Liberal State (professed) neutrality on Religion ends up as State-imposed Secularism.

.....At the core of Dignitatis Humanae, translated as "The Dignity of Man", is the crucial observation that "the right to religious freedom has its foundation in the very dignity of the human person" (DH 2). In other words, man's ultimate search for meaning belongs to his very nature. Religious freedom is not a right that is given, or one right among many, but one that is essential to his humanity. Fr. Antonio Lopez...defined culture as "embodied religion". Fr. Lopez explained that  "the horizon of meaning that gives form to social life is rooted in that search for the ultimate, unifying meaning of existence whose full expression we call religion." Referring to Fr. Luigi Giussani, Fr. Lopez emphasized that religion, or man's innnate "religiosity", is not simply "one activity among many, [but] a permanent dimension through which man full expresses his own nature."

     For the Christian, the constitutive experience of religiosity is even more radical because "the event of Christ incarnates the ultimate truth that man's religiosity constantly seeks, Fr. Lopez continued, and demands a free relationship with Christ who is the answer to his ultimate meeting. The Christian belongs to Christ, and understands himself only in relation to Him. Without Christ, the Christian loses himself. To be free, for the Christian, is to be in relationship with Christ. ......As pointed out by Cardinal Scola...through a pre- recorded video, this is the very dimension of man which the modern democratic liberal State is now determined to suppress, even in America.  

TRACES Magazine pp 42, 43 Free to be Ourselves

Flannery O'Connor: on Mystery and the Educated Mind

"The type of mind that can understand good fiction is not necessarily the educated mind, but is at all times the kind of mind that is willing to have its sense of mystery deepened by contact with reality, and its sense of reality deepened by its contact with mystery."  Flannery O'Connor

I came across that quote some time ago as I was reading Heather King's blog, Shirt of Fire. My face lit up  with delight and the thought ran through my mind: I have to put that in my blog. It sounds just like something Giussani would say. I don't know if Fr. Giussani ever read Flannery, but I'm sure he would have loved her if he did. They both have the type of mind that sees reality in relationship to mystery, and mystery in relationship to reality. It must come from life long practice, because it sure isn't an ego skill like being a professional writer or theologian or a teacher, but a faith virtue that is ingrained in disciples by  following their Master. Since Christ Himself is the right relationship between all of reality and the Mystery of  God His Father,  and since Christ lives that relationship in our human flesh,  our following Him in faith gives us in the correct perspective towards God and man. 

Prayer: Sainthood for Fr. Giussani

O Merciful Father, we thank You for having given your Church and the world the Servant of God, Fr. Luigi Giussani. He, with his life lived with passion, taught us to know and love Jesus Christ present here and now, to ask Him with humble certainty that "the beginning of every day be a yes to the Lord who embraces us and makes fruitful the soil of our heart for the accomplishment of His work in the world, which is the victory over death and evil."

 Grant, O Father, through the intercession of Fr. Giussani, according to your will, the grace we implore, in the hope that he will soon be numbered among your saints.

 Through Christ, our Lord. Amen

                                                                                                            Veni Sancte Spiritus. 

                                                                                                             Veni per Mariam