LETTER OF THE HOLY FATHER 
JOHN PAUL II
TO CHIARA LUBICH, 
FOUNDRESS AND PRESIDENT 
OF THE FOCOLARE MOVEMENT

To Miss Chiara Lubich 
Foundress and President of the Focolare Movement

I was delighted to learn that on 22 January next, your 80th birthday, the Municipal Administration of Rome intends solemnly to confer honorary citizenship on you. On this happy occasion I would like to extend my fervent best wishes to you, as I join you in thanking God for the priceless gift of life.

After calling you through Baptism to become his beloved daughter, he wished to unite you more closely to the poor, chaste and obedient Christ by total consecration to his love, so that with an undivided heart you might be a messenger of unity and mercy among many brothers and sisters in every corner of the world.

In the footsteps of Jesus crucified and abandoned, you began the Focolare Movement to help the men and women of our time experience God's tenderness and fidelity, by living the grace of fraternal communion among them, in order to be joyful and credible heralds of the Gospel.

As I entrust you and all the good you have done in these long years to the protection of Mary, Mother of Unity, I invoke upon you the power and light of the Holy Spirit so that you will continue to be a courageous witness of faith and charity not only among the members of the Focolare Movement, but also among those you meet on your path.

As I again express my cordial wishes to you for peaceful days illumined by divine grace, I impart a special Apostolic Blessing to you as a sign of special affection and gladly extend it to all your loved ones.

From the Vatican, 13 January 2000.

IOANNES PAULUS PP. II