Open hearts and open dialogue: Focolare students visit Bossey Ecumenical Institute

Students from Montet participated in a class on Intercultural Biblical Hermeneutics.

Students also engaged in a dialog about how they experience and cultivate love in a multicultural and multi-confessional context. They explored the theme of the upcoming WCC 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity” and the lasting legacy expressed by Focolare founder Chiara Lubich in the short but powerful sentence: “Basta amare!” (love is enough).

Underlying that what connects them despite their many cultural, confessional, linguistic differences, new friendships were created and reciprocal invitations to visit one another’s countries were extended.

Yingying Jiang, a Roman Catholic member of the Focolari coming from China, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to meet students from the China Christian Council.

“I find it necessary to have a relationship, to deepen my knowledge of and to open my heart to them,” she said. “Back in China it was not possible for us to form a relationship, but here it is. Bossey does provide a friendly space for this dialogue.”

Studying ecumenism means encountering a group of people and seeing real faces, reflected Flores Paracha Regine, another Focolare student from the Philippines. “We are equal: we are living the same word, the same love,” said Regine.

Ksenia Smykova a Bossey student from the Church of England, expressed that it was a precious experience to meet Focolari.

“For me personally this visit became a chance to overcome a preconception,” said Smykova. “During the service they engaged us in extemporaneous intercessions—a form of prayer I did not expect from the Roman Catholic community.”

Priya Acharya, a Bossey student from the Jeypore Evangelical Lutheran Church in India, summarized his experience in one sentence: "Intercommunication with Focolare boosted and reaffirmed me in the importance of love and unity at the time of living together, much needed by all people of God.”

The two student bodies ended the day with a prayer in the chapel of Bossey.