About the Full Sermon of Archbishop Lefebvre Wherein He Mentions Valtorta and a Refutation of Their Isolated Partial Quotation and Incomplete Analysis of Archbishop Lefebvre's Words (and a Reference to a Full Analysis)

The Dominicans gave an incomplete quotation from one of the sermons of Archbishop Lefebvre at the end of their article. In my e-book, I give the entire sermon from which they took that isolated quotation and follow up with a full and thorough analysis of it in the chapters of this e-book entitled "An Analysis of Archbishop Lefebvre's Words About the Poem of the Man-God" and "Archbishop Lefebvre Was Undecided About the Poem of the Man-God, But Pope Pius XII, Saint Padre Pio, and Many Other Saintly World-Renowned Pre-Vatican II Theologians Approved It and Promoted It -- What Should Traditional Catholics Think of This?"

In the first above-mentioned chapter, I give the entire sermon of Archbishop Lefebvre, and then fully analyze it. I point out several facts:

1. He did not declare that Maria Valtorta's writings are not authentic or not from God.

2. He did not presume to forbid reading her writings.

3. He did not make a definitive pronouncement on whether he thought these revelations are valid or not -- He remained undecided and merely concluded by putting a question mark on them: "So. I don't know. But I admit that I put a question mark on her revelations."

4. He discussed how Fr. Ludovic-Marie Barrielle, FSSPX, firmly believed that Maria Valtorta's revelations are authentic and from God and do a lot of good. It is to be noted that Fr. Barrielle was Archbishop Lefebvre's confessor and was assigned by Archbishop Lefebvre to be the first spiritual director and a professor of the SSPX Econe seminary. Fr. Barrielle said to the SSPX Econe seminarians: "If you wish to know and love the Sacred Heart of Jesus, read Valtorta!"139 Fr. Kevin Robinson, FSSPX, testifies that Fr. Barrielle "used Maria's writings and urged their use at all times in his latter years in the SSPX Seminary."140 This was done with the awareness of Archbishop Lefebvre. Archbishop Lefebvre admits that it may do great good as Fr. Barrielle attests, when, in his sermon, the Archbishop said:

I admit, I read part of it be­cause Father Barrielle was very much in favor of this book of Maria Valtorta. He was convinced that it was absolutely true, that it could not be not true, that it does a lot of good. I don't say that it does not do good, to enter like that into the company of the apostles and the Blessed Virgin, and to see the Blessed Virgin live, to see the Child Jesus live, to see Him growing. It is true, that puts us in an atmosphere that makes us live more perhaps with Our Lord.

5. He admitted that he has read parts of it, but not very much of it (at least not very much as compared to those in the Church who have evaluated it in depth and approved it, none the least of which was Pope Pius XII who evaluated the Poem of the Man-God for months, and after evaluating it, ordered it to be published; and other highly learned and renowned theologians, like Fr. Berti, who studied her writings for 34 years; Blessed Gabriel Allegra, who studied her writings for 11 years; and Fr. Roschini, who first published a review and nihil obstat of the first volume of her work as far back as 1946, and completed his most intensive study of her writings in later years, culminating in a 395-page Mariological analysis of her writings which even received the attention of the Sovereign Pontiff at the time via a letter issued by the Vatican Secretary of State).

6. I show the evidence of how the Archbishop did not invest much time in investigating Valtorta's work, so much so, that, in his sermon, the Archbishop made two verifiably major factual mistakes which thereby invalidate the main premise of his primary concern/objection. I show how there is no conversation between St. Mary Magdalene and the Blessed Virgin Mary at the foot of the Cross in the text of the Poem of the Man-God anywhere like he mistakenly claimed. Absolutely none. You can look it up. There is especially nothing along the lines of what Archbishop Lefebvre was referring to as occurring at the foot of the Cross. I am certain that he made a major mistake and got two characters and two chapters confused, and I am fairly certain that I know which character and chapter he was actually referring to, and in my e-book I show the evidence.

Furthermore, I quote Fr. Gabriel Roschini, O.S.M. (world-renowned Mariologist who spent far more time and diligence analyzing Valtorta's work) and Fr. Corrado Berti, O.S.M. (professor of dogmatic and sacramental theology of the Pontifical Marianum Theological Faculty in Rome from 1939 onward, and Secretary of that Faculty from 1950 to 1959), who wrote specifically about the exact passages that Archbishop Lefebvre mentioned in his talk, and both of these renowned theologians fully approved and affirmed that those passages are free of error in faith or morals, are realistic, and are highly beneficial and instructive to Catholics. In that chapter, I also address all the other comments of the Archbishop in depth.

In the aforementioned chapter entitled, "Archbishop Lefebvre Was Undecided About the Poem of the Man-God, But Pope Pius XII, Saint Padre Pio, and Many Other Saintly World-Renowned Pre-Vatican II Theologians Approved It and Promoted It -- What Should Traditional Catholics Think of This?", I show that even if Archbishop Lefebvre outright condemned the Poem (which he never did), it still would not disprove the Archbishop's saintliness (for those who consider him a saint), nor would it disprove the divine origin of the Poem and that every Catholic (including traditional Catholics adhering to the SSPX's or the Resistance's position) are free to read it without fear of anything being against faith or morals or being harmful to their spiritual life.

I also go into details discussing Pope Pius XII's command to publish the Poem of the Man-God (whose authority supersedes Archbishop Lefebvre's) and how the Holy Office/CDF has since given permission for it to be published and read by the faithful, Saint Padre Pio's strong approval of the Poem as documented by a spiritual daughter of his; the documented historical fact that many canonized saints have been erroneous before on very important matters (matters much more important than an opinion about the Poem of the Man-God -- the Immaculate Conception being one such example), the fact that holy people and even canonized saints have been known to be misguided about authentic private revelations before, such as St. John Vianney, who strongly doubted the apparitions and messages of Our Lady of La Salette for eight years after hearing some misinformation about it and despite personally interviewing one of the seers himself; and the historical fact that many holy books and writings of canonized saints were put on the Index of Forbidden Books and then later taken off and permitted and/or approved by the Magisterium later on. These arguments and others are given in that chapter.

In fact, I discuss how St. John Vianney strongly doubted the apparitions and messages of Our Lady of La Salette for eight years after hearing some misinformation about it and despite personally interviewing one of the seers himself, and that it wasn't until eight years later (ten months before his death) that St. John Vianney, inspired by God's grace, regained faith in the apparition and publicly stated one may believe in it. In the aforementioned chapter of the e-book I also go into the point that Archbishop Lefebvre was a man capable of making mistakes in such matters such as assessing a private revelation (he is fallible), and he was not known to be one flooded with mystical gifts or supernatural instantaneous insights like Saint Padre Pio was, which could have served to prevent an incorrect, inadequately researched analysis of the book (such mystical gifts were not proper to God's plan for Archbishop Lefebvre's mission like they were for other saints such as Saint Padre Pio). Saint Padre Pio was gifted with mystical gifts that would enable him to better discern the Poem of the Man-God than Archbishop Lefebvre. Who could deny that Saint Padre Pio was one of the holiest saints of the past few centuries, with a holiness rivaling or exceeding Archbishop Lefebvre? And it is a well-documented fact by numerous trustworthy sources that Saint Padre Pio himself expressly approved the Poem of the Man-God and has had mystical experiences with Maria Valtorta during the time when they were both alive. You can read about this here: Saint Padre Pio and Maria Valtorta.

I urge you to read those aforementioned chapters about Archbishop Lefebvre in the e-book for a complete analysis of Archbishop Lefebvre's position on the Poem of the Man-God in light of all of the facts. In my opinion, the Resistance Dominican's quote of the Archbishop is not a concern after considering the facts laid out in the above chapters. For non-traditional Catholics, they don't hold so much esteem as to what Archbishop Lefebvre thought; but, upon investigating all of the facts, even traditional Catholics shouldn't be concerned either, in spite of the high esteem they hold him in, especially in light of the fact that world-renowned theologians of the caliber of Fr. Gabriel Roschini, O.S.M., Archbishop Alfonso Carinci, and Fr. Corrado Berti, O.S.M., (not to mention people like Fr. Barrielle, FSSPX), have approved Valtorta's work after thoroughly studying it in depth for years, something which Archbishop Lefebvre never did and admitted he never did.

Furthermore, the Resistance Dominicans fail to mention Fr. Barrielle's approval of Valtorta's work and that Archbishop Lefebvre mentioned Fr. Barrielle's approval in that very same sermon about Valtorta that they quote from. Fr. Ludovic-Marie Barrielle, FSSPX, was the first spiritual director and a professor of the SSPX Econe seminary, and a confessor of Archbishop Lefebvre. Fr. Barrielle (1897-1983) is also well known as a great retreat master with over 40 years of experience, and he is the author of the book Rules for the Discernment of Spirits in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola used extensively in all SSPX Ignatian retreats. He wholeheartedly approved Maria Valtorta's writings, believed them to be an authentic private revelation, and led many others to read it. Fr. Barrielle said to the SSPX Econe seminarians: "If you wish to know and love the Sacred Heart of Jesus, read Valtorta!"141 Fr. Kevin Robinson, FSSPX, testifies that Fr. Barrielle "used Maria's writings and urged their use at all times in his latter years in the SSPX Seminary."142 This was done with the awareness of Archbishop Lefebvre.

In a homily Archbishop Lefebvre gave to the traditional Carmelites of Quievrain on July 21, 1986, he said:

I read part of [The Poem of the Man-God] because Father Barrielle was very much in favor of this book of Maria Valtorta. He was convinced that it was absolutely true, that it could not be not true, that it does a lot of good. I don't say that it does not do good, to enter like that into the company of the apostles and the Blessed Virgin, and to see the Blessed Virgin live, to see the Child Jesus live, to see Him growing. It is true, that puts us in an atmosphere that makes us live more perhaps with Our Lord.

On a holy card for the Requiem Mass of Fr. Barrielle, Archbishop Lefebvre wrote, "To dear Fr. Louis Marie Barrielle, our model spiritual guide, with our affectionate assurance of our faithful prayers (signed Archbishop Lefebvre, 1983)." [emphasis added] A photocopy of Archbishop Lefebvre's handwritten words on this holy card is given below:

“To dear Fr. Louis Marie Barrielle, our model spiritual guide, with our

affectionate assurance of our faithful prayers (signed Archbishop Lefebvre, 1983).”

Furthermore, there are very many pre-Vatican II, well-learned, trustworthy theologians who have studied Valtorta's work in depth and affirmed that her writings are consistent with Church teaching, and they did their study and affirmed this prior to Vatican II. I have quoted many such theologians in this article, but if you want the full list of those that I have documented so far, see the chapter entitled "Notable Traditional Catholics in Favor of and Against the Poem of the Man-God" in A Summa and Encyclopedia to Maria Valtorta’s Extraordinary Work.

This list is also helpful: Lists of Bishops, Doctors of Theology/Divinity/Canon Law, Saints/Blesseds/Venerables/Servants of God, University Professors, and Noteworthy Lay Faithful Who Have Approved and Endorsed Valtorta's Work.

Furthermore, these theologians studied Valtorta's work far more in depth than Archbishop Lefebvre did. In fact, in the aforementioned chapters in my e-book about Archbishop Lefebvre's sermon, I show how he made several factual, objective errors which demonstrated that his investigation into her writings was rather superficial and that his judgement was invalidated or incomplete due to his objective and obvious confusion of two chapters and scenes. Now as far as those who don't realize that saints can sometimes make mistakes and who judge everything based on the reputation of holiness of the person in question, it is to be noted that there is evidence that St. Padre Pio encouraged his spiritual daughter to read Valtorta's books and that St. Padre Pio had mystical experiences with Maria Valtorta during the time when they were both alive, and many consider St. Padre Pio on the same level of holiness or higher than Archbishop Lefebvre.

The following is an exact copy of a letter written by a spiritual daughter of Padre Pio, Rosi Giordani, to Dr. Emilio Pisani, the editor and publisher of Maria Valtorta's works. Included among the export publishers who receive special recognition each year from the Italian Ministry for Cultural Goods, in 1995, Dr. Pisani's Centro Editoriale Valtortiano (the publisher and worldwide distributor of Maria Valtorta's writings) was awarded the Culture Prize by the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers.143 Dr. Emilio Pisani is the son of Knight Michele Pisani, a renowned Catholic publisher who was knighted a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great by an Apostolic Brief of Pope Pius XII in 1943, upon the recommendation of the Pontifical Priestly Missionary Union.144 In this letter to Dr. Pisani, Rosi Giordani attests to the words of Padre Pio directed to a spiritual daughter of his, ordering her to read Maria Valtorta's books. This letter is taken from the book published by Dr. Pisani entitled Padre Pio and Maria Valtorta:145

For Dr. Emilio Pisani,

Beloved in Jesus!

My name is Rosi Giordani, a spiritual daughter of Padre Pio. I am from Bologna, but have been living here for many years with my mother, who was born in 1897, like Maria Valtorta. Father has been at rest for twelve years in the cemetery of this town. In 1981 I was present with Mother at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Florence for the celebration of the anniversary of Maria Valtorta's death. I was with dear Domenico Fiorillo. I embraced Marta and listened to her lovely talk.

I am writing particularly to tell you the following: a spiritual daughter of Padre Pio from the outset, Mrs. Elisa Lucchi, known as Malvina, from Forlì, a year before Padre Pio's death asked him in Confession, "Father, I have heard mention of Maria Valtorta's books. Do you advise me to read them?" Padre Pio replied, "I don't advise you to---I order you to!"

San Giovanni Rotondo January 7, 1989 Rosi Giordani

St. Padre Pio was one of the holiest saints of the 20th century. His insight into the divine nature of Maria Valtorta's revelations is certainly most reliable, as he was a mystic who communicated often with Our Lord and Our Lady; he often had instantaneous spiritual insights (such as the ability to read hearts); he was a stigmatist, bilocater, and prophet; he obtained miraculous cures and other miracles for many people; and he had numerous documented mystical experiences with other people, as well as lived in the same country at the same time as Maria Valtorta, who herself testifies that she had mystical experiences with him, and who others testify that they have experienced or witnessed supernatural occurrences connected with Maria Valtorta and him.

Personally, I would take the recommendation of the above saintly mystic and victim soul over Archbishop Lefebvre, who admitted he hardly studied Valtorta's writings, which is furthermore proven by the fact that he made multiple factual mistakes in his sermon which can be objectively demonstrated as errors and thus shows that he misunderstood things which calls into question his initial judgement (which, by the way, remained undecided about her work).

Furthermore, Pope Pius XII's command to publish her work after evaluating typewritten manuscripts of her work for months not only has more weight as far the time and level of effort put into analyzing her work (months vs. hardly at all), but also has more weight as far as ecclesiastical authority (the Sovereign Pontiff vs. an archbishop).

I personally believe that Archbishop Lefebvre, if one believes he is already in the Beatific Vision (where souls are enlightened on all truth), would be telling traditional Catholics now to read her work now that He has been enlightened as to the truth of the holiness of the victim soul Maria Valtorta (a holiness St. Padre Pio recognized) and the extraordinary benefit her writings bring to souls.