For months now, friends, parishioners, and longtime companions of the Focolare Movement have been asking the same question: “Is the Focolare closing in Vancouver?”
The honest answer is both yes and no.
After a long period of discernment, our small community of consecrated members has been assigned to serve in countries where the need is greater. That means the Focolare house in Coquitlam — opened in 2001 and home to many years of shared prayer, formation, and daily life — will temporarily close.
But the Focolare itself is not disappearing. Far from it.
Long before any consecrated members arrived, families and individuals throughout the Lower Mainland were already living the “Word of Life,” the spiritual practice drawn from the Gospel that shapes our way of following Christ. When we consecrated members arrived, we simply found people already walking the path of unity.
Over the years, some of us worked within the Archdiocese of Vancouver — in PREP, in parish bookkeeping, and in a variety of ministries. Others taught, served, or accompanied the movement’s young people. Our work was not dramatic, but it was steady: building relationships, offering formation, and trying — imperfectly but sincerely — to live the spirituality of unity in ordinary places.
The heart of the Focolare is the desire expressed by Jesus in John 17:21: “That all may be one.” That mission does not require a house; it requires people committed to living the Gospel wherever they are.
And that is already happening.
This October, families gathered at All Saints Parish in Coquitlam for Mariapolis Day. Monthly family meetings continue around the region, with children’s programs held at the same time. Word of Life groups meet regularly, both in person and on Zoom. Many members are active in their parishes, serving in ministries that quietly strengthen the whole Church.
The closing of our house simply means that the charism is now being lived in living rooms, parish halls, classrooms, workplaces, and around kitchen tables — which is precisely where it is meant to flourish. Chiara Lubich, our foundress, described the “great attraction of modern times” as the ability to reach contemplation while “mingling with everyone, one person alongside others.” Vancouver is full of such places.
Our communities may look different for a time, but the spirituality of unity continues wherever people choose to love first, build bridges, forgive, and work for the common good. In neighbourhoods, at schools, at work, and in parish life, members continue to be the “glue” that brings people together.
If anything, this transition is an invitation to return to the roots of our charism: living the Gospel in simple, concrete ways, trusting that even small acts of unity can strengthen the whole body of Christ.
The house may close its doors. But the life, the relationships, and the spirituality that took root here — those continue to grow.
For those who wish to learn more about the movement or stay connected, resources remain available at:
focolare.org/en
focolare.us
focolaremedia.com
Ducia Dimatulac is a Vancouver Focolare member.
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