Focolare Movement

The Focolare Movement is a Christian new religious movement and international organization that promotes the ideals of unity and universal brother/sisterhood. It was founded by the elementary school teacher Chiara Lubich in 1943 in Trento, Northern Italy as a Roman Catholic lay movement. It remains largely Roman Catholic but has strong links to the major Christian denominations, other religions, and in some cases the non-religious.

The Focolare Movement operates in 180 nations and has over 140,440 members. The word "Focolare" is Italian for "hearth" or "family fireside". While Focolare is the common sobriquet given to this organisation, its official name when approved in 1990 as an International Association of the Faithful of Pontifical Right, was "Work of Mary".