FOCOLARE MOVEMENT

Official Name Work of Mary
Other Name or Acronym Focolare Movement
Vision A united world – “That all may be one” (John 17:21)
Mission In this age of dramatic change, in sharing with humanity the painful birth of a new civilization that is globalised, interdependent, multicultural and multifaith, the Focolare Movement is committed, together with many other forces which are moving in this direction, to build the unity of the human family enriched by diversity.
Year Established Msgr. Carlo de Ferrari, the Bishop of Trent, Italy gave the first approval at the level of the local Church in 1947. A number of pontifical approvals followed, the first being in 1962; the most recent, which encompassed the latest developments, was given in 1990.
YEAR ACCREDITED W/ LAIKO (N.B. not stated)
History

The first inspiring spark, the “mindblowing discovery” of the One whom “no bomb could destroy” – God – took place against the backdrop of hatred and violence of the Second World War. It was the experience of God as Love that radically changed the life of Chiara Lubich, then barely twenty years old. She immediately shared her experience with her friends who were to become her first companions.

They took with them into the air-raid shelters only the Gospel. There they discovered the secret of how to respond to Love. By living the commandment of mutual love, they discovered the way for rebuilding fraternity in a disintegrated society”. Let’s share everything: our things, our houses, our money. This was to be a totally new life.”

That first group of young women experienced, to their amazement, light, strength, courage, love, all fruits of the presence of Jesus which He promised when two or three are gathered in His name, meaning in his love. It was a light which illuminated the final prayer of Jesus to the Father: May they all be one. Every day the number of people, of all ages and backgrounds, grew. Hatred and conflicts diminished. Many families were reunited.

Soon afterwards that small group of people became a movement that brought about a spiritual and social renewal. In more than 60 years of life, the movement has spread worldwide to 182 countries counting more than two million adherents with an outreach, difficult to quantify, of a few million people.

Organizational Structure

Headquartered in Rocca di Papa, Italy, the Focolare Movement is led by a female president helped by a co-president, a focolarino priest and by a Council made up of those who have the responsibility to look after the various aspects of the Movement’s life (economic, spiritual, cultural, etc.), the different geographical areas where the Movement is present, and the branches making up the entire Movement. The Focolare centers are grouped in “zones” all over the world, each of which is headed by a male and female responsible.

From the one trunk of the movement, numerous branches grew. Among these were large scale movements which spread the seeds of renewal in the various ambits of society and in the Church, opening up oases of fraternity and unity:

New Families

New Humanity

Youth for Unity

Teens for Unity

Parish and Diocesan Movements

Priests’ Movement

Movement for Men and Women Religious belonging to different congregations.

Composition of Membership

Members of the Focolare Movement are lay people, single men and women (in separate communities), as well as married people who live in their own families, yet are totally given to God according to their state of life. Other members include volunteers, gen (youth), and religious men and women.

Because of the variety of its composition, the Focolare Movement has taken on the dimensions of a small people, so described by Pope John Paul II. It embraces not only Catholics, but also Christians of different Churches and ecclesial communities, as well as the Jewish people. Little by little, many followers of the great world religions, as well as people with no religious affiliation have become part of the Movement. This adhesion to the Movement is without syncretism and encourages all to maintain full faith in their own identity. What all these people have in common is the commitment to live, in one way or another, love and unity, which are written in the DNA of every human person.

Main Activities
  • Dialogue, at the level of individuals, leaders and movements, communities and groups, emerges as the pre-eminent way for promoting unity within the Catholic Church, among other Christian churches, with other world faiths/religions, and with people of no religious affiliation.
  • Periodic/regular spiritual formation meetings and socio-cultural courses for the continued formation of its members.
  • Monthly Word of Life meetings where a group of people discuss, deepen, and share their experiences on living a particular sentence of the Gospel (Word of Life) chosen by the Movement’s center in Italy).
  • Yearly gathering called Mariapolis, where participants deepen the spirituality of unity and particular aspects of the spirituality of the Focolare through themes, experiences, group meetings, workshops, games, and other activities.
  • Various social action projects aimed at transforming society through communion and solidarity in various fields such as: politics, economy, relationships among people, public morals and social ethics, health, education and culture, and social communications.
Areas of Influence

In the Philippines, the Focolare Movement is present in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, with Focolare centers based in Manila, Pasay, Parañaque, Quezon City, San Fernando, La Union, Tagaytay, Cebu, and Davao. These centers serve the communities in their respective areas and nearby provinces.

Affiliations Asian Conference for Religion and Peace

Federation of National Youth Organizations, and several other world commissions on inter-religious and ecumenical fields.

Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas – CBCP

Official Contact Address Mariella Floridia, 1876 Villa Barbara, Dominga Interior, Pasay City

Ray Asprer, 4800 Valenzuela St., Sta. Mesa, Manila

Maddalena Cariolato, Mariapolis Peace, Ligaya Drive, Tagaytay City

Giuseppe Arsi, Focolare Compound, Calamba Rd., Brgy. Iruhin Central, Tagaytay City

Official Contact Numbers Mariella Floridia: + 63.2.523. 9004 Fax: + 63.2.521.9321

Ray Asper: + 63.2.714. 2951 Fax: + 63.2. 716. 0092

Maddalena Cariolato: 046-483-0077, Fax: 046-860-1713

Giuseppe Arsi: 046. 413.1369 Fax: 046.860.0036

Website www.focolare.org
Email Address Vic Lahoz – viclahoz@gmail.com

Mariella Floridia – czm.manila@focolare.org

Ray Asprer – czmanilf@gmail.com

Maddalena Cariolato – focztag@gmail.com

Giuseppe Arsi – cittadellapacem@focolare.org

Logo

logo_focolare

Current Officers  

Ray Asprer and Mariella Floridia (no set term of office)

Maddalena Cariolato and Giuseppe Arsi (no set term of office)

Comments are closed.