by Munehiro Niwano, dean of the Gakurin Institute of the Risshō Kōsei-kai
Stories from life/2: “It was like attending the Hoza meetings.”
Only six months after I arrived in Italy, I enrolled in some courses in philosophy. It was a quite daring choice – considering my knowledge of Italian. When I moved from the study of philosophy to theology, my Italian had not improved much. Communicating and studying were a problem and this made me feel isolated.
During my third year in Italy – while still facing this problem – I went to Rocca di Papa and met Enzo Fondi and Natalia Dellapiccola. They were among Chiara’s first companions and were responsible for the Interfaith Dialogue Center of the Focolare Movement. Speaking with them and other members of the Center I felt at ease. I shared my concerns regarding my studies and my difficulty with the language. While doing so – in spite of my many grammatical errors – I realized I had been able to communicate how I really felt inside. This deeply heartened me.
That was when I met Donato Falmi - the director of the publishing house Città Nuova [Living City]. Donato had studied philosophy and theology, and had lived four years in Japan. He was the one who was really able to help me.
My Italian improved as we met weekly - even though Donato always spoke more than I. The more we met, the more confident I became in expressing my thoughts in Italian. Donato not only helped me with my grammar, but he really understood what I felt and thought. Every time we met I came home happy. Even my wife took notice of this. With Donato the negative thoughts I had also disappeared.
Our weekly meetings were for me like attending a Risshō Kōsei-kai meeting called “Hoza”. This is a meeting for our members where we try to reflect on our daily lives in the light of Buddha’s teachings from the Sūtra of Lotus. Of course, Donato did not explain the Buddhist doctrine to me. He spoke and lived as a Christian. I felt he loved me, though, as he had learned to do in Chiara’s Movement and this enlightened and heartened me.
Taken from the presentation of the book “Incontrarsi nell’Amore. Una lettura cristiana di Nikkyo Niwano” [Love makes us meet. A Christian reading of Nikkyo Niwano] by Cinto Busquet, Rome December 2009
Bellissima esperienza che ci fa sentire una cosa sola . Grazie.1.gb
Che esperienza forte e certamente anche bellissima! Gesú (in Donato) parla tutte le lingue e si fa capire da chiunque é di buona volontá. Mi sembra un bell’esempio proprio di questo: l’amore non ha barriere.
Stò incominciando a guardare e sfruttare, oggi , quanto state facilitandoci in questo : Focolare Asia Tour.
Incominciavo dalle impressione, due molto, molto Belle, e ni sono trovato già pronto, riempito e pronto per
dirvi del mio cuore e anima in questa inmensa gratitudine ed Avventura (…) che viviamo “come” abbracciando il mondo inter col vivere (…) il Vangelo, scoprendo, cogliendo, donando, il Suo Amore infinito.
Ma, in questo momento mi trovo piena della gioia per le realtà della liturgia della Parola di Dio per
questa Domenica (2ª del Tempo Ordinario). Una per il “desposarci” di Dio, personalmente e come popolo Suo. E d’una altra parte, stà il come interviene Marìa.
Perchè lo dico anche cuì, perchè mi sembra stiamo vivendo (…) in una abbondanzia di Sua Presenza e Pienezza di Sue grazie e Doni, che non posso non ringraziarvi per il peculiare “volto” che vivete e siete lì in Asia. E in più la Gioia, la Festa che è sempre la Sua venuta, in questo inizio dell’Anno 2010, niente meno che ad Asia : con EMMAUS e Giancarlo.
Scusate, tante parole … ma, davvero contate seguo, prego ed offro, tutto, tutto, tutto, con i particolari che ci sono nel programma d’ogni giorno. 1! marilola.
Hola: Al leer la experiencia, hemos sentido que el amor traspasa las fronteras de las religiones, y como el sueño de Chiara, el amor abraza el mundo, además es concreto. Esto nos anima a intensificar nuestro empeño de construir la unidad en donde estemos. ¡Gracias por circular la vida!
Cuenten con nosotras!