This year, 2020, the Focolare Movement is celebrating the centenary of Chiara’s birth. Celebrations the world over have officially opened on December 7, 2019, in Trent, Chiara’s birthplace. In the Philippines, celebrations started last January 19, 2020, the Sunday nearest to Chiara’s birthday. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila and newly appointed Prefect of the Holy See’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, kindly agreed to celebrate the Holy Eucharist at the event.

However, Taal Volcano somehow stole the show by erupting a week earlier, on January 12, 2020. It caused the flight of people in the vicinity of the volcano but did not succeed in having the event canceled. From Mariapolis Peace in Tagaytay City, which became an evacuation area, the venue had to be moved to Metro Manila. The administrators of San Carlos Seminary very generously accepted to host the event, at very short notice, in their auditorium.

More than 400 people were present at the celebration, which unfolded in a very joyful family atmosphere. Coincidentally, it was also the Feast of Señor Santo Niño, the Christ Child, whose image was given as a baptismal gift by the Spanish conquistadores to the Queen of Cebu. There was indeed much cause for rejoicing.

Experiences related to the eruption of Taal Volcano were a fitting introduction to the Eucharistic celebration. Randy Debarbo recounted his reaction to the eruption: the instinct to escape and then responding to the voice within urging him to give a hand to the victims; being a point person for relief efforts coordinating with the Manila community and the generous response; the varied assistance given by the other focolarinos… until they were told that it was too dangerous for them to stay.

Purisa Plaras thanked everyone for the prayers and the material support extended to those who were affected by the calamity and updated on the concrete assistance that the Focolare members have continued to give since, at that time, it was not yet considered safe for them to go home. Their only anchor: the immense love of God who, like a Father, takes care of his children’s needs amidst the tragedy.

The culminating point was the Eucharistic celebration, presided over by Cardinal Tagle. In his homily, the Cardinal stressed the importance of being childlike, of which the Santo Niño is a reminder. “The child has another greatness, not the one dictated by the world but that which comes from heaven, the Spirit of God.”

This means to be Christ-like, humble and available to God’s will. This means having an affinity with children, solidarity with the little ones, according to the mold of Jesus, the light that conquers the dark.

He then thanked God for Chiara, who is light because of her simplicity, humility, and dependence on God. Speaking to those present, he stated that if we are “complicated,” we become opaque and add to the darkness. So, we have to go back to the original inspiration of Chiara, to be, like her, clear vessels of God’s light.

In fact, Chiara taught us that the mold of Jesus is Mary and to bring Jesus, the Light, back to the world, we must be like Mary, “a little Mary.”

Nilda M. Castro