Visitors from Philippines help Catholics strengthen spirituality

The bishop, priests and chosen lay couples of Daru-Kiunga Catholic diocese in Western had a rare opportunity to reflect, share and exchange experiences and spirituality with visitors from the Focolare Movement in the Philippines.
The Focolare Movement is a lay movement started after the war by Chiara Lubich, who was an Italian Catholic activist and leader, in the Italian city of Trent.
Focolare promotes the spirituality of unity and has more than two million members around the world.
The visitors from the Philippines were lay couple Lito and Ethel, and two priests. They were invited by the diocese bishop to conduct the annual seminar for the clergy followed by a retreat which was aimed at strengthening the church’s spirituality.
The highlights of the reflection and sharing included understanding of self and others, and personal resilience.
The seminar concluded with sharing on the topics of family and youth and Mary as a model and mother of unity.
The participants were challenged to move out of their comfort zones to the gifts zone, meaning all that they received from God.
They were encouraged to love and unite with Christ always as a source and a fundamental step in building unity.
The seminar was enriching and a blessing for the participants of 16 priests and 13 lay persons in many ways while the visitors expressed content in sharing and also learning the experiences of building a church based on the spirituality of communion in the diocese.
At the closing Mass, Bishop Gilles Cote thanked the Focolare Movement members for their visit to the church in Western.
“We have indeed been refreshed and greatly blessed by your visit and your sharing,” he said.
“Our relationship needs to continue.”