish you with all our affection a MERRY CHRISTMAS, filled with the joy of walking together. We ask the Child Jesus for the long-awaited peace in the hearts of every person and in every town on this earth. With our best wishes of hope for 2024.
The Focolare Movement celebrates 80 years
December 7, 1943, marks the official birth date of the Focolare Movement, the day Chiara Lubich consecrated herself to God forever. Eighty years ago, a small community was born in the devastation of World War II, seeking to restore peace and unity among all. It soon spread throughout the world, integrating itself into the current of the Church's New Charisms. At the heart of the Focolare Movement's spirituality and action is the Gospel, and especially Jesus' prayer: "That they may all be one" (Jn 17:21). Today, the Movement is present in 182 countries, a sign of the universality and urgency of unity and brotherhood in these fragmented and tragic times. It also includes Christians from various Churches, followers of numerous religions, and people without a specific religious orientation. On December 7, Pope Francis will receive in audience Margaret Karram, president of the Focolare Movement, Jesús Morán, co-president, and the group of leaders of the Movement [in the regions]. “Being received by the Holy Father precisely on December 7, 2023, exactly eighty years after Chiara Lubich's first 'yes' to God, is an extraordinary and surprising gift for us,” explains the president. “We want to bring to the Pope the love and affection of the thousands of people around the world who live the Charism of Unity and renew our service to the Church on this synodal journey, in collaboration with many others who wish to contribute to peace and love to alleviate the wounds of humanity.” At 6:00 p.m. on the same day, a Mass of thanksgiving will be celebrated in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for these 80 years of the Focolare Movement, presided over by Card. Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, together with other cardinals, bishops and priests. “This day – Margaret Karram further explains – marks the conclusion of a pilgrimage that we have wanted to make to some sacred and significant places in Assisi, Loreto and Rome to give thanks, ask for forgiveness and start again with courage and hope. The Focolare communities around the world will also live this anniversary with the same feelings and objectives, to be “witnesses of closeness with fraternal love that overcomes every barrier and reaches every human condition”. [1] [1] Address of the Holy Father Francis to the participants in the General Assembly of the Focolare Movement – February 6, 2021
Conference on the First Announcement
The Episcopal Commission for the Laity, Family and Life of the Spanish Episcopal Conference (CEE) is organizing an online conference entitled: "The First Announcement as the Center of Our Pastoral Action," which will feature two very special speakers: This training event will be held on Saturday, October 21, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It is aimed at delegates of the Lay Apostolate of dioceses, movements, associations, congregations, and synodal groups, as well as lay people of any age, priests, religious, and others interested in the First Announcement. See the poster here. The conference is free, but registration is required by filling out the following form. Secretariat of the Congress of Laity "People of God on the Move" Spanish Episcopal Conference
The Mediterranean, a meeting point
The Mediterranean faces major challenges: poverty, conflict, religious pluralism, ecological issues, and migration. But it also has enormous historical, religious, cultural, and socioeconomic resources that can help find answers and solutions to these challenges. The Mediterranean Meetings began in 2020 in Bari, Italy. In 2022, they took place in Florence, Italy. This year, 2023, they were held in Marseille, France, from September 17 to 24. The aim of these events is to bring together the Churches and all actors of goodwill (religious communities, associations, movements, universities, businesses, etc.) to revive joy and hope among the cultures and peoples of the Mediterranean. On September 22 and 23, Pope Francis was present in Marseille. In the final words of his speech, he stated: “Go forward with courage! Be a sea of goodness, to confront today's poverty with a synergy of solidarity; be a welcoming harbor, to embrace those who seek a better future; be a beacon of peace, to break, through the culture of encounter, the dark abysses of violence and war.” [To read his speech, click here.] On September 22, in the Church of Our Lady of Accoules, the Focolare Movement prepared the Vigil of Fraternity and Unity: The Art of Loving That Unites Us. The Movement's contribution to building the human family in the Mediterranean was presented. There was a moment of prayer, testimonies, and songs. Margaret Karram, president of the Focolare Movement, sent a video message, from which we highlight the following [To download the full text, click here]:
Citizens from all over Europe in dialogue
The DialogUE project, "Different allied and open identities to generate a united Europe," promoted by 14 organizations from 9 European Union states, including 10 from the Movement, is resuming its activities through an event entitled Green Care, which will take place from October 25 to 29 in Rotselaar, Brussels. This is the second installment of the Multipolar Ecology and Dialogue (between citizens of Eastern and Western Europe), which will bring together people from different countries, some of them true specialists in their field, deeply committed to the care of creation. Participants, aged between 15 and 99, will have the opportunity to share their discoveries and experiences on environmental issues such as: People from all over Europe will have the opportunity to explore paths towards a more sustainable future through dialogue, interactive moments, and collaboration. Your contribution is also valuable, as it will help shape interesting and necessary debates to transform these proposals into a collective voice representing citizens across Europe. The aim is to formulate specific proposals addressed to the European Union, focusing on specific environmental aspects. The event will include a series of workshops and creative activities, as well as a visit to the European institutions. An open house will be held on October 28th (online from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.). Event languages: English, German, and Italian. Financial aid for students is available. Registration: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfm-2CagSeImFtgLytMaFTE-NtgGVQgrcA5hbfpjLeZdIMSww/viewform. For more information about the program and participation fees: Download the invitation in Italian. Download the invitation in English.
United World Week 2023
United World Week takes different forms depending on the places and communities around the world that promote it: exhibitions, reviews of cultural events, workshops for dialogue and ideas, solidarity initiatives, and more. Seven days are dedicated to the values of peace, fraternity, care, and unity, to demonstrate that, if we truly want it, a united world is possible. The objective is twofold: to influence public opinion locally and to illuminate our planet with hope. For the third consecutive year, the title of the Week will be Dare to Care. Because "we continue to believe, today more than ever, that a fraternal and united world is achieved only by having the audacity to care, to care, to assume the responsibility to act with concrete initiatives for people and the planet, starting from the wounds of our own territory." One of the most significant events of the Week is Run4Unity: a global sporting and tree-planting event that spans different time zones, countries, and cultures to build peace and make the planet a greener place. This year, the Laudato Si' Platform joins the initiative. United World Week is co-funded by the European Union through the AFR.E.SH project. More information is available on the United World Project website.
Water management
The meeting on Tuesday, April 25th, will discuss the case: Water and Associated Services Cycle Management. Lorenzo Correa, Civil Engineer and Coach, will be present for this session. As on previous occasions, the session can be followed online to facilitate participation from all Spanish-speaking countries. The format remains the same: a presentation of a real business management case on which attendees can express their opinions and make concrete proposals. The next session will be on Tuesday, April 25th, 2023, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Time zones: Madrid, Rome, Paris. To participate in the Zoom videoconference meeting, interested parties must confirm their attendance by email. They will receive a written summary of the case to be discussed as soon as possible, allowing them to prepare their opinions and proposals, if they wish. Instructions for joining will be sent by email on the day of the meeting. To learn more about the Group, which belongs to New Humanity, you can access their presentation. You can contact them via email. The Barcelona Business Management Group is associated with the Economy of Communion as a Circle of Communion.
Towards a culture of comprehensive protection of the person
The Focolare Movement publishes its first report on cases of abuse of minors and vulnerable adults, including spiritual abuse and abuse of authority, occurring within the Movement. It also includes information regarding reparation measures, new investigation procedures, and training activities aimed at protecting the person. The report begins with a letter from Margaret Karram and Jesús Morán, President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement: "We are writing to present a public report on the data regarding notifications and the measures we have undertaken as the Focolare Movement, due to the scourge of sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable persons; and abuses of conscience, spiritual abuse, and abuse of authority over adults, from which we too have not been immune." The document, Towards a Culture of Integral Protection of the Person, will be updated annually and is published one year after the release of the results of the investigation conducted by GCPS Consulting into the serious cases of sexual abuse committed by a former French focolarino. The Focolare Movement works to adopt the necessary measures to guarantee the prevention and comprehensive protection of the person in all areas and environments where its activities are carried out. Therefore, the document now being published—the President and Co-President of the Focolare Movement explain—"is a first report on the prevention, investigation, transparency, training, and change measures undertaken by the Focolare Movement to counter this crime." The President and Co-President sincerely apologize to each of the victims and survivors on behalf of the Focolare Movement, while expressing profound gratitude to them, as well as to the victims, families, and communities involved not only in France but in all countries where cases of abuse have emerged. Thanks to their cooperation and, above all, their courage in confronting and bringing these crimes to light, the Movement is more consciously implementing new commitments and procedures regarding the protection of persons. The report consists of several parts and presents data on abuses reported to the Commission for the Well-being and Protection of the Person (CO.BE.TU.) since its creation in 2014; it systematically compiles reports up to December 2022. The report also presents data on "basic courses on the protection of the person" conducted in the various countries where the Focolare Movement operates. Another section is dedicated to priority measures already in place or in the process of implementation, in response to the recommendations of the independent investigation by GCPS Consulting. The courses and training tools for the protection of the person are available to all members of the Movement, especially trainers and those accompanying minors. Training activities have already been implemented for Movement leaders at various levels, from central management to territorial leaders in the various geographical areas. On May 1, 2023, the Central Independent Commission will begin operating and the CO.BE.TU will complete its work. The new body will be solely responsible for processing notifications, while training will be coordinated at the central and local levels by another team of experts and consultants. The report also presents the Protocol for the Management of Abuse Cases in the Focolare Movement, the Competencies of the Central Independent Commission, and the Support and Financial Reparation Lines in Cases of Sexual Abuse of Minors and Vulnerable Adults. Regarding the reporting, denunciation, and investigation procedures in countries where reporting is mandatory, the notification is immediately transmitted to the judicial authorities. If national legislation does not provide for mandatory reporting, but the facts nevertheless constitute a crime, the commission will submit the complaint to the judicial authorities immediately after verifying the plausibility of the facts, unless the victim or their parents object. In accordance with international legal standards, reporting of abuse will also occur even if the statute of limitations has expired. Download the PDF Report on the Management of Abuse Cases in the Focolare Movement
Conflicts are not the problem
Conflicts Are Not the Problem: Keys and Tools to Face Them is the title of the next edition of the Workshop for Life as a Couple... Because We Said "I Do." It will take place on May 6 and 7 at the Mariápolis Luminosa Center. The workshop, as in previous editions, is organized by Familias Nuevas and Acciones de Familias Nuevas. They themselves state that "in this workshop we want to break the idea of conflict as an enemy of coexistence, emphasizing conflict management as an opportunity for knowledge in the couple and personal growth. All this through training topics, dynamics, reflections, and, of course, moments as a couple." Practical information and registration. More information by email.
