Page 55 – Chiara Lubich

Living the Church

Castel Gandolfo 3rd February 1997 The Church as Communion in the thought of Chiara Lubich At the time when the Focolare began, the Church was often seen only as a stone structure, with Jesus in the tabernacle, and with Mary, Saint Anthony or another saint above the altar... the Church was, in a certain sense, for many people taken as being the same things as the catechism, First Communion.... It also meant the other sacraments, as well as patronal festivals; perhaps it meant belonging to Catholic Action groups, and soon. It meant the parish and the parish priest and, if people were aware of their existence, the bishop and the pope. Through the charism of unity and all that goes with it, we understood that while the Church may be all of this, more than anything else, in the depths of its being, it is the people of God. It is communion: the Church communion. Then, Vatican II defined it this way, and this brought about a revolution. What does it

Riccardi2021-08-15T23:29:48+02:0021 June 2016|

Vivere la Chiesa

La Chiesa-comunione nel pensiero di Chiara Lubich. Negli anni in cui iniziava il Movimento, per Chiesa si intendeva tante volte soltanto quella formata da pietre con Gesù nel tabernacolo, Maria, sant’Antonio sull’altare; la Chiesa era, in certo modo, per molti sinonimo di catechismo, di prima Comunione… Voleva dire anche altri Sacramenti, le feste patronali; forse significava far parte dell’Azione Cattolica, ecc. Voleva dire parrocchia, il parroco; se si sapeva che esistevano, il Vescovo, il Papa. Per il carisma dell’unità e le sue istanze si capì che la Chiesa, se poteva essere anche tutto questo, era soprattutto, nel fondo del suo essere, popolo di Dio; era comunione: la Chiesa-comunione.Poi il Concilio Vaticano II diede questa definizione della Chiesa e fu una rivoluzione.E vivere la Chiesa come comunione cosa significa?Significa porre legami di carità in tutte le sue articolazioni: fra i suoi membri; fra le sue realtà (parrocchie, diocesi, movimenti, strutture, consigli, commissioni, ecc.); con le altre realtà che sono in qualche modo a Lei collegate (altre Chiese, altre Religioni che hanno a

Riccardi2023-01-30T16:57:54+01:0021 June 2016|

How can I start again after I have been fighting?

Castel Gandolfo 18th June 1988 Chiara Lubich's answer to a child Chiara, sometimes when I fight with my brothers, after one or two days, I can't get along with them, and it is hard for me to forgive them. What do you think I should do, Chiara, so that I can get along with them? I know that I have to love them, but I'm not able to.... Chiara: I understand! Sometimes he fights with his brothers. He would like to stop doing this because he knows he should love, but he isn't able to, and so he asks, "What can I do?" Well, this is what I have tried to do: when I feel a little angry, a little bit of anger (and this is the "old self" who surfaces; it is the "old self" who wants to win) I have tried to tell myself, "Stop it!" I say this to the "old self" in me and I start loving. We must always do this. The "old self" wants to take

Riccardi2021-08-15T23:29:41+02:0016 June 2016|

«Come ricominciare dopo che ho litigato?»

Castel Gandolfo, 18 giugno 1988 Alla domanda di un bambino Chiara Lubich racconta come ricominciare dopo aver rotto il rapporto con i fratelli.

Riccardi2021-09-02T04:22:49+02:0016 June 2016|

Dialogare, come?

Rieti, 4 giugno 1996 L’esperienza del Movimento dei Focolari nel campo del dialogo interreligioso. Tratto dall’intervento di Chiara Lubich in occasione della consegna del premio “Civiltà dell’Amore”.

Riccardi2021-09-02T04:22:50+02:009 June 2016|

How can dialogue come about?

Rieti, June 4, 1996 The experience of the Focolare Movement in interreligious dialogue. Taken from Chiara Lubich’s talk on the occasion of the “Civilization of Love” Prize. Your Excellencies, Mr. Mayor, Religious and Civil Authorities, Ladies, Gentlemen, friends, Thank you, first of all, for the award you have given me. I was especially pleased because it is called the “Civilization of Love” Prize. These words immediately strike a note of harmony between the international Forum and the Focolare Movement which I represent here, along with others - as we heard - and which is simply one of the instruments in the Church which spread the love of Christ everywhere. Here dialogue is part of life and especially interreligious dialogue. Is it an impossible undertaking? No, on the contrary, it is an obligatory and timely endeavor. Today, in fact, the world and humankind is going towards a lofty and necessary objective: bringing together all people into one family, achieving universal brotherhood. Despite the tensions of the modern world (those between North and

Riccardi2021-08-15T23:29:34+02:009 June 2016|

Living the Church

Vivere la Chiesa

How can I start again after I have been fighting?

«Come ricominciare dopo che ho litigato?»

Dialogare, come?

How can dialogue come about?

Centro Chiara Lubich