Readers of this blog might well ask: “What, in the name of heaven, is Fr. Jonathan doing in Celje, Slovenia, a guest of the Lazarist Fathers –  they follow the spirituality of St. Vincent de Paul – with 20 or so others in Religious Life?” It is from this beautiful and tiny country in Europe, at the top of the Balkan peninsula, with a population of only 2 million, that I write to explain.

Each year, a special meeting (more strictly, perhaps, a series of meetings) takes place for men and women in Religious Life, and I have been involved in this activity for about 20 years. The meeting is international in structure, and consequently, we meet where most can reach a central venue, without too much difficulty; this year it has been the turn of Slovenia. It goes without saying, that all those involved have a strong experience of God and his Love; moreover, each individual’s faith has been reinforced, within their own calling as Religious, by a God-given gift – the gift of knowledge and experience of the Focolare Movement. The Focolare Movement is, itself, the recipient of a very important, gigantic, gift from God; I refer to the gift of UNITY.  Unity  involves all types of people in this world, lay-people, young and old, all the different races, all the different Christian denominations, and many of the different World Religions –  even people of no religious beliefs. Why?  How? Basically, because it comes to spread ‘LOVE’, in and throughout, the world; that was  Jesus’ task – Jesus who gave us the chance to be ONE with God, and, as we know, ‘God is Love’. It is love that will unite people everywhere; it is this love that many have experienced, including those of us in Religious Life. All Christians are meant to know God who is Love, experience Him, know Him and Love him. The Focolare Movement does this in a new way, just as when each Religious Order was founded it was an expression of Love in a new way.

Above,  there are, from left to right, Religious from Italy, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Slovenia, USA, France Germany, Holland, Poland, and England taking the photo!. Some are on the Theological Commissions of the Church, teaching in universities, others retired, others in charge of novices or juniors. There are Benedictines, Jesuits, Franciscans, Redemptorists, Divine Word, Carmelites, Brothers of St. Gabriel, Claretians, Oblates of Mary Immaculate and from the congregation of the Child Jesus among others

Our latest meeting finished just a little while ago; it was about the publication of a magazine on the Religious Life – the life in which all of us are involved. It was a kind of annual editorial meeting for the magazine that is called ‘Charisms in Unity’ and is produced by Religious men and women, (and others) trying to share, by means of the written word, the immense gifts that God has given to the World, the Church and to those in Religious life through the auspices of the different Religious Orders. There are eight different editions, in eight different languages.

‘Charisms in Unity’ is different from the many other magazines on Religious Life, because it emphasises the unity between Religious Orders – as well as the specific differences. I will try to explain a little further. Each Religious Order is, in itself, a gift from God, and this gift is usually called its ‘charism’; the word ‘charism’ means gift, from the Greek. The different charisms of the many hundreds of religious orders are all inspired by one Holy Spirit. These charisms are, essentially, different expressions of the life of the One Jesus; for example you could say that the Benedictines shared the unity of Jesus in his ‘prayer and work’. Most readers will know that the monks who serve St. Mary’s, in Leyland, are Benedictines. But then there are Carmelites: their charism might be expressed in ‘the prayer life of Jesus’. Franciscans emphasise ‘the poverty of Jesus’, missionaries emphasise ‘Jesus who sent out disciples to spread the Word, as he did himself, teaching orders ‘Jesus the teacher’, and so on. Searching for a good analogy, I would point you to a garden, in which there are many different flowers, all placed quite artistically to complement and show off each other. There is just one garden, but many different types of flower. By analogy, we have discovered that all these ‘charisms’ make much more sense if they are ‘united’ with each other, when they are ‘in communion’ with each other – but, united in a way that allows them to keep their individuality. Thus, the ‘SPIRIT’ of the magazine is underlined, is given its ‘raison d’être’, by its title, ‘CHARISMS IN UNITY’.

It is fascinating, always, to meet up with others, from different backgrounds, the product of very diverse experiences, to share with them those experiences, and furthermore, to be encouraged by them, in coming to know God, as Religious, in our world today.

Apart from working out the best way to write and spread our message, we are very aware of the challenges facing the Church in the world today. We realise that the Holy Spirit is calling the lay people to be protagonists in the life of Faith and in the life of the Church.   This would add to – compliment if you like – the work of priests and religious, who remain essential to the life of the Church, and bring about a working combination, potentially very beneficial. We know that much good work is done by people who do not belong to the Church, but are actively involved in promoting justice and peace in the world; actively involved, also, in the issues concerning the very survival of our planet and the threat of ecological disaster; actively involved in many other important challenges facing our world. At the same time, we know that the Church is criticised by many people; that, in Europe, the majority of Religious Orders are in a weakened parlous state with few novices, and that the present prognosis for the developmental future of the Church lies with those peoples in Africa, India, the Philippines and, in parts of South America. We are aware of the major problems many individuals have with the Church itself; many find its, seemingly, autocratic ways hard to cope with; many have an affection for Jesus and his teaching – but not for the Church, itself: many intellectuals, together with, perhaps, a majority of ordinary folk in Western Europe, think that the Church is irrelevant, and that faith in God is out-dated.  It is true that many Christians fail to practice their faith as their forebears used to do.

Bearing all this is mind – taking on board all the pros and cons – in all of this, it is good to know that God has also inspired new life, often in small new groups, often not very well known new groups, within the Church. These are the new ‘Movements’ of which the ‘Focolare’ is one. When one meets some of the people involved, in a two-way sharing of stories and experiences, it can be very heartening, and all this helps many to continue with their faith in God, because they see people making a real contribution for good to this world of ours – in many different ways – and from many different situations.

On this note, I want to end my blog with an introduction to a few of these people, my friends, for the benefit of my readers.

 Fr. Fabio Ciardi OMI

Fr. Fabio Ciardi OMI from Italy is the person who has helped to run these meetings for many years. He teaches theology in Rome, and has a great deal of experience of Religious Life, not only having responsibility for young students in his own order, but is also in touch with many other different religious orders. He has published many books on Spirituality, on the Gospels, on Spiritual Theology. He also has personal knowledge of inter-faith dialogue with Jews, Moslems and Buddhists. He once came to stay in Leyland, and I had the joy of going on a 10 day holiday with him to Ireland, some years ago.

 Fr. Germano,  Brother Matthew, Fr. Ludwik

Fr. Germano, on the left, is a Divine Word Missionary from Brazil. He has been there all his life, though he is a native of Holland. He is talking to Fr. Ludwik and in the middle is Brother Matthew, both Benedictines from Poland. Fr. Ludwik founded the monastery of Biskopow. He used to be the Prior and allowed Fr. Suawek to come to Leyland on two occasions. Now Fr. Suawek is his prior. Fr. Ludwik has had a very full monastic life, is the author of various books in Polish, and Br. Matthew is the novice master at their small monastery in the South of Poland, where all the nine monks are young, with the single exception of  Fr. Ludwik.

Fr. Paolo Monaco SJ

Fr. Paolo Monaco SJ, is an Italian Jesuit from Naples who works also to co-ordinate the Religious who are interested in this life of unity. He is an expert on the computer and has been helping, especially, the young religious all over the world, who are also involved. He seems to hate fuss and bother, and simply gets on with his work, though has many interesting things to say about the present and future of the Church.

 Fr. Carlos Andrade

Fr. Carlos Andrade on the right is a Spanish Claretian missionary, the same order as Fr. Florencio who came to stay with us in Leyland, from Spain, on 3 occasions. Carlos is a theologian who has taught in Madrid for many years and at present is doing his thesis and doctorate in Rome. He writes many articles for ‘Charisms in Unity’ and always has something interesting to say.

Fr Theo Janssen OFM

Fr Theo Janssen OFM is a Cappuchin from Holland who has worked for many years in Rome at the General House. He also lectures on Spiritual Theology in Rome, and has been involved in the Focolare for many years. He now runs a special “School for Religious” (St. Benedict spoke about the monastery being a school of the Lord’s service) at Loppiano near Florence, where men in Religious life go for 6 months to learn what it really means to live in ‘unity’. Loppiano is the first international town of the Focolare, and Religious are helped there by the example of the thousand people who live there, mainly laity and make it a town where Gospel values are lived out, especially the new commandment, “Love one another as I have loved you”. His great advantage in life is that he speaks well, German, French, Italian, English, some Spanish, and of course Dutch, and also knows Latin and Greek. He is a humble and homely person, very easy to get on with.