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[:mt]“Ferħ u tama, hemm post għalihom illum?” – din kienet it-tema tal-Mariapoli 2023, li saret fis-Seabank Hotel, il-Mellieħa, bejn is-17 u 19 ta’ Marzu li għadda.
Il-Moviment tal-Fokolari jorganizza l-Mariapoli kull sena, mhux biss Malta imma f’diversi postijiet fid-dinja, u min jieħu sehem ikun mistieden jagħmel esperjenza ta’ fraternita’ fid-dawl tal-valuri tal-Vanġelu.
Forsi tgħid: min jazzarda jitkellem fuq ferħ u tama f’dinja mifnija b’tant gwaj: gwerrer, diżastri naturali, ġuħ, faqar, qtigħ il-qalb, inġustizzja …?
Titkellem fuq ferħ u tama llum hija sfida, iżda sfida tissarraf ukoll f’opportunita’, u naħseb li hekk kienet l-esperjenza tal-Mariapoli 2023 għal 250 ruħ li ħadu sehem fiha, fosthom anki xi nies mill-Pakistan, mill-Filippini u mill-Afrika.
Sa minn kmieni wara nofsinhar, il-Ġimgħa 17 ta’ Marzu, familji bit-tfal, żagħżagħ, adulti u anzjani bdew jinġabru fil-foyer tal-hotel. Nies li ihuma midħla sew tal-Fokolari kienu kuntenti li reġgħu sabu ruħhom flimkien għal din l-esperjenza, li kienet ilha ma ssir sentejn minħabba l-pandemija, fil-waqt li oħrajn li ġew għall-Mariapoli għall-ewwel darba, malajr sabu min jagħtihom merħba. Ma stajtx ma tosservax arja sabiħa ta’ stennija! .
Il-programm tal-Mariapoli beda b’quddiesa, li tmexxiet mill-Eċċellenza tiegħu l-Arċisqof Savio Tai-Fai, Nunzju Appostoliku għal Malta. It-tislima tiegħu bil-Malti serqet bosta qlub. L-Eċċellenza tagħha, il-President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca u s-sur Preca, ukoll kienu preżenti għall-ftuħ ta’ din il-Mariapoli. Wara l-Quddiesa nqara l-messaġġ li Margaret Karram, President tal-Fokolari, bagħtet lil Papa Franġisku fl-okkazzjoni tal-għaxar anniversarju tal-pontifikat tieghu.
Il-programm għall-bqija tal-Mariapoli kien kollu ffukat fuq tama u ferħ, u offrielna opportunita’ biex niefqu u nirriflettu, niskopru s-sabiħ u l-pożittiv, u nissaħħu f’dik l-enerġija meħtieġa biex temmen u tittama.
Il-kliem mimli għerf tas-Sur Joseph Bonnici, soċju tal-MUSEUM, li għamel diskors mill-isbaħ fuq it-tama, l-esperjenzi sbieħ u siewja ta’ nies ġejjien minn diversi oqsma tal-ħajja, il-mużika u l-kant b’messaġġ li jqanqal il-qlub, il-mumenti ta’ sharing, anki waqt diversi workshops, is-sehem kollu ħeġġa taż-żgħażagħ u dak mimli ħlewwa tat-tfal … kollha għenu biex tinħoloq atmosfera mill-isbaħ, atmosfera ta’ familja. Iżda fuq kollox kienu opportunita’ biex wieħed jiskopri jew jiskopri mill-ġdid li “fl-għalqa kollha xewk tal-ħajja … titfaċċa l-ħajja, stinata u qatt mirbuħa” u li “ kuljum fid-dinja tagħna qed jinbet mill-ġdid il-ġmiel, li jixref minn qalb it-taqlib tal-istorja” (Papa Franġisku: Evangelii Gaudium n. 276).
Waqt mixja fil-kampanja fl-aħħar ġurnata tal-Mariapoli, kellna l-okkażjoni li mhux biss nammiraw il-ġmiel tan-natura, bl-għelieqi ħodor fuq naħa u l-baħar kaħlani fuq in-naħa l-oħra, imma wkoll biex insiru nafu aktar lil xulxin. Matul it-triq kelli ċ-ċans nitkellem ma’ persuna li ma kontx nafha qabel. Qasmet miegħi xi ftit minn dak li tgħix u stajt napprezza kemm ġid isir fis-skiet, u kemm tassew nistgħu nkunu xhieda ta’ tama u ferħ.
Il-Mariapoli ġiet fi tmiemha b’quddiesa konċelebrata li tmexxiet minn Mons. Isqof Joseph Galea Curmi. Il-preżenża tiegħu fostna kienet barka li kompliet tnissel dak is-sens ta’ Knisja waħda li qed tagħmel vjaġġ wieħed, vjaġġ ta’ tama u ferħ, fil-waqt li tħejji ruħha għall-Ġublew 2025, li għalih Papa Franġisku għażel it-tema “Pellegrini ta’ Tama”.
L-arja ta’ stennija li kien hemm fil-bidu bħal qisu ħadet xejra ġdida: ilmaħt spirtu qawwi ta’ fraternita’ ta’ tama u ferħ. Għext esperjenza qawwija tal-imħabba t’Alla li mlietni b’kuraġġ u ħeġġa ġdida. Għaraft li għandna teżor ta’ ħajja u mħabba li ma jqarraqx bina, u tkattret fija rieda aktar soda biex flimkien ma’ oħrajn nippersevera “fit-triq tal-ħolm” miftuħa għall-ġejjieni ta’ tama, għaqda u sliem. Lil Ġesu għidtlu m’għandi xejn xi ngħid ħlief grazzi ta’ din l-esperjenza sabiħa.
Anna Caruana Colombo
Aqra l-artiklu fil-gazzetta “Il-Lehen”, Il-Ħadd 21 ta’ Mejju 2023
[:en]“Joy and hope – is there space for these in our life today?” – this was the theme of Mariapoli 2023, which took place at the Seabank Hotel in Mellieħa Bay, Malta, during 17-19 March.
The Focolare Movement organises Mariapolis gatherings every year all around the world. The participants are invited to experience for a few days what it’s like to live together as a community by putting the Gospel into practice.
One might say: who nowadays dares to talk about joy and hope in a world filled with so much trouble: wars, natural disasters, hunger, poverty, heartbreak, injustice…?
Talking about joy and hope today is a challenge, but it is a challenge that also translates into an opportunity, and I think that was the experience of Mariapolis 2023 for the 250 people who took part in it, which included some people from Pakistan, the Philippines and from Africa.
Since the early afternoon, Friday March 17, families with children, teenagers, adults and the elderly began to gather in the hotel foyer. People who are well acquainted with the Focolare were happy to find themselves together again for this experience, which had not been held for two years due to Covid-19, while others who came to Mariapolis for the first time, very quickly felt welcomed. There was an air of anticipation among everyone right from the start!
The Mariapolis program started with a mass, led by His Excellency Archbishop Savio Tai-Fai, the Apostolic Nuncio for Malta. His greeting in Maltese stole many hearts. Her Excellency, President Emeritus Marie Louise Coleiro Preca together with her husband, were also present at the opening of this Mariapoli. After the Mass, the message that Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare, sent to Pope Francis on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of his Pontificate was read out.
The program for the rest of Mariapolis was all focused on hope and joy, and offered us an opportunity to stop and reflect, to discover that which is beautiful and positive, and to be strengthened in the energy needed to believe and hope.
The words full of wisdom of Mr Joseph Bonnici, an associate member of the MUSEUM Society, who gave a very uplifting talk about hope, the beautiful and valuable experiences of people coming from various areas of life, the music and songs which imparted a message that moved our hearts, the moments of sharing, even during various workshops, the enthusiastic participation of the young people and the presence of children … all helped to create a wonderful atmosphere, an atmosphere of a family. But above all they were an opportunity to discover or rediscover that “in all the thorns of life … life emerges, in all its determinaton, never defeated, and that “Each day in our world beauty is born anew, it rises transformed through the storms of history.” (Pope Francis: Evangelii Gaudium n. 276).
During a walk in the countryside on the last day of Mariapolis, we had the opportunity to not only admire the beauty of nature, with the green pastures on one side and the calm sea on the other, but also to get to know each other more. Along the way I had the chance to talk to a person I didn’t know before. She shared with me some experiences that’s she’s living and I could appreciate how much good is done in silence, and how much we can truly be witnesses of hope and joy.
The Mariapolis came to an end with a concelebrated mass led by Msgr. Joseph Galea Curmi, Auxiliary Bishop His presence among us was a blessing that continued to instill that sense of one Church which is on the journey, a journey of hope and joy, while preparing for the Jubilee 2025, for which Pope Francis chose the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”.
The air of expectation that was there at the beginning was brought to fulfilment: I breathed a strong sense of community, of hope and joy. I lived a powerful experience of God’s love which filled me with new courage and enthusiasm. I realised that we have received a treasure trove of life and love which never deceives us, and I felt more determined than ever before to persevere with others on this journey which is open to a future of hope, unity and peace. In my heart I thanked Jesus for having given to me this wonderful experience.
Anna Caruana Colombo
See also: Joy and hope – A Maltese Mariapolis, New City Magazine (UK), July 2023 – N.579 issue
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