Malti
“To this new call, I renew my ‘yes,’ my full commitment to God, together with all of you, at the service of the Church, the Movement, and humanity”
With over two-thirds of the votes cast at the General Assembly and a long round of applause, Margaret Karram was re-elected yesterday, March 12, 2026, as President of the Focolare Movement for a second five-year term (2026-31).
“With the grace of God and your help, I accept. I was deeply moved by Psalm 94 from today’s liturgy: ‘Listen today to the voice of the Lord; harden not your hearts.’ To this new call, I renew my ‘yes,’ my full commitment to God, together with all of you, at the service of the Church, the Movement, and humanity,” Margaret Karram said immediately after the announcement.
She was re-elected by the 261 participants entitled to vote, representing Focolare communities from five continents, who are participating in the General Assembly from March 1-21.
The new Co-President is Roberto Almada, a Focolare member and priest from Argentina, also elected with a two-thirds majority. He succeeds Jesús Morán, who has completed his second and final term.
“I accept this election with the grace of God and the protection of Our Lady,” Almada declared, “and I will give it my all, with all my strength, intelligence, and heart; you can count on me!”
The elections were confirmed by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, as the competent authority of the Holy See, in accordance with the General Statutes of the Focolare Movement.
What the President of the Focolare Movement Does
According to the Focolare General Statutes, the Presidency is always entrusted to a woman focolarina consecrated by perpetual vows—a choice that reflects a lay and female leadership, as envisioned by the founder, Chiara Lubich, and confirmed by Saint John Paul II. The President is called to guide—with a spirit of unity—the Focolare communities present in 150 countries, which embrace the Gospel message of universal fraternity within a context of cultural, social, and religious diversity. Her duties include leading and guiding a movement that confronts the local and global challenges of our time—a movement called, in particular, to heal the personal and social fractures of human existence.
The Statutes also outline the style in which the President must exercise her responsibilities: a leadership founded on service and Gospel-based charity, in accordance with Jesus’ invitation to become a servant to all (cf. Mk. 10:44). She is asked to be a bridge-builder, a promoter of unity, and a witness to the central message of Focolare spirituality, serving as its spokesperson with consistency and dedication.
Margaret Karram: A Life Dedicated to Dialogue
Margaret Karram is the third president of the Movement, following its founder, Chiara Lubich. In 2021, she succeeded Maria Voce, who passed away on June 20 of that year.
An Arab Christian born in Haifa, Israel, she was raised in a multi-religious environment, developing—from a young age—a strong commitment to dialogue between different cultures and faiths. In the United States, she earned a degree in Judaism from the American Jewish University in Los Angeles. She subsequently assumed positions of responsibility within the Movement in the Holy Land, while simultaneously working for 14 years at the Consulate General of Italy in Jerusalem.
Internationally recognized for her contributions to interreligious dialogue—receiving the Mount Zion Award (2013) and the Saint Rita Award (2016)—she participated in the Invocation for Peace held in the Vatican Gardens in 2014, alongside Pope Francis and the Israeli and Palestinian presidents. Elected President of the Focolare Movement in 2021 for a first term, she has intensified the Movement’s efforts in both ecumenical and interreligious dialogue. She has met with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, and participated as an invited guest in the recent Synod of the Catholic Church.
In 2023, she was appointed a Member of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life. She has traveled across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Pacific region to meet with Focolare communities and organizations dedicated to interreligious dialogue.
In May 2025 she travelled to the United States to participate in the Sustainable Peace Networks conference, where she shared her personal testimony of living in Jerusalem and working for peace, beginning with relationships of friendship that transcend religious differences. On September 26, 2025, she met with Pope Leo XIV in a private audience. In a recent interview with Avrum Burg, former acting president of the State of Israel, she reflected on her complex identity as an Arab Christian born in Israel, the importance of interfaith dialogue, the role of women in the Church, and her commitment to peace.
The Role of the Co-President
The Co-President—elected from among the Focolare priests of the Focolare Movement—is called, first and foremost, to work in close collaboration with the President, sharing decisions with her and helping to ensure the Movement’s discernment and cohesion. Alongside this primary role, the Co-President collaborates in the general leadership of the Work, offering his contribution on the most significant issues and ensuring that the life of the Movement remains in full conformity with the faith and doctrine of the Church.
Roberto Almada is a Focolarino, Argentine priest, psychiatrist, and psychotherapist. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy and was among the founders of the School of Logotherapy in Uruguay and Paraguay. He is part of the group that coordinates spiritual and psychological support programs at the Sophia University Institute for Latin America and the Caribbean and at the Logos Institute in Caserta, Italy. His pastoral work has focused on the family sphere through the New Families Movement, where he oversees support projects for couples.
He served as a counselor at the Focolare International Center in Rocca di Papa, Italy, from 1999-2009. Until 2026, he lived in Buenos Aires, working for the local Focolare Movement in the areas of evangelization, accompanying local communities where he facilitated processes of reorganization and cohesion, and study.
He has gained significant experience in the ecclesial and educational fields in several Latin American countries, including Colombia, El Salvador, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. He has accompanied priests, religious communities, and Catholic teachers through courses and spiritual exercises, with a particular focus on support in times of pastoral fatigue and the rediscovery of the meaning of mission. He has also worked in youth accompaniment and in the social sphere with migrants.
The Focolare Assembly Continues
In the coming days, the Assembly is also called upon to elect the new governing body of the Focolare—the General Councilors, who will serve as the President’s closest collaborators—and to discuss proposed amendments to the General Statutes.
On March 21, the Assembly’s participants and observers will be received in a private audience by Pope Leo XIV.
Stefania Tanesini
Focolare Media & Communications Unit (Rome)
Photo credits: © CSC Audiovisivi
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