Open Christianity

1. The first observation is that many young people are ignorant in matters of religion; many others, are knowledgeable but not convinced.

Once, on my way to Rimini, I happened to find myself with a group of high school students whom I engaged in conversation. I was flabbergasted by their frighteningly total ignorance. I met another four or five high school students on a second journey to Ancona and, having deliberately led the conversation to the subjects of the first encounter, I had to come to the same conclusion. The two groups of young people came from two different regions in Italy, from different ethnic backgrounds.

Back in Milan I pursued my research and discoveries (research is always conducted when there is the hypothesis of a discovery)

Figure 1.

Luigi Giussani during an excursion with the students of the Berchet High School to the lighthouse of Portofino, September 1956. Permission granted by the Communion and Liberation Photo Archive.

with the students who would catch the same train as I in my return journey from the metropolis to the Seminary in Venegono.¹ These students were from schools on the fringes of the province of Milan and they left me with the same impression. And so I thought to myself: "It is necessary that the Paradise of Theology be premised by the Purgatory of toil in this life." I truly felt this to be a duty. How could I just sit there contemplating being and essence—awesomely beautiful things if people were doing fine—if my Christian brethren continued to lull in ignorance and indifference?

The first question I asked young people for a few months, waving my finger at them, especially if they wore the Catholic Action badge, was, "Pardon me, are you truly a believer?" I got consternated looks from them, and quite honestly I do not remember one single young person replying with the immediate confidence that reveals a stable inner life. I do not remember anyone simply answering "Yes."

Of course these statistics must not be taken at face value for they need to be evaluated. Sixteen-, seventeen-, or eighteen-year-olds are psychologically at a critical stage. Their personality, which is defined and measured by a solid unity, has not yet been formulated. Their freedom cannot yet cleave to what their intelligence sees. Their will cannot cling to reason in a reliable and sure fashion. A youth of that age or even slightly older would always bristle a bit at being confronted with such a question point-blank. Nonetheless their way of reacting to my questions obviously revealed their lack of enthusiasm—a total absence of true enthusiasm—and this in turn, a tenuous persuasion and conviction.

2. Young people lack enthusiasm and conviction because they lack active commitment.

As this experience proceeded I noted an interesting fact and received insight and confirmation from the words of St Thomas Aquinas: "In hoc enim aliquis percipit se animam habere et vivere et esse, quod percipit se sentire et intelligere et alia huiusmodi opera vitae exercere."² We might translate this axiom thus: "through action, you understand that you exist." If you are in a coma or have fainted or are totally vacant, you do not realize that you exist. The more you commit yourself with your vital energy, the more you realize what you are.

Thus it becomes clear what we can say to young people: "Do you understand that problems such as, 'Why is it worthwhile living?' 'What is the sense of existence?' 'Why am I in this world?' have only one answer and this answer depends on your level of commitment? If you do not commit yourself, boredom will not only frame your life but will take over the whole canvas. If your commitment is scarce you will have flimsy matter to work with, too lean for you to realize the solidity of your person or your being." When speaking to young people we always try to clarify their ideas, but we fall into deception. How often I've experienced this! After demonstrating a principle...