On 20 July 1938 Silvia Lubich obtained her teaching certificate and in the autumn of the same year began teaching in an elementary school. «I loved the children so much, because I already saw Jesus in them. He had said, “Whatever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters”. […] In the afternoon I used to say, "Now have a sleep for half an hour. You can rest your arms and head on the desk.". Walking past them, I felt I wanted to bless them, [...] like a mother. Yes, and there was silence. This experience of teaching in Castello in Val di Sole, and then in Livo, [...] trained me to love»[1].

On December 7, 1943, in the early morning, defying the storm that raged and made her journey difficult, Chiara went to the Capuchin Friary and there she made the act of ‘consecration’. It was the day when “Silvia became Chiara and the forest fire of the Focolare started in a young girl’s heart.”[1]. That day, in the chapel of the Capuchin Friary, Chiara had no intention of founding anything. She was marrying God.

In order to contribute to the family budget, in the school year 1931/32 Silvia began to study commerce at a preliminary vocational school. Her results and her abilities were recognized by the teachers, and this convinced her parents to change her course of studies. Thus, in October 1935, after passing an exam Silvia was admitted to the higher course of the Instituto Magistrale, attending the school that today still bears the name of "Antonio Rosmini".

After the violent bombardment of May 13, the Lubich family had to leave the city, but Chiara remained in Trent. With some companions she shared an apartment in Piazza Cappuccini. These were the circumstances in which the first focolare was born. “We were like so pieces of wood heaped together, to be lit and burned by Jesus among us. We would have broken with everything, except the unity that through Jesus forsaken remained firm”[1].