The first anniversary of the death of Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini is being commemorated in his former archdiocese and throughout Italy. We all still feel the imprint of Martini and it seems that the Pope is following in his footsteps, especially the last wishes expressed by Martini in his spiritual will.

Pope Francis is bringing in the aggiornamento of the Church, which Martini said was 200 years behind. Francis, as proposed by Martini, is marching towards major reforms by adopting simple liturgical vestments, living in a simple style, giving women great importance (“You are more important than all the bishops and priests”), reforming the Curia, attending to the problem of divorcees receiving the Eucharist and bringing in the spirit of poverty.

All these were the milestones of Martini, who had the courage, like Francis, to bring about change. Both were formed in the school of St Ignatius.

Having since childhood been close to the Jesuits I see in both of them the spirit of Ignatius, as they do not sit in judgement but are defenders of truth, men of courage and discernment.

Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, the sucessor of Martini to the See of St Ambrose, wrote in commemoration of Martini that he was “a patriarch of the Church” through the preaching of the Word of God.

I will never forget those cold winter nights with hundreds of youths squatting on the damp floors of the Duomo to listen to Martini s Lectio Divina, wherein in plain, down-to-earth language, much like that of Pope Francis, he incarnated the Word of God to the existing reality, such as the terrorism of the Brigate Rosse.

On this occasion, Martini’s two secretaries have published two interesting books on him, one published jointly with Corriere della Sera. And the many writings of the Cardinal, an eminent biblical scholar, now include a new book on Moses, his last in-depth study.