Chiara Lubich: A life for unity

Logos - Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture

Volumn 8, Issue 1, 2005, Pages 52-64

  Uelmen, Amelia J ^a  

^a FORDHAM UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 60950411523     PISSN: 10916687     EISSN: 1533791X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1353/log.2005.0010     Document Type: Review

References (57)

1. For example, the program description of the "Works of Love" conference poses the question, "How do our complex brains, unique imaginations, communicative abilities, reasoning powers, moral sense, and spiritual and religious promptings give rise to this remarkable yet not at all uncommon practice of unselfish love for our neighbors or for those we do not even know? If we could answer this question and harness the extraordinary power of love, the world might well erupt into hope." "Works of Love," http://www.metanexus.net/conference2003 (visited May 26, 2004)
2. For general information and a broad overview, the Focolare Movement's official international Web site is particularly helpful: http://www.focolare.org (in Italian, Movimento dei Focolari). For statistics on its diffusion, see "Focolare in Brief: Its Diffusion: Where are We?" at http://www.focolare.org/en (visited May 26, 2004)
3. Michel Pochet, Stars and Tears: A Conversation with Chiara Lubich (New York: New City Press, 1985), 14
4. In his introduction to a comprehensive compendium of Lubich's principal texts, Monsignor Piero Coda notes that the image of a paintbrush or a pen is common among the testimonies of mystics. See Piero Coda, "Un carisma e un'opera di Dio," in Chiara Lubich, La Dottrina Spirituale (Italy: Mondadori, 2001), 15
5. The most comprehensive biography in English thus far is Jim Gallagher, A Woman's Work (New York: New City Press, 1997)
6. The most comprehensive history in Italian thus far is Enzo Fondi and Michele Zanzucchi, Un Popolo Nato dal Vangelo: Chiara Lubich e i Focolari (Italy: San Paolo Edizioni, 2003)
7. In English, Chiara Lubich, The Cry of Jesus Crucified and Forsaken in the History and Life of the Focolare Movement (New York: New City Press, 2001), includes historical elements as well as theological reflection
8. Chiara Lubich, Franca Zambonini, and Margaret Coen, A Life for Unity (New York: New City Press, 1992), 31
9. Doriana Zamboni, "Stars and Tears," Living City 42, no. 5 (2003): 10
10. For similar accounts, see, Gallagher, A Woman's Work, 35-39
11. Pochet, Stars and Tears, 24-28
12. Zambonini, A Life for Unity, 43-47
13. For Lubich's own account of these initial developments in the original Italian, see, Lubich, "Gli albori," in La Dottrina Spirituale, 43-52
14. "Focolare in Brief: Its Origins," http://www.focolare.org/en (visited May 26, 2004)
15. Chiara Lubich, "Verso una spiritualità dell'unità, " Bossey Ecumenical Institute, Geneva, October 26, 2002 (quoting Pawley). Throughout the text, where the original references are in Italian, the translations are my own
16. Chiara Lubich, Il Mondo Unito di Chiara Lubich, interview by Piero Damosso (TV7, RAI UNO Italian Television, undated, circa 2002)
17. Following numerous ecclesiastical approvals, Chiara would explain this light as a particular gift and action of the Holy Spirit. As she further described in the interview with Damosso, "A charism is a light which helps you to understand things in a new way, and a strength which pushes you to live it immediately." Similarly, Fr. Jesus Castellano, a consultant to the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, reflecting on Chiara's intuitions on the life of the Trinity as a model for social life, explained the novelty of the gift: "There is no doubt that a supernatural wisdom, a charism of the Holy Spirit lay at the basis at the basis of such a new and lofty discovery, which, I might say, was practically unknown, unheard of up to that point." Jesus Castellano Cervera, Introduction to Chiara Lubich, Unity and Jesus Forsaken (New York: New City Press, 1985), 11
18. "Chiara Lubich: A Biographical Sketch," http://www.rc.net/ focolare/chiara.htm (visited May 26, 2004)
19. For a collection of both the initial stories of God's intervention as well as more recent examples from all over the globe, see Doriana Zamboni, ed., Glimpses of Gospel Life: The Little Flowers of Chiara and the Focolare Movement (New York: New City Press, 2004)
20. Chiara Lubich, "A Spirituality of Unity for the Harmonious Living of the Human Family" (Keynote Address at November 12, 2000, Faith Communities Together event in Washington, D.C.), http://www.focolare.org/en/sif/2000/ 20001114e-c.html (visited May 26, 2004)
21. "Focolare in Brief: Its Diffusion," http://www.focolare.org/en (visited May 26, 2004)
22. John Paul II, "Discorso al Movimento dei Focolari" Rocca di Papa, Rome, August 19, 1984: transcribed in L'Osservatore Romano, August 20-21, 1984, 5 ("L'amore è ... la scintilla ispiratrice di tutto quello che lo si fa con il nome Focolare ...")
23. An English translation of the discourse is transcribed in "Your Radicalism of Love," Living City 21, no. 11 (1984): 6-11
24. For Lubich's own reflections on John Paul II's 1984 discourse, see Lubich, Cry of Jesus Crucified, 119
25. For a discussion of how the "inspiring spark" of love also grounds the theology emerging from the spirituality, see Chiara Lubich, "Toward a Theology and Philosophy of Unity: The Principle Cornerstones," in Introduction to the Abba School (New York: New City Press, 2002), 23
26. Gerta Vanderbroek and Mauro Camozzi, eds. The Cube of Love: Discovering Life with God through Children (New York: Living City Magazine, 2000), 6-7
27. Chiara Lubich, "Engaging in Fruitful Dialogue," Living City 35, no. 10 (1996): 10-11
28. Piero Coda, Viaggio in Asia: con Chiara Lubich in Thailandia e Filippine (Italy: Città Nuova Editrice, 1997), 57
29. "Defender of Peace Award Citation," http://www.focolare.org/En/ sif/2001/20010111e-c.html (visited May 26, 2004)
30. "A Spirituality of Unity for the Harmonious Living of the Human Family," living City 40, no. 1 (2001): 22-24
31. "A Spirituality of Unity for the Harmonious Living of the Human Family" http://www.focolare.org/en/sif/2000/20001114e-c.html (visited May 26, 2004)
32. For an account of the initial 1997 encounter between Chiara Lubich and Imam W. D. Mohammed in the Masjid Malcom Shabazz, Harlem, New York, see Piero Coda, Nella Moschea di Malcom X (Italy: Città Nuova Editrice, 1997), 13-2
33. News of Focolare community gatherings is reported in the thirty-five editions of the movement's magazine, published in twenty different languages. The North American version, Living City (http://www.livingcitymagazine.com) covers both local and international developments
34. The Italian version, Città Nuova ( http://www.cittanuova.it), also covers both local and international interreligious dialogue events
35. For a collage of recent events in interreligious dialogue, see generally the special issue with a series of articles, "Committed to Dialogue," Living City 43, no. 5 (2004)
36. Michele Zanzucchi, "Religioni in Dialogo: La curiosità e non solo," Città Nuova 44, no. 15/16, (2000): 30-31
37. For a sampling, of recent progress in Muslim-Christian dialogue, see Sharry Silvi, "Dialogue as a Lifestyle: A Challenge," Living City 37, no. 11 (1998): 10-16
38. Michele Zanzucchi, "Religioni in dialogo: Il punto di non ritorno," Città Nuova 43, no. 22 (1999): 18-21
39. Nedo Pozzi, "Not Only Friends but Brothers and Sisters," Living City 42, no. 2 (2003): 14-18
40. Clare Zanzucchi, "Thursdays at Shapiro's," Living City 43, no.5 (2004): 14-17
41. For descriptions of local meetings between Jews and Christians, see José Poirier, "A Pact with the Sons and Daughters of the Covenant," Living City 37, no. 10 (1998): 8-11
42. Michele Zanzucchi, "Ebrei amici dei Focolari: Menorah cioè speranza," Città Nuova 44, no. 2 (2000): 34-37
43. For a description of progress in dialogue in Asia, see Fabio Ciardi, "Al Tempio di Suan Moke," Città Nuova, 46, no. 12 (2002): 36-39
44. Oreste Paliotti,"At a Cultural Crossroads," Living City 43, no. 5 (2004): 18-19
45. In the United States, the Focolare's Center for Education in Dialogue coordinates many of the local events. For a history of the center's foundation and recent events, see, Silvi, "Dialogue as a Lifestyle," 10-16
46. Maria Ferrazzi, "Dialogue for Peace," Living City 39, no. 6 (2000): 8
47. Maria Ferrazzi, "Together towards Unity," Living City 42, no. 5 (2003): 16-19
48. Zanzucchi, "Thursdays at Shapiro's," 14-17
49. Sharry Silvi,"Towards Universal Brotherhood," Living City 40, no. 4 (2001): 10
50. Castellano Cervera, "Introduction," 11
51. Judith Povilus, United in His Name (New York: New City Press, 1985), 65-66
52. For further discussion noting that until recently Catholic theology on the Trinity has emphasized its pattern found in the individual soul rather than in interpersonal relationships, see, Piero Coda, "Il De Trinitate di Agostino e la sua promessa," Nuova Umanità 24 (2002): 219-48
53. For a discussion of Thomas Aquinas's description of the "eternal law" as the law of the life of God's own being, noting that it does not explicate its Trinitarian character, see Gianni Caso, "Lex Aeterna e diritto," Nuova Umanità 25 (2003): 69-82
54. David Schindler, Introduction to Introduction to the Abba School (New York: New City Press, 2002), 8
55. Chiara Lubich, "Toward a Theology and Philosophy of Unity," Abba School, 34
56. For an excellent and comprehensive discussion of Trinitarian models for social relationships, see Enrique Cambón, Trinità Modello Sociale (Rome: Città Nuova Editrice, 1999)
57. Chiara Lubich, In occasione della cittadinanza onoraria di Roma (Rome, Italy 2000)