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"We would like to once again affirm our affectionate devotion to the Pope and in this our passionate love for Christ and the Church". This was written a few weeks ago by the President of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, Davide Prosperi, to all the followers of the Italian Movement founded by the priest Luigi Giussani, who this Saturday, October 15, will be received in a special audience by Pope Francis in Piazza San Pietro.
More than 50 thousand people from more than 60 countries of the world are expected and the main reason is the centenary of the birth of the charismatic priest, theologian and teacher who, at the beginning of the 70's of the last century, gave life to this prosperous youth movement dedicated to evangelization, on the basis also of the social victims of those years, gave life to this prosperous youth movement dedicated to evangelization, which has since spread throughout the world.
The late Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, during the omelia for the funeral of Father Giussani in 2005, just a few weeks before his election to Pontefice, remembered how the Holy Spirit had been able to awaken in the Church, through this priest, a movement "that would testify the beauty of being Christians in a time when the opinion was spreading that Christianity was something difficult and something difficult to live".
Giussani, therefore, resuscì a ridestare nei giovani "l'amore verso Cristo 'Via, Verità e Vita', ripetendo che solo Lui è la strada verso la realizzazione dei desideri più profondi del cuore dell'uomo" e che Cristo ci salva proprio attraverso la nostra umanità.
A "rinascita" phase
Its members, who in recent years have been in trouble for many reasons - most recently some misunderstandings at the top level that have led to the early resignation of the previous President, the Spaniard Julián Carrón - are now in a "rinascita" phase that must lead to overcoming some misunderstandings, especially with regard to the change of leadership at the head of the Movement.
The Holy See has intervened to accompany this process, which is of interest to all the Movements of old and new generation, which today must follow the directives of the Decree on the exercise of governance in international associations of federates, private and public, issued in June 2021 by the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life. In addition, this Decree defines a maximum term of 5 years for those appointed to the central governing body, with the possibility of renewal but not exceeding ten years, except for the founders.
Building the common good
Returning to Prosperi's letter to the CL adherents (as the Association is commonly known), it reads: "A papa Francesco affidiamo, dunque, come figli, il desiderio che dal profondo ci anima di offrire, attraverso la concrezza della nostra esistenza, il nostro contributo di fede e di costruzione del bene comune a vantaggio di tutti i nostri nostri fratelli uomini, continuando a mendicare, anzitutto per noi stessi, Colui che solo può compiere la sete del cuore dell'uomo: Gesù di Nazareth".
L'evento in Piazza San Pietro
The meeting in Piazza San Pietro will start at 19 o'clock with the recitation of the Lodi's prayer, the reading of the gospel messages and the presentation of audio/video interventions by Father Giussani, alternated with songs performed by the Communion and Liberation choir.
The arrival of Pope Francis is scheduled for 11.30 a.m.; after the greetings of the President of the Franternity of CL, the testimonies of Rose Busingye (founder and guide of the charity Meeting Point International in Kampala, Uganda) and Hassina Houari (former student of the Portofranco Study Assistance Center, Milan) will be heard.
The day before, in the Auditorium of the Pontificia Università Urbaniana, the book will be presented. Il cristianesimo come avvenimento. Saggi sul pensiero teologico di Luigi Giussani (Bur)the first of three collections of interventions on the CL Fundatore's think tank. Interverranno il Cardinale Marc Ouellet, Prefetto del Dicastero per i Vescovi; mons. Giuseppe Baturi, Archbishop of Cagliari and Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference; Don Javier Prades, Rettore dell'Università San Dámaso di Madrid.
"Siamo coscienti del nostro nulla e allo stesso tempo pieni di indomita speranza in Colui che può tutto, nel percorrere quella 'strada bella' della quella don Giussani non ha mai smesso di renderci certi", ha chiosato Prosperi nella lettera agli aderenti dando appuntamento a tutti a Piazza San Pietro.
