https://spiritdaily.org/blog/mystics/how-the-devil-persecuted-padre-pio The stigmata, his other gifts, and his pastoral accomplishments drew the waves of persecution he suffered in the monastery, in his order, and by the Vatican. The evil one preferentially attacks those who are on important missions for God. This explains why Padre Pio suffered two persecutions within the Church. The first is linked to its stigmata; it was in the ’30s. And the second time was in the ’60s, due to the success of his ministry. The saint took the sanctions with deep obedience. And finally, he was fully vindicated and canonized in record time. There is a large consistent bibliography on these events. [You have heard some or many of them; but very probably not all.] Here we will tell about the persecutions that Padre Pio suffered within his monastery, his order, and the Church, the real causes that justified them, what sanctions he had, and how he was vindicated.
The humble friar had been blessed with supernatural gifts such as reading souls, hearts, and minds, and also phenomenal intercessory powers for the sick for miraculous healing. But the mistrustful and envious managed to isolate and punish him. The first persecution against Padre Pio is linked to the experience of the visible stigmata, which he received on September 20, 1918. The stigmata gave him great fame. And the provincial of the Capuchins of Foggia, first, and the General Curia of the Capuchins in Rome later, sent famous doctors to study his wounds. Both doctors gave favorable verdicts. The fact of possessing the stigmata, and the medical testimony in his favor, increased his fame. Thousands of people went to see him at San Giovanni Rotondo to kiss his hands, confess to him, or attend his Masses. Even the newspapers reported that a priest from Pietrelcina had the stigmata of Christ’s passion. But this also aroused envy. The Holy See wanted to investigate and sent priest and medical doctor Agostino Gemelli, whose name today is used for the polyclinic where Saint John Paul II was hospitalized after the attack in Saint Peter’s Square on May 13, 1981. Father Gemelli was also a Franciscan, an authority on experimental psychology, and a close friend of Pius XI. Gemelli traveled to San Giovanni Rotondo to see Padre Pio and asked him to show the stigmata. Padre Pio asked him if he had written authorization, which was necessary. Since Gemelli said no, Pío refused to show it to him. And Father Gemelli felt his pride was slighted and he left the convent with the idea that the stigmata, which he had not checked, were false. Then he published an article affirming the falsehood of the stigmata and their neurotic nature. The Court of the Holy Office, supported by this opinion, issued a decree declaring that there was no evidence that the stigmata were of a supernatural nature. And between 1923 and 1933, Padre Pio spent ten years isolated from the outside world imposed by the ecclesial authority. The sanctioning of Padre Pio included the prohibition of receiving visits, and a prohibition of the epistolary correspondence of the faithful with him. [scroll for more:] Saint Pio could neither confess nor give spiritual direction. His own confessor was even separated from him
He couldn’t show the sores, talk about them, or allow them to be kissed. The Mass had to be celebrated in private, without the faithful, and without the many spiritual children that he had by then. Gemelli’s opinion, wounded in his pride, was not the only wound inflicted on Pio’s reputation, because the Archbishop of Manfredonia, Pasquale Gagliardi accused him of fraud. Gagliardi was an opportunist of sinful [allegedly homosexual] behavior, who looked with envy at the humble monastery, for its strong pilgrimages and for the volume of alms and donations, which excited his greed. He told Pius XI “I have seen it myself, I swear, I discovered a vial of acid with which he inflicts wounds and cologne to perfume them. “Padre Pio is possessed by the devil and the monks of his convent are swindlers.” Friends of Padre Pio demanded an investigation of Archbishop Gagliardi and his informants. And so it was discovered that they were frauds. And finally he was removed as archbishop. However, the Holy Office maintained its pressure on Padre Pio because the opinion of Padre Gemelli still weighed and between 1931 and 1933, Pio was further isolated. But finally, in 1933, Pius XI sent Monsignor Paretto to obtain first-hand and reliable information on the personality and phenomena surrounding Padre Pio. His opinion was favorable and in July 1933, by express will of Pius XI, the Holy Office fully rehabilitated Padre Pio. Almost 30 years will pass until he is persecuted again by the Holy Office, when John XXIII was Pontiff. And the second persecution came from the Capuchin. A very divisive issue was the money from alms that had made it possible to erect the hospital, which Padre Pio had founded, the House for the Relief of Suffering. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were donated for that construction. And excited by the idea of making quick money, Padre Pio’s superiors wanted to use the donations for other purposes. And Padre Pio refused because the money did not belong to him. So they ordered him, out of obedience, to give them the donations from the hospital. And to their chagrin, Pio refused again. This earned him their rancor, and in order to find evidence against him, they spied on what was happening in his confessional. Thus a detailed report on Padre Pio was sent to John XXIII alleging that Padre Pio had sexualized contact with some women going to Confession. This so-called “second persecution” of Padre Pio happened between 1960 and 1961.
Umberto Terenzi, Roman parish priest of Divino Amor, obtained from the Holy Office the verbal order to investigate. And he gave rise to his internal persecutors of the order and the monastery, so that they put microphones and a recorder in the place where Padre Pio met with the faithful. And in a chat with a certain Cleonice Morcaldi, those who listened thought they heard “a kiss.” The recordings were sent to the Holy Office. But that angered John XXIII and he ordered them to remove the microphones. Not only this, but from that moment on he avoided any encounter with Terenzi. And Carlo Maccari was appointed as apostolic visitor. In the summer of 1960, Bishop Maccari visited Padre Pio and ended up “proving” the false accusations against Padre Pio. Padre Pio was prohibited from celebrating weddings and baptisms, only being granted a strict 30-minute slot for Mass, when before the saint would spend up to four hours celebrating Mass on a feast day. Some individuals were forbidden to go to Confession with him, and when he heard confessions, he only had three minutes for each penitent. He was not allowed to speak to the women alone. The monks in the monastery who were his friends were transferred, including some who acted as his nurses, because he was frequently ill. And especially, Padre Pio had to hand over to his superiors in the order the title of the House for the Relief of Suffering. [scroll for more:] The most irritating thing is that Padre Pio’s superior, Father Rosario, went beyond the Holy Office. He put up embarrassing posters telling people not to go near Padre Pio. He forbade the other friars from showing kindness to Padre Pio, such as helping him up the stairs or bringing him a glass of water when it was extremely hot. In February 1961, the Dominican Father Paolo Philippe made a one-day apostolic visit. And he built his report with the rumors he heard in the convent. He said, “Padre Pio struck me as a man of limited intelligence. “But very cunning and stubborn, who walks his ways without facing his Superiors head on, but without any will to change. “He is not and cannot be a saint and not even a worthy priest.” And I add, “Padre Pio has passed imperceptibly from minor manifestations of affection to increasingly serious acts, even the carnal act. “And now, after so many years of sacrilegious life, perhaps he doesn’t realize the seriousness of the evil. “This is the story of all the false mystics who have fallen into eroticism. “Padre Pio is not just a false mystic, who is aware that his stigmata are not from God. “He is an unfortunate priest, who takes advantage of his reputation as a saint to deceive his victims.” In short, the Dominican labeled Pio “the greatest fraud that can be found in the history of the Church.” But John XXIII understood that the accusations directed at Padre Pio had been artificially concocted. And he ordered the Holy Office not to increase the sanctions for the stigmatized friar. And when Paul VI began his Pontificate, things changed radically.
As Cardinal of Milan, Paul VI had sent a request for prayers to Padre Pio in 1959. And in 1964 he intervened and ordered that Padre Pio be allowed to practice his ministry “in complete freedom” and not be restricted “like a criminal.” His claim in 1964 means that Padre Pio had four full years, before his death in 1968, to exercise his ministry and establish his reputation as a saint. He was not a wild-eyed fanatic as his enemies claimed, not a neurotic, not a crazed bitter rebel, but a pleasant, good-humored, humble, and docile man, a man of prayer and many Divine gifts, who was later canonized in Record time. Well up to here what we wanted to tell about the persecutions of Padre Pio, which were the result of envy and greed. It is the mystery of the sufferings through which the great saints habitually pass for their sanctification. [So do we all, in our own way.]
I knew that Padre Pio was very badly persecuted by the Church during his life but it is mind blowing the long list and details of what went on. It reminds me of the importance of not falling into the very grave sin of Slander. CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH SECOND EDITION PART THREE LIFE IN CHRIST SECTION TWO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS CHAPTER TWO "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF" ARTICLE 8 THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.253 It was said to the men of old, "You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn."254 2464 The eighth commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others. This moral prescription flows from the vocation of the holy people to bear witness to their God who is the truth and wills the truth. Offenses against the truth express by word or deed a refusal to commit oneself to moral uprightness: they are fundamental infidelities to God and, in this sense, they undermine the foundations of the covenant. 2476 False witness and perjury. When it is made publicly, a statement contrary to the truth takes on a particular gravity. In court it becomes false witness.276 When it is under oath, it is perjury. Acts such as these contribute to condemnation of the innocent, exoneration of the guilty, or the increased punishment of the accused.277 They gravely compromise the exercise of justice and the fairness of judicial decisions. 2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury.278 He becomes guilty: - of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor; - of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them;279 - of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them. 2478 To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor's thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way: Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another's statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved.280 2479 Detraction and calumny destroy the reputation and honor of one's neighbor. Honor is the social witness given to human dignity, and everyone enjoys a natural right to the honor of his name and reputation and to respect. Thus, detraction and calumny offend against the virtues of justice and charity. 2509 An offense committed against the truth requires reparation.
In all the lives of the Saints to a greater or lesser extent we find Satan raising up malicious or evil people to act against them. Very,very often these people spring form the ranks of the Clergy themselves. From those who are even the closest to the Saint and are in the very best position to be aware of the fact that the person they are dealing with is truly a saint. In other words they should know better. I have rarely known a more series of such actions that in those of the life of Padre Pio. \St Margaret Mary Alocoque was pretty bad though. One night for instance a crew of her fellow nuns dragged her out of her sell and beat her all night, dragging her up and down the corridors of the convent screaming and cursing like demons. Now that was pretty bad too. It doesn't get much worse.
Padre Pio wasn't blindly obedient, like some today..... Archbishop Sheen went thru something similar in regard to $$, yes?
Isn't it the case that, while one should be obedient, this does not extend to agreeing to do something wrong?
Indeed. I believe that for many, including myself, it's been a difficult road to be able to make that distinction. And for me anyway, it's still very much a struggle at times. Especially when pride kicks in...
The Lord once "told" me very clearly and succinctlywhile I was praying over this issue during adoration in regard to what I owed in obedience to my husband: "be obedient in all things but sin." I understood that we are never obliged to violate our conscience and do what we know is wrong when under "obedience". I am sure this carries across all vocations.
Yes I think there was some money that was meant for the Missions and the Cardinal wanted to divert it for use in his own Diocese in New York. This although the money was given by the donors for Mission use. A priest appealed to Archbishop Sheen to help obtain Justice in the matter and after an appeal to Rome the Cardinal was stopped and the money went were it should have gone in the first place. But the Cardinal was incredibly angry and vindictive over the matter and persecuted Sheen even after Fulton's death. The Cardinal was not I would say trying to steal as such, more mishandling the money...and mishandling it very badly. But poor Fulton Sheen died the death of a thousand cuts for seeking Justice in this matter.
But God grants the shoulders for the burden; God, through grace, makes the impossible possible. I heard a priest in a Homily a few days ago ; He said the Transfiguration made the Passion possible. That the Joy and Glory Jesus experienced then made it possible for Jesus to endure the Passion. I have no idea if this is true or not, but it is something to think about. We had the recent Feasts of St Lucy and St Felicity. Both martyrs, both with babies to think about when they died. If mothers were willing to die and leave their little babies I suppose it is possible for us to suffer a little bit too.
I suppose it is inevitable that, given the fact we are Fallen, that there should always be scandals. Including amongst the Clergy, it's just the way it is in life. I admit it can still shock. I heard a nice talk from CS Lewis the other night commentating on the saying of Jesus that we should first remove the log from our own eyes before removing the splinters from others. He gives an example of a man who has an ugly scene with his family one Friday night because of drink and apologises to them all for being nasty. But his family knows what he does not that he has a serious drink problem and is nasty and abusive all the time. They know that, he does not. A woman is foul with her work colleagues and after being called in by HR apologises fro a particularly bad incident but everyone knows that she has been moved from several jobs in a row for the same things. I suppose that is what Lent is for, to uncover deeper things, to give the deep down dark things a chance to surface. To see the log in our eyes. I heard Fr Ripperger say that if we pray to the Sorrowful Virgin to let us know our worse fault she will. I am going to try this, though my heart is in my mouth. We are always the last to know, aren't we? I also heard it said if we ask our Guardian Angel he will do the same thing too..and do it enthusiastically. Terror. It's not that Heaven is slow to let us know what a mess we are. It's that we don't want to hear. As to the clerics who persecuted poor Fulton Sheen and Padre Pio, I find the really scary thing is not so much that they did it, but that when they did it they thought they were doing the right thing . Fr Renee Laurentin told a scary story like this from his wonderful book on St Bernadette. Years after the Saint had died her novice mistress (who had treated Bernadette horribly) felt guilty and went into confession in a little country Church. She confessed how bad she was to St Bernadette but then went on to justify herself by saying she was, 'Testing', St Bernadette and it was part of her job to do so. The priest stupidly and wrongly and lazily went along with this line of self deceit.. From then on this nun told everyone what the priest had told her in confession and that she had been right to persecute the saint the way she did. An very holy old priest told me one time that there are two kinds of people who come to confession. The first kind tells their sins simply, get their penance, absolution and leave. This only takes a few minutes. The second kind tell their sins and for the next half hour explain to the poor priest who their sins were not really their fault but everyone else's. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bernadette-Lourdes-Based-Authenticated-Documents/dp/0232522936
isnt it scary that maybe, there is a living saint today in the world but every church authority is trying to dismiss him\her?
There's a list of them a mile long. Pretty well every good Cardinal and Bishop on this Planet has his back to the wall and is sweating blood. Pope Francis's latest strategy is to kick out of their homes any retired Cardinal living in the Vatican who dares to disagree with him. I'd certainly call that persecution.
There's something like a warning for all of us in this, Padraig......as the Church goes..... "Arise, O Lord!, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let all those that hate Thee flee before Thy Face" - especially those who surround the Holy Father.
