"An epoch-making moment, a new and unexplored time". With these words, Oreste Basso, co-president of Movimento dei focolari, opened this morning at Centro Mariapoli in Castelgandolfo the general assembly of the Movement, which will appoint the new president. They will appoint the successor of Chiara Lubich, who had been the founder and leader of the Movement for over 60 years and who died about thee months ago, the co-president and the other executives. The participants in the assembly also received the encouragement and good wishes of Benedict XVI that he expressed in a telegram signed by the cardinal and secretary of state Tarcisio Bertone. The Pope writes that he will pray for the Movement to continue "its fruitful evangelical testimony, according to the charisma of the unforgettable Chiara Lubich". He wishes "this important event may arouse generous intentions of a renewed adhesion to Christ and an increasingly generous apostolic surge in response to the challenges of the current times". 516 people will attend the assembly, composed of the outgoing executives and delegates from the five continents. The assembly will go on until July 31st. After a few days of preparations, the assembly will cast its vote, then it will discuss problems concerning the life of the whole Movement.
