Chiara Luce Badano, an 18-year-old-girl, will be beatified in Rome, Italy, on Saturday, Sept. 25th, 2010 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Divine Love. We wanted to share with you our joy, and invite you to join in the celebration. The beatification will be broadcast live at www.focolare.org, also on Salt & Light TV (see www.saltandlighttv.org for time and channels).

A Saint of Our Times
She is called “a saint of our times” by the local bishop in Italy who knew her personally. He sees this 18-year-old, who died after a three-year struggle with bone cancer, as a guiding light (“Luce”) especially for young people. Asked if she talked about spirituality with her high school friends, she said, “Talking about God doesn’t count for much.  I have to give Him.”

Chiara Luce’s recognized miracle was the healing of a little boy dying from meningitis last year. You can read her story in the book “Chiara Luce: A Life Lived to the Full,” by Michele Zanzucchi.

Calendar of Events
Saturday, Sept. 25 at 4PM (10 AM EDT):
Solemn Mass of Beatification of Chiara Badano.

Saturday, Sept 25 at 9 PM (3 PM EDT):
Youth Celebration: “Chiara Luce: life, love, light” (see program)

Sunday, Sept. 26 at 10:30 AM (Italian time):
Thanksgiving Mass for Chiara Luce’s Beatification

“Young people, don’t be afraid to become saints.” – John Paul II

“One day she met God as Love, and she spent her life believing in this divine adventure…”
– Chiara Lubich