Davao Archbishop Exhorts Mariapolites: Strengthen Yourselves to Be Ready to Face the World REMASE, Davao City.

Archbishop Romulo Valles, Archbishop of Davao, exhorted the participants of the Focolare Movements annual summer gathering called Mariapolis to draw their strength from this Focolare community experience to prepare themselves to face the world whose values are contrary to that of the gospel. This he said to more than 400 Mariapolites or participants of the Mariapolis from different parts of Mindanao gathered at Saint Francis Xavier Regional Major Seminary, Catalunan Grande at the end of the Holy Mass he concelebrated with Davao Auxiliary Bishop George Rimando and four other priests from Davao City. Each year, the movement holds a spiritual retreat called Mariapolis, which means city of Mary, in order to deepen and strengthen their life in the Focolare spirituality of unity. This year, they focused in a particular way on Chiara Lubichs teachings on the love of neighbor (Mk. 12:31) as taught by Jesus to his disciples in the gospels and explained through the writings of the saints, Church Fathers and popes. This years Mariapolis carried the theme: The Other, Another Me. Christians in fact are called to love their neighbors as themselves, and in this way, they enter the very being, so to speak, of the other persons up to the point of considering and treating them as another self. The Mariapolis gathered peoples from all walks of life including other bishops, priests, families, youth children and seminarians for three days committing themselves to build evangelical unity together in an atmosphere of a family where everyone is made to feel welcome and important being another Christ to be loved. The participants came from as far as Butuan, Mati, Compostela Valley, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and parts of Davao del Norte, del Sur and Davao City. Among the bishops who came to grace the gathering were Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla of Davao, Bishops Guillermo Afable of the Diocese of Digos and Juan de Dios Pueblos of Butuan. In his concluding remarks, Archbishop Valles encouraged the participants through words of appreciation for the contribution of the Focolare members in bringing their communitys spirit of unity in the dioceses and parishes and in different areas of society where they are present. The Focolare Movement or Work of Mary, is an ecclesial movement born in the heart of the Catholic Church, although it also counts as adherents people from other Christian denominations, other religions and even people who have no particular religious beliefs but are committed to work for the good of humanity. It began in 1943, in Trent, Northern Italy, during World War II and it rapidly spread to other countries in Europe and other continents. It arrived in the Philippines in 1966 and a center was opened in Davao City in 1987. -The Focolare Community of Davao-