{"id":24322,"date":"2009-02-11T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-02-11T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/2009\/02\/communion-liberation-observes\/"},"modified":"2009-02-11T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2009-02-11T12:00:00","slug":"communion-liberation-observes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/2009\/02\/communion-liberation-observes\/","title":{"rendered":"Communion &#038; Liberation observes 27 years of Church approval"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image\" style=\"DISPLAY: inline\"><a href=\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/LG%20%26%20JPII.JPG\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mt-image-left\" style=\"FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 20px 20px 0px\" height=\"288\" alt=\"LG &amp; JPII.JPG\" src=\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/LG%20&amp;%20JPII-thumb-217x288.jpg\" width=\"217\" \/><\/a><\/span>On this date in 1982, Pope John Paul II officially recognized (approved) Communion and Liberation as an authentic charism in the Church. The recognition of this fact for the Church means the work of Father Luigi Giussani and so many others was really born of the Holy Spirit. What follows are few items about the movement which come from the CL archives.<\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\"><\/font>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\"><strong>The Fraternity of Communion and Liberation<\/p>\n<p><\/strong>This is the eminent group among those born from the <\/font><a href=\"http:\/\/www.clonline.org\/storiatext\/eng\/whatiscl.htm\" target=\"_blank\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#800080\" size=\"3\">movement<\/font><\/a><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">, whose origins and aims it shares. It was recognized as a Lay Association of Pontifical Right on <st1:date Month=\"2\" Day=\"11\" Year=\"1982\">February 11, 1982<\/st1:date>. The decree of approval of the Fraternity&#8217;s request for recognition reads that the Holy Father himself was &#8220;benevolently pleased to encourage the Pontifical Council for the Laity&#8221; that the recognition procedure might have a positive outcome. The letter accompanying the decree, signed by the then Cardinal Opilio Rossi, recognizes that the Fraternity of CL&#8217;s contribution to the Church in her work of evangelization is &#8220;of outstanding importance and pastoral urgency,&#8221; especially in &#8220;distant&#8221; de-Christianized areas where &#8220;the basic principles of human life and social interchange are at stake.&#8221; The ecclesial nature of the Association, the letter concludes, makes obvious its &#8220;full cooperation and communion with the Bishops, headed by the supreme Pastor of the Church,&#8221; down to the pastoral life of the diocese, to which it offers &#8220;its experience and contribution.&#8221;<br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><\/font><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">This recognition from the Pontifical Council for the Laity amounted to de facto approval of the educational experience of CL.<br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><\/font><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">The first &#8220;Fraternity&#8221; groups were formed around the mid-1970s at the initiative of some former university students who wanted to go more deeply into what it means to belong to the Church, also within the conditions of adult life and the responsibilities it brings, in communion with others.<br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><\/font><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image\" style=\"DISPLAY: inline\"><a href=\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/CL%20at%20St%20Peter%27s.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mt-image-left\" style=\"FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 20px 20px 0px\" height=\"161\" alt=\"CL at St Peter's.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/CL%20at%20St%20Peter's-thumb-250x161.jpg\" width=\"250\" \/><\/a><\/span>Today the Fraternity&#8217;s groups host 50,000 people who have made the decision to commit themselves to a way of life that supports the path to holiness, acknowledged as the true aim of existence. The life of the Fraternity normally takes place through the free formation of groups who consider that commitment to be the reason for their friendship and sharing. <br \/>Belonging to the Fraternity calls for a minimal rule of personal ascesis, daily moments of prayer, participation in encounters of spiritual formation including an annual retreat, and commitment to the support, financial and otherwise, of the charitable, missionary, and cultural initiatives promoted or sustained by the Fraternity.<br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><\/font><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">Recent years have witnessed also in Italy and abroad the rise of Fraternity groups formed by diocesan priests (the first of these took the name of Studium Christi) who in this way intend to help each other pursue more deeply their vocation and the accomplishment of their mission. <br \/><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\"><\/font>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the pontifical recognition of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, John Paul II writes Fr Giussani a long autograph letter. <\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">&nbsp;<\/font><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font size=\"3\"><\/font><font color=\"#000000\"><\/font><font face=\"Times New Roman\">Subsequently, Fr Giussani writes all the members of the Fraternity to call attention to the great value of the Pope&#8217;s letter and to the importance of the indications conveyed.<o:p><\/o:p><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">&nbsp;<\/font><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font size=\"3\"><\/font><font color=\"#000000\"><\/font><font face=\"Times New Roman\"><strong>What is Communion &amp; Liberation?<o:p><\/o:p><\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">&nbsp;<\/font><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">Communion and Liberation is an ecclesial movement whose purpose is the education to Christian maturity of its adherents and collaboration in the mission of the Church in all the spheres of contemporary life.<br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image\" style=\"DISPLAY: inline\"><a href=\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/LG%20detail.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mt-image-right\" style=\"FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 20px 20px\" height=\"129\" alt=\"LG detail.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/LG%20detail-thumb-185x129.jpg\" width=\"185\" \/><\/a><\/span>It began in <st1:country -region><st1:place>Italy<\/st1:place><\/st1:country> in 1954 when <\/font><a href=\"http:\/\/www.clonline.org\/storiatext\/eng\/founder.htm\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#800080\" size=\"3\">Fr Luigi Giussani<\/font><\/a><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\"> established a Christian presence in Berchet high school in <st1:city><st1:place>Milan<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> with a group called Giovent&ugrave; Studentesca (Student Youth), GS for short. The current name of the movement, Communion and Liberation (CL), appeared for the first time in 1969. It synthesizes the conviction that the Christian event, lived in communion, is the foundation of the authentic liberation of man. Communion and Liberation is today present in about seventy countries throughout the world.<br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">There is no type of membership card, but only the free participation of persons. The basic instrument for the formation of adherents is weekly catechesis, called &#8220;<\/font><a href=\"http:\/\/www.clonline.org\/storiatext\/eng\/comlibe\/gesti.htm\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#800080\" size=\"3\">School of Community<\/font><\/a><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">.&#8221;<br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><br style=\"mso-special-character: line-break\" \/><\/font><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\"><br \/>\n<span class=\"mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image\" style=\"DISPLAY: inline\"><a href=\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/Traces%202009.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mt-image-left\" style=\"FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 20px 20px 0px\" height=\"251\" alt=\"Traces 2009.jpg\" src=\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/Traces%202009-thumb-185x251.jpg\" width=\"185\" \/><\/a><\/span>The official magazine of the Movement is the international monthly, <\/font><a href=\"http:\/\/www.traces-cl.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#800080\" size=\"3\"><em>Traces<\/em> &#8211; Litterae Communionis<\/font><\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><strong>*email Kim for a subscription ($30.00 per year)<\/strong>: <a href=\"mailto:traces@clhac.com\">traces@clhac.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><o:p><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">&nbsp;<\/font><\/o:p><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\"><\/font>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt\"><font face=\"Times New Roman\" color=\"#000000\" size=\"3\">This <em>Traces<\/em> article is worth your review: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.traces-cl.com\/feb02\/storyof.html\">A New Movement: A Story of a Beginning<\/a> <\/font><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>On this date in 1982, Pope John Paul II officially recognized (approved) Communion and Liberation as an authentic charism in the Church. The recognition of this fact for the Church means the work of Father Luigi Giussani and so many others was really born of the Holy Spirit. What follows are few items about the &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/2009\/02\/communion-liberation-observes\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Communion &#038; Liberation observes 27 years of Church approval<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[1715,32097],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24322"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24322"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24322\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24322"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24322"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communio.stblogs.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24322"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}