The Language of Friendship | Ekklesia Online 20

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The Language

of Friendship

July - September 2023 - no 20 2023/3

Issue 20 top

Our feelings must therefore be interpreted and managed according to three fundamental coordinates:

listening to one's own heart, knowing how to listen

to the feelings of others

and, throughout all this,

letting God listen and read

and transform our heart.

From your heart

Hubertus Blaumeiser

Chiara Lubich and her parents

Carried by the Fire of Love

An excerpt from a letter written by the author to her mother just before Christmas 1944. She conveys her ‘feelings’ with openness and sincerity but also of how her focus on God, especially on Jesus crucified and abandoned, leads her beyond her own feelings.

Pope Francis - Knowing how to listen with the heart

Knowing how to listen with the heart

During the last four months of 2022, Pope Francis gave thirteen catecheses on the theme of discernment during his general audiences. Below are excerpts from three of these catecheses that are seemingly central to the topics focused upon in this issue of Ekklesia.

Vieira and O'Donnell - Authentic encounters

CINTIA MIRANDA VIEIRA

& NANCY O'DONNELL

Authentic Encounters

What is the role of emotions in our life and our communication with others? To what extent does cultural and family background affect our ways of expressing ourselves and how to ensure healthy interactions? While it is impossible here to go into depth in a brief article, the authors offer a few useful parameters. Nancy O’Donnell holds a doctorate in clinical psychology with specialization in addiction disorders and sexual abuse. Cintia Miranda Vieira, also a psychologist, is an expert in accompanying families and in conflict mediation

Maria & Raimondo Scotto - Emotions as a precious resource

MARIA & RAIMONDO SCOTTO

Emotions as a precious resource

The authors of this article, experts in accompanying couples, speak of a journey in six stages, one in which it is possible to learn to treasure emotions and manage inevitable crises arising in everyday family life. By recognizing and managing issues tied to emotions, a couple’s relationship can be strengthened and the tenderness between two people can increase as well.

Elisabeth Öhlböck - Becoming whole

ELISABETH ÖHLBÖCK

- Integrating feelings and values

Emotions and feelings are activated in us spontaneously and should not be neglected but emphasized so that we can process and express them according to the values that guide our lives. The author of this contribution lives in a Focolare community in Welwyn Garden City (UK) and recently completed her master's thesis on emotional self-regulation. She is currently working and studying in London.

Mervat Kelli | The seat of the Spirit

The Seat of the Spirit

Mervat Kelli, a Syrian Orthodox Christian, looks at the 'Heart' in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Marco Vitale | Psychospiritual development

The importance of

psychospiritual development

Marco Vitale, a priest in the diocese of Rome, speaks about the calling to collaborate in ongoing clergy formation and work focused especially in psycho-spiritual integration and accompaniment of priests and religious.

Stefano Fontolan | Evangelizatiuon and Inculturation

STEFANO FONTOLAN

Evangelisation and Inculturation

St Patrick is inseparably connected with Ireland. His feast, on March 17th, was already celebrated all over Ireland in the 7th century. From there it spread all over Europe and was then brought to America and Australia by Irish Catholic emigrants. Although there are many legendary details, there are only a few certain facts about his person and mission.

The synod in Rome | Paul VI Hall

ADRIANA MASOTTI

The Instrumentum laboris

The voice of God’s people in the working document

SR NATHALIE BECQUART XMCJ

An experience of

French Sister Nathalie Becquart has been Undersecretary of the Synod since February 6, 2021. She participated in the drafting of the Instrumentum laboris of the Synod together with a diverse group of other experts appointed by Pope Francis.

She is interviewed here by Adriana Masotti, a journalist who works at the Vatican Radio.

Sr Nathalie Becquart | An experience odeep listening

Maria do Sameiro Freitas | Synodality

MARIA DO SAMEIRO FREITAS

Synodality as a lifestyle

An outline of a course on synodality organized by the Evangelii Gaudium Center, part of the Sophia University, Loppiano near Florence.

popefrancis and pope tawadros thumb.jpg

The trusted path

The Coptic Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria, Tawadros II, who also bears the title of ‘Pope,’ was in Rome from the 9th to the 14th of May this year. Three moments of his visit can be seen as “milestones” for ecumenism.

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