This volume is the special edition of Il cammino al vero è un’esperienza (SEI, 1995), issued as a supplement to the monthly “30 Giorni” (7/8, 1996).

It republishes the three writings which “document the reasons and the consequent methodological annotations that accompanied the formation of the first social community” in the early days of the Communion and Liberation movement, at that time called Gioventù Studentesca (from the “Introduzione”, p. VIII).

It differs from the previous edition by the addition of the Prefazione, specially written by the Archbishop of Vienna, Mons. Christoph Schönborn (pp. III-V).

The texts are preceded by an introduction by the author titled “La nascita di un’esperienza” (pp. VII-XII).

In many cases devised as notes for the teaching sessions held on Sunday morning in A.C.’s Milan headquarters, as stated in the introduction itself, these writings are “reflections on an experience”, as declared by the title of the first, fundamental booklet it contains: “Gioventù Studentesca: Riflessioni sopra un’esperienza” (pp. 3-43). This is G.S. riflessioni sopra un’esperienza, published in 1963 (pro manuscripto published by Gioventù Studentesca; the first, shorter edition dates from 1959).

In 1972 Jaca Book republished the 1963 edition in Tracce d’esperienza e appunti di metodo cristiano, a volume that contains the three writings now contained in Il cammino al vero è un’esperienza.

In 1977 the initial part, “Direttive metodologiche per il richiamo” (1963, pp. 5-37) becomes a third appendix titled “Aspetti metodologici del richiamo cristiano” to the volume Tracce d’esperienza cristiana e altri scritti (Jaca Book, 1977, pp. 135-171. new edition 1991, pp. 87-108).

In 1996, following the first edition of Il cammino al vero è un’esperienza, this same part (“Direttive metodologiche per il richiamo”, SEI, 1995, pp. 3-24) was also published in “Litterae Communionis-Tracce” under the title Noi impariamo osservando la realtà; non applichiamo nostre idee alla realtà (2, 1996, insert).

The second text is “Tracce d’esperienza cristiana” (pp. 45-75), published in Milan in 1960 (Tracce d’esperienza cristiana, GIAC and Gioventù Studentesca, 1960). After the reissue of 1972 (pp. 77-140) mentioned above, Jaca Book republished it complete in the volume Tracce d’esperienza cristiana e altri scritti (1977, pp. 13-88. new edition 1991, pp. 15-60).

The volume closes with “Appunti di metodo cristiano” (pp. 77-131. Appunti di metodo cristiano, pro manuscripto published by Gioventù Studentesca, 1964; reissued by Jaca Book, 1972, pp. 141-254). The chapters “Una grande premessa” (1996, pp. 79-82) and “L’incontro” (1996, pp. 83-98) have also been published in the volume Tracce d’esperienza cristiana e altri scritti (Jaca Book, 1977) under the title “Una premessa di metodo” (pp. 91-99) and “L’incontro”, (pp. 101-133. Reissue Jaca Book, 1991, pp. 63-85).

In particular, the paragraph “L’incontro come esperienza” (points a, b, c – 1996, pp. 97-98) presents a section of the pamphlet L’esperienza (“L’esperienza cristiana”, 1963, pp. 8-9) which later became the section “Struttura dell’esperienza” in the volume Il rischio educativo (Jaca Book, 1977, pp. 89-95; reissue Jaca Book, 1988, pp. 93-99; and 1994 in Opere 1966-1992. Vol. 2, pp. 539-545; SEI, 1995 in Il rischio educativo. Come creazione di personalità e di storia, pp. 53-56; Rizzoli, 2005, pp. 126-131).

In 2002 the article was republished complete in “Litterae Communionis-Tracce” (4, 2002, as an insert).

The section titled “Democrazia” (1996, pp. 120-123), part of the chapter “Missione”, was subsequently republished in the volume of miscellaneous writings L’io, il potere, le opere. Contributi da un’esperienza (“Affermare l’altro in quanto è”, in the chapter “La politica”, Marietti, 2000, pp. 179-182). Passages from the same section constitute the article titled Democrazia in “Litterae Communionis-Tracce” (4, 2002, p. 30; translations).