Youth of Italy, Male Section of Catholic Action
Current name (1931) of the male group, originally called Gioventù Cattolica Italiana (G.C.I.), which was the cradle of Catholic Action in Italy and is today one of the sections within the organizational framework of the Italian Catholic Action (A.C.I.), specifically the male section for young people.
The idea of the Society matured in the mind of a young nobleman from Viterbo, Mario Fani Giotti, who on March 6, 1866, after a night of continuous prayer in his church of Santa Rosa, launched to the youth of Italy the cry, "We must act!" A few of his fellow citizens formed the "Circolo Santa Rosa," the first of its kind. While in Bologna in 1867, he met Dr. Giovanni Acquaderini, who would later become the first general president of the Society; he also met Fr. Pincelli, a Jesuit and writer of ascetical works, and at that time the first regulations for the G.C.I. Society were drafted by Fr. Pincelli. The motto of the Society was "prayer - action - sacrifice"; its purpose, dictated by the "inescapable necessity of bold and energetic action," was to "establish an association composed mainly of young people who, steadfast and forthright in their deeds and words, would glory in upholding high and unsullied the glorious banner of religion."
This program was launched throughout Italy in the form of an "appeal," and all of Italy responded with applause to the initiative, while many young people joined, founding the first circles in the various regions of the peninsula. On May 2, 1868, the Supreme Pontiff, responding to an address presented to him by the Superior Council of the G.C.I. Society, officially approved it with the brief *Dum filii Belial* and, by granting it rich indulgences, encouraged the Society. The Society gave rise to all of Catholic Action (v. AZIONE CATTOLICA ITALIANA (A. C. I)). The following year, the "Circolo di San Pietro" was founded in Rome, which has a long tradition of fidelity to the Pope and works of charity.
21. - ENCYCLOPEDIA CATHOLICA. - VI.
Born to defend the Pope, the G.C.I. was from the outset concerned with concretely manifesting its loyalty to the Vicar of Christ, and already at the first audience on April 14, 1869, Pius IX said: "You are with me and I am with you." And the union became ever stronger, so much so that Pius XI would say many years later: "You are Us and We are You."
The first devotional pilgrimage to the Pope followed in 1869; on that occasion, the first money of St. Peter (v. ADOLFO DI ESSEN. PIETRO) was offered to the Holy Father.
The papal Jubilee of Pius IX in 1871 served to promote a great crusade of prayer and works for the Pope throughout the world. A Vatican exhibition was also organized at that time, repeated in 1888. Meanwhile, the Opera dei Congressi cattolici was established.
The Superior Council meanwhile approved the transfer of the headquarters from Bologna to Rome in 1880, the year Filippo Tolli was appointed to succeed Giovanni Acquaderini.
Pilgrimages were promoted, and in 1891 the Catholic youth of the whole world gathered in Rome for the first time. The G.C.I. assumed a new title: many study groups, university circles, etc., were formed. It was the year of *Rerum novarum*.
The field of action expanded: moral unions, sports societies, preparation for political life, etc. The organ of the Society from its inception was *L'Eco della G.C.I.*, which suspended publication in 1879 and resumed it in 1881 as the *Bollettino della Società della G.C.I.* The leadership of the G.C.I. Society passed to Prof. Filippo Tolli (1880-81), Prof. Augusto Persichetti (1881-86), again Prof. Filippo Tolli (1886-88), lawyer Guglielmo Alliata (1888-93), Marquis Giulio Sacchetti (1893-1900), and then Paolo Pericoli, who led the G.C.I. from 1900 to 1922.
The Pericoli presidency marked the beginning of a mature phase, promoting the "Works." Suffice it to recall the Federation of Italian Catholic Sports Associations (*Federazione delle Associazioni Sportive Cattoliche Italiane*, F.A.S.C.I.; v.) founded in 1907 and the Federation of Educational Theatre Associations (*Federazione delle Associazioni del Teatro Educativo*, F.A.T.E.; v.) in 1912. In 1916, the A.S.C.I. (*Associazione Scout Cattolica Italiana*) was promoted by the Superior Council of the G.C.I. Society when it was found impossible to live the Scout life within the Corpo Nazionale Giovani Esploratori Italiani, which was too closely tied to Freemasonry and anticlericalism.
During the Great War of 1914-18, the G.C.I. could count 10,000 dead, 17 gold medals, 703 silver, 82 bronze, and 267 war crosses; collections for providing altars, aid to refugees organized through countless offices, and 13,505,250 propaganda sheets distributed among soldiers.
At the end of the war, the Placement Secretariat, founded in 1913, resumed its activities and rendered great service to young people, and the National Union of Catholic War Mutilated, Disabled Veterans, and Returnees was founded, which at its third congress in 1922 in Bergamo saw more than 20,000 members gathered.
With the solemn celebration of the fiftieth anniversary in 1921, the Pericoli presidency came to an end.
In September, on the occasion of the great international pilgrimage of 50,000 young people, the International Secretariat of Catholic Youth was born.
With the advent of Fascism, one by one the works yielded to the violence of the regime: in 1926 the Returnees' Union, in 1928 the F.A.S.C.I. and the A.S.C.I. In 1931 the G.C.I. Society was even suppressed, but Pope Pius XI, who in 1929 had signed the Concordat with the Italian State, intervened forcefully and the G.C.I. was able to revive with a renewed face. The name also changed, becoming "Gioventù Italiana di Azione Cattolica" (September 2, 1931), but the program remained unchanged.
Under the presidency of lawyer Corsanego (1922-28) and lawyer Jervolino (1928-34), the G.C.I. made giant strides: the press became increasingly effective, the organization more thorough, the specialization of "aspirants" (i.e., boys aged 10 to 15) was introduced, national study weeks for leaders were promoted and held periodically in Rome, "Gioventù Italica" was founded, which shortly thereafter became the A.V.E. (Youth Publishing House).
In 1934, His Holiness Pius XI appointed Prof. Luigi Gedda (1934-46) as central president. The Youth of Catholic Action became increasingly a powerful school of formation based on scientific foundations, and its structure became ever more suited to the needs of modern times.
Alongside the aspirants, the "unions" emerged, i.e., the organized life and character of young people aged 16 to 21 were defined; then the picture was completed with the "seniores" movement (21-30 years).
From the mass of young people in the individual parish associations, elites began to emerge, to give them greater commitment and formation: "leaders" for the aspirants and "guides" for the "unions," while all "seniores" were called to be "militants."
Furthermore, young people were further differentiated into students, workers, and rural youth to establish a more effective and tailored educational action and to more directly win over their respective environments.
Each year, the Central Presidency launches a theme called the "annual campaign."
The Associations receive from the National Center practical aids to organize the study cycle on the proposed theme, in two phases: an internal one, longer and more demanding for the young people of Catholic Action, and an external one, in a synthetic and brilliant form, for all the young people of the parish. The themes of the 16 annual campaigns were these:
Sanctification of the Feast
Parochial Life of the Young
The Strong and the Pure
Living Confirmation
Serve the Lord with Gladness
The Holy Mass
Toward Life
The Priest
God Wills It
Christ in the World of Work
Christian Charity in Social Life
Saviour of Children
Forming the Man
The Christian and the World
The Interior Life
The Mystical Body
Thus we have the period of the war.
The data are still provisional, but for the liberation struggle alone there are already 21 gold medals,
ITALIAN MALE YOUTH OF CATHOLIC ACTION – GIOVINIANO
14 silver, 3 bronze, while the members who have fallen so far number about 1,000.
The Works are revived (A.S.C.I., C.S.I. [Italian Sports Centre; formerly F.A.S.C.I.], Student Youth, Worker Youth, Rural Youth, Youth Touring Centre).
Since 1946 the Presidency has been held by Prof. Carlo Carretto. Today the G.C.I. sees itself as the backbone of Italian youth, and no one can ignore the importance it has assumed in national life.
A memorable date bears witness to this: September 1948, celebration of the 80th anniversary of the G.I.A.C. More than 300,000 young people gathered in Rome. Receiving the youth in St Peter’s Square, His Holiness Pius XII blessed the foundation stone of the “DOMUS PACIS” in the presence of representatives from 52 countries. The motto of 1868: “Prayer – Action – Sacrifice,” signed by Fani and Acquaderini, has not been disproved; rather, though with different structures, it continues to guide and direct the current 500,000 members gathered in 13,000 parish associations. – See pl. XLVII.