Dear friends,

The pain of separation at the loss of our dear “Anas” (Fr. Antonio Anastasio) cannot obscure our gratitude to God for having given him to us as a companion in faith.

Taken hold of by Christ in the encounter with Fr. Giussani’s charism, he desired to dedicate his life to mission as a priest of the Fraternity of St. Charles, to cry out to all people what it is we hold most dear. Doing so, he became a friend to many–young and not so young– testifying to the importance of Christ in his life with contagious enthusiasm.

His witness culminated in the last segment of his life, as he handed himself over to Christ in his suffering and was assimilated to Him on the cross to enter that “heavenly kingdom that perfects every feast / that the heart has longed for” (Jacopone da Todi).

From now on, we will never be able to think of Anas without thinking of Peter and John standing in awe before the empty tomb on Easter morning. Death, where is your victory?

Through the intercession of Fr. Giussani, we ask our Lady to give him back to us in a mysterious but real way, that he might continue to accompany our journey in the world from his place in heaven.

Fr. Julián Carrón