LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI
TO Fr JULIÁN CARRÓN
ON OCCASION OF THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY DEATH OF
MONS. LUIGI GIUSSANI

To Reverend Father Julián Carrón

On the occasion of the first anniversary of the death of the late Mons. Luigi Giussani, father and teacher of many young people to whom he pointed out Christ as the centre of their lives, I join in spirit you and the whole Communion and Liberation Movement to thank the Lord for the gift of this most zealous priest, in love with human beings because he was in love with Christ.

I remember with emotion the solemn celebration of his funeral in the Cathedral of Milan, which gave me yet another opportunity to note the esteem and appreciation which he was able to inspire around him through his teaching and apostolic works during the course of his fruitful life.

As I had the opportunity to stress at his funeral, what was most striking about dear Fr Giussani was his steadfast fidelity to Christ and his ceaseless effort to communicate the riches of the Gospel message to every social class. It is the task of his spiritual children to continue to walk in his footsteps, following his teaching and ever in communion with the Bishops and other members of the Church.

To this end, I assure you of my prayers, as I ask the Lord to obtain that Communion and Liberation serves the cause of the Gospel joyfully, persevering in the work begun by its venerable Founder.

With these sentiments and hopes, I invoke on this important anniversary an abundant outpouring of graces and heavenly comforts upon you, Fr Giussani's successor, upon his collaborators and the entire spiritual family which it is your responsibility to lead, while as a sign of particular affection I impart to everyone a special Apostolic Blessing, which I gladly extend to Mons. Luigi Giussani's relatives and all who treasure his memory.

From the Vatican, 2 February 2006

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

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