RIGHETTI, Igino. – Promoter, founder, and first president (1933) of the Movimento laureati di Azione Cattolica (q.v.), born in Riccione on March 3, 1904, died in Rome on March 17, 1939.
He was one of the most valiant representatives of the renewed activity of Catholic laity during the period that saw the affirmation of Fascism in Italy and the regime’s opposition to Catholic youth organizations. Regent of the FUCI (q.v.) in 1925, at a moment of grave difficulty for the Federation following the Bologna Congress, and later its president, he not only gave strong impetus to the FUCI’s activity but also, through his fruitful personal action, impressed upon it that character which later came to define the FUCI itself for its cultural and formative commitment. Among his achievements, in addition to the Movimento laureati, are the organization of the Università Pasqua, the Convegni dei laureati, which for a time took the place of the Settimane sociali dei cattolici italiani, the Settimane di cultura religiosa at Camaldoli, and the Studium publishing house. Among his ideas, the assertion of the necessity and the promotion of qualified and committed cultural activities by Catholic Action. These ideas are amply illustrated in his writings, which enriched the FUCI’s official newspaper, Azione fucina, founded by him in 1928, and the journal Studium (q.v.), which he brought to authoritative voice of Catholic culture.