The Focolare’s tradition of giving new names to some of its members now re-emerges with the election of Maria ‘Emmaus’ Voce. And how appropriate: the General Assembly experienced the timeliness of Luke’s Gospel narrative as it reached near unanimity in electing her. “Were not our hearts burning…?”

Città Nuova’s Michele Zanzucchi and Paolo Loriga report

Continuity and renewal

As the Focolare’s general assembly gathered in July 2008 to elect a new president and co-president, events took place that showed surprising parallels to the Gospel story of Emmaus. (Lk. 24: 13-35) Made up of four hundred and ninety six members from across the globe, the assembly found itself initially reminiscing about its departed founder. (‘conversing about all the things that had happened’) Keeping a spirit of reciprocal love among them, their conversations proved constructive, although not definitive. (‘Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognising him’)

There were those who reflected, discussed and intermittently recalled the founder’s expressed wishes regarding various situations and issues. (‘He said, “What are you discussing as you walk along?”’) After failing to reach a majority on their first day of voting, the assembly opted for a day of reflection before proceeding. (‘They stopped’)

Maria Emmaus Voce and Giancarlo Faletti

In the morning, a handful of Chiara’s first followers gathered around her tomb, and felt the unwavering presence of Jesus return among them. They shared this with the rest of the assembly. (Some women from our group, have astounded us: they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they indeed had seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive’)

The certainty returned that Jesus was truly present in the community. (‘their eyes opened and they recognised him’)

The following day, July 7, the assembly reached near unanimity as it elected its new president, Maria Voce, or ‘Emmaus’, a name that Chiara gave her years ago, recalling the Gospel narrative.

The assembly also elected Giancarlo Faletti as the new co-president. As several bishops who were present attested, the election was a fruit of the presence of Jesus, as he had promised, ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’. (Mt 18: 20)

The election provides, at the same time, both continuity and renewal, with a far-reaching vision, yet never losing sight of the witness given by that first group of followers, who from the very beginning accompanied Chiara on an adventure of unity - a divine adventure that continues.                               

Consensus after Chiara
An atmosphere of celebration permeated the centre of the Focolare Movement on the morning of July 7. The General Assembly of the Focolare Movement, consisting of four hundred and ninety six participants representing Focolare communities in one hundred and eighty two nations, gathered together in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome for the first time since the founder’s death on March 14. Although recently approved revised statutes served as a guide, the election was uncharted territory, no longer illuminated by the presence and reassuring words of Chiara.

When the time came to vote, despite the desire to do what Chiara would have wanted, two apparently opposing factions emerged. ‘We tried to put that direction indicated by Chiara into practice by making a special effort to listen to one another, both in the plenary and group sessions. It seemed that we created the right atmosphere,’ Maria Voce recounts, ‘but it was not enough.’ On the one hand there was ‘the desire not to be too innovative so as not to risk altering what Chiara had already built,’ she said, while on the other hand, there was the ‘realization that a new era had begun, and that something new was being called for, perhaps through a change in leadership at the centre of the Movement.’

In three voting sessions on Saturday, July 5, the polarization became evident. ‘The situation could have been resolved with an honorable compromise,” continued Maria Voce, ‘However,’ she confided, ‘those of us who have received the charism of unity knew that a compromise was not good enough. What was being asked of us was that we rise to that unity of hearts among the whole assembly, a unity which would then also be expressed in the convergence of votes for one or other of the candidates.’

The decision was taken to suspend voting for a day, Sunday, to allow time for further reflection and dialogue. 'What was needed was for each person to be ready, out of love, to completely lose themselves in the others, without retaining any preconceived ideas, so as to listen fully to what the Holy Spirit wished to suggest to us,’ she said.

In this delicate moment, a decisive role was played by Pasquale Foresi, a co-founder of the Movement with Chiara. ‘He reminded us,’ said Maria, ‘that the mandate of the first generation was now to pass on to others the legacy of life, light and wisdom that Chiara had given, whilst at the same time acting as guardians in order to sustain and help everyone.’

The result? - near unanimity. ‘We realised that the elements of continuity and innovation were not opposite positions,’ she said. ‘There was the greatest continuity and the greatest newness at the same time.’ In the end, she said, ‘Everyone felt renewed by the charism and by this intense, unforgettable experience of unity.’               

 

Città Nuova spoke first to the new president and then to the new co-president on their election to office.

Maria, how will Chiara be present in your presidency?

I will ask her, moment by moment, just as I especially did in the past days, by going to her, visiting her tomb. Many things were said: ‘Chiara would have wanted this; Chiara would have said that.’ And what she said was being interpreted. So I said to her, ‘Chiara, what is it that you want? Don’t tell me what you wanted six months ago or a year ago.’ It seems to me that she answered: ‘I have always presented only one model to you, the forsaken Jesus. I want you to love him now, too.’

In that difficult moment, my only answer could be ‘yes’. And I did not feel alone, because in a movement like ours, based on a collective spirituality, we have loved situations of suffering together, together we have come out of them, and together we have rejoiced.

When did you realise you were about to be invested with a huge responsibility?

I intuited something during the first round of voting, because there was a convergence of ballots under my name, although I did not think that such a thing could happen.

However, when it became clear that the intention to build unity was greater in everyone than that of choosing one or another candidate, I became convinced that something enormous was about to happen to me.

How do you feel now, a few hours after the election?

Maria Voce She worked closely with Chiara Lubich for many years. A lawyer with degrees in theology and canon law, she was a student of the current Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. She is also a member of the Abba School, the Focolare’s interdisciplinary study group. Born in Aiello Calabro, in Southern Italy on July 16 1937, she met the Movement in 1959. She gained vast experience in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue when she co-directed the Focolare community in Turkey from 1978 to 1988.

I feel joy. The call to this task comes to me from the unanimous will of the assembly, and so for me it signifies an expression of God’s will.

It doesn’t change me very much because, if I have chosen to give my life for the Work of Mary, it doesn’t matter whether I give it as president or in some other capacity.

When did you first meet Chiara?

I first met her at the Mariapolis in the Dolomite Mountains in 1959, when someone asked me to bring a tape recorder to her house. I admit, however, that I don’t remember much of that first meeting.

I had actually met the Movement a bit earlier at the University of Rome, and it had had a very strong impact on my soul. I had the clear impression that there was Jesus among the people who founded and guided this Movement. I was really fascinated by the fact that no one person had attracted me, that there was something that went beyond each person, beyond Chiara herself.

Is it difficult to follow a founder of Chiara’s calibre?

It is certainly difficult to succeed her, and it is impossible to replace her, but it is not impossible, with the help of God, Chiara and the entire Work of Mary, for it to go ahead and continue to produce good for the Church and for humanity.

Chiara said that there would be not just one person to succeed her, but a group, a ‘body’. My only desire is to build relationships of profound unity with everyone in the Movement, at all levels, and also at the central level, at the leadership level, precisely because it will not be me who will bring ahead the work of Chiara, but this charism that she has given us.

The history of the Church indicates that the greater the charism, the more problems arise following the death of the founder. Does this concern you?

I hope that once in a while the history of the Church can include some exceptions!

Certainly you could be a bit frightened, looking back at what has taken place over the centuries. However, the new element that Chiara brought is a collective spirituality, and I am convinced that we will help one another every step of the way. The days preceding my election confirmed this.

What direction will you give to your presidency?

My intention is to give priority to relationships.

The Movement is seen as a group open to dialogue. Will you continue on this road?

In order to reach unity, one has to dialogue. And given the fact that our goal as a movement is to reach unity and be one human family, we cannot close in on ourselves. It would be denying the purpose God had in mind when he gave life to our Movement.

Chiara lived a special period of suffering in the last three years. Will this experience help you in the task you are facing now?

During these last few years I saw, participated in and received proof of a life totally given to the end. I was deeply struck at the moment of Chiara’s death, when she wanted us to share the intimacy of her last breath. I found myself in front someone who was able, because God had chosen her for such a great charism, to give of herself even at the point of death and to die in unity with others.

This was for me such a confirmation of what Chiara did during the whole of her life, expressed in those last moments with incredible power.                    
      

Giancarlo Faletti Giancarlo was born in Asti, Northern Italy, on September 14, 1940, into a farming family that was very active in social issues. As a young man he made a strong commitment to Christian volunteer activities and also worked with young people. In 1959 he met the Focolare through its magazine, Cittá Nuova. He studied economics and then worked as a bank administrator. Having been Focolare regional director in Genoa and then in Rome, he was ordained a priest in 1997.

Giancarlo, Chiara envisaged a lay woman president with a co-president who is both a focolarino and priest. What exactly is your role?

A female president is a new experience in the Church. My specific task is to live for unity with the president and for all that she has in her heart, offering any suggestions and contributions that may be useful in bringing forward the Movement.

I’m very much at peace, though certainly aware of my smallness, before the huge responsibility that awaits me as co-president.

Your Focolare experience includes a period in Genoa, Italy. The lives of three young people from the Focolare community there - Alberto Michelotti and Carlo Grisolia (servants of God), and Chiara Luce Badano (venerable) - have been officially recognised by the Vatican.

I was deeply and personally involved in the lives of all three of these young people. They went to meet God with their souls prepared by Chiara. Their lives were a fruit of the collective spirituality, lived in a personal way, yet immersed in the experience of a community.

The new president and co-president are both Italian. What about the international dimension?

The General Assembly did elect two Italians, but the international dimension is not lacking among the general councillors who will help us meet the multicultural needs of the Focolare communities worldwide.
                                                                  

 

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