Communion and Liberation is an ecclesial movement in the Catholic Church founded by Father Luigi Guissani in Milan in the 1960s. As a young teacher at a Catholic high school, Guissani noticed that many of his students, while baptized Catholic, had “zero” interest in the faith of their parents, favoring instead the secular political theories coming into vogue. He introduced them to a new method of thinking, one where God is revealed in everyday experiences.
“The charism of Father Giussani has educated us is to see reality as a sign,” Peterson told CNA.
“And the New York Encounter seeks to do that, to see reality as the place where God communicates to us. God calls us through signs, through what the sign invokes. In short, we have learned to take reality seriously, including issues which are sometimes painful, controversial, or seemingly profane, because at the bottom of them is something an Other gives or allows to happen to communicate to us something more,” she said.
Attendance at the New York Encounter has grown exponentially since its founding — from 5,554 in 2015 to 15,500 in 2023. It is modeled after a meeting held in Rimini, Italy, every August attended by more than 800,000. While there are many Catholics and members of Communion and Liberation among the New York audience, the event attracts people from many different backgrounds.
“All kinds of folks come to the Encounter — from babies in strollers to older people, from religious to lay, from Christians to nonbelievers. This is one of the unique features of the Encounter. There is no audience who is not welcomed,” Peterson said.
“The Encounter does not target any particular age group, but because of the nature of the topics — politics, the arts, literature, science, etc. — it draws people from every age group and every walk of life,” she said.
Attendees can pick and choose which panels and exhibitions they would like to attend, take time to socialize, line up to have their books signed by author-panelists, or fortify themselves with an espresso, Italian sandwich, or gelato — a nod to the event’s ties to Italy.
In addition to the authors, scholars, experts, and artists taking part, leaders of the Catholic Church play a prominent role. This year, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, will be celebrating Mass on Sunday. Cardinal Seán O’Malley, archbishop of Boston; Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the U.S.; Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica; and Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio, are among the weekend’s featured participants.
Here are a few highlights from the panels and exhibits scheduled for this year’s New York Encounter:
Current events:
● Saturday, Feb. 17, at 11:30 a.m.: “A Fundamental Difference”: A close look at artificial intelligence with Jonathan Stokes of Symbolic AI and Jennifer Strong, producer of the tech podcast “Shift.”
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● Saturday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m.: “A Torn Open Wound”: A conversation on the war between Israel and Hamas and any conceivable road to peace with Shadi Hamid, columnist and editorial board member for The Washington Post, and Jacob Siegel, senior editor for the Tablet.
● Sunday, Feb. 18, at 12:45 p.m.: “Fratelli Tutti”: A conversation on Pope Francis’ Fratelli Tutti encyclical with Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the U.S., and Mrs. Tawakkol Karman, 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner.
● Sunday, Feb. 18, at 2 p.m.: “An Incurable Wound?”: Eyewitness accounts of the life of Christians in the Holy Land with Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, and Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Parish in Gaza.
● Sunday, Feb. 18, at 4:15 p.m.: “Beyond Left and Right”: An exploration of the Supreme Court and its future with Stephanos Bibas, judge of the United States Court of Appeals, and Jeffrey Pojanowski, professor of law, University of Notre Dame.
Arts and language:
● Friday, Feb. 16, at 6:30 p.m.: “A Soul Waiting to Be Reawakened”: The Encounter will be opened by creative offerings from Christian Wiman, poet, and Kuok-Wai Lio, classical pianist.