The Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan and its external portico welcomed last Thursday more than ten thousand people who did not want to miss a new ecclesial step in the cause of beatification and canonization of the Servant of God Luigi Giussani (Desio, 1922 - Milan 2005), founder of the Communion and Liberation movement.
It was the closing of the diocesan phase of the process, presided over by the Archbishop of Milan, Mario Delpini, in the presence of people of very different ages, backgrounds and origins, united by the encounter with Father Giussani and the Movement.
The documentation relating to the diocesan phase occupies thousands of pages gathered in 27 boxes, sealed and sealed, which will be sent these days to Rome, to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints of the Holy See, where the process will continue its journey.
Three reasons for joy
“It is a moment of joy born from the experience of a grace,” said Archbishop Mario Delpini.
“A first reason for joy is to recognize in Luigi Giussani a man of God, that is, a priest who with his life, his words and his charism guided others toward an encounter with Christ.”.
A second reason is due to the recognition of Fr. Giussani as a man of the Church, as the Fraternity itself has recognized. Communion and Liberation (CL), and the Vatican Agency. The process, therefore, concludes in Milan, and passes to the discernment of the Church.
The third reason for grace is the recognition of the history that through the charism of Father Giussani “makes you protagonists,” said the Archbishop.
A message that touched the deepest part of his humanity
“Through his charism, many people of all ages and from all countries have recognized a word addressed personally to them, a message that touched the deepest part of their humanity, an opening of horizons that reached their hearts,” Archbishop Delpini added.
Davide Prosperi, Giussani, president of the CL Fraternity, expressed the gratitude and joy of the entire movement. “I want to express the immense joy of all the members of CL for this fundamental step in the journey with which the Church recognizes the goodness of the witness of Christian life of Father Giussani, for the Church itself and for the world”.
Thanks also went to Archbishop Delpini, Monsignor Apeciti, postulator Chiara Minelli and all the members of the Ambrosian diocese who have worked on the cause of beatification and canonization.
Now we must look ahead, towards the path laid out by don Ciussani. “We want to continue even more decisively in communion with the Pope and the whole Church,” he said in the presence of Dr. Linda Ghisoni, Undersecretary of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, as well as representatives of other movements.
The ceremony was attended by civil authorities of Milan and the Lombardy Region, and several bishops. Among them was Andrea Bellandi, Archbishop of Salerno-Campagna Acerno; Massimo Camisasca, The following friars were present: Ivan Maffeis, Archbishop Emeritus of Reggio Emilia-Guastalla; Ivan Maffeis, Archbishop of Perugia-Città della Pieve and spiritual advisor to the CL Fraternity; Giovanni Paccosi, Bishop of San Miniato; Corrado Sanguineti, Bishop of Pavia; and Filippo Santoro, Archbishop Emeritus of Taranto.
Giussani's books
October 15, 1922 marked the 100th anniversary of his birth, and thousands of CL members filled St. Peter's Square for a meeting with Pope Francis. The Holy Father expressed, among other things, his “personal gratitude for the good that it did me, as a priest, to meditate on some Giussani's books, I do so also as a universal Pastor for all that he was able to sow and radiate everywhere for the good of the Church”.
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