Israel will be Converted by the Divine Will Teachings.

In the writings of Luisa Piccarreta, dictated by Jesus, and known as the Book of Heaven, intriguing statements are made in two of the 36 volumes of the opus. Essentially, there will be an exchange between Rome and Jerusalem. Just as the the Christian Faith was established in Rome due to the work of the Apostles who came forth from the Holy Land, the teachings on the Kingdom of the Divine Will be made known to Israel by the Roman Pontiff. Then Israel will be converted to the true Christian Faith. 
 

Below are two key lines from the Book of Heaven, and the paragraphs in which they are contained are presented further on.

”. . . Rome, in which resides my representative on earth, the Roman Pontiff, from whom come my divine laws; and just as he makes it his duty to make my Redemption known to the peoples, so will he make it his duty to make known the Kingdom of my Divine Will.”

“Then will Jerusalem repent of her ingratitude, and will embrace the life of the religion which she gave to Rome; and, grateful, she will receive from Rome the life and the great gift of the Kingdom of my Divine Will.”

This prophecy is a multi-fold blessing. It teaches us, in this time of crisis in the Catholic Church, that it will carry on, one must not lose faith in the Church or give up on the Papacy (sede-vacantism is a dead-end). Not only will the Church recover and triumph, but the teachings given by Our Lord and Our Lady to Luisa Piccarreta, made known to the world by the Church, will establish the Kingdom of the Divine Will, even in Israel. 

  

From the Book of Heaven, volume 24, October 3, 1928:

“The first criers of the Gospel, those who established Catholicism in Rome, were my Apostles, all from Jerusalem – that is, from this homeland. Now there will be an exchange: if Jerusalem gave to Rome the life of religion and therefore of Redemption, Rome will give to Jerusalem the Kingdom of the Divine Will. This is so true, that just as I chose a Virgin from the little town of Nazareth for the Redemption, so I have chosen another virgin in a little town of Italy belonging to Rome, to whom the mission of the Kingdom of the Divine Fiat has been entrusted. And since this must be known in Rome just as my coming upon earth was known in Jerusalem, Rome will have the great honor of requiting Jerusalem for the great gift received from her, which is Redemption, by making known to her the Kingdom of my Will. Then will Jerusalem repent of her ingratitude, and will embrace the life of the religion which she gave to Rome; and, grateful, she will receive from Rome the life and the great gift of the Kingdom of my Divine Will. And not only Jerusalem, but all of the other nations will receive from Rome the great gift of the Kingdom of my Fiat, the first criers of It, Its gospel - all full of peace, of happiness and of restoration of the creation of man. And not only will my manifestations bring sanctity, joys, peace and happiness, but the whole of Creation, competing with them, will unleash from each created thing each of the happinesses It contains, and will pour them upon the creatures.” [V24; 10/03/1928.]

Luisa Piccarreta funeral (1865 - 1947)

From the Book of Heaven, volume 27, January 30, 1930:

“My daughter, there is much analogy between the way in which Redemption unfolded and the way in which the Kingdom of my Divine Will will unfold. See, in my Redemption I chose a Virgin; in appearance She had no importance according to the world, either of riches, or of height of dignity or positions which would indicate Her; the very city of Nazareth was not important – a tiny little house was Her whole abode. But even though I chose Her from Nazareth, I wanted for it to belong to the capital city, Jerusalem, in which there was the body of the pontiffs and priests who then represented Me and announced my laws. For the Kingdom of my Divine Will I have chosen another virgin who, in appearance, has no importance, either of great riches or of height of dignity; the very city of Corato is not an important city, but it belongs to Rome, in which resides my representative on earth, the Roman Pontiff, from whom come my divine laws; and just as he makes it his duty to make my Redemption known to the peoples, so will he make it his duty to make known the Kingdom of my Divine Will. It can be said that one and the other will proceed in the same way and manner, as the Kingdom of my Supreme Fiat must unfold.” [V27; 01/30/1930.]

As the gift of Living in the Divine Will restores the Church, Rome will spread the gift to all nations of the earth.

View my books on the Divine Will, Padre Pio, and others Here.

The "Shroud of Padre Pio"

The saint wiped his face with a handkerchief, and later a mysterious image appeared on it.  Shroud of Turin expert says the image is acheropita – not made by human hands.

The story begins in February 1968, and concerns Francesco Cavicchi of Conegliano, Italy, who was one of the spiritual sons of Padre Pio. Francesco with his wife Carla and some friends drove to San Govanni Rotondo from their home in northern Italy, because he wished to personally ask the friar for some advice on a certain matter. But upon their arrival they learned that the Padre was not feeling well, and had to remain in his cell in the monastery. They decided to stay in San Giovanni for a few days before returning home.
  

The day they were to depart, Francesco went to the Superior of the friary to find out if, through him, he could get a message to Padre Pio and receive an answer. “Why don't you ask him yourself,” was the reply. “In a short while he will be coming down and will confess the men.” Then the Superior pointed to an elevator and told Francesco to wait there. Francesco nervously waited alone before the elevator door, worried about how to approach Padre Pio with his question, since he know the monk had no time to waste in idle chatter. In his agitation, his hands started sweating, so he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and held it tightly to absorb the moisture. In the meantime, the elevator descended, and as he saw the door start to open, he knelt down in front of it. There was Padre Pio, right before him, offering his mittened hand to be kissed. Then he said with a smile, “Son, if you don't get up, how am I going to get past you?”

Francesco stood up, and as he did so, Padre Pio saw the handkerchief that he was holding in his hands; reaching out he took it. “How wonderful, “ Francesco thought. “Then when he returns it I will have a precious relic!” Walking alongside the friar, he told him all about his problem, and as usual, he immediately received a precise answer. They arrived at the entrance to the room where the men were waiting to be confessed. The crowd pressed around the saint trying to kiss his hand or touch him, and Francesco was swallowed up in the rush, forgetting all about the handkerchief. But Padre Pio had not forgotten it. He turned towards Francesco, showing him the cloth. Then he unfolded it and wiped his face with it, as if he had been sweating, although it was winter. Staring into Francesco's eyes, he handed it back to him with a gesture of tenderness. Deeply moved, Francesco understood that he had just been given a great gift.    

On the right eye a cut, as if from a lash, similar to what is on the Holy Shroud

Francesco is certain that at that time there were no unusual markings on it, it was just a wrinkled handkerchief. But since it was held by Padre Pio and had touched his face, it was an exceptional relic. When he returned to their hotel, he told his wife, and she too was overjoyed about it. After the Cavicchi's made the journey back to their home in Conegliano, they continued to regard it with devotion. Francesco always carried it with him, like a good luck charm. He kept it folded in his jacket pocket when he wasn't showing it to friends and telling them the story about it. With the passage of time, it became darkened and looked dirty.

The 23^rd of September, 1969 was the first anniversary of the passing of Padre Pio, and the Cavicchi's with some friends embarked on a pilgrimage to San Giovanni Rotondo. They traveled overnight by bus, and after their arrival early the next morning, Francesco was unusually tired. After praying at the saint's tomb, he went upstairs into the church and sat alone in a pew to get some rest. In a short time he fell asleep, and began to dream about Padre Pio. The friar was at the altar, and then left it and came towards Francesco. He was smiling, and when he reached Francesco, he opened his habit and showed him the wound on his chest. “Touch it,” said Padre Pio. Francesco was afraid he would hurt him, but Padre Pio insisted. He put his fingers in the wound, and after he withdrew them he saw that they were covered with a white sticky film. A kind of handkerchief appeared out of nowhere, and he cleaned his fingers of the white substance, which left black marks on the cloth. Then on his fingertips he noticed an image of Padre Pio. He looked for the friar, but he was gone. At that very moment his wife woke him up, telling him that he looked very tired. He told her he had gotten some rest, and that he was going outside to refresh himself.

In the courtyard in front of the friary stood a small fountain, which has since been moved elsewhere. People went there to quench their thirst because it was “the water of Padre Pio.” Francesco rinsed his hands and face, and took out a handkerchief to dry himself. Inadvertently, instead of taking a clean cloth, he took out the handkerchief that Padre Pio had given him. A woman nearby noticed how dirty it was, and asked him if he would like her to wash it. Seeing how stained it was, he said “yes, let's wash it.” As soon as he spoke those words he marveled, because every time his wife wanted to wash it he had prevented her. The woman began to pour water on it from a bottle, and he rinsed it in his hands. Suddenly the woman began screaming, “Padre Pio, Padre Pio!” “Where?” he asked. “There, in the handkerchief!” she continued, shouting.

People started to rush over, and Francesco became frightened. He recalled that the day before, a lady had shouted in the church that she could see Padre Pio by the altar. She was abruptly taken off to the police station by the carabinieri. He quickly put the handkerchief in his pocket, and walked away saying “There is nothing to see.” He took refuge in the church for awhile, and then went back to his hotel. But in reality there was something to see. He saw dark marks similar to those he had seen in his dream. They could be taken to resemble a face, but they were not clear. " I understood that something mysterious was occurring with that handkerchief." Not wanting to be deceived, he said nothing to anyone, not even his wife. He spread it out on the dressing table so it could dry out. During Mass the next morning, he prayed to Padre Pio, asking help in understanding what the signs on the handkerchief meant, and whether he should tell his wife Carla. Suddenly he could smell the aroma of a strong perfume, and he interpreted it as permission to talk with his wife. 

Francesco Cavicchi at his home

Returning to their hotel from Mass, he told her everything that had happened. In their room, he picked up the cloth and held it up before their eyes. “What do you see?” he asked her. “The face of Jesus,” she answered. “What Jesus? It's Padre Pio,” he retorted. “No, for me it is the face of Jesus,” she insisted. Then he realized that his wife was looking at the opposite side of the same handkerchief. On one side was the face of Padre Pio, composed of those same lines he had noticed the night before, but now the face appeared clearer and more detailed. Seen from the other side, the image appeared to be that of Jesus.

Confused and frightened, Francesco was uncertain about what he should do. He consulted with some religious and even his bishop, who were amazed at seeing it, but advised him to keep it hidden. The Cause for Padre Pio's beatification was just getting off the ground, and they worried that this might lead to fanaticism, harming the Cause. He obeyed, and kept silent for many years, until the date of the 1999 beatification of Padre Pio was announced. He and his wife established a small shrine in their home at Conegliano, and every year hundreds of the faithful came to venerate the cloth. The walls are decorated by many ex-votos in honor of graces received. He passed away in 2005, and his widow Carla in 2009. At that time, the handkerchief was consigned to an undisclosed friary. 

Prof. Giulio Fanti holds replicas of the two sides of the handkerchief (cacciapoli.com)

The community of friars decided to have the image examined by an expert, Professor Giulio Fanti of the University of Padua. He is considered one of the world's foremost authorities on the Shroud of Turin, and on other images of a mysterious origin, termed “acheropite,” not made by human hands. According to Professor Fanti, the images on the handkerchief are similar to those on the Shroud. They have not been painted or drawn, and no trace of pigment or color can be found. There is an image on one side of the cloth that resembles Padre Pio, and on the other side it resembles Jesus. The image of Jesus is fainter, but one can discern on the right eye a cut, as if from a lash, similar to what is on the Shroud. “The conclusion is irrefutable, it is impossible that these images be of human work.”

Many thanks to Renzo Allegri's Padre Pio, Il Santo dei Miracoli, and to various Internet articles on the Sindone di Conegliano. 

View my books on Padre Pio and others Here.

Padre Pio's First Public Miracle.

One of the very first newspaper articles about Padre Pio was written by Renato Trevisani for the “Mattino” of Naples, and appeared in the editions of June 20 and 21, 1919. Trevisani had been assigned as the paper's special correspondent to investigate and report on the stigmatized mystic of San Giovanni Rotondo. Initially skeptical, thinking Padre Pio might be a “Rasputin,” he was won over by the friar's demeanor, and was an eyewitness to a miraculous cure.

The recipient of the cure, Pasquale Di Chiara (1881 – 1946), was a functionary of the Ministry of Justice, as chancellor of the prefecture of San Giovanni Rotondo. He was 36 years old at the time, residing at Lucera, about 25 miles from San Giovanni. He had been chancellor at Messina, Sicily, during the great earthquake of 1908 which killed tens of thousands of citizens. For his brave and selfless actions in aiding the wounded and homeless, he merited the official praise of the King's Procurator of the Tribunal of Messina.

In 1918 he received the injury which was subsequently healed by Padre Pio. Pasquale was in Lucera to attend a formal celebration to mark the end of the war between Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which was concluded by the Armistice of November 3. Civil, military, and religious authorities were present. While descending the stairs of the hotel where the ceremony was held, he took a very serious fall. For three months he was immobilized, and when he finally was permitted leave his bed, he could only limp along by dragging his leg, painstakingly supported by a cane. When he finally decided to visit Padre Pio at San Giovanni Rotondo, it was not, however, to seek his own cure, as one might think. Instead he sought healing for his three-year old daughter Italia, stricken with infantile paralysis.

The journalist Renato Trevisani obtained the following account from Di Chiara himself of the miraculous occurrence, and included it in his article for the “Mattino.” He writes that he was an eye-witness to the prodigy, along with other distinguished personages present at the time who can authenticate it, including the King's Procurator of the Tribunal of Lucera, Dr. Mione; Prefecture Advisor of Sanseverino, Dr. Russo; Dr. Giura; and Vice Magistrate N. Siena.

From caccioppoli.com

The headline for the story ran across top of the entire page: “Padre Pio, the 'Saint' of San Giovanni Rotondo.” Underneath it ran the sub-heading “works a miracle on the person of the chancellor of the town.” The story was in three sections: the Phenomona, Padre Pio, and the Miracles. The images show only a small part of the complete piece. Pasquale Di Chiara's testimony, as reported in the newspaper, is presented here for the first time in English.

“On November 11, 1918, on the occasion of the conclusion of the Armistice, a small celebration was held at the Hotel Sicilia. Coming down from the hotel, I fell head over heels. After spending three months in bed, under the care of Doctors Merla and Giuva, I was constrained to walk with a cane, dragging my leg, and unable to sustain long walks. At Foggia, I underwent an x-ray examination under Doctor Bucci, which revealed a dislocation.

“I went to the Friary for the first time, together with my wife, to ask Padre Pio for a grace for my little girl of three, Italia, suffering from infantile paralysis. Padre Pio told us to throw away the orthopedic apparatus used on the leg of the child; but my wife, a little wary, did not want to follow the advice. The next day the apparatus broke. My wife told Padre Pio that the child still was not cured, and the friar responded: “It was your fault! Hope, but in God.”

“I arrived [another time] at the friary, accompanied by my superiors, who were guests of the city of San Giovanni Rotondo. Seeing me, Padre Pio made a gesture of gentle reproof with his hand, which, however, I did not understand. I remained in the corridor, and in about an hour Padre Pio returned. He stopped before me and said, with his eyes turned upward, a phrase in which I could only make out the word “cane.” My friends, Michele Campanile and Benedetto Ventrella, explained to me that Padre Pio had said, “Throw away the cane!”

“He said it a second time, and I let go of the cane, but I remained leaning against a wall. “Man of little faith, go ahead and walk,” commanded the Padre. I then experienced a feeling of great warmth in my foot, which in a short time spread throughout my whole body.  I now walk normally, without any need of help.”

Further details were made known many years later in author Enrico Malatesta's interview with Pasquale Di Chiara's son Umberto, the brother of Italia, who was affected by polio. Following the unexplained breakage of her orthopedic equipment, and the rebuke by Padre Pio to her mother, Italia soon began to walk without requiring any assistance, although with a slight limp. As for Pasquale, he would recall Padre Pio's words: “Man of little faith, go ahead and walk” for the rest of his life. They were spoken with irritation, but in a tone of voice that was at the same time both gentle and gruff. At his command, Pasquale took one step, then two, three and four, and began to cry from joy and emotion. He started to walk faster, and found himself at the feet of Padre Pio, who blessed him with a bright smile.

 

Sources: Padre Pio Storia d'Una Vittima, 1967, by Francobaldo Chiocci and Luciano Cirri; and I Miracoli che Hanno Fatto Santo Padre Pio, 1998, Enrico Malatesta.

View my books on Padre Pio and others Here.