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Profile of Claretta Dal Rì

Vida Rus: It is impossible to describe in just a few minutes Claretta’s long and rich life, which was intertwined with so many moments in the history of the Movement. Many might be able to share their stories about her, but we’ll listen to just a few of them.

Claretta was born in Rovereto (TN) in 1930, to a deeply Catholic family. Her father, who was a notary public, was known and respected in the city for his commitment to Catholic Action and in the St

Vincent Society. Her mother was a teacher and a housewife.

She had seven brothers and sisters, along with a boy who was orphaned during the war and became part of their family. At the age of 9, she wrote in an assignment that she wanted to become a missionary: to ride horses in the Indies, and for her training, she taught catechism to her dolls!

When she was 12 years old, Claretta was moved by an episode in the story of Blessed Capitania who, at the age of 11, had asked Jesus

to “Let me become a saint”, which she did. Claretta decided that she wanted to become a saint like her! She said: “I made a general confession and my life changed. I decided to go to communion every day for the rest of my life.”

Aged 15, Claretta was interested in music, painting and art...she participated in many Catholic initiatives at the time, and she was attracted to many beautiful things. She liked studying piano and was enrolled in a music school in the city.

She recounts: “One day, I was entrusted with the piano part of a composition for piano and orchestra, and 40 people who played the instruments of the orchestra depended on me! It was amazing! I felt a certain thrill: it was a new experience and there I was in the big concert hall filled with personalities and students: it went really well, it was a triumph.”

Occasionally, she would think about the great things she would do: “I am not thinking much about getting married, but about a group of naughty children and I’d tell myself: “I would be happy with 20 children”.”

She continued to go to communion every day, and she asked a priest for books to read to be able to “know God”; but there was a contrast between her research, her commitment to various organizations, her giving to others and her daily life at home and in school.

Her activities with Catholic Action were always numerous! She also went to demonstrations organised by the Christian Democrats and was a cheerleader in rallies to support what was being said.

At a rally held by the Communist Party, there was Gino Lubich, Chiara’s brother, and someone in

the audience told her: “He’s the brother of a saint”...Her impression was strong: could a saint exist today? Shortly after, her father told her that he met some girls and their movement. Claretta herself recalled: “One day, my father called me and my sister and introduced us to Vale

Ronchetti, one of Chiara Lubich’s first companions. “She is good”, my father said pointing to Anna Maria, and pointing to me he said: “She needs to be converted!”

There was something in Vale that surprised me: she talked of God, but it wasn’t something scholarly; the God that she talked about, she was in touch with! I was shocked. She told experiences, about the war when she and her friends discovered that God is Love, and they lived the Gospel. It was a torrent of living water that fully engulfed me.

I told Vale: “I want to do what you did, help me!” We said goodbye and agreed to meet the following day.

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The next day at her house, the adventure began! Every day I participated in meetings that she held in various parts of the city, and more and more people gathered around this ‘fire’. “I was in high school and my meeting with the Movement also influenced the way I behaved in school. My friends didn’t understand what had happened; I was usually very lively, I had 7 out of 10 for my behaviour but now I was quiet. My math teacher wanted to understand the change in me; in a talk with her, I said that I had found something that had also helped me to study – I told her this because I also wanted to love her. She wanted to know more, and so she began to come to the Movement’s community meetings.”

Three months later, in

February 1949, Claretta met Chiara for the first time in Angelella and Vale’s house in Valsugana, Pergine.

“I don’t remember what she said, but I had the impression that she radiated a great light when she spoke. She was the confirmation of what I had learned about the Movement from Vale.”

Her father was at first very positive about this new life of the Gospel with its love for the poor. But on hearing that there were difficulties in relation to the hierarchy, he became afraid. He knew the history of the Church very well, with its examinations and inspections. He was therefore in doubt about his daughter participating fully in such a movement; so, since she was not of age, he didn’t allow her to enter the focolare.

Claretta recalled: “It was 1950 and we went hiking in the mountains – on the Cimirlo Pass near

Trent, because Chiara loved to walk. We were around 40 focolarini and focolarine. Pasquale Foresi read to us the “Trattatello innocuo” (the history of the Movement that was presented to the Church); and while we were listening, we took turns to have a 3-minute talk with Chiara, with Marco Tecilla keeping time. I hadn’t yet entered the focolare, even if I had spent many wonderful times there. hen my turn came, Chiara gave me a Word of Life (a phrase of the Gospel): “Anyone who hears and obeys these words of mine is like a wise person who built their house on solid rock” (Mt. 7.24) and she explained to me that the rock was Jesus Forsaken; that is, I had not allowed myself to be influenced by the difficulties at Rovereto, but instead I had continued to persevere. It was logical for me not to leave the Movement, because, as I told myself: "who was it who had helped me get to know Jesus in a new way? Chiara!”

Finally, with the blessing of my parents, I entered the focolare in Rovereto on February 16, 1951. She went to Trent in 1952, and also lived in Milan, Parma, Rome and Switzerland, and in 1962 she

went to Holland to open the first focolare. From 1964 onward, she stayed at the Centre of the Movement where she was entrusted with various tasks.

From 1968-1978, Chiara entrusted Claretta with the growing branch of the volunteers,

distinguishing it from the (branch of the) focolarini, and Claretta devoted herself to the formation of the branch and its distinction as a particular vocation, with its own structure and the nuclei. In an interview in 2005, she spoke of those years as having assisted in the emergence and development of something that was a work of God within the Movement.

Maria Ghislandi writes: I was the delegate of the women volunteers in the zone of Milan and I

experienced how Claretta urged us to feel more responsible so that the design of our vocation would emerge. There were times of enlightenment and enthusiasm, but also moments of darkness and adversity. In these early trials at the level of the Movement, Claretta suffered along with those of us who were responsible for the branch, but this made us grow and, with Chiara’s intervention, gave us new light to move forward on our journey.

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Testimony by Laura Foschi

Ciao, Claretta, I was also part of the group of volunteers at the Centre, to have an experience of unity, that year when Chiara entrusted the branch of the volunteers to you. Your response was unconditional. You devoted yourself in order for the volunteers to become true daughters of Chiara at the service of the Movement, of the Church and of all humanity. Thank you, Claretta! Thank you because you helped us know and love Jesus Forsaken. You also made us discover that our actions, social initiatives and professional commitments could become instruments for the realization of Chiara’s dream to “bring the world in our arms to God” = ut omnes.

To us, who were young, exuberant and unprepared, you gave everything. You have brought us, with your abundant love and energy, to the heart of the Movement, and you

were there for us with Turnea when Chiara and Fr. Foresi met with the centre of men and women volunteers for the first time.

You were with us when we listened for the first time with anxiety and awe to Chiara as she shared the history of the Movement and those special moments of illumination that she experienced in the summer of 1949.

You were never tired when you went to meet the volunteers in various zones around the world for our formation and to keep us updated. You knew each one by name.

I keep in my heart the time when Chiara entrusted you with other tasks; your readiness and determination to let go and look forward to a new reality taught me to live the present moment more solemnly.

With much love, you brought us to an unconditional and profound unity with Dori, encouraging us not to look back to the past or to make comparisons. You told us: “Immerse yourself even more with generosity to this new will of God”.

Thank you, Claretta, for everything and for always! Continue praying for me and for all the volunteers. Vida Rus:

From 1978, she was assigned to the Centre of the Focolarine and she began to devote herself to the then newly-formed Centre of dialogue with persons with non-religious convictions.

That year, Chiara entrusted this

task to Claretta and Piero Pasolini. Claretta accepted it joyfully, knowing that she was starting something new in the Movement. In 1983, Arnaldo Diana took over from Piero, followed by Carlos Claria and Franz Kronreif.

In the following 20 years, various congresses were held for these “friends” of the Movement, of whom Chiara said: “Without you, the Movement would lose its identity”. At the gatherings held in 1985 and 1998, Claretta rejoiced at the presence of

Chiara, who personally responded to the questions of the Friends with non religious convictions, as she saw them as a fundamental part of the Movement.

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After the General Assembly in 2008, Claretta remained at the service of the Movement in the General Council as co-responsible for this dialogue.

Personally, I got to know Claretta more closely in the 1990s, when she visited countries in Eastern Europe, bringing them the life of the Centre.

When her health started failing in 2012, I came to replace her. She welcomed me with joy and handed over the task. Even though she couldn’t come personally, she supported me through emails; with her gaze that shone with a special light each time I gave her news of the persons who were part of the groups for the Dialogue. In October, as a precious gift for everyone, she completed the history on the development of the Dialogue with persons of non-religious convictions.

Last October, I received a letter from Claretta asking me to take care of a painting that Chiara had

given to the Centre for Dialogues with this explanation: “It seems to represent the North Pole, and the bright sun is rising and has begun to make a crack in this slab of ice. It is the world of today, it’s all ice; and that crack in the ice is what we must make”. Claretta, here we are, in a special way: Angela, Nella Simonetta, Andrew and many friends from our Dialogue: we promise you that we will continue to work together with the entire Movement to widen that crack in the ice of the world, to bring to it the warmth of a united human family. From Pasquale Lubrano

My encounter with Claretta dates back to the 1960s-1970s, when she was still writing for New City. I loved pop music and I read her articles and interviews with singers. When I met her at a gathering for New Humanity, I was surprised to learn that she was a focolarina. It became clear to me then that the life of the Ideal of unity touched on all realities of humankind, illuminating them with love. I was struck by her kindness, her smile and her piercing green eyes, and I never imagined that a few years later, I would be with my wife Angela as the zonal responsible for the Dialogue with persons of other convictions. I still remember the Dialogue meetings at Loppiano and the firm gentleness that came from her great faith in loving everyone without exception.

We built together the new reality of the Movement, the dialogue with those who do not believe in God, which became more prominent in the 1980s.

I think that it was also her concrete love that opened the infinite horizons of dialogue for us, allowing us to enter into Chiara’s soul and imprinting on our hearts the fact that the essence of the Movement is dialogue, which means to be always open to all human realities.

It was a great joy to see you last month in the hospital. Your radiant face even in suffering was indescribable. A timeless smile, through which you still loved us. Those few words that I will never forget: the fourth dialogue – Paradise.

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Thank you, Claretta, because you made me realize that diversity among people is of great value (...).Chiara surely knew that with the symphony of your life you would enable all of us, believers or not, to be her children, and for this we are forever grateful to you.

All the Friends of the Movement of persons with non-religious convictions remember Claretta with

great affection. Luciana Scallaci of Sesto Fiorentino writes: Dearest Claretta, I’m sorry I cannot come in person to bid you a final farewell. Health problems

prevent me from doing so, but you know that I am very close to you and I am with you with all my love in your final journey. All my thanks and gratitude for what you have done in your life in service to others, for your efforts alongside Chiara for “ut unum sint”. Thank you, Claretta, for all you have done for me personally, you have always been near, accompanying me even on tiptoe, in my experience with and in the Movement. We’ve made a long journey together, often uphill, but always sweetened by your ability to understand and keep going. Thank you for the trust you always placed in me! (...) If it was possible for someone from the fourth dialogue to attend the Assembly of the Movement in October 2014, it is the result of all that has been sown over the years.

I embrace you together with Nicola, for whom you always had a special place in your heart. Luciana

And Piero Nuzzo from Rome: I owe the greatest discovery of my life – that of dialogue – to two people who are and will forever remain in my heart. For me, Claretta and Carlos represent the most radical and significant change in my life. The gratitude and love I have for them is infinite.

From 2002-2008 together with Carlos Claria, Claretta also followed the aspect on “Unity and means of communication”. Cesare will share with us his experience of that period.

Cesare Borin - his experience

There were several opportunities to meet with her and Carlos for various matters regarding this aspect. This was the time when the Internet was beginning, along with satellite transmissions, and the start of the computerization of the archives of the Movement. There were moments when we were often faced with technical problems that she did not know in detail: her comments were always measured, humble and very wise, without a shadow of judgment. On all occasions she made us feel – not just with words – her unconditional trust, as well as giving us the certainty of unity with Chiara.

It was only in later years that I realized the significance of her constant and faithful presence which, on its own, clarified what was truly important to we who were young and impetuous, without taking over our duties.

In recent years when she passed by my office, she would drop by for a quick and personal greeting, with her sincere and loving smile.

She often sent me a short email with a greeting and her personal thanks at Christmas (even this last one) and once she said: “Thank you again for what you did for me when I worked at the Centre”. Naturally the opposite is true!

But how did Claretta address all these diverse tasks? She herself wrote in profound communion:

“Here at the Centre, to stand on your own two feet you must be alone with God. I thought of Mary Desolate, she who is alone, who loses everything. I understood that if I am alone with God, there is unity and I can see what needs to be done (...).

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Elisabetta who was in the focolare with Claretta in recent years will tell us something about their experience.

Elisabetta Somazzon:

I came to Claretta’s focolare in January 2012. In everyday life, my conversations with Claretta were focused, true and rooted in God. At mealtimes, she often shared experiences on the Word and so helped us to share them. She stopped us with simplicity when comments about people or situations were made that did not spring from love.

What struck me most was the trust with which she communicated to us what was in her soul, even in difficult moments.

Last June she moved to a new focolare. Right away she immersed herself in this new reality. She often asked Giuliana, the one responsible of the focolare, to tell her about any shortcomings so as to improve, and to help her not to dwell on her health limitations, such as her hearing loss, to be able to grow in love. She continued to work – when she could – doing little tasks in the focolare.

Last November, a new phase began for Claretta, starting with an operation; her situation was very serious. After the surgery, as soon as she could Claretta made several phone calls to thank people and also to apologize to those she felt she need to, those who lived with her. This was done very simply, in her own focused style.

Shortly afterwards, she was admitted to hospital again. She was in a room with four beds, and she had a smile for anyone who approached her. Although she was suffering a lot and on oxygen, her face was peaceful. Another patient said: “She is my angel”. Those of us with her knew where that peacefulness came from: it was her desire to do the will of God, which she increasingly asked us to confirm for her.

Ten days ago, she returned “home”: to a focolare dedicated for those focolarine who need special care. Everyone was glad to see her and she was visibly happy. During those days many were able to visit and greet her. She died peacefully in her sleep in a divine atmosphere on Thursday morning around 7am.

To conclude, here are some extracts from her many letters to Chiara where she simply opened her heart.

1990:“I made a Pact with you to die rather than to not go beyond the ‘Wound’ (of suffering) and

rather than not love Mary Desolate. It was a very big step for me that has brought light to all these recent years. It seems to have put me into what is eternal and given everything its rightful value...I feel that God has taken hold of my soul and established it so firmly that it can no longer go out of balance. (08.05.1990)

From her most recent writings: (…) I understood more deeply that to love is everything; because I

no longer have work or outside commitments, I see that trying to love the focolarine in the focolare in the little things I can do helps me a lot, such as putting something away or washing the dishes...I feel that I can do this with greater attention, even though slowly and wearily. I can give everything...

(…) The thing that often comes back to me and gives value to my life is to live the present moment

with all my heart, to accept a situation, a change, a misunderstanding, an emptiness. I would say this has become the most important thing; this is where I find peace.

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And her wish, shared with Chiara in 1999: “I too would like to be remembered as a ‘soul who married’ Jesus Forsaken. It is my vocation. (...): ‘I want to seek the one whom my soul loves’. With God’s help, I will do so”. (Rocca di Papa, 14.11.1999)