Hope is not just optimism, says book

17 July 2009

Mgr Mark O'Toole and Fr Julián Carrón at the launch of a book by the late Mgr Luigi Guissani. Fr Carrón succeeded Mgr Guissani as head of Communion and Liberation

Two hundred people gathered in Westminster Cathedral Hall on Thursday July 2 to celebrate the launch of the book Is It Possible to Live This Way? by Mgr Luigi Giussani.

Subtitled An Unusual Approach to Christian Existence, this is the second volume in a series of English translations of the works of Mgr Giussani exploring the central themes of Christian existence.

Following on from the first volume, which focuses on faith, the second book considers the nature of hope.

Mgr Mark O'Toole, rector of Allen Hall, the seminary of the diocese of Westminster, and one of the speakers at the launch, described Mgr Giussani as "a very contemporary figure" and noted the resonance between his teachings on hope and the writings of Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical letter on hope, Spe Salvi.

Mgr O'Toole reflected on the crises of modern society and faith and asked: "How does one attempt to reach out and lead people on a journey of hope when in many ways young people say they have little confidence?"

He pointed out that Mgr Giussani's own ministry developed while he was teaching students in Italy during the Fifties, a highly politicised time of revolution and social change throughout Europe.

This ministry led to the development of the lay movement Communion and Liberation. The movement, which received pontifical recognition 27 years ago and is now present in over 70 countries, emphasises that Christianity is an event, and that the path of faith can be followed and lived in communion with others, becoming the basis of true freedom.

Also speaking at the book launch was Fr Julián Carrón, the Spanish priest and professor of theology who has led Communion and Liberation since the death of Mgr Giussani in 2005.

Prior to the launch Fr Carrón had met Archbishop Vincent Nichols.

During his presentation Fr Carrón insisted that hope is not "some sort of irrational optimism". He quoted from the text of Is It Possible to Live This Way?: "Hope is none other than the expanding of the certainty of faith regarding the future."