This great Italian mystic and spiritual leader, founder of the Community of the sons and daughters of God that now has 2000 members around the world, had a great appreciation for Asia, especially Japan that he visited and to whom he dedicated one of his most original books, "Diario Giapponese" (Japanese Journal - he authored over 150 books). In another book, "Luce e silenzio" (Light and silence) he has also spoken about his visit to Hong Kong in his way to Japan in 1985, he marvelled at the "wonderful history" of the canossian sisters in the then British colony, an history that helped to shape the soul and spirit of the city. Father Barsotti also preached to the PIME fathers and mentioned his meeting with the Archbishop of Canton Dominic Tang, meeting that he considered "the greatest grace".
Divo Barsotti was a very well known preacher and was asked also from saint Paul VI to preach the spiritual exercises for the Roman curia in 1971. Father Barsotti was totally immersed in the Presence, Christ the Lord. Reading his books give you the impression of a man on his way to the sacred mountain that is God. Many are the struggles but countless are the graces.
This book that you are reading is the first translation in Chinese language of a book by father Barsotti, with the hope that his deep spirituality and Catholic faith may penetrate in the hearts and minds of Chinese people. Here the style he adopted is the one of aphorisms, a style that has a long history and tradition in the West and in the East. May this book be an introduction to the work and spirituality of this great man with the hope that many more books from him will soon be available to Chinese people.
On Saturday 24 September 2021 in the Florentine basilica of SS. Annunziata took place the opening for the beatification cause of father Divo Barsotti, presided over by the Archbishop of Florence, Cardinal Betori.
Aurelio Porfiri
