The Life of Luigi Giussani: A Review

 

About two years ago, I was gifted a copy of a biography on the founder of the Catholic movement “Communion and Liberation,” Servant of God Msgr. Luigi Giussani.  I had been attending group meetups since I was in grad school and the more I’ve reflected on my life, the more I’ve realized that his work has had a profound effect on my faith, so I was glad to read it.  Since it took about a year to read it, I decided that I should do a review on it, both to help promote the group and Msgr. Giussani.  So, I’ll be writing out an overview of the book, its strengths, weaknesses, and the man it's about.

To give a basic summary, the book gives an overview on the life of Msgr. Giussani, his experiences, a lot of the actions he took both running and founding the movement, and a lot of the people he met along the way.  That may seem pretty standard, but he was a priest from 1945 to 2005 in Milan that led an international Catholic movement so he had a lot of connections, and there were a lot of world changing events.  In the church, he went to seminary with two future bishops, was a priest in Milan whose Archbishop was future Pope and Saint Paul VI, went through five different papacies, met quite a few of them, and oversaw the growth of his movement, and thus Catholicism, in multiple countries.  We get to see his reaction to these events, from writings about the documents and reforms of Vatican II to writing and meeting with multiple popes to the assassination attempt on John Paul II, and his place in them, from working with high school students to to going on international countries to promote the movement to giving interviews and his various writings on theological matters.

It’s not just church matters though as there were many secular events as well.  He grew up in fascist Italy, lived through political and anti-religious violence in post-WWII Italy, responded to major, world shattering events that changed the fabric of international society like 9/11 and the War in Iraq, and met with individuals who were involved in events like the Tiananmen Square Massacre.  Having lived over 80 years, the book chronicles those events and how they impacted the church as well, which alone makes the book worth a read.  It provides an insight into decades of world history, which is quite interesting in its own right.

Nevertheless, seeing him discuss these events, ones he’s gotten to experience as an outsider or ones he actually hosted, give us a perspective on how to handle changes in the church, tragedies, and world events, and the impact they had.  More specifically, it provides an example for the Christian life and how we’re called to act.  That alone explains why he’s currently “Servant of God” and why many pray for him to become Saint.

That said, the focus of the book is on his philosophy and his beliefs on God, as well as how to teach it.  It goes through the relationships in the movement, the desires high schoolers were having back in the 50s regarding their spirituality, and the ideas Giussani had during his life.  His work goes to the idea that Christianity is not merely a feeling, though our feelings do play a part in our faith, but an encounter with reality.  In particular, a historical event that changes all of civilization with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The movement he founded is thus dedicated to understanding that and developing a relationship with it.

The book then gives an overview on life as a journey, how that journey changes once we encounter it, and the consequences of it.  It shows our relationship with Christ is a real relationship, a friendship, and it changes our lives, giving us both understanding and hope.  The book, through Msgr. Giussani’s life, shows us that and reminds us why Catholicism continues to last and why it interests so many people who do or do not believe in it.

There were two points of criticism though worth noting when discussing it as a book.  The first is that it is a very long read.  The book itself was 1182 pages, not including the annotations and glossary, and the book is very dense.  The length can make it hard to push forward at times.

This may be fine since the material is compelling, but that brings us to a second point of criticism, that the book has too much in it.  The book thoroughly goes through many of his speeches, thoughts, writing, etc.  At times, it starts to feel like a lot of this could have been simplified, paraphrased, or that parts of it are repetitive.

In fairness, a friend of mine said the book is likely meant to be read in parts over time as opposed to trying to cover-to-cover.  I’d honestly say that’s the best way to read it.  Nevertheless, it is something worth noting in regards to what it was like reading the book.

All the same, I’m glad I read this book and why it has a place of honor on my bookshelf.  It reminded me how “Communion and Liberation” changed my life and why I’m proud to be part of it.  This book is worth a read to anyone who wants to know more about Msgr. Giussani, just as his work is worth a read for anyone who wants to grow in their faith.

Veni Sancte Spiritus

Veni Per Mariam

The Importance of Being Tadashi

(Spoilers for Big Hero 6 and Big Hero 6: the Series)

With the last blogpost being about Big Hero 6, it shouldn’t be too surprising another came up.  There was one character that stood out in the previous post whose impact on both the series and the film, while physically limited, is what defines the franchise and sets every event that happens throughout into motion.  That character is, of course, Tadashi Hamada, older brother of series protagonist Hiro Hamada and creator of series favorite, Baymax.

Though Tadashi died in the first act of the film, every action he took ended up defining the future for the characters in the series.  From the friends and family who lost him to the people that barely knew him but knew those closest to him, his life left an impact throughout the franchise that would go on to change the lives of many people throughout the city of San Fransokyo.  That shows one important role that is tragically often overlooked in modern society: the importance of a mentor or role model.

To understand Tadashi’s importance, we have to go into his and his brother’s backstory.  Both Hiro and Tadashi were orphaned at a young age (Hiro was three at the time) and raised by their aunt Cass.  Since she wasn’t married, Tadashi was the closest thing Hiro had to a male role model in his life.  That’s never an easy role for an older brother to play, especially in Hiro’s case as it meant it was hard for him to properly get discipline, so that led to a less than ideal upbringing, even if their aunt loved them very much.

Graduating high school at an early age, thirteen, also resulted in Hiro being disconnected from his peers, proven by his later acknowledging he sometimes wondered if he should have been doing things more normal for his age.  This resulted in him trying to find fun ways to use his talents, even if not always legal.  He found his outlet in the underground world of bot fighting where he used his genius to build robots for fighting against other people’s robots in pursuit of making a quick buck.  Unsurprisingly, doing something banned like that got him in trouble with the law.

Being a protective brother, Tadashi made it his priority to get Hiro out of that life.  That’s the reason he showed Hiro his school, to both give him a challenge and show him that there’s a better use for his talents.  In the end, it got Hiro out of a life that would have ruined him, introduced him to his future friends, and put them on the path to being superheroes.

            His other biggest action though that leaves an impact on his friends and family is also his most unfortunate.  During a school showcase, a fire breaks out that engulfs the building in which it’s being hosted.  Tadashi and Hiro manage to escape, but Tadashi’s professor and mentor, Professor Callahan, is inside of the building.  Without hesitation, Tadashi runs into the building to save his mentor, unable to do so and sacrificing himself in the process.

Obviously, his death leaves an impact on those closest to him.  Hiro ends up going into a depression and, throughout the series, the death of his brother serves as a hard subject for him long afterwards.  Yet the pain and grief of his absence is not the only thing he leaves behind.

Before his death, he made a robot healthcare companion, that being Baymax, who serves as a guide to Hiro.  This means Hiro still has both support and direction to his life directly from his older brother.  Baymax similarly is a product of Tadashi’s desire to help humanity since his design is to be the personal doctor his brother (among others) needs.  Meaning what Tadashi creates gets to outlive him and continue his work, both professionally and as a brother.

Over time, Tadashi’s legacy does get picked up by his brother.  Baymax’s maintenance and upgrading becomes Hiro’s responsibility and passion, meaning he gets to continue where his brother left off.  The fact the pair became superheroes also embodies Tadashi’s selflessness and virtue, meaning his impact transcends purely the physical.  It expands beyond his brother as well since his friends also join Baymax and Hiro in becoming Big Hero 6, meaning he changed all of their lives.  Inevitably, their team, Big Hero 6, becomes the saviors of the city, preventing its destruction, stopping villains, and inspiring others to do the same.  Yet none of it would have been possible without Tadashi, a character who only appeared for a third of the starting film and wasn’t there for the series.

Now, it may seem unnecessary to go into that much detail to set up the following point, but there was a reason to go that in depth about Tadashi and his impact.  Tadashi’s actions not only had an impact on his brother, but by extension everyone Hiro helped or saved; meaning his legacy and values changed his community even if he didn’t live to see that.  For that reason, Tadashi, as stated earlier, highlights the importance of being a mentor: your work will outlast you and be reflected by those who you help, serving as a role model to those you have taught as time progresses.

First, Christ said in John 5:19: “a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also.”  Though specifically, Christ was talking about doing the will of his father, this particular phrase reminds us that children emulate their parents (or teachers).  These are the people they trust, spend a lot of time with, and put faith in that they will lead them into maturity, so they are the ones who they will inevitably repeat, right or wrong.  Similarly, the father figure or role model has past experiences in life that have gotten to the point they are in, yet the child does not have such experiences since they new.  As a result, a son will try to be like his dad and put faith in his word to grow into maturity.

In Big Hero 6, Hiro doesn’t haven’t a father, or any male role model, so Tadashi has to fill that role.  When Tadashi plays a more active role in Hiro’s life, Hiro starts to follow in his footsteps, becoming interested in possibly going to the same school or continuing the work his brother has started when needed.  His brother shows him that he can do more than just make money on bot fights, and can actually do greater things helping people and applying his genius towards greater ideals than his immediate reality.  In other words, by giving him someone to emulate, Tadashi gave Hiro a role model just by being someone who cared and showing him a better path.  This is what ended up setting Hiro on the right path forward.

Second, The Rule of Saint Benedict also notes, “To be worthy of the task of governing a monastery, the abbot must always remember what his title signifies and act as a superior should.”  A role model or mentor has to remember his duty and the importance of their position, knowing that they have to carry out their role and do what is required of his position.  Everything they do will be emulated by their students, which is why they always need to do their best and know what their purpose serves.

We see a lot of Tadashi’s mistakes when trying to create Baymax as he tries, and fails repeatedly, to create a healthcare companion.  From constantly watching his attempts malfunction in the original movie, to having to get a friend in the series to help him work out Baymax’s healthcare matrix since it's not his area of study.  So his mistakes and lack of knowledge in certain fields remind us that he’s hardly a perfect human being.  Yet he never stops trying and is willing to ask for help because he never loses sight of why he’s doing his work.

Part of the reason he’s making a healthcare companion is the wellbeing of his brother and, by extension, people like his brother or the general populace.  This gives him a drive to never stop trying and to keep doing his work because he understands its importance.  These same principles are why he’s willing to run into a burning building to save his professor.  As for Hiro, these values are what he reflects and why he also keeps doing what needs done as he tries to emulate his mentor/role model, his brother.

There’s a misunderstanding that great people are people who are very physically strong or have great achievements.  It’s not worthwhile ruining the reputation of people who either are strong or have done great things, but true strength usually comes more from the ability to face great odds or hardships.  Many of us know someone who is not famous, but willing to face great hardships regardless of the odds, and we usually respect them more than your average celebrity.

For Tadashi, the values he shows are what Hiro does and the image he seeks to become throughout the series.  Hiro has his own abilities, but what Tadashi can do or tries to do shows Hiro what he can do as well.  From self-sacrifice to admitting he can’t do everything, these are values that get Hiro through his journeys and struggles.  So going further than just the immediate impact he had on his brother, Tadashi showed Hiro how to face his own demons even if they were different than Tadashi’s.

Which bring us to our final point.  Saint Paul VI notes “Every mother is like Moses. She does not enter the promised land. She prepares a world she will not see.“  Though this is specifically dedicated to motherhood, it is also true for teachers and mentors.  They may not see the accomplishments of their students, but those can still exist.

Tadashi doesn’t get to see all the work his brother does, but without him, Hiro never would have done even a fraction of the things he was capable of throughout the film or series.  Hiro never would have created the team, never would have saved the city (multiple times), and never would have rehabilitated several of his villains.  The world was made better by Tadashi being in it, and yet he never got to see how far the impact he had on the one person he needed to save the most.

In the final episode of Season 2 for the series, Hiro says “I used to think that having a legacy just meant that people remembered you.  But now, I realize it's more than that.  It's when the things that are important to you live on in the people who loved you.  And what was most important to my big brother was helping others.  He believed that there's good in this world and that it's worth fighting for.  He knew that everyone was capable of being someone's hero.  The last words Tadashi said to me were, ‘Someone has to help.’  Even though he's gone, Tadashi is still helping me every day.  Tadashi wants us all to help.  And I'm going to try.  And, uh, I hope you'll join me.”

This is, in summation, the reason why role models and mentors are so important.  It is because they give a guiding light to people who need that direction, even if they never truly get to see their impact.  Being that guiding light shows countless people the meaning of life, how to improve, and helps them better understand their potential.  Without a true mentor, a person has no direction and will not become much of anything.  Yet the mentor, like Tadashi, gets to help people not only continue their work, but understand the world, and face their own demons in ways that will make the world a better place.

As we reflect on the impact a person can have on others, we shouldn’t forget that that’s why our own work matters as well.  Whether we realize it or not, our behavior will be emulated by the people who respect us, and it will outlast us.  For that reason, it’s why we should never stop doing our best and improving.  Whether we realize it or not, our work can and often will have an impact we don’t see on other people.  One day, we may get an apprentice and not realize it, or we will become parents.  Regardless, never forget that our work will impact the world, even if small, and we should use it as an opportunity to be grateful for the people who have gotten us to where we are.  For like Tadashi, they won’t be around forever, like we won’t either.