[:mt]Il-laqgħa tar-responsabbli tal-Moviment tal-Fokolari tiftaħ bil-messaġġ tal-Papa[:en]Focolare zone delegates meeting opens with message from Pope Francis[:]

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Ferħ mhux tas-soltu għal dawk responsabbli tal-Moviment tal-Fokolari miġbura flimkien fiċ-Ċentru, Ruma, għal-laqgħa annwali tagħhom, li ser issir mill-10 sat-23 ta’ Settembru, mhux biss għax reġgħu sabu ruħhom flimkien wara l-pandemija, imma wkoll għax wasal il-messaġġ mhux mistenni ta’ Papa Franġisku.

“Grazzi ħafna ta’ tant aħbarijiet sbieħ. Jien qrib tiegħek u tagħkom ilkoll. Nitlob għalikom u jekk jogħġobkom, intom itolbu għalija”. Papa Franġisku hekk wieġeb lil Margaret Karram, President tal-Moviment tal-Fokolari, kliem li bihom hi għażlet li tagħti bidu għall-laqgħa li qed jieħdu sehem fiha dawk responsabbli tal-Moviment tal-Fokolari fid-dinja kollha u l-Kunsill Ġenerali tiegħu.

Margaret irrakkuntat, lill-104 li qed jieħdu sehem f’din il-laqgħa, li f’dawn l-aħħar ġranet hi ħasset li għandha tikteb lill-Papa biex tirringrazzjah talli hu dejjem qrib tagħha u tal-Moviment kollu, bit-tama li tagħmlu kuntent.

Fl-ittra li kitbitlu fis-6 ta’ Settembru, fost affarijiet oħra qaltlu: “Għaddew sena u seba’ xhur minn meta ġejt eletta President u nistqarr miegħek li dan kien żmien impenjattiv, b’bosta sfidi u deċiżjonijiet. Fhimt aktar dak li tgħid int, li biex nikbru hemm bżonn li ‘ninżabru’. Tit-tiġdid tal-għażla tiegħi ta’ Ġesu Msallab u Abbandunat meta nħaddnu f’dawn l-isfidi, insib li tissaħħaħ l-umilta’ u tikber it-tama, u nħossni aktar f’għaqda miegħek, Santita, u ċerta li Alla qed iwettaq il-ħidma tiegħu.

Fl-istess waqt stajt nara wkoll jinbet ħafna frott; isiru passi spiritwali individwali u komunitarji, tingħata attenzjoni lill-imwarrbin u ssir ħidma konkreta favur min qed ibati”.

Hi temmet din l-ittra billi żgurat lill-Papa mit-talb tal-membri tal-Moviment. Tassew kienet sorpriża kbira meta l-għada rċeviet it-tweġiba tal-Papa miktuba minnu stess:

7.9.22

Lis-Sinjorina Margaret Karram,

Għażiża oħti,
Grazzi ħafna tal-ittra tiegħek. Grazzi ħafna ta’ tant aħbarijiet sbieħ.

Jien qrib tiegħek u tagħkom ilkoll. Nitlob għalikom, u jekk jogħġobkom, intom itolbu għalija.

Il-Mulej ibierkek u l-Madonna tħarsek.

Fraternament,

Franġisku

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In addition to the joy of being together again in person after the pandemic, an unexpected and affectionate greeting from Pope Francis has arrived to those with overall responsibility for the Focolare Movement around the world, who are meeting in Rome from 10^th  to 23^rd  September.

“I am grateful for so much good news. I am close to you personally, and to all of you. I assure you of my prayers, please pray for me too.”

These were the Pope’s words in reply to a letter from Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement, with which she chose to open the meeting of those responsible for the Focolare Movement in the world, together with its General Council.

The President told the 104 people at the meeting that a few days ago she had felt urged to write to the Pope, to thank him for his constant closeness to her and to the Movement, hoping to give him joy. In her letter dated 6^th  September, among other things, she told the Pope: ‘A year and seven months have passed since I was elected President, and I confide in you that it has been a very demanding time with many challenges to be faced and many decisions to be made. I have understood more and more your words referring to the ‘pruning’ which is necessary for growth and, as I renewed my choice to embrace Jesus crucified and forsaken in this pruning, I perceived that I became more humble, I felt greater hope, and that my unity with you, Your Holiness, was ever stronger, together with the certainty that God is at work.

At the same time, I witnessed a great fruitfulness and, in  individuals and communities, I witnessed steps in spiritual growth being taken. I also saw greater care for the ‘least,’ and many tangible actions to help those who suffer the most’. Margaret concluded by assuring the Pope of the prayers of everyone in the Movement.

She was very surprised when the following day she received this handwritten reply from Pope Francis:

7.9.22

Ms Margaret Karram

My dear sister,

Thank you very much for your letter to me yesterday. I am grateful for so much good news.

I am close to you personally, and to all of you. I assure you of my prayers, please pray for me too.

May the Lord bless you and may Mary protect you.

Fraternally,

Francis

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