Chiara Lubich: a woman spearheads interreligious dialogueby Justus G. Mbae
In this article we examine the efforts of one woman and her religious Movement to achieve a meaningful dialogue with various churches and religions. Her name is Chiara Lubich and her organization is the Focolare Movement also known as the Work of Mary (Opus Marie).
Although she may not be a household name, Chiara has received several awards for her work in and outside the fields of religion. In 1977 she received the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion and in 1988 she was awarded the Augsburg Peace Prize, which is awarded to honour extraordinary efforts in the area of interdenominational dialogue. In 1996 she received the UNESCO prize for development and peace. This was an important recognition by a non-religious organization of the importance of the contribution made by Chiara and her movement to human progress. In addition, Chiara has received recognition from many other sources including universities in different countries of different continents. To date she has received nine (9) honorary doctorate degrees from these universities in recognition for her contribution to world peace, human rights, economy and social justice. We mentioned the 1977 Templeton Prize. This award is given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the area of Religious progress in the world. The award was given to Chiara partly in recognition of her concerted efforts in promoting inter-religious dialogue with peoples of different races and religions. The Focolare Movement, which she founded, is driven by the belief and a burning desire to bring about complete unity and love among all people. Its spirituality is informed by the last prayer of Jesus, in which He asks the Father that all may be one. "Father, may they all be one as you and I are one". (John 17:11) Asked about her impression of the presentation of the Templeton award in London, Chiara had the following to say: "It seems to me that the Lord used that occasion to open the Movement to another horizon. We already had friendly relations with the faithful of other religions in Hong Kong, Korea and Japan, for example. But that day in London, the contact was immediate and rather exceptional. After my address at the Guildhall in front of the representatives of many religions, I had the impression that we were all one, as if the will of Jesus had been realized. I was moved to see that the quickest to come and congratulate me were in fact the faithful of other religions. The first was a Lama Then four Jews explained to me with great joy that the Bible was the vine on which the Gospel was grafted . After that three Indians, members of the Sikh religion came forward. They described to me their efforts to bring Hinduism and Islam together. That immediate encounter with the brothers of other religions quite threw me and showed me the will of God. From now on we were not only to spread this spirit, this love, this life among the churches and Christian communities but to turn frankly towards our brothers and sisters in other religions to see what the Lord's plan was."1 It was in 1943, in the thick of the Second World War, that Chiara Lubich founded the Focolare movement. Its main charisma have been unity and love. Although Chiara is herself Roman Catholic, and although the movement was born within the Catholic Church, it does not limit or discriminate against any denomination or religion. Indeed, members of the movement are drawn from the Protestant churches as well as from other religions all over the world. In this way, the Focolare movement serves as a bridge to unite the various denominations and various churches without imposing their own beliefs or convictions on them.
Let us once again hear it in Chiara's own words. "I was in Germany in the sixties. I had never thought of ecumenism They asked me to speak in a convent, which turned out to be of Lutheran nuns. Also present were three Lutheran pastors, in positions of responsibility. They were impressed and said to me "Come speak to our parishes, in our Bruderschaften (fraternities). I spoke. And then they wanted to come to Rome to know more about us. At that time they had a really terrible opinion of Rome They considered it to be the center of "antichrist". But they were impressed by something they weren't expecting, by the fact that we lived the Word of the Gospel- this is what really stuck them, the fact that we not only studied and read it, but that we lived it. And so they wanted to do the same." This experience, which also marked the beginning of the movement in Germany, led to the establishment of a center for Ecumenical Dialogue where members of various churches live together inspired by the ideal of unity. Today, people of several Christian denominations (Catholics, Evangelical groups, Baptists, Christians of the Free Church) come from all parts of Germany to hold meetings and to experience living together in the spirit of unity and love. Inspired by the German experience, some Anglican priests and lay people invited Chiara to visit England and talk about the ideal of the Focolare Movement. In a meeting with Chiara, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Ramsey, acknowledged the hand of God in the work of the Focolare Movement and invited her to bring the spirit of the movement to the Anglican groups. Today, the Focolare is developing and promoting unity among Anglicans and various [denominations] religions throughout the United Kingdom. In Switzerland the Focolare is alive and well among various members of the Reformed Church. This was partly the result of Chiara's meeting and friendship with the Prior of Taize2, which also led to a deeper relationship between him and the members of the World Council of Churches. The movement is also active in North America, Latin America and Australia where many Christians of all denominations are reunited in the charisma of unity and love as preached in the Gospel and interpreted by the Focolare Movement. In all these situations, Christians realize, as Chiara observes, that there are more things that unite them than that divide them. "Ours is a living ecumenism. We feel so united, because of what already unites us with all other Christians, for what already unites us: baptism, the other sacraments, the old Testament, the New Testament, all kinds of things unite us Some look at the glass and say Oh! We are separated, the glass is empty. I say, no. We are united. The glass is almost full".
Promising, on-going dialogues include those with Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, and others in places in Asia from Korea to Hong-Kong, from Japan to Thailand and in North America and the Middle East. Today dialogue exists even with people without a religious faith. Some of these non-believers have rediscovered their faith after coming into contact with the life proposed by the Focolare. Others welcome this message of unity which goes beyond all barriers, and together collaborate to promote peace, human rights, to create harmony in areas of tension, in short to promote the civilization of love. But how did this desire for interfaith dialogue cpme about? We must again refer to the Templeton award. That event was doubly significant. The presentation, which took place in London, may be said to have been a new starting point as far as Focolare involvement in inter-religious dialogue was concerned. The founder of the movement is very clear on this. While I was speaking I had the impression that the presence of God was enveloping all those people like the light of the sun, and I was quite certain that God was present in a special way. I understood then, that we had to establish relationships with people of all traditions: that God wanted this. That was the beginning of our dialogues of love, life and prayer with the faithful of other religions, and in a special way with Muslims and Jews, because of the common faith in one God.3 So it was that Chiara and the Focolare Movement got more vigorously involved in the promotion of inter-religious dialogue. Let us illustrate this involvement with two encounters, the Buddhist and the Muslim. A number of contacts with Buddhist leaders culminated in an exchange in which some Buddhists came to Rome to try and understand the Focolare Movement better. This led to a deeper knowledge and appreciation of each other's beliefs. Chiara recounts the first such visit to the movement by the Buddhists. "These two Buddhists came to Rome, and then to Loppiano, our little city, a Great Teacher and one of his disciples, who is already a well-known professor, very educated. They came here because they had heard about the Movement and wanted to know more. They stayed in Loppiano where they were truly struck by the atmosphere of unity and mutual love, of the love shown to them." On a return visit to Chiang Mai, the second largest city of Thailand, Chiara was invited to give an address to Buddhist monks at the Buddhist University. The auditorium was bursting with young monks as the Grand Master introduced Chiara as "a world figure, a leader of international fame in the field of inter-religious dialogue." He then invited Chiara to narrate her spiritual experience so that it could be studied in depth at the university. With illustrations from her own and her colleagues' experiences Chiara demonstrated how the Gospel law of love became the secret of a new life. She spoke of four things necessary for love, namely, love everyone, be the first to love, make oneself one with the others, and finally to love the other as we love ourselves. She then spoke of the development of the movement culminating with the latest stage, the inter-religious dialogue. At a different function the next day, Chiara addressed a group of Buddhist nuns. After she had explained the Focolare ideal to them one of the Buddhist monks who had earlier visited Rome and Loppiano, Luce Ardente (his popular nickname) explained that what he had found in Focolare is "love responding to love," He continued: "If we live the way that Chiara explained, there will be no more difference among us: men and women, rich and poor, monks or lay people: we will all be priest for the others." With this kind of exchange and understanding a candle has been lit. One can only hope that with time there will be an even better understanding and appreciation of each religion and that the two will draw closer and closer in unity and towards the full realization of universal fellowship.
From our very first contacts with Muslims, we have been deeply struck by the affinity that exists between our two religions that trace their roots back to Abraham. ... But what immediately made us feel specially close to Muslim brothers and sisters was the fact that we share with you a profound faith in the love of God. As the Koran puts it so well, He is closer to us than our jugular vein. And we are also closely united to Muslims by the practice of a sincere, unselfish love for every neighbour.4 The leader of the Focolare movement was in Harlem at the invitation of the Imam, Warith Deen Mohammed, the founder of the American Muslim Mission. These two leaders of two million followers each had come together in fruitful dialogue towards an immediate understanding that will hopefully carry on into the future. Chiara's address was asked to speak on "Unity" and she was thrilled with this topic precisely because this is the ideal that the Focolare Movement lives. The goal is to bring into the world that unity which generates peace and promotes universal fellowship. The audience showed its appreciation at the description of the experiences of life found in living the words of the Gospel. When Imam Deen Mohammed stood up to speak, he said: "The idea that animates the Focolare Movement, is something that our souls are hungering for. For this reason I have embraced them as my friends, I admire them greatly, I believe in the movement I am open to their influence."5 And the spirit was not confined to the leaders alone. One Muslim faithful was heard to say: "We are one community, one humanity. Chiara's presence was so warm. I felt she was sent from God."6 On her part, Chiara too did feel the presence of God in that mosque. "The God whom we all love and believe in had created a bond among us and, in a way, had made us one. Undoubtedly, he was present there while imam Mohammed and I were speaking, filling everyone with joy, a joy that could hardly be contained."7 From what has been said above it should be clear that dialogue in the Focolare movement characteristically proceeds along four lines, namely: (1) dialogue within the Catholic Church itself; (2) dialogue with other Christian churches; (3) dialogue with people of other faiths; (4) dialogue with people who hold no religious faith.
Perhaps we need to be reminded that the work of inter-religious dialogue cannot be approached politically. Even though it is carried out by human beings, God must inspire it if it has to make any meaningful progress. Chiara's story also shows that we do not have to be especially influential to serve the cause of inter-religious dialogue. God uses us as we are. However, He cannot use us unless and until we are willing and ready to be used. God does not force himself on people. He waits for them to accept to be used. Another important observation to make is that inter-religious dialogue is not just about religion. To be involved in inter-religious dialogue is to dialogue with the whole man or woman. It is not enough to respect the beliefs of other persons. We must also accept the person themselves and respect them as they are. NOTES1. Michael Pochet. "Stars and tears: a conversation with Chiara Lubich." London: New City, 1983, pp. 77-78.2. An ecumenical order which also had its origin during the 2nd World War in the town of Taizé, France. 3. New City Africa, No. 17 (December 1997), p 10. 4. Ibid. p 11. 5. Ibid. p, 9. 6. Ibid. 7. Ibid.
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