Pope Leo: curb the sowers of hatred, they lead us back to barbarism and violence

"The poison of division and conflict tends to pollute hearts and social relations and must be countered with the evangelical witness of unity, dialogue, forgiveness and peace". This was said Pope Leo in his audience to the Focolare Movement. "Also through you, God has prepared for Himself, in the past decades, a great people of peace, which precisely at this moment in history is called to act as a counterbalance and a curb to so many sowers of hatred who lead humanity back to forms of barbarism and violence".

"All of you," said Pope Leo, "have been attracted by the charism of the Servant of God Chiara Lubich, which has shaped your personal existence and the style of your community life. Every charism in the Church expresses an aspect of the Gospel that the Holy Spirit brings to the forefront in a specific historical period, for the good of the Church itself and the whole world. For you it is the message of unity: unity among human beings that is the fruit and reflection of Christ's unity with the Father. You live this spirit of unity first of all among yourselves, and you witness it everywhere as a new possibility of fraternal life, reconciled and joyful, among people of different ages, cultures, languages and religious beliefs".

"It is a seed, simple but powerful," added the Pontiff, "that attracts thousands of women and men, arouses vocations, generates a drive for evangelisation, but also social, cultural, artistic, economic works, which is a ferment of ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue. This ferment of unity is much needed today, because the poison of division and conflict tends to pollute hearts and social relations and must be countered with the evangelical witness of unity, dialogue, forgiveness and peace'.

"In this time, you are called to discern together which aspects of your common life and apostolate are essential, and therefore must be maintained, and which are instead the tools and practices that, although in use for some time, are not essential to the charism, or that have presented problematic aspects and are therefore to be abandoned," the Pope admonished, stressing that this is a phase that "also demands a strong commitment to transparency on the part of those who have roles of responsibility, at all levels. Leo said "that the involvement of members is always an added value: it stimulates growth, both of individuals and of the Work, it brings out the latent resources and potential of each one, it gives responsibility and promotes the contribution of all. The responsibility of common discernment, entrusted to all of you, also embraces the way in which the charism of unity should be translated into styles of community life that let the beauty of the evangelical novelty shine through and, at the same time, respect the freedom and conscience of individuals, valuing the gifts and uniqueness of each one'.

"Maybe you brought a packed lunch or something while you were waiting". The Pope arrives over an hour late to the audience with the Focolare Movement and jokes, apologising with a joke. "Many thanks for your patience and sorry but the morning went a bit like this. But I'm glad you waited."