Chiara Lubich gave a fundamental contribution to the rediscovery of fraternity, particularly during the last years of her public engagement. The present article tries to understand the original meaning that Chiara gave to fraternity. Her interpretation is rooted within the Trinitarian reality and, particularly, in Jesus forsaken; fraternity is deeply linked with the mystical experience of ’49. There is a “logic” of fraternity, that rises from the Trinitarian “logic.” As a matter of fact, on one side we may fully understand her conception of fraternity only in the religious background of the Christian faith. On the other side, Chiara’s thought on fraternity grew in the context of the new social Movements she was founding and developing, particularly the Movement for Unity in Politics. Within this Movement’s perspective, fraternity is proposed to all people in its universal human dimension, also outside of any religious affiliation.
Keywords: fraternity, definition of fraternity, brotherhood, relational paradigm, Mouvement for Unity in Politics, Augustin, Lubich.
