{"id":505,"date":"2018-09-12T23:08:50","date_gmt":"2018-09-12T23:08:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/focolaremalta.claritasdesigns.com\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2025-05-21T19:07:57","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T17:07:57","slug":"min-ahna","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/focolaremalta.org\/en\/min-ahna\/","title":{"rendered":"About us"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Focolare Movement in Malta is registered as a non-profit voluntary organisation<\/strong>: Fondazzjoni Dinja Mag\u0127quda \u2013 Moviment tal-Fokolari (Malta)<\/em> VO\/1624<\/p>\n

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The Focolare Movement<\/strong> (officially entitled \u201cThe Work of Mary\u201d) is an ecclesial movement that began in the Roman Catholic Church in 1943<\/strong>. Its goal is to fulfil Jesus\u2019 prayer, \u201cThat they may all be one\u201d (Jn 17:21), and thus to work towards the unity of all people. Indeed, the goal is to make humankind one family.<\/p>\n

The Movement was founded by Chiara Lubich<\/strong><\/a> (1920\u20142008). When she was in her early 20s, during World War II, she dedicated her whole life to God. It wasn\u2019t long before other young people followed her example and together they formed the first community that was called a \u201cfocolare\u201d (the Italian word for \u201chearth\u201d). It was made up of both celibate and married people, who spiritually shared in the community while living fully their commitment to marriage.<\/p>\n

Ever since the Movement\u2019s beginnings, people of many cultures, vocations and roles in society, coming from a variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds, have actively participated in it. Most are lay people (adults, families, youth, children), but there are also consecrated men and women, priests and even bishops.<\/p>\n

To bring more unity to the human family, the Focolare has opened up dialogues with as many people and organizations as possible, including:
\n\u2022 Building unity within the Catholic Church
\n\u2022 Seeking communion and visible gestures of unity among Christians of different Churches
\n\u2022 Working to accomplish unity among the world\u2019s religions, through a common commitment to live the Golden Rule found in many sacred texts: \u201cDo to others as you would have them do to you.\u201d
\n\u2022 Collaborating with people who do not have any specific religious affiliation, but who want to promote basic human values that aim at the common good
\n\u2022 Supporting and providing space for meetings and dialogue among persons of various professions.<\/p>\n

Spirituality<\/strong>: The first fundamental principle of the \u201cspirituality of unity\u201d \u2013 also called \u201cspirituality of communion\u201d \u2013 is rediscovering God as love and putting him at the centre of one\u2019s life. This choice calls for the practice of \u201cmutual and constant love, which makes unity possible and brings the presence of Jesus among all (\u2026).\u201d (Premise to the Statutes of the Work of Mary). By applying the words of the Gospel in one\u2019s daily activities, a lifestyle is created that contributes to building unity and peace, both locally and on a worldwide level.<\/p>\n

The Focolare is present in 182 countries<\/strong>, with permanent centres in 87 nations. Christians from 350 different Churches and ecclesial communities are part of the Movement. Members of other religions share the Movement\u2019s spirituality and objectives in a variety of ways. People who do not have any religious affiliation are also part of the Focolare.<\/p>\n

Centres of formation and shared experience<\/strong>
\n\u2022 The Focolare has 25 established communities, which are actually \u201csmall towns\u201d,<\/strong> located in as many countries. Those who live in these towns share the commitment to create a society based on a fraternal lifestyle. The small towns include homes, businesses and workshops and provide courses in the spirituality of unity, which form people of various ages and vocations in how to live the Gospel and share their experiences with others.<\/p>\n

\u2022 There are Mariapolis Centres in 35 countries<\/strong> in which members of the Movement meet for retreats or ongoing formation. These centres also offer courses of formation in the culture of unity, which are open to both members of the Movement and all those who would like to learn more about its spirituality and activities.
\nEngagement on cultural and institutional levels<\/p>\n

The Abba School<\/strong> is an interdisciplinary study centre composed of professors and scholars, whose objective is to clarify and develop the doctrine drawn from the charism of unity.
\n– Sophia University Institute<\/strong> is a training and academic research centre located in the Focolare\u2019s international town of Loppiano near Florence, Italy.<\/p>\n

International study groups bring together scholars, experts, students and professionals from a number of fields, including philosophy, economics, politics, communication, law, art, medicine, education, psychology, architecture and sports. These groups promote conferences, courses of formation and publications related to these fields, which are studied in the light of the Focolare charism of unity.<\/p>\n

The Economy of Communion (EOC)<\/strong> is an initiative in the field of economics that inspires people who own or are employed in approximately 900 businesses worldwide, promoting best practice shaped by a spirit of communion, reciprocity and generosity. Sixteen business centers have grown up in 13 countries with the purpose of giving mutual support and being incubators for new startup EOC businesses.<\/p>\n

The Movement for Politics and Policy for Unity<\/strong> (MppU) provides an opportunity for political reflection and action among people from different parties, including diplomats, elected officials, scholars and citizens. They want to propose fraternity as a political category on which to base institutions as well as legislative and administrative initiatives. Among their projects are courses to form young people in the skills of political participation and good citizenship.<\/p>\n

New Humanity<\/a> is a nongovernmental organization (NGO)<\/strong> that since 1987 has enjoyed special consultative status on the UN\u2019s Economic and Social Council, and general consultative status since 2005. It has been recognized as an UNESCO NGO partner since 2008.
\nInternational solidarity efforts
\n– More than 1,000 social projects are ongoing in various countries
\n– More or less 35 projects and \u201cmicro-activities\u201d are promoted by Azioni per un Mondo Unito<\/em> (Projects for a United World), an NGO which operates in 30 countries<\/p>\n

93 projects provide financial support to children in 48 countries. Almost 11,000 children have been helped, primarily through local support services, such as schools, meals, medical clinics, etc. In addition, the Associazione Azione per Famigie Nuove Onlus<\/em> (\u201cAssociation for Projects of the New Families\u201d) promotes training courses and supports initiatives to benefit families and disadvantaged children.<\/p>\n