Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Castel Gandolfo (Agenzia Fides) – Maria Voce, one of Chiara Lubich’s closest aides, has been elected new President of the Focolare Movement. She was elected in Castel Gandolfo by the Movement’s General Assembly, composed of 496 voting delegates from the seven continents, in a nearly unanimous vote. The new Co-President is Fr. Giancarlo Faletti, who until now was head of the Movement in Rome. After Chiara Lubich’s passing away last 14th March, the election of Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti, marks a new milestone of the Movement’s story, because it heralds in a period of transition from Chiara and the first focolarini, who started the Movement and who have always been at its helm up to now. The new president’s first words were first and foremost of thanks to them, for the trust with which this transition has been accompanied. She said that she “is sure to find them as her first collaborators.”
Maria Voce was born at Ajello Calabro on the 16th July 1937. She has known the Movement since 1959 and has lived in the community of the Focolare for 44 years. Having studied theology and canonical law, she was involved during these past years in the recent updating of the general Statutes of the Movement. She is one of those responsible for ‘Communion and Law’, a network of professionals and academics who are involved in the field of law, a recent offshoot of the Focolare Movement. She is also a member of the Abba` School, an interdisciplinary centre of studies. She lived in Turkey for 10 years, where she worked closely with the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople between 1978 and 1988, as well as with the present Orthodox leader, Patriarch Bartholomew I, and with leaders of other Christian churches and with the Muslim world.
Giancarlo Faletti was born at Asti (Piedmont) on 14th September 1940, in a family of farmers. His father was a labourer and his mother a housewife, endowed with a sense of social sensitivity. Though he grew up in an environment that was not close to the Church, he soon decided become involved in both the world of youths and that of Christian voluntary work in order to be close to those who suffer most and live in poverty. At 19 years of age, he was struck by the Ideal of Fraternity and Unity of the Focolare Movement and at 25 his decision had matured enough to give himself wholly to God in the Focolare Movement. After finishing his studies in Economics, he occupied several administrative posts at a banking institute. Besides being responsible of the Movement in Rome, he was also responsible of the Movement in Genova and Lazio. He was ordained priest at the beginning of his work in Rome. In the coming days, the elections will proceed to elect the members of the Council. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 8/7/2008)
