This is a collection of the texts of the lectures and assemblies held by Father Giussani in the course of a year with a group of young people determined to set out on the path towards a life of total dedication to Christ in the form which the Church calls virginity. Most of the material was unpublished.

The volume begins with a brief editorial note (“Nota introduttiva”, pp. 5-6).

The introduction, titled “La ragionevolezza del cominciare” (pp. 11-16) is actually

an integral part of the text, as it contains the first encounter in which Giussani presented the reasons for embarking on this path of study.

The chapter titled “Carità: dono di sé commosso” (BUR, 1994, pp. 272-281) was published first, with the same title, to publicize the forthcoming volume (in “30 Giorni”, 11, 1994, pp. 73-77).

The comment on the prayer Veni Sancte Spiritus, Veni per Mariam, part of the paragraph “Invito alla preghiera” in the chapter titled “La libertà” (BUR, 1994, p. 79) also appeared under the title Per Mariam in “Litterae Communionis-Tracce” (5, 1995, p. 61).