Father Julián Carrón announced on Monday that he is resigning as president of Communion and Liberation.
In a Nov. 15 letter to members of the Catholic movement founded by Father Luigi Giussani in 1954, the Spanish priest said that he was stepping down “to favor that the change of leadership to which we are called by the Holy Father ... takes place with the freedom that this process requires.”
He was referring to a decree issued by the Vatican in June setting limits on the terms of leaders of international associations of the faithful and new communities.
The 71-year-old was re-elected president of Communion and Liberation for another six years in March 2020. He has held the post since 2005, the year of Father Giussani’s death.
He was reconfirmed in the position for six years in 2014. His third term was due to conclude in 2026.