Today, Pope Benedict met with members of Communion and Liberation in St. Peter’s Square, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of papal recognition of the group.

Reports say there were 130,000 present – the Italian text of the Pope’s words are here. The Yahoo photo news feed is giving me blanks where there should be photos, but hopefully that will be fixed soon. Many at L’Osservatore Romano – thumbnails and watermarked larger shots.

A summary, translated at PRF from early Italian press reports:

"Go forth into the world and bring the message of truth, beauty and peace which are found in Christ the Redeemer." John Paul II’s successor repeated the late Pope’s words today at his first meeting with a large assembly of the Communione e Liberazione movement.

A record 130,000 persons – almost twice the anticipated number – showed up in St. Peter’s Square today, in driving rain, for the assembly which marked the 25th anniversary of Pontifical recognition for C&L, the ecclesiastical movement founded by Don Luigi Giussani.

Besides Italian ‘ciellini’ [the Italian term for C&L members, formed from its initials ‘ci’ and ‘el’, which together in Italian, form ‘ciel’, the root for the word heaven], members from 52 other countries were represented.

Although it was Pope Benedict’s first formal meeting with C&L, the ties that bind him to the movement go back to his friendship with Don Giussani himself. [See preceding story]

The audience with the Pope was preceded at 11 a.m. by the recital of Lauds, a projection on the maxi-screens of some of Don Diussani’s speeches, and songs by C&L choirs and the assembly.

The Pope arrived at noon, when the weather had cleared enough for him to make his way through the assembly in the Popemobile.

The Pope, in his address, paid tribute to and expressed gratitude for the work of C&L, a movement born in 1970 to give witness to the world about "the beauty of being Christian, in an era when the prevailing view is that Christianity is something tedious and too oppressive as a way of life."

Inevitably, the Pope turned his thoughts to Don Giussani and his search for beauty "which he found in Christ."

Therefore, the Pope said, "he committed himself to awakening among the youth a love for Christ – the Way, the Truth and the Life – reminding them that He alone is the way towards realizing the desires in man’s heart, and that Christ does not save us by ignoring our humanity but through it."

The Pope said C&L, in carrying out Giussani’s teaching, has become "a community experience of faith" that is present in the Church "not by hierarchical decree and organization" but by "renewed encounter with the faith" motivated by the faithful themselves.

Today, the Pope said, "C&L offers a possibility for living the Christian faith profoundly and concretely – on the one hand, with total loyalty and communion with the Successor of Peter and the bishops who assure the governance of the Church; and on the other, with the spontaneity and freedom that allow new and prophetic realizations of apostolic and missionary work."

All this, while considering the Church as central, because, the Pope said, "if the movements are truly a gift of the Holy Spirit, then they should position themselves within the ecclesiastical community and serve the Church in such a way that, through patient dialog with its Pastors, they can truly constitute edifying elements for the Church today and in the future."

At this point, Benedict XVI repeated John Paul II’s admonition to C&L to ‘go forth into the world’.

"Continue along the path you have taken, " he said, "with a profound faith that is personalized and firmly rooted in the living Body of Christ, the Church, which guarantees the presence of Jesus among us."

(I will say this after watches snippets of the replay on EWTN – C&L wins the prize for "Best Music of a New Movement." Some lovely pieces. I was struck by one – perhaps someone can identify it, that I heard (under the normal level of noise chaos in the living room) identified as a medieval piece emanating from Assisi – lots of folks in the crowd were joining in. Is it some sort of anthem for CL?)

JACK (I put it in all caps because he always does!) of his own blog, Integrity and the group blog Intentional Disciples is there and will report eventually, I’m sure.

Update:

God bless long-time reader Franklin, who sent along the song, called "Inno Delle Scolte di Assisi" – including a pdf of the music!

He writes:

The refrain is very martial, calling the sentries to the ramparts at the closing of the gates at twilight, to defend the city from external foes.  The verses, however, invoke the BVM and Saints to watch and keep the inhabitants of the city from their internal foe, concupiscence.  St. Francis would have heard this song each and every evening, ringing out through his city.

Found an online link to it. (pdf)

The lyrics, in Italian: