Padre Pio and The Poem of the Man-God.

It is known that Padre Pio possessed the gift of the perfume of sanctity. Many have said or written that they received this gift from him, over great distances and even after his death. One day in 1942 a certain warrant officer who pitied the great sufferings of Maria Valtorta, spoke to Padre Pio about her. At that time, in between periods of his own persecution, one was allowed to speak to the saintly Friar outside of confession. The officer asked Padre Pio to obtain for her the grace of healing, or at least of lessening the suffering of the poor woman. Padre Pio replied that yes, he knows she suffers, but if he can do anything it will be for her soul. “But I can do nothing for her body, to relieve her afflictions.”

When he returned home, the warrant officer went to see Maria and told her what Padre Pio had said. Maria asked him at what time on what day had he spoken to the Friar. The answer corresponded to the moment that a great wave of perfume was felt in Maria’s home. Maria wrote in her published Notebooks: “And when not dreaming, but wide awake, I have noticed his fragrance. No garden packed with fully-blossoming flowers can emit the heavenly scents which flooded my room on the night between July 25 and 26, 1941 or the afternoon of September 21. 1942, precisely while a friend of ours was speaking to Padre Pio about me (I did not know he had left for San Giovanni Rotondo). On both occasions I later obtained the graces requested. The scent was also perceived by Marta [her aide]. It was so intense that it woke her up. It then ceased all at once, as it had come all at once.” [from Padre Pio and Maria Valtorta, pp 63-65.]

In 1961 the Holy Office had nullified the provision forbidding The Poem of the Man-God to be read by the faithful after the first edition was placed on the “Index,” by specifically granting permission to publish a totally-renewed second edition. Hence, one day in 1967, one of the spiritual daughters of Padre Pio asked him in confession for his advice on whether she should read Maria’s books. The saint replied that he does not just advise her to read them, her orders her to do so. “Non te lo consiglio, ma te lo ordino!”

Following is the complete letter written to the publisher of Maria’s books, in which the above incident is reported on page 68 of Padre Pio and Maria Valtorta:

For Dr. Emilio Pisani,

beloved in Jesus!

My name is Rosi Giordani, a spiritual daughter of Padre Pio. I am from Bologna, but have been living here for many years with my mother, who was born in 1887, like Maria Valtorta. Father has been at rest for twelve years in the cemetery of this town. In 1981 I was present with mother at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Florence [in which the remains of Maria Valtorta are venerated], for the anniversary of her death. I was with dear Domenico Fiorillo. I embraced Marta [Maria’s long-time aide and friend] and listened to her lovely talk.

I am writing particularly to tell you the following: a spiritual daughter of Padre Pio from the outset, Mrs. Elisa Lucchi, known as Malvina, from Forli, a year before Padre Pio’s death asked him in confession, “Father, I have heard mention of Maria Valtorta’s books. Do you advise me to read them?” Padre Pio replied, “I don’t advise you to – I order you to!”

San Giovanni Rotondo

January 7, 1989

Rosi Giordani

Following is a direct quote from the book Padre Pio and Maria Valtorta: “Padre Pio is said to have made a prediction one day concerning the recognition which Church authorities would grant to Maria Valtorta’s work. While the persecution persisted, he said, by way of reassurance, “Someone will come who will take care of everything.” [p.8.]

Could this prophecy of St. Pio refer to the 1362 page online opus A Summa and Encyclopedia to Maria Valtorta’s Extraordinary Work by Stephen Austin, updated in 2017? (Available Here.)

The following are some quotes from the Summa related to the Poem being placed on the Index:

“Because the placement of the first edition of The Poem of the Man-God on the Index was not due to any errors against faith or morals, the reasons for why it was placed on the Index were deemed by the Holy Office in 1961 as no longer applicable and they approved its publication.”

“. . . the Commissioner of the Holy Office, Fr. Giraudo, O.P., effectively repealed the 1959 censure of the Poem on the Index when he stated to Fr. Berti, in 1961: “Continue to publish this second edition. We will see how the world receives it.” In fact, even before Fr. Giraudo’s statement, Fr. Gabriel Roschini, Consultant of the Holy Office, stated in that same year that the new critical second edition of the Poem “was not to be considered to be on the Index, because it was totally renewed, conformed in all to the original, and provided with notes that removed any doubt and which demonstrated the solidity and orthodoxy of the work.”

Mr. Austin’s Summa refutes, and even utterly demolishes, the arguments put forth by the opponents of the Poem. There are some educated and well-meaning Catholics who oppose it, often because they have been misled by flawed articles about the Poem, and by excerpts taken out of context. A very few even stoop to personal attacks and innuendos about the authoress, Maria Valtorta, a woman who offered her sufferings, including the invisible stigmata, to the Lord as a victim-soul. 

Reference: Padre Pio and Maria Valtorta, by Emilio Pisani, Centro Editoriale Valtortiano, 2020.

View my Catholic writings Here.