On 7 April, Maria Voce launched a challenge at the conclusion of her meeting with the Focolare Community in Washington DC: unity in diversity.

“Americans always see a new frontier to be crossed. This is how they reached the moon. Wouldn’t you like to reach unity?” Maria Voce said wrapping up her informal address at a meeting with Washington’s Focolare Community on the evening of 7^th April.

300 local members of the Movement had come to spend two days together in the nation’s capital. Their meeting held at the Catholic University of America was enriched by an encounter with the country’s history.

Marigen and Antonio, Focolare delegates in New York, with Dr William Vendley, Secretary General of WCRP

On April 3 leaders from the world’s main faiths met together at the UN’s Church Centre, to celebrate 50 years of the Focolare movement in the USA.

At the UN Church Center, where religions meet together, leaders from the world’s main faiths met on April 3rd to celebrate to 50 years of work of the Focolare Movement in the United States. The meeting was set up by “Religions for Peace”, and was hosted by its secretary general, William Vendley.

The spirituality of unity, a gift for our times, was the title of a study day to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Focolare in North America. It was organised by a group of academics who are involved in a project at Fordham University.

Fordham University, founded and run by the Jesuits, has two campuses in New York. The main campus is in the Bronx, while the Law School is in Manhattan. A smaller site, it is in the heart of the “Big Apple”, near the Lincoln Centre, the New York Philharmonic, the Ballet School… and only a few blocks from Broadway. It is a part of New York rich in art and culture.

New York, 4 April 2011. Mass in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral for the 50th anniversary of Focolare in North America. The mass was celebrated by Archbishop Timothy Dolan who invited everyone to bring light everywhere. A message from Pope Benedict XVI.

Red and black. Red vestments for the celebrants, and black the color chosen by the guest of honor, the President of the Focolare, Maria Voce. At the end of the Mass, Archbishop Timothy Dolan invited her up to the altar, put his right arm around her shoulders, and looking down at her from his full height said: “Come back soon! This is your home.” The archbishop was visibly happy, and his warm welcome was in every way anything but formal.