Rocca di Papa, 16 July 2026
To everyone belonging to the Focolare Movement in the world
Dear everyone,
This year, I would like to celebrate the 16th of July by offering everyone a precious gift: the narrative, in Chiara’s own words, of the Pact with Foco (Igino Giordani) and the entrance into Paradise.
In 1999 she shared this experience with hundreds of Gen gathered together at their congress. I’ve listened to it several times over the last few days, and the question Chiara put to Foco – “Do you know where we are?” – has continued to resonate within me, in all its remarkable relevance.
“I had entered into the Uncreated,” Chiara recounted to the Gen. From that moment on, she gave us a new perspective on everything: a view from on high, from God’s point of view.
Today, that question – “Do you know where we are?” – is addressed to each and every one of us. It invites us to recognise that God, in Jesus and through the gift of his Spirit, is living among us, permeating all things and illuminating history. For this reason, we wish to renew together, with faith and courage, our choice of God and our commitment to living mutual love, aware of the uniqueness of our charism, which is “… ‘for the world’ – we are united so that all may be one.” 1
This is also the focus of our commitment last March, at the conclusion of our General Assembly: to seek new ways of living unity and to make a genuine conversion towards what humanity needs most today, namely relationships of genuine love, modelled on the Trinity.
It is a love, as Emmaus once wrote, precisely on the 16th of July: “which is capable of creating, forgiving, welcoming, sharing, seeing beauty where there is ugliness, and transforming what is negative into something positive.” 2
This is the perspective from which to look at every person and every event! Chiara said this to the Gen – and today she repeats it to all of us: we are “inside”, that is, we are in the bosom of the Father, in Jesus, if we choose to love. We will be a source of hope for humanity to the extent that we are “Paradise incarnate, walking in the midst of the world.”
In this context, I am delighted to inform you that a few weeks ago the book containing all the texts from Paradise ’49 was published. For the time being, it is available in Italian (Città Nuova Ed.), but translations into other languages are already being prepared, so that this gift may reach as many people as possible.
So, let’s go ahead, then, TOGETHER more than ever.
Best wishes to everyone on this special day!
Margaret Karram
President
1. Chiara Lubich, Mollens, 16 July 2004.
2. Maria Voce – Emmaus, “Being the Trinity passing through the world and bearing witness to mutual love”, 16 July 2020.
Watch video: Chiara Lubich to the Gen 2 Congress: “Lesson 1 on Paradise ’49”, 20 December 1999 (excerpts).
English: https://youtu.be/YviAdRSIgE8
Italian: https://youtu.be/pou0uNQip1M
