Padre Pio 35-72 ('22-'59)

Restrictions, investigations, isolation, reinstatement, restrictions, reversal.

During this same time the Holy Office continues to receive slanderous accusations from Mons. Gagliardi, which will turn out to be groundless.[1]

On June 2, 1922 the Cardinals of the Holy Office wrote to the minister general of the Capuchin order, ordering: to “avoid any oddity and commotion”; Padre Pio is “prohibited to impart benedictions on the people”; prohibited to “show the so-called stigmata”; stop “any communication, even by way of letter” with Padre Benedetto; “prepare to transfer Padre Pio” whenever the popular mood will make it possible; Padre Benedetto has “to turn over the Chronicle (“Cronistoria”) of the friary written by him and has to stop to talk and write about Padre Pio.”[2]

On July 22, 1922, the superior general of the capuchin order sent his own visitor: Padre Celestino da Desio stayed six days in the friary. He questioned, listened, observed, not only the friars, but also the people and the civilian authority. He reported that he was firmly convinced that the denunciations were calumny intended to force the faithful to return to frequent the parish in town.[3]

The eight months between August 1922 and April 1923 passed in a relative calm for Padre Pio and the convent.[4]

On May 16, 1923 the Holy Office send a disposition to the superior general of the Capuchin order Padre Giuseppantonio Bussolari da Persiceto: “Padre Pietro da Ischitella (Provincial of the Capuchins) has to be gravely reprimanded (for not implementing Padre Pio’s transfer). Padre Lodovico da San Giovanni Rotondo, Padre Ruggero da Campobasso, and Padre Giuseppe Antonio da San Marco in Lamis have to be immediately removed from the convent in San Giovanni Rotondo. The order is confirmed for Padre Pio not to celebrate Mass in public, but in the private chapel of the friary, and nobody is allowed to participate.”[5][6]

On May 31, 1923 a cautious declaration from the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office is emanated: “The Supreme Holy Congregation of the Holy Office, held an inquiry on the phenomena attributed to Padre Pio and declares that it cannot confirm from this inquiry the supernatural character of these phenomena and exhorts the faithful to conform their practices to this declaration.”[7] [8] [9]

The news about the declaration of the Holy Office was published on the “Osservatore Romano”, the Vatican’s daily Paper on July 5, 1923.[10]

The Holy Office hoped that this statement would thin the immense crowds, but had the opposite effect.[11]

On June 25, 1923 a crowd was waiting for Padre Pio to say Mass. They waited in vain. A massive demonstration ensued by most of the population of San Giovanni Rotondo took part. The friars were astounded looking at the sea of torches stretched down the road. The mayor Morcaldi was heading the crowd. The people were protesting a possible Padre Pio’s removal from San Giovanni Rotondo. Padre Ignazio telegraphed to Padre Pietro: “Today I carried out the order not to let Padre Pio celebrate Mass in public. Now an impressive public demonstration has made impossible to comply. I am forced to suspend the measure again.” [12] [13]

Morcaldi, Brunatto and Orlando went to Rome to prevent the transfer. Brunatto told Gemelli that he was an eye witness that Gemelli had not examined Padre Pio.[14] Gemelli replied: “I’ll have you destroyed!” Morcaldi told Cardinal Donato Sbarretti that if they tried to remove Padre Pio, they “will have to trample on our dead bodies.” Don Giuseppe Orlando met Don Alessandro Lottini at the Holy Office. He returned whit a statement to Padre Pio: “They are accusing you of all sorts of things, including that you are disobedient to the orders of your superiors who have imposed upon you the obedience to leave this place.” Padre Pio fell on one knee, opened his arms, and declared: “Peppino, I swear to you on this crucifix that I never received such an order. If my superiors ordered me to jump out of the window, I would jump.” [15]

In the meantime, the townspeople were maintaining a round-the-clock guard at the friary. Dr. Carmelo Camilleri was sent from Rome to explore the possibility of moving Padre Pio. He concluded that Padre Pio could be taken away only by force “with the certainty of an effusion of blood.” This became evident few days later.[16] [17]

On July 30, 1923 Padre Luigi D’Avellino, by order of the superior general Giuseppe Antonio da Persiceto went to Padre Pio notifying him the he would be transferred to another convent.”[18] Padre Pio said: “I am ready to do the will of my superiors. If at all possible I’d like to go to Montefusco.”[19]

On August 10, 1923 during vespers Padre Pio was about to bless the faithful with the monstrance when a man, identified as Donato Centra, a bricklayer, lunged forward and brandishing a revolver, leveled it at Padre Pio’s head. He shouted: “Either dead or alive, you are going to stay with us in this town.” The bystanders wrestled him to the ground before he could squeeze the trigger.[20] [21] [22]

On August 4, 1923 Padre Cherubino da Castelnuovo of the Ancona convent, notified padre Pietro da Monteroberto, superior of the convent in Cingoli, that Padre Pio would be transferred to that convent. Hearing that the removal of Padre Pio had to be done in secret, Padre Cherubino suggested to hide Padre Pio in a large barrel placed on a wagon. Padre Ignazio da Ielsi reported the episode and commented that they didn’t know the people of San Giovanni Rotondo.[23]

On August 17, 1923 a telegram arrived from the Holy Office stating that the transfer order was suspended until further notice.[24]

On February 23, 1924 Padre Pietro da Ischitella dropped dead of a heart attack at the age of forty four.[25]

On April 18, 1824 Padre Celestino da Desio was at the convent again, sent by the superior general. He asked the superior Padre Ignazio if it was true that there had been a fistfight among the friars to appropriate the offers sent to Padre Pio. Padre Ignazio was appalled at this absurd accusation and said that he could imagine who was spreading a similar calumny.[26]

On April 22, 1925 at the request of the Holy Office Padre Bernardo ordered: visitors were no longer permitted to talk to Padre Pio in the sacristy, corridor, or guest room. Padre Pio was prohibited to speak to any lay person after Mass, and his hand had not to be kissed. No layman could reside in the friary; Emanuele Brunatto went to Pietrelcina.

In December 1925 canon Giovanni Miscio tried to blackmail Padre Pio’s brother Michele. He was found guilty and received a suspended sentence at the insistence of Padre Pio.[27]

In 1926 Emanuele Brunatto wrote a book “Padre Pio da Pietralcina” exposing the persecution of Padre Pio by Mons. Gagliardi. The book was promptly put on the Index.[28]

In March 1927 a committee of Mons. Felice Bevilacqua, Emanuale Brunatto, and Padre Alfredo Quattrino was sent by the Holy Office to investigate the cathedral’s chapter of canons in the diocese of Manfredonia. Some of the canons were from the San Giovanni Rotondo’s clergy, including don Giuseppe Prencipe, Miscio and Palladino. The investigators dredged a wealth of sordid scandals.[29]

In May 1928 Mons. Bruno substituted Mons. Bevilacqua who had been dismissed. Mons. Bruno focused on the archdioceses of Manfredonia and the Archbishop Gagliardi. After the report was presented to the Holy Office Mons. Gagliardi retired to his native village of Tricarico, Palladino was suspended “a divinis” and went to the Tremiti islands, the archpriest Prencipe, the canon De Nittis and canon Miscio had legal consequences.[30] [31]

On January 3, 1929, Padre Pio’s mother died. He spent many hours at her bedside.[32]

On May 5, 1929 Padre Pio reported a dream that Mons. Gagliardi would leave and Mons. Cuccarollo would be the new archbishop of Manfredonia.[33] Mons. Gagliardi left. Mons Gagliardi was proposed but he refused for a more lucrative assignment. Mons. Alessandro Macchi was named Administrator of the archdioceses of Manfredonia in June 1929.[34]

On December 2, 1929, sent by the Holy Office, Mons. Macchi current went to investigate Padre Pio. He reported: “Padre Pio might have been a saint, but now he is a fool. He lacks the fundament of sanctity, which is humility. He used cologne given to him by his bigot ladies.” He also presented a project to “take Padre Pio to a convent in Switzerland.”[35]

Emanuele Brunatto had written a book called “Letter to the Church.” The book contained a defense of Padre Pio and uncovered the private lives of prominent churchman opposed to him.[36] Don Luigi Orione tried repeatedly to convince Brunatto not to publish the book.[37]

On March 31, 1931, the news spread in town that shortly a new superior would come to the convent from the province of Milan, and that this move was the harbinger of Padre Pio’s imminent transfer. Within short order the friary was surrounded day and night by citizen armed to the teeth, just as it had been in 1923. Barricades were thrown up in the streets so that no vehicular traffic could get to or from the friary.[38]

On April 7, 1931, unaware of the turmoil, Padre Eugenio Tignola, a Franciscan friar, went to the convent by bus, hoping to talk to Padre Pio about a personal problem. On the bus somebody wrongly suspected that he was coming to get Padre Pio. Within minutes a news spread: “They are taking Padre Pio away!” At 10:00 PM an ugly mob demanded that “the stranger” be handed over. Padre Raffaele refused.

The crowd smashed the wooden door with a light pole and entered the convent. Padre Pio told the crowd from the window in the choir: “You have always been good. Listen to me. Return to your homes without hurting anyone.” Major Morcaldi, who was in the crowd, went to speak with Padre Raffaele, and was convinced that “the stranger” was an armless guest. At about 2:30 AM on April 8 the crowd finally started to disperse. The report of what had happened soon reached Rome, and action was taken soon.[39] [40]

On May 23, 1931 the Holy Office gave the following directive: “Padre Pio is stripped of all the faculties of the priestly ministry except the faculty to celebrate the Holy Mass, which he may do in private, within the walls of the friary, in the inner chapel, and not publicly in church.” Padre Pio was notified after vespers. He said: “The will of the authority is the will of God.”[41]

This period of Padre Pio’s life has been called “imprisonment”. He began his day with the rest of the community saying the Office in the choir. He then prepared for mass, and went to celebrate in the small chapel of the friary in the company of one server. Since no time limit was set, the Mass lasted up to four hours. He spent the rest of the day in study and prayer. One day Padre Agostino asked him how he passed his time. Padre Pio: “I pray and study as much as I can, then annoy my brothers. I joke the way I always joke with them, but my jokes are worse than before.”[42]

Spiritually he was tormented by the thought of “weather I am pleasing the Lord in what I am doing.” In 1931 he told Padre Agostino: “Jesus is silent.” In 1932 he told him “that often Jesus makes himself felt, speaking to his soul, and granting him intellectual visions”. He also experienced the presence of Mary and of his Guardian Angel.[43]

Padre Alberto testified: “From June 11, 1931 to July 15, 1933, Padre Pio could say Mass only behind locked doors. I served his Mass many times during those two years. It lasted about three hours. The memento was interminable. At the Consecration he looked like Jesus Crucified. The memento of the dead was also very long. At the Communion his face was bright and radiant. After Mass he went to the choir for thanksgiving and meditation until noon.”[44]

Padre Pio frequently said: “The hand of the Church is sweet, even when it strikes, because is the hand of the mother.”[45]

On May 23, 1931, by specific disposition from Rome, the superior general of the Capuchin Order ordered the closure of the Seraphic College of the convent. Padre Pio was the spiritual director of the student, and suffered intensely for the closure. The College, for middle school level students, had been functioning since November 1909. The closure had to be implemented “by extinction”, not accepting new students when the previous left. By September 1932 all the students had left.[46] On that date the seraphic college was transferred to the convent of Tora (Caserta).[47]

In 1933 Emanuele Brunatto threatened to publish his book “Letter to the Church”, if Padre Pio was not released.[48] [49]

Padre Raffaele reported: “Padre Pio was sick in bed with a 118F fever, during the Holy Week of 1933. The only thing he did was suffering and crying.”[50]

In 1933 Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli convinced Pope Pius XI to send a personal representative to observe Padre Pio. On March 14, 1933 Mons. Luca Pasetto a capuchin bishop of Gera and Mons Felice Bevilacqua went to San Giovanni Rotondo, sent by the Pope. Mons. Bevilacqua had been Apostolic Visitor in 1927. They spent time with Padre Pio. They found no wild-eye fanatic, no crazed neurotic, no embittered rebel, but a pleasant, humble, docile, humorous man; a man of prayer and entirely godly. Bevilacqua warned Padre Pio about the terrible damage to the Church should the revelations of Brunatto become public. Padre Pio said: “The Church has a formidable weapon to neutralize the scandal, refuting the episodes alleged in the book.” Mons. Bevilacqua, his eyes brimming with tears, shook his head and said in a chocked voice: “Unfortunately, those allegations are true.” The book was never published.[51] Mons. Pasetto’s favorable report to the Pope was instrumental in modifying his opinion about Padre Pio. In fact, soon the restriction where lifted.[52]

On July 14, 1933 a “Indult” came from the Holy Office, signed by Cardinal Sbarretti, directing that Padre Pio, in consideration that 1933 was a Holy Year celebrating the Redemption, be allowed to celebrate Mass in public, and to hear the confessions of the other friars.[53] The evening of July 15 Padre Pio was notified the good news. The next day the church was packed for Padre Pio’s first Mass in public in more than two years.[54]

There were still many restrictions remaining in place: he was not allowed to hear the confessions of laypersons, the sacristy was off limits to all laity, he could not speak to women or let them kiss his hand, the talks with men in the hallway had to be few and brief, the Mass was not to last more than a half hour. [55] [56]

On March 25, 1934 Padre Pio was allowed by the Holy Office the confession of men, and on May 12, 1934 he was permitted to hear the confessions and women. [57] Thus his ministry was once again in full swing.[58]

August 10, 1935 was the 25^th anniversary of priesthood of Padre Pio: sober celebration among many faithful.[59]

August 29, 1936 the Provincial Padre Bernardo D’Alpicella reiterates that is prohibited for lay people to enter in Padre Pio’s cell; also was ordered to keep locked the cloths used by Padre Pio on the wounds, and whomever had they had to return them. Otherwise if priests would be suspended a divinis, and if lay they would be interdicted from receiving Holy Communion.[60]

In 1937 the accusations of not implementing the wows of poverty, chastity and obedience intensified against Padre Pio, and many anonymous letters were sent to the Holy Office. He was accused of managing by himself the conspicuous donations of the faithful, of seeing women in the convent at night, of not obeying to say Mass in 30 minutes. All the accusations were patiently evaluated, investigated, and controlled by the superiors in the Capuchin order. Nothing was found to be true.[61]

On August 7, 1938, the new superior general of Capuchins Father Donatus of Welle, Belgium, visited Padre Pio. He wrote: “I examined the stigmata and observed Padre Pio, and asked any kind of questions. I can and must affirm that I consider Padre Pio a great saint!”^{^[62]}

On March 2, 1939 Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli was elected Pope Pius XII. In one of his first moves he ordered the Roman Congregations to “leave Padre Pio alone” and called Padre Pio “The salvation of Italy.”[63] [64]

On September 4, 1940, Pope Pius XII exhorted the world to “pray, pray, pray”. Padre Pio stated promptly: “Let’s roll our sleeves and respond to the call of the Roman Pontiff.” The “Prayer Groups” were thus born.[66]

August 7-15, 1941 canonical visit of Padre Donato da Welle, superior general of Capuchin order.

On January 6, 1945 Padre Pio celebrated a High Mass, sung by American soldiers, as reported in the Chronicle of the convent. [68]

On October 7, 1946 Padre Pio’s father dies, at the home of Mary Pyle, comforted by his son.[69]

May 19, 1947: Lying of the first stone and steady work begins for the construction of the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza “Home for the Relief of suffering”.

July 6, 1947 opens the Capuchin convent in Pietrelcina, financed by the American heiress Mary Pyle.[70]

In 1951 the construction of the imposing Casa Sollievo was going strong. Money was not a problem. The offerings were pouring in from all over the world. A new war started for the management of the Casa, to snatch it from the hands of Padre Pio.[71]

On December 31, 1951. Mons. Giovanni Pepe, and the Benedictine abbot Emanuele Caronti were sent by the Holy Office to investigate.”[72] [73]

On January 16, 1952 the minister general of the Capuchin order Padre Benigno da Sant’Ilario Milanese also sent Padre Angelo da Genova for an investigation.”[74] [75]

On July 6, 1952 Padre Benigno went personally to San Giovanni Rotondo, ordering to discourage pilgrimages to the convent, and to not diffuse cards with the image of Padre Pio.[76]

On July 30, 1952 the Holy Office emanated a decree where eight publications about Padre Pio were put in the Index of Forbidden Books, and on August 3, L’Osservatore Romano, explained that the publications lacked the necessary ecclesiastical revision and approval.[77]

However, pope Pius XII had not been informed about it. When he was told about it, the officer who had written the decree was fired, and the decree was not implemented. At the same time the Holy Office received a letter signed by Mons. Angelo Dell’Acqua, from the secretary of state of the pope, stating the Padre Pio “had to be left undisturbed, to exercise his priestly ministry.”[78]

On January 22, 1953, Padre Pio celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his entrance in the Capuchin order. The community of friars assembled in the refectory and from there led Padre Pio in procession to the church, singing Psalm 121 “Laetatus sum��. At the altar, Padre Antonino da Sant’Elia a Pianisi, provincial superior, delivered a short address, and received the renewal of the votes from Padre Pio. Padre Pio then celebrated a solemn high Mass. In the afternoon there was a thanksgiving service, were the famous tenor Beniamino Gigli also sung.

“Fifty years of religious life, fifty years nailed to the cross, fifty years of devouring fire: for you, o Lord, for your redeemed. My soul nothing else desires than bringing all of them to you and patiently wait that this devouring fire burns all myself in the desire of dying.”[79]

During the pontificate of Pius XII Padre Pio had the needed freedom to implement important social initiatives.[80]

May 5, 1954 grand opening of the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza Home for the relief of Suffering.

In December 1955 opened the coop “Cooperativa San Francesco”, strongly wanted by Padre Pio to allow the town’s folks to buy food and other items at reasonable price.[81]

On July 2, 1956 Padre Pio blessed the cornerstone of the new church of St. Mary of Graces. The new church was consecrated by Bishop Paolo Carta, bishop of Foggia, and the Capuchin Mons. Cirillo Giovanni Zohrabian, bishop of Acilisene, on July 1, 1959.[82]

On December 17, 1957 was opened a new subdivision in Rione Santa Croce that included a church, a preschool”, and a vocational center for girls wanting to learn sewing and embroidering, managed by Franciscan sisters. In the same time frame, in the subdivision another preschool was opened in “Rione Sant’Onofrio that Padre Pio called “San Francesco d’Assisi”, managed by the Capuchin sisters of the Sacred Heart. An orphanage was also opened in the area.[83]

On January 26, 1958 was inaugurated The Vocational Center “San Giuseppe Artigiano”, for youngsters wanting to learn a trade.[84]

St. Francis fresco by Antonio Ciccone.

Antonio conversing and praying with Padre Pio

In December 1958, Giuseppe Gentile, the architect of the new church of Santa Maria delle Grazie commissioned a fresco depicting Saint Francis to Antonio Ciccone. The location was a large space between the new church and the hallway with the cells of the friars. Antonio started working in the spring of 1959m and the fresco was completed on May 14, 1959. He lived in the convent during those months, and had the possibility to be in contact with Padre Pio all day long.[86]

Antonio Ciccone was raised on the family farm on the Pataridde (Patariello) area, behind the Capuchin convent in San Giovanni Rotondo.[87]

On July 1, 1959 took place the Consecration of the new church Santa Maria delle Grazie. The cornerstone had been placed on July 2, 1956.

The architect was Giuseppe Gentile, from Boiano. The mosaic behind the altar is by the mosaic studio in Vatican City. [88]

The original church of the convent was built in 1540, destroyed in the earthquake of 1624, redone in 1629, and consecrated to St. Mary of the Graces on July 5, 1676.[89]

In 1959 the Conference of Italian Bishops announced that the statue of Madonna di Fatima would make a tour of Italian cities and towns. On April 25, 1959, as the statue left the shrine of Fatima, Padre Pio fell ill. He became bedridden and reached the point where he could no longer even drag himself out to say his daily Mass. Each evening, by way of a microphone brought to his cell, he would address a few words to the faithful. When the illness continued and worsened, a team of doctors settled on a diagnosis of a tumor of the lungs and recommended chemotherapy. Padre Pio actually laughed and told the doctors they were wrong. Out of deference to Padre Pio, the Bishops Conference had arranged for the “Pilgrim Virgin” to visit San Giovanni Rotondo. The statue arrived by helicopter from Foggia on August 5. There was a whole day of prayer before the statue. On August 6, the statue was taken into the sacristy were Padre Pio had been carried down in a chair. Padre Pio stooped to kiss the statue and placed his rosary in the Madonna’s hands. When the statue was about to leave by helicopter Padre Pio has taken to a window to see the departure. When he saw the helicopter leaving he broke down in tears and cried: “Mother, I have been sick during your visit to Italy. Are you now leaving without curing me?” Then Padre Pio felt a chill through his body. He exclaimed: “I am cured.” He was truly cured.[90] [91] .[85] Padre Francesco Napolitano: “I was present at the scene and can testify that Padre Pio never felt as healthy as he did after the departure of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima.”[92]