5/14/07

Response from Webmaster: In 1948, after reading the Poem, Pope Pius XII said: "Who reads it, will understand". While reading Father Mitch’s article, it becomes clear that he never read any part of what he critiqued. Therefore, as the Holy Pontiff prophesied, he was unable to understand. This presents a complex predicament, because Father Mitch is a well known, loved, respected TV personality and Theological Teacher.

Witnesses reported that just prior to the Fatima miracle, a Priest attempted to disperse the crowd, declaring it was a hoax. When that failed, he attempted to physically pick up the children and remove them. Again, the crowd prevented him. Perhaps Father Mitch has become overzealous at protecting the flock from something he incorrectly perceived as deception.

The miracle of Fatima was one of the greatest miracles of all time, for several reasons. It was witnessed by over 100,000 people, even as far as 32 miles away. All who witnessed it were astonished by the spectacular demonstration of the miracle. Not only did they see the fire of the sun detach itself and fall upon the earth, but they felt the intense heat. The flooded grounds and their soaked clothes from the torrential rain, just prior to the miracle, dried up immediately before their eyes. Some were up to their ankles in mud, then standing upon dry soil. Moreover, it was the only miracle in the history of the world that God performed at a predicted time and place. As the Holy Mother of God explained: "So that all may believe". And who believed? The atheist communist tabloids acknowledged it as a miracle by God the very next morning. It took thirteen long years before the Holy Roman Catholic Church acknowledged the Fatima Miracle to be of Divine origin.. Previous to that, witnesses reported that Priests that believed and defended the children were transferred far away from the local Parishes.  Some witnesses expressed resentment for the years of pulpit reprimands, only to be followed over a dozen years later by a short statement by the Church, that the Apparitions and Miracle were "worthy of belief."  (Fatima: "Meet the Witnesses", by John M. Haffert). How badly we behave in response to great miracles, even back to the times when Moses parted the sea. And yet, we incredulous people wonder why there are so few miracles today.  "And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief"’ (Matt 13:58).

Persecution of Holy people, such as Maria Valtorta, dates back to the slaying of Abel, to the condemnation of Christ by the Chief Priests and Pharisees, to the Stoning of Saint Steven, to our present day. Consider how Saul, who was a good Jew, held the coats of those stoning Saint Steven. It is an enigma as to why some good people feel compelled to disparage some of the most wonderful gifts of God, along with those who make these gifts available to us. I’m sure those who condemned Padre Pio and Blessed Sister Faustina felt just as confident they were doing the right thing at the time. The word of God prevails, and at some point in the future, the finger of God in Maria’s writings will be fully recognized.

Comment: Maria Valtorta was a bed-ridden Victim Soul.

Comment: This statement prohibits any circumstance or instance where God would be capable of revealing Himself. Moreover, the statement can be proven erroneous, there are other very similar Visionaries who are now Saints. Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich was an instrument of our Lord, who recorded divinely inspired truth about Jesus' and Mary’s lives. Mystical theology, like fundamental theology, affirms only this: God can reveal Himself (Karl Rahner, S.J.). "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions, (Joel 2:28-32 NKJV).

Comment: It is becoming increasingly apparent that Father Mitch’s primary contention is that this form of divine inspiration is not possible. The very fact that Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich was Beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 3, 2004 is evidence that the Church does consider this form of divinely inspired truth possible.

Comment: Maria Valtorta’s writings were presented to Pope Pius XII in 1947, who examined them for one year. His Holiness agreed to a special meeting in 1948, in which He ordered the publishing before three Priests: Fr. Corrado Berti (Professor of Dogmatic and Sacramental Theology at the Pontifical "Marianum" Theological Faculty of Rome from 1939 onward, later becoming Secretary of the Faculty from 1950 to 1959, as well as consultant to the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council), Fr. Romualdo M. Migliorini (Prefect Apostle in Africa), and Fr. Andrew M. Cecchin (Prior of the International College of the Servites of Mary in Rome). All aforementioned, documented this event with signed testimony. The fact that the Pope did grant this audience was historically documented the very next day, February 27, 1948 in L’Osservatore Romano.

Since Maria Valtorta's writings encountered several obstacles when the Head of the Holy Office took offense at being circumnavigated in the Church approval process, Cardinal Edouard Gagnon, writing to the Maria Valtorta Research Center from the Vatican on October 31, 1987, referred to Pope Pius XII's action as: "The kind of official Imprimatur granted before witnesses by the Holy Father in 1948. An "Official Imprimatur" of the Supreme Authority of the Church".

Comment: A Papal Order to publish that was witnessed by three highly reputable Priests is not an endorsement? Furthermore, renowned Mariologist Father Gabriel Roschini, OSM was an outstanding advocate of Maria Valtorta's writings. Pope John Paul II often referred to Father Gabriel M. Roschini as one of the greatest Marioligists who ever lived. He was a decorated professor at the "Marianum" Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Rome, and an advisor to the Holy Office. He wrote over 130 Books on the Blessed Mother, all of which are in the Vatican Library. In his last book (which Father Gabriel said was his greatest, "The Virgin Mary In The Writings of Maria Valtorta"), the first two pages contain a letter of endorsement by Pope Paul VI. Page one displays a photocopy of the original letter in Italian complete with Vatican insignia, and page two contains the English translation. This constitutes a secondary indirect endorsement, in that the Holy Pontiff endorsed a book, that endorses Maria Valtorta’s writings.

Comment: So were the writings of Saint Faustina Kowalska, along with a litany of writings by other Saints. Maria Valtorta’s writings were placed on the Index by the Head of the Holy Office Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, who was purportedly incensed that Holy Office was circumnavigated in the approval process. Consider that this is the same Cardinal who authored the secret 1962 Vatican document that mandated the excommunication of children victimized by pedophile priests in the event they sought help from the authorities, as uncovered by CBS News in 2003:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faustyna_Kowalska

Cardinal Ottaviani was also a well known enthusiastic Challenger of Papal Authority, that is why he had no problem subverting the Papal Order to Publish. This same Cardinal also had several noted rage and temper incidents. While giving a harangue at the pulpit, the technician switched off his microphone, causing the whole congregation to give a standing ovation. In another similar tirade, the Priests listening to him turned their chairs around facing away from him.  In addition, Saint Faustina’s writings were placed on the Forbidden Book List by the Holy Office under Cardinal Ottaviani, which now are read at Divine Mercy Sunday Mass.

In 1966, Pope Paul VI took the action of suppressing the Index of Forbidden Books, which liberated the Poem from ecclesiastical restriction. Yes, the same Pope who endorsed "The Virgin Mary In The Writings of Maria Valtorta". Moreover, when Pope Paul VI was Archbishop of Milan, after evaluating Maria Valtorta's writings, ordered her entire works to be sent to the Milan Seminary library. Pope Paul VI accomplished three significant actions to remove barriers and promulgate the Poem.

Comment: The key word is "reiterates". Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, was Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani’s immediate successor in heading the Holy Office. He was personally groomed by Cardinal Ottaviani to become the new prefect of the Congregation. Cardinal Ratzinger did not personally scrutinize Maria Valtorta's writings, he reiterated (simply upheld), his mentor’s verdict, avoiding the undermining his predecessor.

It is important to remember that in 1978, a Polish cardinal petitioned the Vatican to cease the suppression of Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska’s Divine Mercy devotion and to remove her writings from the Index of Forbidden books. The Vatican replied in the negative, upholding the condemnation and suppression.  Which we now know was in error.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1619458/posts?page=7

Furthermore, Blessed Gabriel Allegra was Beatified by Pope John Paul II. His Eminence was well aware that Father Gabriel Allegra was most noted for being an outspoken supporter of Maria Valtorta’s writings. Quite possibly another indirect Papal endorsement of Pope John Paul II.

Please take the time to read the links below to Blessed Gabriel Allegra's Critique of Maria Valtorta's works. These authoritative endorsements by a Beatified Scripture Scholar cannot be easily disregarded.

Comment: Very few Saints did not suffer persecutions, in fact it seems to be a prerequisite.

Comment: Pope Pius XII studied her writings for one year (1947-1948), before making his Papal Order to Publish.

Comment: Cardinal Bea, S.J., Jesuit, rector of the Pontifical Biblical Institute and advisor to the Holy Office testified: "I have read in typed manuscripts many of the books written by Maria Valtorta". Hence, clearly most, or nearly all. Father Mitch is using a little sophistry to downplay an exceptionally compelling testimony. The inclusive quote is as follows: "I read several fascicles of the Work written by the lady, Maria Valtorta, attending particularly in my reading to the exegetical, historical, archeological and topographical parts. As far as its exegesis, I did not find any prominent errors in the fascicles examined by me. Further, I had been much impressed by the fact that her archeological and topographical descriptions were propounded with notable exactness. Concerning some particulars less exactly expressed, the author, questioned by me through an intermediary, had modestly given some satisfactory explanations. Here and there some scenes appeared to me too diffusely described, even with many vivid colors. But generally speaking, the reading of the Work is not only interesting and pleasing, but truly edifying. And for people less well informed on the mysteries of the life of Jesus, instructive."

Comment: The three Priests wrote down the exact wording of Papal Order, together, immediately after the meeting. Each later providing signed testimony for accuracy.

Comment: From the Vatican: Cardinal Edouard Gagnon, writing to the Maria Valtorta Research Center from the Vatican on October 31, 1987, referred to Pope Pius XII's action as: "The kind of official Imprimatur granted before witnesses by the Holy Father in 1948. An "Official Imprimatur" of the Supreme Authority of the Church".

The Code of Canon Law: Book II, Part II, Section I, Chapter I, Article I, gives the Pope full and supreme power over all levels of the Church and free use to exercise this power. Canon law clearly requires that this Papal order be embraced with unconditional acceptance and submission. This is why Father Berti was so persistent in assisting in the publishing of Maria's works, despite the later persecutions he suffered at the hands of his superiors. The Church was in violation of Canon Law for putting it on the index in the first place.

The statement by Father Pacwa: "The reason: it has none!", is entirely untrue. Several other Bishops have given their Imprimaturs, such as Archbishop Soosa Pakiam of Trivandrum (for the Malayalam translation prepared in India. Note: If the Vatican thought that the Archbishop of India made an error in judgment, it would have him remove his Imprimatur. Nonetheless, the Vatican has let his Imprimatur stand). Furthermore an Imprimatur was given by Bishop Roman Danylak (Titular Bishop of Nyssa Rome, Italy). Evidence that Father Mitch may not have performed adequate fundamental research before making such proclamations.

Comment: According to the Priest’s testimony in 1949, Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani who then headed the Holy Office, summoned Father Corrado Berti and Father Andrew Cecchin to the Holy Office. Furthermore, during this meeting both Priests were forbidden to speak or communicate in any way immediately before the meeting. Monsignor Pepe and Father Berruti, officials of the Holy Office, were entrusted with reading the new judgment to both Priests (authored by Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani), which reversed and undermined the Papal Imprimatur. Monsignor Pepe and Father Berruti had no role in condemnation itself. The order of silence cleverly restricted Father Berti from informing Monsignor Pepe and Father Berruti of the Papal Imprimatur given by Pope Pius XII.

Comment: Although Father Berti brought all the typescripts in his possession; he could not deliver all the copies, because some were in the possession of other people who declined to be deprived of them. The Holy Office, headed by Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, forbade the publication of these writings and threatened to place them on the Index of forbidden books in the event of a publication.

The reversal of the Papal Order by the Holy Office was in direct violation to Canon Law. Again, the Code of Canon Law: Book II, Part II, Section I, Chapter I, Article I, gives the Pope full and supreme power over all levels of the Church and free use to exercise this power. Canon law clearly requires that this Papal order be embraced with unconditional acceptance and submission. This is why Father Berti was so persistent in assisting in the publishing of Maria's works, despite the later persecutions he suffered at the hands of his superiors. The Church was in violation of Canon Law for putting it on the index in the first place.

Comment: Canon 1385 (Index of Forbidden Books) requires a Papal signature to validate the decree, but does not require the Pontiff to personally read the writings.  The Article published in L'Osservatore Romano was by an anonymous author.  No one knows who invented the wording: "A Badly Fictionalized Life of Jesus".

The key question: Why did Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani wait till volume four (almost three years later), to act? The Gospel as it was Revealed to Me (The English version; The Poem of the Man-God, came much later), was published in 1956 with Pope Pius XII Imprimatur and statement affixed to the inside cover. This must have made Cardinal Ottaviani livid, but he had no choice but to wait, his hands were tied. Placing the Poem on the Index of Forbidden books would require a Papal signature, which would be impossible to obtain. Pope Pius XII would certainly not sign a decree against His own Imprimatur, and the three Priests were well aware of this. As long as Pope Pius XII was alive, the Poem could be published with the Papal Imprimatur, unchallenged. When Pope Pius XII past away on October 9, 1958, the Lion was finally out of the way. As soon as the next Pontiff, Pope John XXIII, took office, Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani's first and foremost action was to have Maria Valtorta’s and Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska’s writings formally condemned on the Index of Forbidden Books, (Pope Pius XII would not sign the condemnation of Sister Faustina’s writings). The condemnation decrees could now be placed before the new Pontiff, who signed the decrees at the request of Cardinal Ottaviani. Obviously just taking Office, Pope John XXIII did not have the personal time and luxury of reading Maria Valtorta’s 15,000 pages of Private Revelation and Saint Faustina’s Life works.

There is a major difference between the actions of these two Popes. Pope Pius XII personally examined the writings for 10 months, Pope John XXIII’s signing was a common authorization formality to Cardinal Ottaviani’s final judgment.

Comment: It carries a Papal Imprimatur at the highest level, as witnessed by the testimony of three Priests. Again, Several other Bishops have given their Imprimaturs, such as Archbishop Soosa Pakiam of Trivandrum (for the Malayalam translation prepared in India. Note: If the Vatican thought that the Archbishop of India made an error in judgment, it would have him remove his Imprimatur. Nonetheless, the Vatican has let his the Imprimatur stand), and Bishop Roman Danylak (Titular Bishop of Nyssa Rome, Italy), etc.

Comment: This is in conflict to scripture, "And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves". (Matthew 21:12).

Comment: If the discussions were so shallow, how could noted Authors and Biblical Scholars have written articles and books on the dialogues? (Blessed Gabriel Allegra, Monsignor Vincenzo Cerri, Brendan Whiting, John Haffert, Mariologist Father Gabriel Roschini, etc).

Comment: The Bible has a references to an immodest dance before Herod, why would this be impossible before Pilate?

And Yet, Father Pacwa overlooks the most definitive, and perhaps the most incontestable proof. The 10,000 pages of Divine Revelation were given by our Lord in completely random succession. Maria records the visions in simple bound school note books, with no corrections, in the random order as they were given. On the surface, the complete work appeared as a well shuffled deck of cards. Towards the end, Jesus provides the proper sequence, the key, which could not be realized until the mammoth task of typing the manuscript was completed, allowing the individual pages to be sequenced in the specified succession. When finally placed in the correct progression, the puzzle materializes into a seamless perfect flowing chronology. Maria Valtorta keeps perfect track of Jesus, Mary and over 500 additional personalities. None of which are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jesus is appropriately in Jerusalem and Judea for Passover and Pentecost in all four spring seasons, and at the Tabernacles in all three fall seasons of His ministry. Jesus traverses the land of Palestine from one end to another in at least six cycles (some 4,000 miles), ministering in some 350 named locations, including places in Palestine known only to specialized archaeologists.  A fundamental proof of divine influence.

Comment: The Encyclopedia Britannica credits Archytas of Tarentum as the inventor of the screw years before the birth of Christ. Again, this only shows that Father Mitch may have not performed fundamental research. Furthermore, a 2,100 year old mechanical computing device (Antikythera Mechanism), was recovered from a Roman shipwreck that had very complex mechanical parts. Erich Von Daniken wrote a book based on it (Chariots to the Gods), mistakenly believing that it was left by Ancient Astronauts. In 2004, a team including British, Greek and U.S. scientists used specially developed X-ray scanning and imaging technology to analyze the corroded bronze, revealing hidden machinery including fine bronze gears, screws and springs.

Comment: In Maria's writings, the serpent didn't caress Eve in a physical sense, it was done with sinful ideas, putting thoughts and temptations in her mind. Catholic Schools have been teaching our children for years that there was no actual Adam and Eve, that Genesis was an allegory or parable describing how Man and Woman fell into sin. Coupled with the underlying lesson or message being; that human sin is followed by punishment, but the last word in the story is one of grace from God. Maria Valtorta’s writings hold that there was a real Adam and a real Eve, this makes her writings to be more Biblical than what the Church even teaches.  One of the foremost theologians of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body, Christopher West, has advanced precisely this point; that the first sin of Adam and Eve was a sexual sin resulting from lust.

Comment: In his book "The Virgin Mary In The Writings of Maria Valtorta", Renowned Mariologist Father Gabriel Roschini, OSM praises the Poem’s perfect Mariology. The following is one of his quotes: "A Madonna in perfect harmony with the ecclesiastical Magisterium, particularly with the Second Vatican Council, with Scripture and ecclesiastical Tradition. No other Marian writing has ever been able to give so clear, so living, so complete, so luminous and so fascinating an idea of the Madonna: [an idea] at once simple and sublime." (Pope John Paul II often referred to Father Gabriel M. Roschini as one of the greatest Marioligists who ever lived. He was a decorated professor at the "Marianum" Pontifical Faculty of Theology in Rome, and an advisor to the Holy Office. He wrote over 130 Books on the Blessed Mother, all of which are in the Vatican Library). Father Gabriel Roschini's analysis would be more plausible than Father Mitch Pacwa's, who is not a Mariologist.

Comment: Same as above.

Comment: I guess the Approval of two Popes doesn’t mean very much. As well as countless other endorsements by well respected authorities.

Comment: Pope Pius XII Ordered the publishing. The Code of Canon Law: Book II, Part II, Section I, Chapter I, Article I, gives the Pope full and supreme power over all levels of the Church and free use to exercise this power. Canon law clearly requires that this Papal order be embraced with unconditional acceptance and submission.

Comment: Pope John did not personally review Maria Valtorta’s writings. The Holy Office under Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani did, and placed it before Pope John for procedural signing upon taking office.

Comment: In 1949, Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani who then headed the Holy Office, summoned Father Corrado Berti and Father Andrew Cecchin to the Holy Office. Furthermore, during this meeting both Priests were forbidden to speak or communicate in any way. Monsignor Pepe and Father Berruti, officials of the Holy Office were entrusted with informing both Priests of the new judgment that reversed and undermined the Papal Imprimatur (They had nothing to do with the actual condemnation). The order of silence cleverly restricted Father Berti from informing Monsignor Pepe and Father Berruti of the Papal Imprimatur given by Pope Pius XII.

Comment: This statement is untrue. The condemned diary of St. Sister Faustina (Maria-Faustina Kowalska 1905-1938), was also liberated from ecclesiastic restriction with the abrogation of the Index. Now parts are quoted from the Pulpit on Divine Mercy Sunday. Another example would be how Roman Catholic Church hierarchy placed Galileo’s writings on the forbidden book list. They burned his written observations and nearly burned him at the stake in order to force him to retract his ideas regarding the earth being round and orbiting the sun.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict, was Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani’s successor in heading the Holy Office. He did not review the decision, he only reiterated the verdict of the former Head of the Holy Office.

Comment: This is a standard formality, although Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich’s writings were approved, the Church still required her books display the same wording posted in the inside cover: "cannot be considered supernatural in origin". "Badly Fictionalized"? Not according to the experts, two Popes (Pope Pius XII and Pope Paul IV), Blessed Gabriel Allegra, OFM (who was the only Scripture scholar beatified by Pope John Paul II), Padre Pio, Mother Theresa of Calcutta, etc. Again, the list could go on for pages.

There may have been more books written about the Poem than any other book, aside from the Bible. One of my favorite is "That Wonderful Poem", by Theologian John Haffert, fluent in seven languages and founder of the Blue Army, with over 25 million members that took the Fatima pledge.

Comment: That says it all in a nutshell. Didn’t Jesus teach us that we will know the tree by it’s fruit? "So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits, (Matthew 7:17-20). So if we take Jesus literally, since the fruit is good (as Father Mitch points out), the tree must be good.

Comment: How can lower levels of the Church bureaucracy overturn a Papal order? The Papal Order to publish came first. According to Canon Law, it is not subject to a reversal by lower levels of the Church Hierarchy.

Comment: Father Vernard Poslusney declared Maria Valtorta's Private Revelation to be the most authentic he ever read. "Father Vernard Poslusney is considered by many people throughout Austria, Rome and the United States to be one of the greatest Roman Catholic orators that ever lived. He served as a Carmelite retreat director, conducting numerous Conferences, Days of Prayer, Homilies, Lectures, Retreats, Seminars, Sermons, Teachings and Workshops. Some of these were with Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen in the 1970's. His stratospheric religious discernment and wisdom has enlightened many on the spirituality of Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint Therese of Lisieux, as well as public and private revelation. He was an advisor to the Holy Office, as well as the author of three time-honored books: (Attaining Spiritual Maturity for Contemplation), (Prayer, Aspiration and Contemplation) and (Union with the Lord in Prayer)."

Comment: "Antidotes"? As Father Mitch pointed out, Maria Valtorta's writings reinvigorates our faith and compels us to spend more time reading scripture. That would make the Poem it's own antidote.