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Paris, 17th December 1996 In the context of Christian Unity Week 2016, here is an extract from a talk by Chiara Lubich on the specific contribution the Focolare Movement makes to Ecumenical Dialogue. It’s full of encouragement and hope. Annie: In June 1997, a major ecumenical meeting will be held in Graz (Austria). The theme will be: “Reconciliation, gift of God, source of new life.” I see this as a step towards the unity of Christians. As a member of the Reformed Church and a volunteer in the Movement, I would like to ask you, Chiara, how do you see our specific contribution to the unity of the Churches today? Thank you. Chiara: Look, this is really a very beautiful question and the answer became crystal clear while I was in London, where I met not only Catholics, but Lutherans, members of the United Reformed Church, Anglicans, Methodists and many others who are part of our Movement. We had a meeting like this one, even bigger, and they all belonged to the Movement.

Loppiano, 15th January 2002 In some countries children receive gifts on the feast of the Epiphany. What about the Child Jesus? Who thinks of him? Here’s a story that really happened, as Chiara Lubich told it to children in the little town of Loppiano. My dear gen 4, I have to tell you a true story about something that happened at Christmas time, in a city called Vicenza in Italy. It’s a true story. There was a parish priest in that city who hadn’t been there for long and he taught the girls and boys ... the art of loving. ... But Christmas was coming up and so the Parish priest said to these children: “Look it is going to be Christmas soon so all of you have to try and do many, many, many acts of love for Baby Jesus”, and the Children said, “Yes, we will”. And they started to do many acts of love. On the night before Christmas, before Baby Jesus was born, the parish priest put

Brasilia, November 28, 2003 Chiara Lubich speaks of fraternity as the basis on which it is possible to think of the common good of all people, considering the whole of humankind in political terms.  This is both an essential task and an essential goal for political action. Honorable Senators and Deputies, Authorities, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear friends, You are meeting today in Brasilia, in the national Parliament. You have come from different States in order to participate in the second national encounter of the Movement for Unity in Politics, which began in Naples, Italy, in 1996, and which has seen surprising developments in the span of a few years. Today’s national encounter is a sign of its spreading in Brazil, a nation particularly dear to me; a nation whose people, endowed with a generous heart and a keen intelligence, have been, for years now, remarkably receptive to the charism which the goodness of God has entrusted to me. I would have liked to be present in person, but since this was

Rocca di Papa, November 11, 1986 In this conference call, the phone call which from 1980 onwards linked up the family og the Focolare Movement world wide, there is an invitation to prepare for Christmas by going ahead together on the simple evangelical path of love. We are continuing our journey to reach the goal which, if God helps us, will be crowned in holiness. A good number of those who have undertaken this journey have already arrived, and as far as we can know, they have done so successfully. Every week we receive news about such arrivals and often we want to praise God [for their lives]. Most of us are still here on earth to inspire one another: this is the purpose of our conference call. Its purpose is to transform our life into a Holy Journey. A book of prayers and meditations rich in spirituality, called the Imitation of Christ, which many of us are familiar with, says that we need some very demanding attributes. We need complete

“Truth is pure mercy”. From one of Chiara Lubich’s writings before 1959.  We had said we wanted to see only Jesus in our neighbor, to deal with Jesus in our neighbor, to love Jesus in our neighbor, but now we recall that a neighbor has this or that defect, has this or that imperfection. Our eye becomes complicated and our being is no longer lit up. As a consequence, erring, we break unity. Perhaps that particular neighbor, like all of us, has made mistakes, but how does God view him or her? What really is that person’s condition, the truth of his or her state? If our neighbor is reconciled with God, then God no longer remembers anything, he has wiped out everything with his blood. So, why should we go on remembering? Who is in error at that moment? I who judge or my neighbor? I am. Therefore I must make myself see things from God’s viewpoint, in the truth, and treat my neighbor accordingly, so that if, by some

Marino, December 5, 1990  “Are you afraid of death?”  Journalist Margaret Coen puts this demanding question to Chiara Lubich.   There are two things which I think are important for today's world. First, relationships, the problem of building relationships and secondly, the great taboo of death. What can you tell me about these two things? Chiara: A lot is said these days about relationships. Everything is invested in relationships and how to build a good relationship. I would say that if there is to be a good human relationship, a friendship, something which is to be envied, there must necessarily be a certain amount of sacrifice. Nothing is achieved without sacrifice. Everything we create in this world, even something purely human calls for effort, commitment and sacrifice. And then if you go on to a higher level in terms of the supernatural relationships I have been describing, the relationship of loving others.… What do I mean? I mean making yourself really one with others, entering their world, understanding them, suffering with them,