Pope dedicates videomessage to Italian educator
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a video message to a festival organised to promote books and reading, which is taking place in Milan from 19 to 23 April.
The videomessage is dedicated to Don Lorenzo Milani, the prior of Barbiana, and writer of many works including “letter to a professor”.
The Italian priest is also being remembered at the event entitled “Time for Books”.
In the videomessage the Holy Father describes Don Milani as a believer, in love with the Church even though he was hurt, and a passionate educator with a vision for school life.
He goes on to say that “going to school means opening the mind and heart to reality, to the richness of its aspects, its dimensions.”
The Pope adds that Don Milani displayed a spiritual restlessness, fueled by love for Christ, the Gospel, the Church, society, and school, which he increasingly dreamed of as a “field hospital” to help the wounded, and to help make the lives of the marginalized and discarded better.”