Religion: The Faith of Caravate

To the 800 inhabitants of the little town of Caravate on the Lombardy plain, Don Luigi Milani was no ordinary parish priest. Thirty-five years old, tall, extremely handsome, he was the greatest athlete in the whole countryside, the leading figure in welfare and charity work, a convincing speaker with enlightened views. He was popular even with Communists, whom he invited to his house to discuss politics and religion.

But one day recently the Bishop of Como ordered Don Luigi to leave Caravate. A matter of ecclesiastical jurisdiction, said the church authorities. The 800 citizens of Caravate stormed and raged. At a mass...