Il Timone, on the cutting edge of apologetics magazines in Italy.

Milan, Italy. July 7, 2008. The Italian publication Il Timone (The Helm) is a monthly apologetics magazine founded and directed by a Regnum Christi member, Gianpaolo Barra. Its extraordinary growth has led it to reach over 10,000 subscribers since its foundation in 1999, with a list of contributing writers that includes some of the best and brightest of Italy’s Catholic thinkers. 

Engaged in the Battle for a New Culture
In an interview with Marco di Madero on the Italian Regnum Christi web page, Mr Barra said that these are times that call for a reasoned defense of the Catholic faith.

“Today, the Church needs militant people, authentic soldiers to lead the good battle of the faith and of charity, of good against evil, of life against death, of the culture of life against the culture of death,” he said. 

Accordingly, Il Timone Magazine’s objectives are twofold: “to illustrate the reasons for belief” and “to counter the attacks of those who dispute Catholic truth, scoff at morality, and denigrate the history of the Church."

Il Timone Magazine raises up soldiers to defend the Church not only through the apostolate of the pen, but

	Gianpaolo Barra, the founder and director of Il Timone Magazine.

also through youth work. In the past few years, about 30 Timone-associated youth clubs, called “Friends of Timone” have sprung up all over Italy. Their ideal, like the mission of the magazine, is to become credible witnesses to their Catholic faith in the midst of an increasingly secularized Europe.

Timone Day: Supporting the Universal Church
Il Timone also brings its readers together for a national meeting, the annual “Timone Day,” which includes the granting of the Defensor Fidei (Defender of the Faith) award, sponsored by the Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason) Foundation.

The convention, held in Milan, began with a Mass celebrated by Monsignor Giovanni D’Ercole, known for his frequent television appearances and for his work in the General Affairs Section of the Holy See’s Secretariat of State.
 
Following the Mass was a round table discussion on the topic of the famous Italian stigmatic, Padre Pio. The topic was framed as a debate: “Padre Pio: Saint or Con Man?” The debate unfolded between several journalists and writers who have written works defending the sanctity of St Pio of Pietrelcina.

The event culminated with the bestowing of the Defensor Fidei award on Louis Sako,

	Solid content and an attractive layout make Il Timone a strong sell.

the Archbishop of Kirkuk and courageous exponent of the Christian-Chaldean community in Iraq.

Originally from Mosul, Archbishop Sako is a convinced defender of the difficult process of democratization in Iraq. In the past years, he has appealed to the world on behalf of the sufferings of the Iraqi Christians, who have been forced to live almost in the catacombs because of the aggressiveness of Islamic fundamentalism, especially the Shiites.

The Defensor Fidei prize gives the recipient 10,000 Euros, as well as a sculpture. It is generally awarded to an individual, lay or religious, who stands out for his or her defense of the faith, especially in hostile places or situations.  In 2006, the award was granted to Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun, the bishop of Hong Kong who was recognized for his defense of religious freedom in Hong Kong and China.

This year, a special award was also given to Eugenio Corti, an internationally renowned writer and speaker who contributes to the magazine Il Timone.

The Timone Day event was enriched by many stands of Regnum Christi apostolates and organizations, including: Edizioni ART, The Notre Dame of Jerusalem Center, Pontifical Regina Apostolorum College,

	Monsignor Giovanni D’Ercole during the homily at Mass.

the European University of Rome, the Semper Altius Foundation, and Club NET, known in the United States as K4J.  There was also a stand promoting the consecrated life.

To learn more about Il Timone Magazine, visit the web site at www.iltimone.org.