Meeting Christ in every man is Father Giussani's legacy in Asia
Rome (AsiaNews) Some members of Communion and Liberation (CL) actively involved in the Holy Land and the former Soviet Union shared their thoughts with AsiaNews filled with gratitude for someone who expressed the living presence of Christ and taught how to meet one's fellow human beings without any preconditions.
HOLY LAND
"We heard about Father Giussani's death at the Holy Sepulchre during mass, at 7 am," said a moved Sobhy Makoul, a CL member in the Holy Land.
"We were together with some friends from the Compagnia delle Opere in missione in Terra Santa. We all thought that it was no accident that we were all standing by the Christ's tomb when we hear the news," he said. "Death is not an end, neither is that of Father Giussani. It is the beginning of eternal life and we hope that it will be for us a new beginning".
Makoul is a Maronite Christian. He heard about CL 20 years ago. "It changed my life," he said, "It gave me a positive outlook on reality".
For Makoul, befriending Father Giussani and joining CL gave him the inspiration to make a great commitment in the Holy Land.
"Father Giussani taught me to be open to everyone, to go on despite difficulties, and a place like this has its share of difficulties."
"Father Giussani," Makhoul added, "taught me not to exclude anyone, to befriend everyone, be they Jewish, Muslim or Christian."
"It was his example that gave me power to seek a dialogue even with those who wanted to hurt me".
"When facing obstacles, he liked to say: 'In the end, Christ always wins'," Makoul recalled. "Words such as these still guide us, here in the Holy Land".
KAZAKHSTAN
Fr Luigi Giussani's witness and work reached as far as the steppes of Central Asia. From Astana in Kazakhstan, Fr Edo Canetta, CL member and fidei donum priest, remembers how Father Giussani taught the value of "friendship and the willingness to meet one's fellow human beings without shutting anyone out".
For Father Canetta, who has lived in the country for 11 years, "the greatest lesson Father Giussani leaves us is his willingness to reach out to everyone, without distinctions".
"The loss is too much to bear", he said in a broken voice. "If we are here, it is because of him. Local bishops asked us to come and he urged us to go".
Local Muslims have called and sent messages to Father Canetta extending their condolences for the death of CL's founder. "They all said they'd pray for him. Father Giussani was well known in the Muslim world through his books".
CL communities could feel Father Giussani's presence everyday. "Whether lay or religious, thanks to his continued friendship, we always felt close to him despite the distance," Father Canetta stressed. "Some local youths even met him in Italy and still remember him well".
"Whatever we did on a daily basis," he said, "he was in our hearts and I think that we were in his as well".
When CL celebrated its 50th anniversary, Father Giussani emphasised how great it was for CL to be present in Kazakhstan and Siberia, on the cusp of the Soviet and Islamic worlds.
All CL communities in Kazakhstan today will celebrate a mass in memory of their late founder. (LF-MA)
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