By Jessica Kenny
The Focolare movement in Perth has been celebrated at a mass led by Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton on Vocations Day. Joining Bishop Don as concelebrant was Fr Anthony Rathinim, parish priest at St Denis Church, Joondanna.
The Mass was to give thanks for the presence of the Focolare in Perth over the last 40 years, and the closing of the Women’s Focolare Centre at the end of May.
Among the attendees were Oceania Zone Leaders Maria Cecilia Capuzzi and Augustine Doronila from Melbourne, Perth Focolarines, Clarissa Urban and Martine Casimir, and members of the Focolare Community.
In his homily, Bishop Don shared how the movement was established in 1943 by Chiara Lubich in Trent, Northern Italy, as a means of spiritual and social renewal against the destructive backdrop of WWII.
The spirit of the Focolare, he said, brought peace through the breaking down of barriers with patience for one another and a willingness to learn from one another – a metaphorical fireplace for people to gather around.
Bishop Don wished the Focolarine well as they continue to “work for the development of a civilisation of love – something we as Christians all need to do.”
In closing, he reminded the faithful present that “Jesus is the gate, the good shepherd, the way, the truth, and the life.”
While the closing of the Focolare Centre marks the end of an era in Perth, the community will continue to foster and share the unity they have been nourished by over the years.
Officially known as the Work of Mary, The Focolare is an ecclesial movement for spiritual and social renewal that was approved by the Catholic Church in 1962. To date, more than two million people across 183 countries have experienced the ideals and charism of the movement.
