The Church
About the book
In her way of viewing the Church and in her efforts to “be” the Church, through her charism of unity Chiara Lubich offers important ideas for living in this era of change. From the very beginning of her spiritual adventure, her approach was anything but passive. She encouraged an approach to Church that spoke of sharing in its life and generating it into life. She never considered it an institution outside or above the people.
In our contemporary world, many people ask, “What purpose does the Church serve? What does it do?” Chiara responds with a concept that is emerging more and more also in ecumenism, namely, that the Church has the task, within humanity, of being a catalyst for unity. And it can be this because it draws its life from God who is Love.
Endorsements
At a time when there is so much animosity between political parties, among communities and, yes, even in the Church, this book is a helpful reminder of what all people of good will are ultimately called to by our Creator: unity. The genius of Chiara Lubich’s Focolare Movement, with its emphasis on living the gospel in a radical way of love, is captured here in Lubich’s writings and speeches. Her profound insight into human weakness, human desires, and human needs reads like a “how to” manual for those who truly wish to change the current culture from one of division and strife to one of peace and understanding.
Ethics and Public Policy Center
Living a radically gospel-centered experience marked everything Chiara Lubich understood about the church as communion. This was true from her earliest encounters with Jesus in the Gospel of John until the end of her fruitful life. Chiara, along with her companions in the Focolare Movement, focused on the reality of relational love lived out for the love of Christ forsaken. This meant creating bonds of unity that transcend our deepest divisions. I call this missional-ecumenism. No one has better modeled this calling for me than Chiara Lubich. This most excellent little book will clearly shows how and why.
