Giovanni Checchinato He has been at the helm of the Bruzia Archdiocese for a year. That’s why we decided to meet him and ask him some questions. A year is the right time to take stock and offer thoughtful evaluations.
Archbishop, how did your faith begin?
«I belong to a lucky generation that has known very lively parishes. There I met prayer and I was trained. Our vice parish, in Latina, organized spiritual retreats one Sunday a month which were opportunities for prayer and discussion. My deeply Catholic and non-bigoted family, summer camps with the scouts, prayer led me to ask myself important questions. And after high school I entered the seminary in Anagni.”
What was your first assignment?
«I became assistant parish priest in Cisterna di Latina and remained there for 7 years, becoming passionate about parish life. It is there, in fact, that a priest can fully express himself.”
Is there a figure from the Church who has profoundly affected you over the years?
«A figure we were close to when we were young was Paul VI. A Pope that I then rediscovered by reading what he wrote and said. He is a charismatic figure who inspired me a lot.”
