The spirit of Unity
Nature as an ally
Meeting center Eenheid is located on a domain that was "discovered" in the 1930s by Paul Bouts, a priest with a training in naturopathy. As pastor of a Brussels parish, he was looking for healthy air for the children of the capital. He bought a US Army barracks from the war and turned the grounds into a camp site for youth groups. Later he came to live there, did consultations and started a store in natural products. The barrack was replaced in 1980 by a modern building that still houses classes and youth associations all year round.
Italian art of living
1944. Trent is under heavy fire. Life in the bomb shelters makes a deep impression on the young woman Chiara Lubich. She is inspired by the biblical words "May all be one". Together with a number of friends, she begins to live by those words. Their lifestyle stands out. Inhabitants of Trent call them "focolare" (hearth of fire). Soon there is a dynamic movement of people who join them. In 1964 this leads to the first Focolare town: Loppiano. The movement is spreading all over the world. Also in Belgium. A few families came to settle around the domain of Bouts in the 1990s to support his work and to continue it after his death.
A vibrant community
More than thirty years later, these few families have grown into a focolare town. Growth was stimulated by the construction of Centrum Eenheid, which came into operation in 2004. The "inhabitants" cherish the building not only as the place where they can experience beautiful moments together. They are also on hand to assist with maintenance and event organization for others. They are happy to participate in the mission that the building has been given through its history: connecting people with each other (across cultural differences, religious beliefs or social class) and connecting people with nature (ecology).
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