Beginning from “listening to the cry of humanity, creation and the new generations” and from “the embrace of every kind of suffering and disunity,” we have the starting point for the orientations that have been developed by the General Assembly of the Focolare Movement, for the next six years. In fact, the final document, which was produced by the Assembly and approved in the final session, has as its title: ‘A road map.’

It is a document that begins with a message that is loud and clear: in line with their calling to bring unity where there is no unity, the members of the Focolare Movement commit themselves, first and foremost, “to seek out those who suffer, those who are excluded, beginning with those whom we ourselves have caused to suffer or have excluded” and “to be in dialogue with all men and women, to let ourselves be touched by the other, to have a preference for those whom we perceive as being more different from us.”

The action plans are born from the desire to live, even more, closeness to “those considered unimportant, those who live in underprivileged situations or suffer systematically” and a call to all the adherents of the Focolare to adopt a style of life that is humble, moderate and with commitment in every environment. Our desire is “to act more as ‘living networks’ that are enriched with relationships of trust and to collaborate with anyone who is involved in working for the same goals.” A priority of our focus will be the reality of the family ‘as the first cell of society’ which should be “favored and valued in its actions as a social and political subject.”

With ‘deep sorrow,’ the General Assembly asks for forgiveness from the victims “of any abuse whether physical, sexual, of authority or of conscience.” And so as not to remain vague or unclear, the new President of the Focolare, Margaret Karram, together with the re-elected Co-President, Jesùs Moràn, had presented to the Assembly a program of actions containing 4 points. These go from the revision of the bodies and the processes of inquiry into abuse to the re-examination of all abuse cases – of whatever kind – that have come or will come to our knowledge.

At the end of the Assembly, the new President Margaret Karram – supported by a worldwide, online applause – expressed her gratitude to the former President, Maria Voce, for her commitment, her intelligence, and the spiritual depth with which she has led the Movement for the past 12 years. And she encouraged everyone to remain constantly attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and to give witness to the joy that is born from living the Gospel with enthusiasm.

At the conclusion of the Assembly, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, together with Undersecretary Linda Ghisoni, came to visit the International Center of the Focolare at Rocca di Papa (Rome). In his homily during the thanksgiving Mass, Cardinal Farrell reminded us of what Pope Francis advised, in the private audience granted to the Assembly: “moments of crisis, both personal and communitarian, if lived well and with discernment, can also be a gift and can bring great benefits. They redimension us, they knock down our pride, our futile self-security.” Pope Francis encouraged the Movement to “return continuously to the purity of Chiara Lubich’s charism, that is, to turn to the beauty of a personal relationship with Jesus, that is sincere and total.”

Focolare Communications Office