A presentation on the EoC was held during a Justitia et Pax's event.

By Sibilla van Haastrecht

The event organized by Justitia et Pax was called: “The economy for a better society”. It took place in Stockholm in the evening of April 25th. 27 people from various backgrounds participated in the meeting. Mr. Madeleine Fredell O.P. (Swedish Justitia et Pax Secretary-General) opened the evening. He spoke about the world's present challenges from the perspective of the encyclical Pacem in Terris (1963). Next, Br. Henrik Alberis O.P. (European Justitia et Pax Secretary-General) introduced three economic documents published by the Church which were inspired by the encyclical Caritas in Veritate (2009).

Interview with the author of the first thesis about the EoC in Cuba.

By Isaias Hernando

Without much fuss, the Economy of Communion has overcome geographic, cultural and political borders. The project was sowed in Cuba some years ago and it has already set its first fruits. Read below the interview with Ernesto Antonio Figueredo Castellanos, the author of the first EoC thesis in Cuba. He is a researcher in environmental economics, sustainable development and social and solidarity economy at the Camagüey Environmental Research Center (CIMAC).

Speech delivered during the International Conference "Patterns of Unity: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue on the Thought of Chiara Lubich (1920-2008)"

by Luigino Bruni

Taipei, Fu Jen Catholic University, April 13, 2013

1. Introduction

I’m delighted to introduce the Economy of Communion to you at this university. I’ve been to Asia and, though I have never been here personally, I know Taipei from its famous and dynamic civil and economic life. Therefore, consider this presentation on the EoC and its messages a sign of my high-esteem for your great culture and economy.

Let’s begin with some numbers.

1.1.    The world's new center of gravity.

The first diagrams are regarding the world's long-term international geopolitical evolution.

31st EoC meeting for students, scholars and entrepreneurs in Argentina

The Economy, an expression of Communion

April 26 - 28, 2013, from 6pm
Mariápolis Lia's Conference Hall
O’Higgins – Buenos Aires prov.
Argentina

Both present and possible future members of the EoC are invited to the conference, including entrepreneurs, students, customers, suppliers, young people, consumers and people in need. In short, the invitation is addressed to anyone intrigued by the project. In the evening of the 26th, the Solidaridad EoC Business Park society, UNIDESA, general assembly (an open event) will open the conference. The program will end with lunch on Sunday the 28th.

see invitation

Conference morning dedicated to the EoC at the Fu Jen university

On Saturday April 13th, in the Fu Jen University of Taipei, the morning of the second day of the International Conference on the Thought of Chiara Lubich was entirely dedicated to the EoC. The audience welcomed the EoC messages with great interest. In fact, in the past years professors of economics and business - such as Teresa Chan - have taught and researched into this topic.

Fu Jen Catholic University and Sophia University Institute promoted the International Conference:

"Patterns of Unity: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue on the Thought of Chiara Lubich (1920-2008)"

April, 2-13 2013
Fu Jen Catholic University,
Hsinchuang, New Taipei City (Taiwan)

The conference was organized to spur academic exchange among the three Catholic universities of Taiwan (Fu Jen University /Taipei, Providence Univerity /Taichung, Wenzao College /Kaoshiung). Sophia University Institute was invited by the Congregation for Catholic Education to assist the Catholic universities in Taiwan. Sophia therefore helped organizing this event.

In the one day conference on “The economy of giving” EoC entrepreneur's stories left a striking impression.

The Second International Conference on Philosophy of Economy was held on March 8th by the UCA's (Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina) Center for Economical and Cultural Studies. The title was stimulating: “The economy of giving and it's potential initiatives for Latin America”. The participants were mainly scholars and students of economics and other social sciences, but some members of civil society associations and enterprises were also invited. Theoretical problems and concrete challenges related to the economy of giving were discussed.

On February 22 in Kinshasa

On behalf of the EoC Commission of Congo Gibby Tshinoka proudly informed us that on February 22 Anastase Ngoy, a local EoC entrepreneur, was appointed “Peace Ambassador”. His wife and one of his sons, members of the Commission, and the Focolare Movement delegate in Congo took part in the event. Before celebrating Anastase declared that:

“We were named peace ambassadors without applying for it. Evidently there were observers, who inspected our lives and activities.

Remembering Chiara Lubich: an opportunity for dialogue with the Orthodox Church.

On March 16 in the historic building of the center of Belgrade where the Cultural Center “Pavlović Family House” is located, an event was held in memory of Chiara Lubich. During this meeting the local community introduced the Economy of Communion, which is one of the projects inspired by Chiara Lubich and immediately implemented in Serbia (today 19 Serbian companies are already members of the EoC).
The first academic presentation on the EoC in Serbia was held as a round table in a hall in which gatherings among friends take place since it was inaugurated.

The world welcomes the Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the new Pope who comes “almost from the ends of the earth.” Statement of Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement.

published in focolare.org  on 14/03/2013

«Together with the whole Church, I am truly happy for this moment, which shows the Church’s vitality and the freshness of the Holy Spirit who always finds a way to amaze us.

Besides the surprise, because he certainly was not among the cardinals most mentioned, there is the joy of thinking that this is also a sign of novelty for the Church today, which is living a special moment. This novelty began with Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation from the ministry as Bishop of Rome and was followed by this new Pope who raised an extraordinary echo all over the world.

February 9-10: A piece of News from the Usual Appointment of French EoC Entrepreneurs.

By Chantal and Josè Grevin

The usual formation weekend for French entrepreneurs which is held twice a year, this time took place at Arny, near Paris.  In the light of the topics covered during the weekend: ‘What have you done with your Brother?’ and the “Guidelines for Running an EoC Business”, entrepreneurs had the opportunity to express what transformed their way of being during the last few months.  In talking with workers, for example, two businesspeople decided to put the emphasis first of all on the person’s qualities and in one case, thanks to an unexpected moment of light,  this allowed them to find the right placement for a ‘problematic’ person within the company.

Interviews with the two researchers of the IUS who are Studying the Impact of the EoC on poverty, on their return home from Serbia

By Antonella Ferrucci

Cristina Viano and Jena Debbaneh, winners of the student bursary AIEC for research on the impact on poverty by EoC initiatives announced last year, worked at Loppiano at the IUS Sophia from last September and are now at Rocca di Papa for a period, at the EoC Commission Centre, to carry forward  their research  by working with both the Commission and the ONG AMU. In the first days of February Cristina and Jena participated in the EoC Mission in Serbia.