“Week of Obedience”

from February 28 to March 4,2016

Published 2/19/16 by the Official Website of Luisa Piccarreta

2/19/2016

As every year, also this year from February 28 to March 4, the Association Luisa Piccarreta Little Children of The Divine Will  will live the “Week of Obedience” with “days of light”, filled with morning and afternoon appointments to recall some of the highlights of the life of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta and to deepen her intimate bond with Jesus. On February 28 in fact we will remember the 117th Anniversary of obedience, the day when Luisa, in obedience to her official confessor Don Gennaro De Gennaro, began writing her diary and uttered her FIAT.  It is an important recurrence for all of us who, thanks to Luisa’s FIAT are able to deeply know the love that Jesus has for each of us by giving us the gift of His Will

 Tuesday, March 1, 2016

BOOK OF HEAVEN

From The Prayers of the Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta,

The Little Daughter of the Divine Will

 In Operating/Obeying:

 VOLUME 1

In the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Out of pure Obedience, I begin to write (read).

You know, oh Lord!, the sacrifice it costs me, such that I would submit myself to a thousand deaths rather than write one single line of the things that have passed between me and You. Oh my God! my nature trembles, it feels crushed and almost undone at the mere thought of it. O please! give me Strength, oh Life of my life, that I may do the Holy Obedience! You who have given inspiration to the confessor, give me the Grace to be able to execute what You have commanded of me.

Oh Jesus, oh Spouse, oh my Strength! To You I rise, to You I come, into Your Arms I introduce myself, I abandon myself, I rest. O please, relieve me in my affliction and do not leave me alone and abandoned! Without Your Help, I am sure I will not have the Strength to do this obedience that costs me so much – I will let myself be defeated by the enemy, and I fear of being crushed by You, justly, because of my disobedience.

O please! Look at me over and over again, oh Holy Spouse, in these Arms of Yours – see how much darkness surrounds me; it is so thick as to allow not even one atom of Light to enter into my soul. Oh! my Mystical Sun, Jesus – let this Light shine within my mind, that it may dispel the darkness and I may freely remember the Graces which You gave to my soul. Oh! Eternal Sun, unleash another Ray of Light into the intimate part of my heart, and purify it of the mud in which it lies – ignite it and consume it with Your Love, so that my heart, which, more than everything, has experienced the Sweetnesses of Your Love, may manifest them clearly to the one to whom it is obliged to do so. Oh! my Sun Jesus, one more Ray of Light over my lips, that I may say the pure Truth, with the sole purpose of knowing whether it is really You, or rather, an illusion from the enemy. But, oh Jesus, how poor in Light I still see myself in these Arms of Yours. O please!, content me – You who Love me so much, continue to send me Light. Oh! my Sun, my Beautiful One, I want to enter right into the Center, that I may remain submerged completely within this Most Pure Light. Oh Divine Sun, let this Light precede me, follow me, surround me everywhere and penetrate into every intimate hiding place of my interior, that my terrestrial being may be consumed, and You may transform it completely in Your Divine Being.

Most Holy Virgin, Lovable Mother, come to my aid, obtain for me from Your sweet Jesus and mine, Grace and Strength in order to do this obedience. Saint Joseph, my dear protector, assist me in this circumstance of mine. Archangel Saint Michael, defend me from the infernal enemy, who puts so many obstacles in my mind to make me fail this obedience. Archangel Saint Rafael and you, my Guardian Angel, come to assist me and accompany me, and to direct my hand (eyes), that I may write (read) nothing but the Truth.

 “Lord, for You alone I do this; for You alone I want to work – no longer a slave of the creatures.” 

 “See oh Lord, half the chair is empty – come and sit near me.” 

 “Ah! my Good, is this the vigil we have kept last night – that after so much waiting and yearning I was to remain deprived of You?  I know well that I must obey, but tell me something – can I be without You?  Who will give me strength?  And then, who will have the courage to depart from this church without bringing You along?  I don’t know what to do, but You can remedy everything.”  

 “Lord, You see, without You I was unable to do anything good.  The meditation – I did it all distracted, ugly; so much so that I did not have the courage to offer it to You at Communion.  I was unable to stay there for hours, as when I could feel You; I saw myself alone, I had no one with whom to converse, I felt completely empty.  The pain of Your absence made me feel mortal agonies; my nature wanted to hurry up so as to escape that pain; more so, since it seemed to me that I did nothing but waste time.  And then, the fear that, in coming back, You might chastise me, because I had not been faithful… So I didn’t know what to do.  And then, the pain because You are offended continuously, and I was unable to do those acts of reparation as You taught me before, and those visits to the Most Holy Sacrament for the different offenses You receive… Tell me, then, what should I have done?”  

  “Lord, I beg You to be with me until I acquire the habit of doing them (visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament), for I know that with You I can do everything – but without You, what can miserable I do?” 

 “Yes, I love You; but You tell me, Yourself – can I find anything more beautiful, more holy, more lovable than You?  And then, why ask me if I am ready to do what You want, when it has been so long since I delivered my will to You, and I prayed You not to spare me even tearing me to pieces, as long as I may give You pleasure?  I abandon myself in You, oh Holy Spouse – operate freely, do with me whatever You want, but give me Your Grace, for by myself I am nothing and can do nothing.”

 “I don’t care either about hell or about paradise; what I care about is to love my God.  This is not the time to think about anything else; rather, it is the time to love my good God as much as I can.  Paradise and hell I place in His hands – He, who is so good, will give me what is best for me, and will give me a place in which I can glorify Him more.”

“Lord, promise me that You Yourself will free me, and then I will accept everything; otherwise – no, I don’t want to accept.” 

 “I go to the confessor, but You, my good Jesus, come back soon, as soon as the confessor goes away.”

“What can I do?  I can no longer stay, for obedience does not want it.  If You want, give light to the confessor, and then I will be ready to do what You want.” 

“My dear Jesus, have patience, do not come, for obedience does not permit that You make me share in your sufferings.” 

“Holy Spouse, forgive me – it is the confessor that wants it so.” 

 “Oh! how Beautiful You are – all Beautiful, oh my sweet Jesus!  What I have said of Your Beauty is nothing; rather, it seems to me that I have said a lot of nonsense – but what can I do?  Forgive me, it is obedience that wants it so.  By myself, I would not have dared to say one word, knowing my insufficiency.

“As long as I was with the confessor, I was obliged to obey him, but now that I am with You, I am supposed to obey You, because You are the first among all.” 

 “I can do everything, I can bear everything, suffer everything – hoping in Jesus, who forms the object of all my hopes.”

 “Oh! Prodigy of Holy Obedience – you have been everything for me.  How many times I found myself clashing with death, so great was the intensity of the pains – and Obedience has almost restored my life.” 

Volume 2

October 30, 1899

“Dear Obedience, you know how much I love You, and that for love of You I would gladly give my life, but I see that I cannot do this, and You Yourself can see the torture of my soul.  O please! Do not make Yourself an enemy, don’t be so ruthless with me, be more indulgent with one who loves You so much.  O please! You Yourself, come to me, and let us discuss together about what is most appropriate for us to say.”

“Oh, Holy Obedience, how incomprehensible you are!  I prostrate myself at Your feet and I adore you.  I pray You to be my guide, teacher and light, along the disastrous path of life, so that, guided, instructed and escorted by Your most pure Light, with certainty, I may take possession of the Eternal Harbor.”

 Volume 3

December 25, 1899

“Lord, accept it as a sacrifice; You alone can soften this heart of mine, so hard”

“Yes, my little Treasure, I promise You.” 

“If Obedience wants it, I will do it.” 

“May everything be for the glory of God, and to the confusion of this miserable sinner.”

His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke

Become one of a million Catholics praying the Rosary on the 1^st of each month to……

Convocation to all soldiers of Christ!

During this Holy Year of Mercy, let us join Cardinal Burke in a spiritual crusade to storm Heaven with prayers to dispel confusion and:

•  bring Hope to souls and minds throughout America and the world;
•  provide spiritual support in the struggle against the temptations of discouragement;
•  to protect our families and our Faith;
•  to stop the advance of evil in our society;
•  and to flood souls with Grace and Light and Truth.

• Rosary Warriors…
  Storm Heaven with Prayer!

•  His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke will be celebrating the Holy Mass and, afterwards, praying the Holy Rosary to Storm Heaven with Prayer tomorrow morning, 1st of March, at 11:00am in Rome, for your intentions and the intentions of Operation Storm Heaven.

I am writing to remind you, my fellow Rosary Warrior, that tomorrow we band together from the four corners of the earth to raise our united voice to Heaven. Tens of thousands of Rosary Warriors will be reciting the Holy Rosary and storming Heaven with Prayer in union with the Holy Mass being celebrated in Rome by Cardinal Burke.

You do not need to pray at exactly the same time, but please pray your Rosary at some time on the 1st of March (your local time). We are providing the Mass time for those who wish to pray at exactly the same time as Cardinal Burke celebrates Mass and prays the Rosary in Rome.
When you pray your rosary tomorrow, March 1st, please remember to pray for the intentions of all the Rosary Warriors, just as they are also praying for your intentions.
“The Rosary is THE weapon!”, stated St. Padre Pio. Let us continue to employ this powerful weapon to storm Heaven and ask God and the Blessed Virgin Mary for the following intentions:

• For Holy Mother Church: that Our Lord guide the Pope, the bishops and all members of the clergy to be holy in all things, faithful shepherds, beacons of Truth, and defenders of Good;

• May all confusion be dispelled from the hearts and minds of all people and may the Light of Truth shine in them;

• For our families and the family institution that is being so attacked in our world;

• For the conversion of all sinners to the True Faith;

• For the salvation of my soul, the souls of my loved ones, and the souls of all;
• For the sanctification of each and every Catholic, especially for my personal sanctification. May I live holy every moment of every day of my life. May I be a true follower of Jesus Christ in all things;
• To make each and every one of us a faithful soldier of Christ in the struggle against the world, the flesh and the devil;
• To obtain the graces necessary to stop abortion, stop the onslaught of the homosexual revolution, to overturn legalized same-sex marriage, to stop the spread of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia, and to stop the culture of death in all its forms and establish the Culture of Life in all souls, in all minds and in all hearts;
• For our beloved Nation and for every nation on earth;
• For all the personal intentions that have been submitted to ‘Operation Storm Heaven’

Let us continue to ask God to have mercy on all those who have fallen away from the True Faith. May He open the floodgates of Mercy, through the intercession of Mary Most Holy, the Mother of Mercy, and bring these lost sheep back to the Catholic Faith.

As we endeavor to spread this initiative and enlist more Rosary Warriors to join Operation Storm Heaven, please share this with your family and friends and anyone who you think would like to participate in this History-changing campaign to storm Heaven with prayer to obtain a tidal wave of mercy from God for our families, our society, our country and the world…in short, for all souls!
May Our Lady of the Rosary bless you and your loved ones!
Your fellow Rosary Warrior in Christ,
Thomas J. McKenna
Founder and President
http://www.catholicaction.org/

“Week of Obedience”

from February 28 to March 4,2016

Published 2/19/16 by the Official Website of Luisa Piccarreta

2/19/2016

 As every year, also this year from February 28 to March 4, the Association Luisa Piccarreta Little Children of The Divine Will  will live the “Week of Obedience” with “days of light”, filled with morning and afternoon appointments to recall some of the highlights of the life of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta and to deepen her intimate bond with Jesus. On February 28 in fact we will remember the 117th Anniversary of obedience, the day when Luisa, in obedience to her official confessor Don Gennaro De Gennaro, began writing her diary and uttered her FIAT.  It is an important recurrence for all of us who, thanks to Luisa’s FIAT are able to deeply know the love that Jesus has for each of us by giving us the gift of His Will.

 Monday, February 29, 2016

Church Santa Maria Greca

10:00 to 11:00 a.m.: Moment of prayer at the tomb.

Sanctuary Madonna delle Grazie (Oasis of Narareth)

5:00 p.m.: Pilgrimage to pass through the Holy Door. Mass follows.

On Obedience From The Letters of Luisa Piccarreta

The Little Daughter of the Divine Will

49. To Mother Superior, Sister Maddalena del Moro, from Saint Claire, Ravello.

J.M.J.

May the Holy Will of God bind you so tightly as to not give you time to think of yourself.

My sister in Jesus Christ,

I answer to your letter with a few lines. The cause, I believe, of everything you tell me, is lack of union with Jesus in all your things. The enemy finds you alone, without Jesus, and does his own crafting in you, disturbs you, and takes peace away from your heart, which is so necessary in order to let afflicted Jesus rest. If the enemy found you always with Jesus, he would flee, not bearing His adorable presence. Here is the remedy to all troubles: remain always with Jesus, both in spiritual and in material things, and Jesus will take care of giving you peace and carrying out your office; even more, Jesus Himself will do it in you. Everything you suffer, and even your coldness, give it to Him in order to relieve Him and repair Him; in this way you will have more field to keep company to pierced Jesus. If you remain with Jesus, you will forget about yourself; you will remember Jesus alone, and He will take care of all your troubles… Ah, yes, love Him very much. But only union with Jesus will make the new fount spring with growing love; therefore, if you remain with Jesus, you will love Him; if not, you will love yourself and your own troubles. What a bad impression you would make in front of Jesus, wouldn’t you?

Tell good Mother Superior to remain obedient in everything, because one who obeys does not fail, and blessed Jesus will compensate for all that she may seem to lack. Moreover, when Jesus feels loved, He forgets our sins – and would we want to lose our minds in remembering them? Jesus wants harmony and concord among you, and He will be in your midst. I commend myself to your prayers.

The little daughter of the Divine Will

60. To a religious

(…) Not wanting to obey means not wanting to do the Will of God! And do you think it is trivial? Far worse than doubting – this is the sin of sins. The very Saints, the Angels and the Heavenly Court would say: “Who is this crazy one, this girl, who wants to act against the Will of God; who wants to bring disorder?” Because wanting to disobey means opposing the Will of God, by saying: “I don’t want to recognize you.” On the other hand, by obeying, if you practice this virtue in order to make Father^(*) content, it is a good and holy thing, but if you do it because you recognize in him the authority, the Will of God, it is the most precious thing. This is the Will of God, and that’s enough. It is better to go to hell with the Will of God (as it would turn into Paradise, because wanting to do His Will is a sign that we love Him), than going to Heaven with our own will, as it would turn then into hell.

As far as wanting to go over the past again – no, because the past is passed in God, and it would be as though stealing His rights, His own things. If there is something wrong in it, the Lord can let us know with calm. As far as the future, don’t worry about it either, because it is not ours, but belongs to God. We must obey and make ourselves saints, not for our interest, but for the glory of God. So, banish every doubt, since doubt, fear and agitation do not come from God, but from the devil; rather, think of loving and doing the Will of God, because with doubts we displease the Lord much more than if we sinned.

My daughter, have you ever experienced a reproach from Our Lord Jesus Christ? If you had, you would have seen with how much bitterness He reproaches – He, Who is all goodness. And you should see it. Therefore, swear, or make a solemn promise that you will never think about doubts again, so as to not disobey, and consequently, not displease Jesus Christ. Do you think that being destined to write is something happened like this, by chance? No. Rather, it is something established by God from eternity, as He had His own purposes. So, know how to appreciate and take advantage of so much dedication…

^(*)A Priest.

132. To Federico Abresch

Most esteemed son in the Divine Volition,

I answer to your dear letter. To hear that you speak of the Divine Will and that you want to know more about It is a great joy for me, knowing how content is Jesus to find a soul who wants to live of Divine Will. This creature is His triumph and His victory. And even if in the past He was wounded by this creature, He looks at these wounds, smiles and says: “I have conquered her; she is my victory”, and He shows her around to all of Heaven to make feast. And as fulfillment of His victory, He centralizes all His goods in her: the goods of Creation and of Redemption, and gives her the right over everything. And then, wanting to know a good means wanting to possess it; it is like the appetite for food.

I am sorry for Padre Pio, if he makes a dark face. We do not speak of what the Church has prohibited, but of what the Church Herself does not yet know. And the day will come when the Church will know and appreciate, with triumph and victory. Nor can there be true peace or true triumph if the Divine Will is not known. Our Lord will make the greatest miracles, to make His Will reign upon earth. Therefore, let us pray that the time will be shortened and that everything will be changed into Will of God.

I commend myself to your prayers. Kiss the hands of Padre Pio for me. And leaving you all in the sea of the Divine Will, that you may all live from Its Sanctity, Love and Light, to be able to embrace everything and everyone, and to do good to all, with the Love of Its Fiat, I send my regards to all,

The little daughter of the Divine Will.

Corato, November 27, 1944

“Week of Obedience”

from February 28 to March 4,2016

Published 2/19/16 by the Official Website of Luisa Piccarreta

2/19/2016

As every year, also this year from February 28 to March 4, the Association Luisa Piccarreta Little Children of The Divine Will  will live the “Week of Obedience” with “days of light”, filled with morning and afternoon appointments to recall some of the highlights of the life of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta and to deepen her intimate bond with Jesus. On February 28 in fact we will remember the 117th Anniversary of obedience, the day when Luisa, in obedience to her official confessor Don Gennaro De Gennaro, began writing her diary and uttered her FIAT.  It is an important recurrence for all of us who, thanks to Luisa’s FIAT are able to deeply know the love that Jesus has for each of us by giving us the gift of His Will.

The highlight of this week of prayer, will be reached on Friday, March 4, the day that we will remember the 69th anniversary of the Transit into Heaven of Luisa.

She, with her life and then with her death, transformed her suffering into a means of grace by encouraging to leave the darkness of the human will to seek the light of the Divine Will. And we, with these “days of light” want to show that the Divine Will is the “sun” which transforms into light all the acts that are done in It.

We invite everyone to participate. Below the schedule:

Sunday, February 28, 2016

Association Luisa Piccarreta Little Children of the Divine Will.

7:00 a.m.: We commemorate the day when Luisa pronounced her Fiat and began to write her diary. It was the morning of February 28, 1899.

We will pray in front of the cell of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta to renew our FIAT to the Divine Will.

Chiesa dei Capuccini (Capuchin Church)

5:00 p.m.: Holy Rosary.

Mass follows. It will be concelebrated by don Gianni Cafagna and don Sergio Pellegrini.

VOLUME 2

 February 28, 1899

By order of the confessor I begin to write what passes between me and Our Lord, day by day. Year 1899, month of February, day 28.

I confess the truth, I feel great repugnance; the effort I have to make in order to conquer myself is so great that the Lord alone can know the torture of my soul. But, oh holy obedience, what a powerful bond you are! You alone could win over me, and surpassing all my repugnance, almost impassable mountains, you bind me to the Will of God and of the confessor. But, please, O Holy Spouse, as great as my sacrifice is, so much help do I need; I want nothing but that You hold me in your arms and sustain me. In this way, assisted by You, I will be able to say only the truth, only for your glory, and to my confusion.

This morning, since the confessor celebrated Mass, I also received Communion. My mind was in a sea of confusion because of this obedience that the confessor gave me, to write everything that passes in my interior. As I received Jesus, I began to tell Him of my pains, especially my insufficiency, and many other things. But Jesus did not seem to care about this thing of mine, and did not answer to anything. A light came to my mind, and I said: ‘Who knows whether I myself am the cause for which Jesus is not showing Himself as usual.’ So, with all my heart, I said to Him: ‘O please! My Good and my All, don’t show Yourself so indifferent with me – You make my heart split with pain. If it is because of the writing – let it be, let it be, even if it cost me the sacrifice of my life, I promise I will do it!’ Then Jesus changed appearance and, all benign, He told me: “What do you fear? Have I not assisted you the other times? My light will surround you everywhere, and so you will be able to manifest it.”

Purity of intention.

While He was saying this, I don’t know how, I saw the confessor near Jesus; and the Lord told him: “See, everything you do passes into Heaven. Therefore, see with what purity you must operate, thinking that all of your steps, words and works come before my presence, and if they are pure – that is, if they are done for Me – I take greatest delight in them and I feel them around Me like many messengers that remind Me continuously of you. But if they are done for low and earthly purposes, I feel bothered by them.” And as He was saying this, He seemed to grab his hands, and raising them up to Heaven, He said to him: “Your eyes always on high; you are of Heaven – work for Heaven!”

While I was seeing the confessor, and Jesus saying this to him, in my mind it seemed to me that if one operated in that way, it would happen as to a person who has to leave one house to move to another. What does he do? First he sends all of his things and everything he possesses, and then he goes himself. In the same way, we first send our works to take a place for us in Heaven, and then, when our time comes, we go ourselves. Oh, what a beautiful cortege they will make for us!

Faith.

Now, while seeing the confessor, I remembered he had told me that I was to write about Faith in the way in which the Lord had spoken to me about this virtue. While I was thinking of this, in one instant the Lord drew me so much to Himself, that I felt I was outside of myself, in the the vault of the heavens together with Jesus, and He told me these exact words: “Faith is God.”

But these two words contained an immense light, such that it is impossible to explain them – but I will do what I can. In the word “Faith”, I comprehended that Faith is God Himself. Just as material food gives life to the body so that it may not die, Faith gives life to the soul – without Faith, the soul is dead. Faith vivifies, Faith sanctifies, Faith spiritualizes man, and makes him keep his eyes fixed on a Supreme Being, in such a way that he learns nothing of the things of down here; and if he learns them, he learns them in God. Oh, the happiness of a soul who lives of Faith! – her flight is always toward Heaven. In everything that happens to her she always looks at herself in God; and so, just as in tribulation, Faith raises her in God and she does not afflict herself, not even with a lament, knowing that she is not to form her contentment here, but in Heaven; in the same way, if joy, riches and pleasures surround her, Faith raises her in God, and she says to herself: “Oh, how much more content and rich I will be in Heaven!” So, she feels bothered by these earthly things, she despises them, and tramples them underfoot. It seems to me that to a soul who lives of Faith, it happens as to a person who possessed millions upon millions of coins, and even entire kingdoms, and someone else wanted to offer him a cent. What would he say? Would he not disdain it? Would he not throw it in his face? I add: and what if that cent were all muddy, just as earthly things are? Even more: what if that cent were only lent to him? This person would say: “I enjoy and possess immense riches, and you dared to offer me this miserable cent, so muddy, and only for a short time?” I believe he would quickly remove his gaze from it, and would not accept the gift. So does the soul who lives of Faith with regard to earthy things.

Now, let us go back again to the idea of food: by taking food, the body is not only sustained, but shares in the substance of the food, which transforms into the body itself. The same for the soul who lives of Faith: since Faith is God Himself, the soul comes to live of God Himself; and by nourishing herself with God, she comes to share in the substance of God; and by sharing in Him, she comes to resemble Him and to be transformed with God Himself. Therefore, it happens to the soul who lives of Faith, that, just as God is holy, the soul is holy; powerful God – powerful the soul; wise, strong and just God – wise, strong and just the soul; and so with all the other attributes of God. In sum, the soul becomes a little god. Oh, the blessedness of this soul on earth, to then be more blessed in Heaven!

I also understood that the words that the Lord says to His beloved souls – “I will espouse you in the Faith” – mean nothing less but that the Lord, in this mystical marriage, comes to endow the souls with His own virtues. It seems to me that it happens as to two spouses: as they join their properties together, the belongings of one can no longer be distinguished from those of the other, but both of them become their owners. However, in our case, the soul is poor – all the good comes from the Lord, who lets her share in His possessions.

The life of the soul is God – Faith is God, and the soul, by possessing Faith, comes to graft all the other virtues into herself, in such a way that Faith is like a king in her heart, and the other virtues remain around It, as the subjects that serve Faith. So, without Faith, virtues themselves are virtues that have no life.

It seems to me that God communicates Faith to man in two ways: the first is holy Baptism; the second is when blessed God, by unleashing a particle of His substance into the soul, communicates to her the virtue of making miracles, like raising the dead, healing the sick, stopping the sun, and the like. Oh, if the world had Faith, it would change into a terrestrial paradise!

Oh, how high and sublime is the flight of the soul who exercises herself in Faith. It seems to me that by exercising herself in Faith, the soul acts like those timid little birds which, for fear of being caught by hunters, or of some other snare, establish their dwelling at the top of the trees, or in high places. Then, when they are forced to take food, they descend, take the food, and immediately fly back into their dwelling. And some of them, more cautious, take the food and don’t even eat it on the ground, but in order to be safer, they carry it up to the top of the trees, and there they swallow it.

In the same way, the soul who lives of Faith is so timid with earthly things, that for fear of being snared, she doesn’t so much as glance at them. Her dwelling is up high – that is, above all the things of the earth, but especially in the wounds of Jesus Christ; and from within those blessed rooms she moans, cries, prays and suffers together with her Spouse Jesus over the condition and the misery in which mankind lies. While she lives inside those holes of the wounds of Jesus, the Lord gives her a particle of His virtues, and the soul feels those virtues within herself as if they were her own. However, she realizes that even though she sees them as her own, the possession of them is given to her, for they have been communicated by the Lord.

It happens to her as to a person who has received a gift which he did not have. What does he do? He takes it and makes himself the owner of it; however, every time he looks at it, he says to himself: “This is mine, but it was given to me by so and so.” So also does the soul whom the Lord transforms in Himself, by unleashing a particle of His Divine Being from Himself. Now, just as this soul abhors sin, she also feels compassion for others, and prays for those whom she sees walking on the path of the precipice. She unites herself with Jesus Christ, and offers herself as victim in order to placate divine justice, and to spare creatures the deserved chastisements. And if the sacrifice of her life were necessary – oh, how gladly she would make it for the salvation of one soul alone!

 How she sees the Divinity of Jesus.

After the confessor told me to explain to him how I sometimes see the Divinity of Our Lord, I answered that it was impossible for me to be able to tell him anything. But, at night, blessed Jesus appeared to me and almost reproached me because of this refusal of mine, and then He flashed through me with two most luminous rays. With the first one I understood in my intellect, that Faith is God and God is Faith. I tried to say a few things about Faith; now I will try to say how I see God – and this was the second ray.

While I am outside of myself, and I find myself in the height of the heavens, I seem to see God within a light. He Himself seems to be light, and within this light there is beauty, strength, wisdom, immensity, height, depth – endless and boundless. Even in the air we breathe is God present, and we breathe Him; so, each one can make Him his own life, as indeed He is. Nothing escapes Him, and nothing can escape Him. This light seems to be all voice, though it does not speak; and all operating, though it always rests. It is present everywhere, though it occupies no space; and while it is present everywhere, it also has its own center. Oh, God, how incomprehensible You are! I see You, I feel You, You are my life, You restrict Yourself within me, but You remain always immense and lose nothing of Yourself. Yet, I feel I am stammering, and it seems I can say nothing.

In order to explain myself better, according to our human language, I will say that I see a shadow of God in the whole creation, because in the whole creation – someplace He has cast the shadow of His beauty, someplace His fragrances, someplace His light, as in Sun, in which I see a special shadow of God. I see Him as though concealed within this sphere, as the king of all other spheres. What is the Sun? It nothing but a globe of fire. One is the globe, but its rays are many; from this we can easily understand how the globe is God, and the rays are the immense attributes of God.

Second. The Sun is fire, but It is also light and heat. Here is the Most Holy Trinity veiled in the Sun: the fire is the Father, the light is the Son, the heat is the Holy Spirit. However, the Sun is one, and just as one cannot separate fire from light and heat, so one is the power of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who in reality cannot be separated from one another. And just as fire produces light and heat at the same time, in such a way that fire cannot be conceived without light and heat; in the same way, the Father cannot be conceived before the Son and the Holy Spirit, and vice versa, but all Three of the Them have the same eternal beginning.

I add that the light of the Sun diffuses everywhere; in the same way, God penetrates everywhere with His immensity. However, let us remember that this is but a shadow, because the Sun cannot reach where It cannot penetrate with Its light, while God penetrates everywhere. God is most pure Spirit, and we can represent Him with the Sun, which makes Its rays penetrate everywhere, and no one can grab them with their hands. Moreover, God looks at everything – the iniquities and the evils of men – but He remains always as He is, pure, holy and immaculate. A shadow of God is the Sun, which sends Its light over rubbish, but remains immaculate; It spreads Its light in the fire, but is not burned; in the sea and in the rivers, but is not drowned. It gives light to all, It fecundates everything, It gives life to all with Its heat, but does not become poor in light, nor does It lose any of Its heat. Even more, while It does so much good to all, It needs no one, and remains always as It is – majestic, shining, ever immutable. Oh, how well one can see the divine qualities in the Sun! With His immensity, God is present in the fire, but is not burned; in the sea, but is not drowned; under our steps, but is not trampled. He gives to all, but does not become poor, and needs no one; He looks at everything – even more, He is all eyes, and there is nothing He does not hear. He is aware of each fiber of our hearts, of each thought of our minds, but, being most pure Spirit, He has neither ears nor eyes, and no matter what happens, He never changes. The Sun invests the world with Its light, and It does not tire; in the same way, God gives life to all, helps and rules the world, and He does not tire.

A man can hide or place shelters so as not to enjoy the light of the Sun and Its beneficial effects, but he does nothing to the Sun – the Sun remains as It is, while all the evil will fall upon man. In the same way, by sin, the sinner can move away from God and no longer enjoy His beneficial effects, but he does nothing to God – the evil is all his own.

The roundness of the Sun also symbolizes the eternity of God, which has no beginning and no end. The penetrating light of the Sun itself is such that no one can restrict it in his eye; and if one wanted to stare at It in Its midday fullness, he would remain dazzled; and if the Sun wanted to draw near man, man would be reduced to ashes. The same for the Divine Sun: no created mind can restrict It in its little mind so as to comprehend It in all that It is; and if it wanted to try, it would remain dazzled and confused; and if this Divine Sun wanted to display all Its love, allowing man to feel It while he is in his mortal flesh, he would be reduced to ashes.

So, God has cast a shadow of Himself and of His perfections over the whole creation; it seems that we see Him and touch Him, and we are touched by Him continuously.

In addition to this, after the Lord said those words – “Faith is God” – I said to Him: ‘Jesus, do You love me?’ And He added: “And you, do you love Me?” Immediately I said: ‘Yes Lord, and You know that without You I feel that life is missing in me.’

“Well then”, Jesus continued, “you love Me, I love you – so, let us love each other, and remain always together.” This is how He ended for this morning. Now, who can say how much my mind has comprehended of this Divine Sun? I seem to see It and touch It everywhere. Even more, I feel invested by It, inside and out, but my capacity is so very little – while it seems it comprehends something about God, the moment I see Him, it seems I have comprehended nothing; even more, it seems I have spoken nonsense. I hope that Jesus will forgive my nonsense.

St. Veronica Giuliani -Mystic, Stigmatic, Victim Soul, Incorruptable

Her Diary St. Veronica left us a spiritual treasure, her Diary, which she wrote under obedience to her confessor, Fr. Gerolamo Bastianelli. She began writing it in April, 1693 and finished writing it thirty four years later in 1727. She wrote a total of twenty-two thousand pages. This was a great penance for her. She did not neglect her other duties and would write late at night in her cell. The devil would often try to scare her to disrupt her writing. He would hide and break her pencils, and sometimes even attacked her physically: “After Matins, when I wanted to make an act of obedience and write for a quarter of an hour, I suddenly got a big punch in the eye and heard a voice saying, ‘damned writings!’”  During the last fifteen years of her life, Veronica was so ill that a painting of Our Lady of Sorrows in her cell would come to life, and the Blessed Virgin Mary herself dictated to her the last chapters of the Diary.

Jesus made two promises to Veronica about this diary: “The Lord himself made me understand I should write everything; because He wanted it thus; and that these writings would be of great benefit to many souls; and that he wanted it to be for the whole of Christianity.” And on another occasion Jesus told her: “I inform you that I want to give special graces to whomever will trouble himself with this work. And I want everything, everything revealed. These are My works, My gifts, they are My singular graces, and all shall be for My glory.”

It is interesting to note that both saints and mystics have been entrusted with the publication of this diary. It was not until one hundred and fifty years later that Francois Dausse started to work on its publication, but his work remained unfinished because of his death. After this, St. Annibale Maria di Francia started working on this diary and managed to publish the first volume under the title, A Hidden Treasure, The Diary of St. Veronica Giuliani (1891-92). However, St. Annibale had to stop working on this Diary because the local Bishop asked him to start reviewing the writings of mystic, Luisa Picarreta in order to give them the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur. Later, a Jesuit priest, Pietro Pizzicaria, managed to publish the next 8 volumes under the same title before he died and the last two volumes were published by Professor Umberto Bucchioni in 1927.

St. Annibale Maria di Francia and Luisa Piccarreta

                           from Ch. 4 of Luisa Piccarreta: A collection of memories of the Servant of God                                                    

by Fr. Bernardino Giuseppe Bucci, O.F.M.      

Aunt Rosaria would often and willingly speak of Blessed Annibale Maria di Francia, founder of the Rogationist Fathers and the Sisters of  Divine Zeal.     She spoke of the blessed as though he were intimately familiar  to her, using the name “Fr. Francia”. I personally took great interest in this  figure and often asked the Rogationist Fathers if by chance there might be  anything in their archives about the relations between Luisa and Blessed Annibale. I even went to the Sant’Antonio Institute in Corato, a house which the  blessed had wanted personally, in order to move Luisa there to be with the sisters.

 My aunt told me that Fr. Annibale had conceived of the project  of taking Luisa to the Institute of sisters opened in Trani, but that Luisa had  made him see that the Lord wanted her to stay in Corato. Fr. Annibale’s project  was implemented in 1928, after his holy death.     Annibale di Francia was the extraordinary confessor of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta, and it was he who published her works. Blessed Annibale belonged to that array of priests who built up the Church of God with their holiness and their institutions for orphans and abandoned children. The work of these men was of great benefit to Italy and the Church, in a period when  anti-clericalism was triumphant.

 According to Aunt Rosaria, the blessed enjoyed the great esteem of St. .Pius X who willingly granted him private audiences. It seems that St.  Pius X paid great attention to Luisa Piccarreta: our blessed submitted her writings to him before having them printed.      Aunt Rosaria affirmed that after reading some of Luisa’s  writings, especially her famous work on the Passion of Our Lord, published under  the title L’orologio della Passione, St. Pius X said to him: “Dear father, you must read these writings on your knees, because it is Our Lord Jesus  Christ who is speaking in them”. And it was the holy Pontiff who urged Fr.  Annibale to publish them.

 Annibale called on Luisa regularly, at her house in Via Nazario  Sauro, staying with her for several hours, conversing with her on spiritual  matters.  He often took some Italian or foreign bishop to visit Luisa, and my aunt remembers the visit of a prelate from Hungary. To dispel certain doubts, the blessed father took several theologians to Luisa; having spoken to the Servant of God at length, theywould gather in another room for long discussions of what they had heard.

 My aunt recalls that one Hungarian bishop, after talking to Luisa, emerged from her room in deep distress and said the following words in his imperfect Italian: “Pray for my people“, for Luisa had informed him of the far from rosy future that awaited his homeland. Aunt Rosaria could not tell me precisely who the bishop was, nor exactly where he came from, she only told me: “a Magyar bishop“.  I realized that he must have been a Hungarian bishop.     Fr. Annibale did not only visit Luisa to talk to her; he gave lectures to all those who frequented Luisa’s house, especially the young people.

These lectures bore abundant fruits. Indeed, many of the girls became sisters,  many of the young men were initiated to the priesthood and quite a few were  admitted to his new congregation.

 Many people went to Luisa’s house to confess to Fr. Annibale. This was confirmed to me by Canon Andrea Bevilacqua who, as a young seminarian, would also go to Luisa’s house to confess to Fr. Annibale, who was also the extraordinary and deeply loved confessor of Archbishop Leo of Trani.     In my earlier publication I did not mention Blessed Annibale di  Francia, because I was advised to say nothing, to avoid creating obstacles to  his cause of beatification under way.

  It would be most interesting to consult the archives of the Rogationists and of the Sisters of Divine Zeal, where there must certainly be traces of the long correspondence between the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta and Blessed Fr. Annibale. My aunt told me that Luisa’s spirituality was impressed upon the institute’s Rule. It would be most interesting to read the institute’s old Rule and Constitutions. I hope, now that Fr. Annibale has been beatified by the Church, that the Rogationists and the Sisters of Divine Zeal will be able to re-evaluate the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta who contributed so much to their development with her prayers, her advice and her writings.

  Much still remains to be said about the relations between Blessed Annibale, the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta and St. Pius X, for whom Luisa had great veneration. At that time she already revered him as a  saint, and on various occasions said these words: “The Lord has given the  Church two great Pontiffs in these times; the first, a beloved son of Our Lady“, with reference to Pius IX, “the second, a great defender of the faith and of the Eucharist“.      Blessed Annibale di Francia had to overcome enormous obstacles  in orderto put into practice his plan to have Luisa taken to one of the  houses of his congregation to be with the sisters. He often used to say these  words: “The acceptance of Luisa in a house of my Institute will be a blessing  of God for the whole Congregation“.      Indeed, although there were already two houses of the Congregation of Divine Zeal in Trani, with holy persistence he opened a female house in Corato, close to Luisa’s birthplace. His project was not easy to implement: the holy founder died before the house had been completed.

Two years after his death, Luisa entered the house of the Sisters of Divine Zeal in Via delle Murge.   Rosaria Bucci’s memories      Blessed Annibale Maria di Francia paid frequent visits to the Servant of God, with whom he had long conversations, staying for hours in Luisa’s little room, where he also often celebrated Holy Mass.     This is what I remember of what Aunt Rosaria told me.

 In 1910, a priest arrived at Luisa’s house and asked to speak to her. This was the first of the many encounters between the two “saints”. That  day, it was Aunt Rosaria who opened the door to him, then a young girl who had  become familiar with Luisa’s milieu, who had been visiting her for four years  and so collaborated with Angelina in the household affairs. Moreover, since Aunt  Rosaria had mastered lace-making, she was acting as teacher for the other girls,  who were apprentices; she was also called by Luisa to set right her own work  that was often defective, for the Servant of God was unable to pull the knots  tight enough because of the stigmata, hidden beneath her skin and a source of  pain.2       Aunt Rosaria, on many occasions, prepared a little bed in a room in Luisa’s house on which Blessed Annibale would sometimes rest, especially  when he was a guest of the Piccarreta family for more than a day.

 The blessed’s stays in Luisa’s house were dictated by the fact  that before giving her writings to Annibale, she had to read through them all  and provide explanations on doubtful or incomprehensible points.     It was my aunt herself who gave Blessed Annibale the manuscript  of the famous book on meditation of the Passion. Blessed Annibale had it printed  with the name L’orologio dell Passione, a title about which Luisa was not  at first enthusiastic. The publication, with a long preface by the Blessed, went  into several editions, four to be precise.

 Aunt Rosaria remembered that Blessed Annibale once urged all the girls and Luisa’s regular visitors to read and meditate upon the work. In giving it to them, the blessed said: “Before having the manuscript printed, I  was received in audience by His Holiness Pius X, to whom I gave a copy. Several  days later, having returned to see the Holy Father for matters concerning my new  Congregation, he said these words: ‘Have Luisa Piccarreta’s L’orologio della  Passione printed immediately. Read it on your knees, because it is Our Lord  who is speaking in it“.       Since we have no other documents available, we cannot but trust  the testimony of Rosaria Bucci. Blessed Annibale and the Capuchin Friars of the Monastic   Province of Puglia

  It seems that the Franciscan fathers, and particularly the Capuchins, suggested to Blessed Annibale that he place his works under the protection of St. Anthony of Padua. It is certain that there was a deep reciprocal esteem between Blessed Annibale and the Capuchins.      I personally heard a lot about Blessed Annibale Maria di Francia from our older fathers.     Fr. Annibale published Luisa’s writings, many of which were given to our friars, whom he warmly commended not to disclose the author’s name to anyone since the devout writer wished to remain anonymous.      The Capuchin friar who had the most to say about this was Fr. Isaia from Triggiano, who was simple and humble, the figure of an authentic priest. This father had a deep veneration for Luisa Piccarreta and jealously preserved her writings and a few objects that had belonged to the Servant of God. Among these was a holy card with a picture on which a prayer had been written by Luisa in her own hand.      Fr. Isaia often used to say: “Luisa is a great saint and Fr.  Annibale another great saint, because he enabled us to know her. Saints understand one another. It is God who brings them together“.     In far off 1917, Fr. Isaia from Triggiano was a Capuchin student at our friary in Francavilla Fontana, where on several occasions the friars gave hospitality to Fr. Annibale Maria di Francia, who was establishing one of his works in nearby Oria.

  These are Fr. Isaia’s impressions of Fr. Annibale: “He was a  priest who truly belonged to God, and at the sight of him, we students would gather round him with great sympathy. We all went to him for confession. He had an unusual appearance, as well as an unusual manner of speech and gestures, always moderate and with a reserve that did not command fear but filial trust. He constantly spoke to us of God’s Will and exhorted us to bear with hardships and contradictions. He told us that a soul who was consecrated entirely to God was suffering and praying for us all“.     “This soul“, Blessed Annibale said to Fr. Isaia, “is  a daughter of your region, and this is a sign that the Lord is blessing the  people of Bari”. To comfort him in his doubts and sufferings, he gave him L’orologio della Passione, which he himself had had printed. Fra Isaia, a  Capuchin student at the time, asked him where this holy soul lived and who she  was, but Fr. Annibale answered: “just think about preparing yourself properly  for the priesthood and always doing God’s Will, and in due course you will  discover who this soul is“.     Fr. Isaia, who had become a priest, went to see Luisa Piccarreta, from whom he sought advice and – not infrequently – comfort in his apostolate, threatened by malicious gossip.     At that time the Monastic Province of Puglia was passing through a difficult period because of various disagreements between the two Provinces of Bari and Lecce, united in a single Monastic Province. Certain fathers headed a reform that was blocked by St. Pius X.      The majority submitted, but others resisted and ended by being expelled from the Order and excommunicated. One of these was Fr. Gerardo, superior and director of the studentate of Francavilla.      This father had extraordinary ideas about running the students’ community with a draconian discipline; he frequently left the students  fasting, because they had to mortify themselves and resemble the crucified  Christ. The worst thingwas that he did not even allow them to study.  Their studying was to consist of the crucifix and penance; he consequently  placed in the students’ rooms a large crucifix and a scourge. It is easy to  grasp the state of mind of all the students, many of whom fell ill. Fr. Annibale  di Francia, on one of his visits, called Fr. Gerardo and made him understand  that young men who were still growing could not be treated with such a regime.  And he himself set the example, by taking a great many provisions to the friary  and begging them to eat their fill, at least sometimes. Fr. Annibale was very  sensitive to the young students’ health, and would often say to them: “This  is not God’s Will“.      It seems that Fr. Gerardo was not totally unmoved by the exhortations of Fr. Annibale, who could speak with such conviction and love that  he had an impact on even the hardest of hearts. In fact, the results were immediately noticed: books were bought for the priestly formation of the young men, and slightly larger portions of bread and soup began to appear.      Shortly afterwards Fr. Gerardo left the Order and was excommunicated for his bizarre ideas and his rebellion against the Church. The Venerable Annibale’s words came true. Indeed, when the despairing students knelt  at his feet for confession, he would often say: “Continue to live God’s Will  intensely, because in a little while everything will change. Courage!“.

 Many fathers were in contact with Fr. Annibale and through him  became acquainted with Luisa. How is it possible to forget Fr. Daniel from Triggiano, a splendid figure of a Capuchin, a man who was a true little flower of St. Francis. Still today, his simplicity, his words and his acts live on throughout our Monastic Province.      Fr. Daniele spoke of Luisa Piccarreta as though she were a heavenly creature and when, asa young seminarian, I went to his room for  confession, he always said this to me:  “Are you Bucci from Corato? Did you know Luisa? You should know that she is a great saint and you should never stop praying to her if you want to be a priest“.

  Fr. Daniele was the historian of Triggiano and also published several devotional manuals, drawing heavily from Luisa Piccarreta’s books. The way he spoke of Luisa suggests that he was in direct contact with the Servant of  God and with Venerable Annibale.     I also heard the following fathers talk a lot about the Servant  of God Luisa Piccarreta. Fr. Giovanni De Bellis, who was frequently invited to  Corato to preach, went to Luisa’s house on these occasions. Fr. Giovanni, my  confrere in the community of the Friary of Trinitapoli when I was superior and  parish priest, often spoke to me of Luisa Piccarreta and Blessed Annibale Maria  di Francia, whom he had known personally. I had the good fortune to be present  at Fr. Giovanni’s last moments. This father died while he was completely  immersed in prayer, ‘his hands joined, the beads of the rosary between them. His  last words were: “May God’s Will be done“. It was 1982.

 Fr. Terenzio from Campi Salentina also deeply venerated the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta and would talk of her every time he met me. It was he who told me that the beatification cause of Fr. Annibale, Luisa’s confessor, had been initiated. When I was a young novice at the Friary of Alessandro, Fr. Terenzio was superior. One day he offered me this testimony: “There was a period when I was going through a crisis in my faith, and one day I went to Luisa, who listened to me kindly. She clarified all my doubts, and  gave me such clear and profound theological explanations that they were a revelation to me. All the doubts that my theological studies had not clarified were dispelled by Luisa. There is no doubt that Luisa had the gift of infused knowledge“.      Fr. Guglielmo from Barletta, one of the most distinguished priests of the Province who had several times been Minster Provincial and was rector of our theology center for students, spoke one day, during a lesson on ascetics, of Venerable Fr. Annibale and his works. He spoke at length of L’orologio della Passione and of the book Maria nel Regno della Divina Voluntà. Referring to Luisa Piccarreta, he said: “She is a great and marvelous soul. We are not even worthy to be her finger-nail“. Fr. Giuglielmo did not tell me whether he had known Luisa personally.

  Almost all our older fathers had direct or indirect contact with the Venerable Annibale and Luisa Piccarreta. Among them those to be remembered are: Fr. Zaccaria from Triggiano, several times Provincial; Fr. Fedele from Montescaglioso; Fr. Giuseppe from Francavilla Fontana; Fr. Tobia from Trigiano; Fr. Antonio from Stigliano, who left some writings on the Servant  of God; Fr. Dionisio from Barletta; Fr. Arcangelo from Barletta, also  Provincial; Fr. Pio from Triggiano, Provincial; Fr. Gabriele from Corato; Fr.  Timoteo from Aquarica, a great friend of Luisa’s last confessor, Fr. Benedetto  Calvi, in whose parish he often preached (he also assisted at the translation of  Luisa’s body from the cemetery to the church, and concelebrated at the Mass in  the main church for the opening of the beatification cause of the Servant of God  Luisa Piccarreta); Fr. Salvatore from Corato, of whom I shall speak in a  separate chapter. Many lay brothers who went to Corato to beg for alms never  failed to visit Luisa: Fra Ignazio, Fra Abele, Fra Rosario, Fra Vito and  Fra Crispino, who often spoke to me enthusiastically of Luisa, whom they greatly  revered.