4/9- Easter Thursday
St. Annibale Maria Di Francia
From the Letters of St. Di Francia to the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta:
16. J.M.J.A.
Messina, March 4, 1927
Most Esteemed one in the Lord,
I received your second letter. The first one I gave to read to Mother Superior also and to some of the Old Sisters, and all of us have remained consoled – also my Priests, because the rumor has spread in our Institutes that the Lord, by His infinite goodness, has destined me to start up to a good point, the publication of the Divine Will, and therefore all of them hope for my healing – and I do too.
In truth, it seems that the Lord wants it, both because He has placed all of the writings – that is, the great deposit of His Divine Revelations – in our power, and also because of the special enlightenment that the Lord has given me on how to regulate the publication, which you will see rather soon in the first booklet that is being printed in Oria; and also because of the great means and equipment that are necessary, as well as labor – and of all this, the Lord has given us, and gives us, a unique abundance.
If these works were to be published in an external press, it would be an expense of hundreds of thousands of lira – and it would even reach the million. Another sign is the terrible war that the devil has been waging against me in order to destroy me – by divine permission, so that I myself may begin the practice of the Divine Will.
Only my sins would make me fear that the Lord would withdraw such infinite Mercy from us.
Now, for this, I commend myself to your fervent prayers.
I spent last night awfully, but today, from 3pm on, I got up from my rest almost like in the days of my good health, and I feel as if I were on the way to recovery.
In my afflictions, I have kept in mind that everything is the love of Jesus that operates. Your advice and suggestions are most dear to me, but I am still a baby in this great Science of the Divine Will. I thank you very much for your holy encouragements.
As far as the Pious Universal Union of the Children of the Divine Will, I have not conceived it in the way you understood, that is, with many houses that should be formed in the world of Sisters dedicated as Daughters of the Divine Will. In this way the Institution would not be universal, nor could it develop rapidly. In the way I conceived it, all Religious Houses of men and women, and all lay categories, and any person in the entire world, can become son or daughter of the Divine Will, by simply accepting the Card, and reciting every day, with no obligation of conscience, 5 decades of the ejaculatory prayer: “Fiat, Domine, Voluntas Tua – Sicut in Coelo et in Terra. Amen”, alternating with the Glory Be, and with the premise of a Pater, Ave and Gloria. There will not be registers for memberships, nor regulations, but impetrators – men and women, to spread the Cards.
As far as our House in Corato, it is understood that our Sisters and all of the internal and external personnel will be Children of the Divine Will.
Our Msgr. Archbishop prays, and has made others pray, for the healing of my miserable self; and he wants me to pray the Adorable Heart of Jesus to heal me, though always submitted to the Divine Volition. However, he ignores the sublime Mission of the Divine Will that was given to us, and for now I will not let him know, nor is it necessary.
This Mother Superior thanks you for your gentle manners.
March 8, 1927
P.S. I must add that I suffer gravely of breathlessness if I make movements.
The origin of it – a pleurisy which the doctors have discovered recently in me; because three years ago, in Rome, I has a bronchial pneumonia, a sort of Spanish fever. I recovered, but I incubated the pleurisy. However, the doctors give assurance of a sure recovery, yet not this Winter, but in the Spring (let us hope in Jesus). I suffer most anguishing nights; and you, who spend the nights with Jesus, remember me, who spend them in agony. The doctors are not concerned at all about my sufferings; they say that it is the nervous system that is altered. But I feel I am dying.
I answer to your letter.
The proofs are being reviewed by my people. As far as the writings, don’t worry. If I should pass away, my Priests have received from me all the lights that the Lord has given me, and they will continue the work.
I apologize to dear Father Calvi, but we are already a Religious Order approved by the Holy Church, and therefore we can give greater guarantee than a simple individual. And then, how could Fr. Calvi manage to improvise press, labor, means, etc. etc. etc.?
Therefore, let us follow the Divine Will.
Pray, pray for miserable me, who am crucified day and night…
You will receive the first prints as soon as possible – hopefully this month.
I bless you, and, at night, pray Jesus for me. I see everything closed – Jesus, the Most Holy Virgin, the Saints, etc. etc.
I bless you again, and please distribute my usual regards. But my letters for you are secret, except for that which you must relate, and which it is good to manifest.
Messina March 8, 1927
Canonico Di Francia
I am sending you the letter you asked for. Talk about it with the Divine Spouse, and may He not look at my sins!…
