New City Africa
New City is the magazine of the Focolare Movement spread n 186 countries in the 5 continents. Since the very early period of the Focolar, Chiara Lubich, its foundress, understood that the media can be a powerful instrument to spread the culture of the Gospel.
In 2006, the Citta Nuova Magazine (the mother edition of New City), celebrated its 50th anniversary. At the occasion, in her very important message to Magazine’s editorial board, Chiara wrote: “The media plays a crucial role in this time of globalization. It is not by chance that we speak of an “information society” that envelops the entire globe. It is a fascinating time, when a new kind of dialogue is needed among people, nations, culture and religions. And it is precisely during this time that God has brought about the Focolare charism of unity to contribute to the fulfilment of Jesus priestly prayer “May they all be One”.
New City Africa is one the 37 editions in 22 languages of the Magazine in the 5 continents of the globe.
Every three months New City Africa publishes articles and news on the Church, on our Christian faith, with an emphasis on Christian Gospel lived experiences in everyday life: in families, in schools, colleges and universities, at different work places in every human endeavour, environment, etc. Furthermore, New City contributes to our Christian formation to dialogue. The dialogue so needed today for the achievement of peace and understand among peoples. The Holy father, St. John Paul II had always encouraged everyone in a special way the youth to be open through dialogue among Christians from different churches, with our non-Christian brothers and sisters: with Moslems, Buddhists etc. and with people of good will.
All these article and news are presented from the perspective of the spirituality of communion. Spirituality that St John Paul II had indicated as the Spirituality for the whole church with his Apostolic Letter: “novo millennio ineute”.
Chiara Lubich sees the Focolar Magazine as “a positive outcome of globalization”. She wrote: “Only the Holy Spirit knows all of humanity’s urgent needs, questions and problems and reveals God’s plans for today’s world. The charism embodied by the Focolare comes form the Spirit… “Why then has it remained a small magazine?” We might wonder. Chiara answers: “Perhaps because it has its own distinctive traits and doesn’t tend to follow the many trends that come and go. It is not an entertainment magazine nor is it none of many illustrated periodicals on newsstands. Our Magazine would like to be forums for the opinions of those who, in one way or another, share its ideals of peace, justice, freedom and truth… If we look at our own cities, what people yearn for today is precisely a “New City” and a “fraternal city” where, beyond every division, we are sisters and brothers. Our magazine’s goal is to be path way to fraternity, a means of dialogue at all levels, and an instrument of communion and oneness…