Huge Crowd at Manila Cathedral Honors Focolare Foundress Chiara Lubich

The first Focolarinos arrived in Manila in February 1966, and from May to June that year established Focolare communities called "Mariapolises" in five cities and towns.

MANILA (UCAN) - People who attended a March 18 requiem Mass here for Chiara Lubich recalled encounters with the Focolare foundress, whose life they say united people and reflected God's love.

About 1,000 lay Catholics and Religious joined the Mass at Manila Metropolitan Cathedral just hours before Lubich's interment in Rome, where the 88-year-old leader of the worldwide Focolare Movement died on March 14. Focolare is largely a lay Catholic movement, but reaches out to others.

Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, and Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales of Manila led the Mass. Five Philippine bishops and 27 priests concelebrated.

Focolare members belonging to the Protestant and Greek Orthodox Churches as well as Hindu and Buddhist communities in the country also attended.

After Communion, Archbishop Adams read Pope Benedict XVI's message on Lubich's death. Praising her for her loyalty to the Church and her work on ecumenism and peace, the pope prayed her followers would keep her charism alive.

Auxiliary Bishop Roberto Mallari of San Fernando, Pampanga, who has been involved with Focolare since he was a seminarian, preached at the Mass. He recounted the life of Lubich, who was born in 1920 in Trent, northern Italy.

In 1943, Lubich, a young teacher, took a vow of celibacy as a Catholic laywoman despite her confessor's discouragement, Bishop Mallari recalled. After World War II, she sought to revive a "new humanity" in Europe and founded the Focolare movement based on a spirituality of unity. Today, Focolare claims millions of members in 182 countries.

Cardinal Rosales, also speaking after Communion, noted how "the Lord came upon this young woman," and inspired her and her group to see that unity was possible amid the debris of war.

Evangelical Methodist Pastor Ferdinand Mercado recalled his meetings with Lubich, including at the Dialogue of Life Conference at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence outside Rome. There, he said, the Focolare foundress "expressed the importance of religion while emphasizing the value of relationship" so that "I almost forgot my religious affiliations."

Dominican Father Alberto de la Rosa, acting rector of the University of Santo Tomas, pulled out a handkerchief and shared about Lubich's 1997 visit to accept an honorary doctorate in theology from his pontifical university.

"I saw that Chiara was sweating profusely, so I offered her my handkerchief. Later, her aide gave her a fresh one which she gave to me, but I saw there was still some moisture on her face so I wiped it away," the priest said. People in the congregation laughed when he said that should Lubich be canonized, he would have a "first-hand relic."

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Some Focolare members shared with UCA News their experience of the movement.

Among early Philippine members was newspaper columnist William Esposo. Now 57, the wheelchair-bound Focolarino, as a male Focolare member is called, said that joining the movement in 1967 "was like being one of the 12 Apostles."

"I was a fresh high-school graduate impressed by the simplicity of Chiara's ideas, and her spirituality and the genuineness of the other members," Esposo said. Calling the movement a "work in progress," he said that while the foundress's death "saddened" him, he believes Focolare has gained "strength in heaven."

Businessman Jess Sy, who joined Focolare 17 years after Esposo, said Lubich "has taught me not just to be a member, but to live the Gospel message of love everyday in my life."

The first Focolarinos arrived in Manila in February 1966, and from May to June that year established Focolare communities called "Mariapolises" in five cities and towns. More centers were later established around the country.

From their base in the Philippines, members established centers elsewhere in the region now grouped into the Hong Kong, Japan-Korea, Thailand, Australia and Philippine "zones."

In 1982, Lubich visited Japan, Korea, Thailand and the Philippines. In the Philippines she founded the School of Oriental Religions, School for Priests, and Mariapolis Peace Center, all in Tagaytay, south of Manila.

During more than four decades in the country, Focolare has launched social projects and promoted a spirituality-based economics called "Economy of Communion." It has organized projects aimed at promoting education, family unity, Christian unity, interreligious dialogue, Marian spirituality and spirituality of youth.

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Republished by Catholic Online with permission of the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News), the world's largest Asian church news agency (www.ucanews.com).