Vatican City, Feb 24, 2005 / 22:00 pm
The Vatican announced today that a letter of condolences from the Holy Father sent Tuesday was read during the funeral Mass of Communion and Liberation founder, Msgr. Luigi Giussani, who died this week at 82.
The funeral was celebrated at 3 p.m. yesterday in Milan's cathedral by Pontifical Legate, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. An estimated 30,000 people, both inside and outside the Duomo, were present for the Mass.
The Pope wrote in his letter that, "I learned with great emotion, the news of the death of dear Msgr. Luigi Giussani, which came at the end of a long illness, accepted by him in a spirit of serene abandonment to the divine will and generous participation in the mystery of the Cross of Christ."
Pope John Paul said that he had met the Msgr. on many occasions "and admired his ardent faith which was translated into a Christian witness capable of stimulating, especially in young people, a broad and convinced welcome of the Gospel message.”