The first of three instalments on an unforgettable meeting in Manila.

24 January 2010

 It was in a spirit of communion and gratitude that the Focolare family, which has been present in this country for more than 40 years, presented the evangelical fruits of their living of the spirituality of unity, some of which are having a great social impact.  Three thousand people met on 24 January to welcome and celebrate together with Maria Voce, President of the Movement, Giancarlo Faletti, Co-President, and a small accompanying group.

‘Be what you are!’ – this simple yet profoundly meaningful wish expresses what Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti had in their hearts at the end of the day spent together at the Philippine International Convention Centre, or PICC as it is known here, with some 3000 members of the Focolare from Manila and the islands from the northern part of the Philippines, and 300 members coming from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan.

It was an unforgettable day but extremely difficult to report. To give some idea of what it was like: there were songs, experiences, folklore, a peaceful and meaningful dialogue with the President and Co-President, finishing with a mass celebrated by two bishops and about forty priests. But that just doesn’t tell it all.

 All those coming from afar – like Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti, and the others from the Focolare Centre, came out of the beautiful hall, which was built by Imelda Marcos in the seventies, with a multitude of impressions – joy, peace, enthusiasm, admiration and maybe even a little amazement.

A spirit with a deep effect

For it is truly amazing what has happened in the Philippines over the past fifty years – from Marcos’ dictatorship to the peaceful revolution and re-introduction of democracy brought about by Cory Aquino, who died recently. Social and political life has been marked by various ups and downs from the presidency of Ramos, to the interrupted term of Estrada, and to the current, and at times controversial, Presidency of Arroyo. The country is now on the eve of new elections. There is uncertainty and an underlying tension, which could be dangerous.

 Over these years, within the context of these political events and the unquestionable economic growth of the country (although 80% of the country’s wealth is still in the hands of 5% of the population), the evangelical spirit of communion of the Focolare has penetrated in depth becoming part of both the social and the ecclesial life of the nation.

Listening to some of the people who spoke at the meeting yesterday you get a glimpse of this. ‘I’ve seen a real revolution take place in the prisons where we have introduced this evangelical spirit over the past 40 years’, Renè, one of the first young people to get to know the focolarini in 1967, recounts. Today, his face framed by a white beard, transpiring peace and serenity notwithstanding the many trials of his life, he tells how ‘every month groups of prisoners meet together to share how they have been living the Gospel. A whole day’s programme was organised in a maximum-security prison last May. When they leave prison some are welcomed and helped by the Focolare community to get back into society.’

 Teresa was also part of that group of young people back in those turbulent years between the sixties and seventies. Together with her husband, and now also with two daughters who are young professionals, she directs Bangko Kabayan, a rural bank, which is part of the Economy of Communion project, and has ten thousand clients. 85% of her clients are women from the poorer classes, who with great courage and initiative have managed to build a social dignity thanks to a programme of micro-credit run by the bank. Even the recent crisis has not managed to undermine the confidence of Bagko Kabayan, which, collaborating with other rural banking institutions and even with some rival firms had a decisive effect on saving the industries in the area where they are working. Not only has it survived the crisis and built collaborative relationships with the administrative institutions, it has shown that, even in the financial field, it is possible to work together with competitors for the common good.

Besides the long established work of Bukas Palad, which reaches thousands of poor people in the slums of Manila, many in the course of the day mentioned the aid given to the peoples struck by the recent ‘Ondoy’ typhoon which, last September, devastated the capital and many provinces.