Previous Events

5/4/2021
Online Event

The scale of human migration can be overwhelming—estimates are that more people are on the move in our time than at any time in human history. To each “number” there is a human face, a person made in the image of God. How can people of faith respond to this crisis in tangible ways? How can the Bible inform our response? To look at these and other questions related to the migration crisis we will be joined by a panel from across North America with a variety of experiences and perspectives on migration.

4/13/2021
Online Event

You will have the opportunity to listen to an incredible panel of speakers that will reflect on the impact that the thought of Pope Francis and the legacy of Chiara Lubich are having on the Church. The New York Times called Chiara Lubich “one of the most influential women in the Catholic Church.” And she was even more than that. Her spirituality has touched millions of people worldwide from different Christian churches, religions and cultural backgrounds. Pope Francis has been an active advocate for the leadership of women and has introduced women into many positions of governance in the Church.

PANELISTS

SALLY AXWORTHY was appointed Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Holy See in September 2016. Her previous roles include time as Joint Head of the North Africa Department, Head of the Great Lakes, East Africa & Somalia Department, and Director of Corporate Services in India. Mrs Axworthy took up her appointment in September 2016.

FRANCESCA DI GIOVANNI is an Italian lawyer who has worked in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See since 1993. In January 2020 she was appointed by Pope Francis to serve as the Undersecretary for Multilateral Affairs in the Section for Relations with States, becoming the first woman to hold a managerial position in that branch of the Roman Curia.

MAURIZIO GENTILINI, is the author of the recent biography “Chiara Lubich: Prophet of Unity”. He is an historian and archivist. He currently works at the National Research Council in the Department of Human Sciences.

AUSTEN IVEREIGH is a British writer, journalist, and Fellow in Contemporary Church History at the University of Oxford. He is author of two biographies of Pope Francis: “The Great Reformer. Francis and the making of a radical pope” and “Wounded Shepherd. Pope Francis and his struggle to convert the Catholic Church”. He recently co-authored with Pope Francis “Let Us Dream: The Path to a Better Future. In Conversation with Austen Ivereigh”.

ELIZABETH WALLIN is the Founder and Executive Director of Project Lia, a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to creating and developing a sustainable, community-oriented program for women impacted by the justice system. For the past four years, Elizabeth’s sole focus has been to redistribute community resources, elevate the voices of those directly impacted by the issue, and bring in business in support of the mission.

3/22/2021
Webinar

American culture thrives on a certain type of attitude: “You can do it if you try!” Yet, these last twelve months of the pandemic have upended these expectations and made us aware of our limitations and inabilities. Could we learn from those in our midst who live with more consciousness of their own disabilities?
In this webinar, you will hear insights from four panelists from across the globe who will share stories and reflections on the intersection between building community and living with disability.

PANELISTS

• Luca Badetti, PhD, promotes human growth and transformation through inclusive community belonging. Combining his background in disability studies, clinical psychology and theology, he teaches at Loyola University Chicago John Felice Rome Center. He is the author of “I Believe in You: Wisdom from community with persons with disabilities on believing in ourselves and the other“
• Lillibeth Navarro is a spiritual mentor, advocate, activist, speaker, writer, peer counselor, local and state commissioner both in the Philippines and the United States. She is the Founder & Executive Director of CALIF (Communities Actively Living Independent and Free).
• Stephanie S. and Jen O. are part of the Cleveland L’Arche Community, where people with and without intellectual disabilities share a common journey.

A Hearth for the Human Family is the annual conference of the Focolare in North America
This virtual event was presented on March 6 and 7, 2021. Over 300 participants from North America and around the world attended. We hope you’ll take a minute to view the presentations below, recorded live during the event, in hopes of inspiring you on the journey towards a united world. Click here to watch all the sessions and access the resources.

1/14/2021
Online Event

In his latest encyclical, Pope Francis highlights where our modern world has to change, from its economic and political frameworks to its approach regarding climate justice and war — topics that involve humanity as a whole. Thus, the pope invites believers of all religions to work together for a more fraternal world. How are our Jewish and Muslim communities reacting to this invitation? And what are their thoughts on the encyclical? Watch the webinar with Rabbi Burton Visotzky, Imam Tariq El-Amin and Fr. John McNerney.