Initially it was not more than a vademecum, not to say a chuleta, of a student more of History. It was year 1961, for 38 years, when I made my first course of History of the Church, in Heatings of Montbuy, Seminary of my Congregation. There the scheme began and I still have the original one. That course already lasted two years; later I made other two courses biennial, like student of Theology in the GregorianaUniversity (1966) having by professor to the jesuita Giaccomo Martina. He was without a doubt the one that marked to me more. For the degree I also made a course of two years on the History of the Christian espiritualidad. In him the benedictine education of an unforgettable one predominated, father Jean Leclerq. Historiograma was taking form through academic courses but, mainly, throughout my life. It always was in the mind having the possible clearest vision of the history of the Church, that it has been me so important to understand to the Gentleman and its way to respect the human processes.

This one is the surprise. It does not seem to exist nothing similar. The encounter with monsignor Eugene Romero Pose and its interest by the subject us made it understand, and also because Don Joaquin Martín Abbot, Director for the Committee of the Jubileo of the 2000, it proposed the giant format of exhibition. In addition, the application of the computer science techniques has offered unsuspected possibilities before.

One is a set vision with pastoral sense. As we say in the presentation of the scheme, the author is not a scholar nor a rate of library. It arose next to the courses of History of the Salvation that we have given during all our life. Not even it is the name of all the Popes, because in few cases there was no physical place to put them. It is that one was not which did not lack anything! The balance of data is also very debatable, I am first in affirming it, and surely that nobody is as critical as i myself on which I present/display: more than a sum of data one is a symbol of the way of the Church. We were united to which thinks that, in spite of the grief, one is history more coherent than it has never existed. That yes, it is not rose color and for that reason we have not doubted in putting positive and negative elements. Often these last ones have taught more than first. Also it can surprise an apparently out of proportion importance the century that finishes. The reason is the attention to the young people who, in general, they do not feel attractive by History. It is a way to interest them. With few adults it does not happen the same. The criteria of selection of data of this century are very different from those of the previous centuries, in attention to them. In the pastoral order, that as we said he is the main one, I must emphasize the relation of this history with the Eucaristía: the Church celebrates its history through the saints and this one is a way to be locating the set. It is necessary to return to one healthy hagiografía!

First of all I must say that I am surprised the first one of the publication of this scheme. I imagined that to many it would happen oneself to them to make a thing thus. I have always said that it must to my little memory that I was so meticulous in not letting pass data without writing down. In addition, chronologies of general history it has by all sides; perhaps the newness is that this one specifically talks about to the Christianity with a division of times and times different from the habitual ones. If this comes to the light is by the demand of the others, before my surprise and almost it would say that also for my shame, by the limits that I see in the made work. I believe that the newness is in having found - as they passed the years a form more or less didactic to present/display the elements that do to the set. The adventure of the publication is inexpressible. Nobody seemed to know how an equal thing could be published: a roll of 6.40 meters in its manual format. A great editorial was a few days old to me hoping, between dimes and diretes, putting failure on the brink of madness the idea that on time it was possible to be arrived. Finally he was a friend who advised to me on the presentation form. Now it seems evident, but the poor man had to pass over my pertinacia in affirming that she was a roll. The greater adventure was the one of the corrections, and for the maquetación, it was necessary to perhaps make Gallic of a monacal patience in 10 remade global editions, plus the infinite menudencias that are for finishing. And speaking of art, the poem has been the skillful pincelada one of our watercolorist. Its work has given to a relief and a touch of grace without which the set would have a barren aspect much more and I lack of harmony. The evidence of which the Gentleman has been pronounced because he loves his Church like his wife, it allows us to announce today that, for the interested ones, to have this resource in hand is possible!