Abstract: | The psychological condition of young generations is getting poorer and poorer, which can be
observed especially in difficult and conflict situations that require independent actions. This is
a considerable challenge faced by teachers and educators. Looking at a range of programs involving
measures aimed at preventing developmental disorders in children and young people, in particular
concerning the social and emotional sphere of their functioning, it is worthwhile paying attention to
those dealing with formative activities undertaken as part of Christian children and youth communities
founded at the turn of the 20th and 21st century. One of them is the Focolare Movement, established
during the second world war by a young teacher Chiara Lubich (1920-2008). Experiencing the
educational community of the Movement is a source of valuable material for analyses. This experience,
along with selected texts and speeches of Lubich addressed at children and young people
and analyzed from a hermeneutic perspective, constitute the basic source of the present analyses.
What follows from them is that formative actions within the Movement are conducted based on a coherent
program that supports an integral development of a person as well as the idea of living for
others through the participation in the community. The assumptions accepted by the Movement
pertaining to transcendence of the human being, interpersonal relations, and the attitude to the world
allow for demonstrating to young people that any life obstacle may have a positive side to it. Although
the source of these assumptions are religious charisma and experience, such formation performed
by the communities is not restricted to the faith-related issues only (i.e. religious education)
but includes all areas of life of young people. Seen from this angle, communities seem to be a place
for shaping the abilities to overcome life difficulties.
The educational ideas of Lubich are applied in diverse cultures around the world. Also, they have
been recognized by significant scientific and religious circles, which can be demonstrated by the
following distinctions: the Templeton Prize, the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education, the Human
Rights Prize awarded by the Council of Europe, as well as 16 honorary doctorate degrees, including an
honorary doctorate in education studies awarded by the American University in Washington (2000).
The author’s considerations may serve as a basis for further analyses, especially given that the
educational experience and pedagogical ideas of Lubich are relatively unknown in Poland. |