Sometimes we get so busy with all the other Christmas preparations that we tend to forget the reason for the season. That's why, in this Year of Faith, we propose a project for the entire family: The Cube of Love Advent Calendar.

"May the journey we shall be making this year enable us all to grow in faith, in love of Christ, so that in our daily decisions and actions we may learn to live the good and beautiful life of the Gospel."

(Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, Saint Peter's Square, 17 October 2012 – Introduction: The Year of Faith)

Annamaria and Danilo Zanzucchi are first married couple entrusted with writing meditations for the Good Friday observance in Rome.

As announced by the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI has chosen Annamaria and Danilo Zanzucchi of the Focolare Movement to write the meditations for the 2012 Way of the Cross, which will take place during Good Friday observances on April 6th at Rome’s Colosseum. This year’s meditations will acknowledge the family’s vital role in sanctifying the world.

(Link to the meditations )

The Indianapolis Focolare community marked the beginning of Advent, reflecting in songs, words, a pantomime, and personal experiences the true meaning of Christmas. The December 4th celebration began with the local Focolare coordinators, Jim and Millie Komro, welcoming 138 people, half from the local Burmese community. 

About half of the 150 people attending the Indianapolis New Family Christmas Party were Burmese refugees, most of them parishioners at St. Pius X. In this mutli cultural gathering, the "language of love" overcame any barriers and made everyone feel welcome.

Each year the local Focolare communities from Woodstock, IL, Wheaton, IL, Appleton, WI, Columbus OH, IIndianapolis, IN and places in between have a Christmas “party.” This year the parties even reached to the other side of the world.

Over the past several months a small community of Burmese refugees has settled near St. Pius X Parish on the north side of Indianapolis and have begun attending Mass there. The parishioners have sought to fulfill the needs of these families through religious education classes, English lessons, and other help.

Love Generates Wisdom-A response to today's challenges

Thursday, July 23rd (evening) - Sunday, July 26th 2009 University of Scranton- DeNaples Center

See www.nymariapolis.org for more information.

be a family “If I should have to leave this world today and you were to ask me for one last word that sums up our Ideal, I would say “Be a family...” I would have Jesus in me repeat to you: “Love one another... so that all may be one.” Chiara Lubich,  founder of the Focolare Movement, Dec 25, 1973

Friday, July 11 after dinner to Tuesday, July 15 after lunch  Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN

Directions

 

Even though there is still snow on the ground for many of us, it is not too early to start thinking about our annual New Families Camping Trip in August.

The Fifth Annual New Families Midwest Camping Trip! Aug 14 – 17, 2008