Focolare?

[Orthodoxia]

Does anyone know anything about the movement Focolare? A friend of mine is in it, and I cannot tell much from their website.

 

[Guioam]

Well, I have never enountered it before but wikipedia does have a little on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focolare_Movement

Don't really know much about it.

 

[CorTortilla]

They seem like a very devout group. They believe that God is the only thing worth living for. that is great, but I sort of dissagree. I mean, then why would God make us in the first place if He was the only thing worth living for? Why would He promote family-oriented ideals? Why would He tell His people how to live?? He is the greatest ideal to live for, but not the only ideal to live for, and I am sure that its not what God inteded.

I think that YHWH made us because He was lonely. And, as you would love little newborn cute puppies, He loves us. He wants us to live our lives to the best of our abilites, dedicated to Him, but also to your family, your friends, to the pursuit of happiness, knowledge, and freedom.

 

[Nautica]

what is focolare???

 

[CorTortilla]

I just found out about it from reading the Wikipedia article. They believe that God is ther only thing worth living for.

 

[Rising_Suns]

subscribe.

 

[QuantaCura]

I get the feeling from reading their website I'm not sure if the unity they seek is necessarily unity in Truth. That being said, it has been approved by the Holy See in 1962 and reaffirmed in 1990. It seems to be focused on doing good work. The ex-members website seems to imply it is cultish.


main page: http://www.focolare.org/en/
here's the ex-members: http://www.focolare.net/

 

[Guioam]

It is good if they belive God is the only person worth living for. Wikipedia says they thing God is the only IDEAL worth liveing for which would be a bad thing but it is likely just a technicality that slipped through their fingers of wikker. I think it is a fairly common thing amoung christains to belive that God is the only thing worth living for.

As long as they focus on Jesus Christ and God the Father in Heaven and not The movment it self it is probably okay. That and Christs Kindgom as opposed to their little kingdom.

I personally don't like the feel of it but it is like impossible to discern alot of the time on the internet. You should just pray and wait for God to give you an answere. Seek and ye will find?

 

[faerieevaH]

I met some members of focolare at WYD, and they seemed to me like open and enthousiast young people, who were just on fire with their faith and dedicated to living a life of peace and good deeds.
That was my first and superficial impression...

 

[Guioam]

That sounds good.

 

[Franze]

They´re another good movement.

 

[D'Ann]

I found these links on Focolare as well.

http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=1194

http://www.focolare.net/

http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Religion_and_Spirituality/Faiths_and_Practices/Christianity/Denominations_and_Sects/Catholic/Movements/Focolare/

 

[Cat59]

I've always been impressed by Chiara Lubich and her writings and the movement is approved by the Church. However, I think like any of these communities, there is always the potential of cultish type stuff going on if unsupervised by outside agencies. I belonged to a similar community in my twenties and from the outside after, I could see how you could say similar things as said in the anti focolare site. It's important such movements are supervised by and obedient to the local bishops and allow scrutiny to prevent any such things happening.
But it's important to remember the early Christians, going off, leaving everything, sharing everything in common, living solely for Christ. Movements like the Focolare should be a challenge to us all to look at how we live our daily lives...

 

[D'Ann]

I've always been impressed by Chiara Lubich and her writings and the movement is approved by the Church. However, I think like any of these communities, there is always the potential of cultish type stuff going on if unsupervised by outside agencies. I belonged to a similar community in my twenties and from the outside after, I could see how you could say similar things as said in the anti focolare site. It's important such movements are supervised by and obedient to the local bishops and allow scrutiny to prevent any such things happening.
But it's important to remember the early Christians, going off, leaving everything, sharing everything in common, living solely for Christ. Movements like the Focolare should be a challenge to us all to look at how we live our daily lives...

Amen.