“Be aware that the fire that does not grow is extinguished.”
Silvia was born in 1920 in the Northern City of Trento, Italy and was the 2nd of 4 children. Her family lived in financial hardship for years because of the Fascist Party oppression.
Her mother and the local Sisters of the Child Mary provided her with a solid formation in the Christian faith and they became sensitive to others who were poor.
At the age of 15 she joined Catholic Action and soon became a youth leader.
She sought to attend the Catholic University of Milan, but failed to receive a scholarship and was deeply depressed. She then felt an inner certainty from God, “I will be your teacher.” She went on to a local college and became a teacher in a school for orphans.
This was interrupted when her peaceful hometown was struck by the horrors and atrocities of WWII. Amongst the destruction, she saw an untouched statue of the Blessed Mother of which she heard the words, “Devote yourself to me.”
Then in 1943 she consecrated her life to God and took the name of “Chiara”. Her experience of God’s love during the war was the topic of conferences she gave. She witnessed as the territory around Trento was occupied by Nazi forces with her brother joining the fight, getting arrested and tortured. She realized how everything passes, everything collapses, everything is “vanity of vanities” and “only God remains” knowing that “the salvation of the 20th century is Love.” She shared this in letters to all she knew and soon young women joined her in living what they referred to as a “divine adventure”.
Their radical way of living drew suspicion of fanaticism which she went to the bishop to discuss and he approved the Focolare of Charity a decree separating them from the Franciscan Third Order but charges against them did not cease and Chiara was tested by the Holy Office through the 50s and ending in the 60s with papal approval.
During this time, every summer, 10s of thousands would come from various countries to join her and the members to live this new lifestyle with God. She proposed a revolution of love based on the Gospel with a strong appeal for the youth.
The Focolare Movement has the features of a large and varied family, of a “new people born of the Gospel” and is officially known as the Work of Mary as approved by the Catholic Church. It is present in 182 nations and more than 2 million people sharing closely in its life and work to spread the message of unity worldwide inspired by Jesus’ prayer to the Father, “May they all be one” and to value diversity.
Her health suffered for a long period and she died peacefully at home on March 14, 2008. The Cause of Canonisation began just 5 years afterwards. Included were a total of 35,057 pages in 102 volumes.
https://www.focolare.org/en
For God’s Glory.
