Father Julian Carron, the president of the Communion and Liberation movement, has announced his resignation. Father Carron, who has led the influential movement since the death in 2005 of its founder, Father Luigi Giussani, said that he was stepping down in obedience to the directives of Pope Francis calling for changes in leadership of religious orders and movements.

In September, the Pope appointed a special delegate, Bishop Filippo Santoro of Taranto, Italy, to govern Memores Domini movement, an outgrowth of the Communion and Liberation movement, because of internal divisions in that movement.