Luisa Piccarreta, the servant of the Divine Will
Louisa Piccarreta
An introduction to the “little servant of the Divine Will”
From time to time…it has pleased God to bring about great changes in the affairs of the world. When God chooses to do this…the usual way with Him is to give us a very special person or persons to be identified in a particular manner to introduce these changes. When the Decree of Creation brought the human race into existence, Adam and Eve were chosen to be the first humans to be born into time. Later, because man became so engrossed in evil…God saw fit to send the Great Flood. Noah was chosen to save the remnant faithful through these times. When the chosen people…the Jews were to be led out of Egypt… .Moses was called upon to save the remnant faithful of these times with his leadership and the Ten Commandments.
Centuries later, the Decree of Redemption was fulfilled through the chosen One…Mary…she became the Mother of God…Mother of the Redemptor.
Today, once again, the human race is steeped in evils of great magnitudes. Once again, the signs are everywhere that a major change is going to take place. A great purification is predicted. A new and divine holiness is about to sweep across the earth. This new era is the completion of the Decree of Sanctification …the fulfillment to Our Father that His Kingdom come and that His Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven!
The Holy Trinity has chosen a very special person to begin this new era. The name of this person is Louisa Piccarretta. She has been given many titles by Our Lord…”The Second Generation of the Sons and Daughters of Light,” “The Secretary and Scribe of Jesus,” “ the Little Newborn in the Divine Will, “The Teacher of the Most Sublime Science.” And “The Little Daughter of the Divine Will”. She was confined to bed for 64 years. She had no food or water. She scarcely slept. She had little more than a first grade education! In obedience, and only in obedience to her Archbishop and through the many priests assigned to her as confessors; she wrote 36 volumes over a period of 40 years. Jesus came to her daily. He instructed her and endowed her mind with the most sublime mysteries about God and His Divine Will.
In 1938, a tremendous storm was unleashed upon Luisa Piccarreta: she was publicly disowned by Rome and her books were put on the Index. At the publication of the condemnation by the Holy Office, she immediately submitted to the authority of the Church. A priest was sent from Rome by the ecclesiastical authorities, who asked her for all her manuscripts, which Luisa handed over promptly and without a fuss. Thus all her writings were hidden away in the secrecy of the Holy Office.
Luisa died at the age of eighty-one years, ten months and nine days, on March 4, 1947, after a fortnight of illness, the only one diagnosed in her life, a bad attack of pneumonia. She died at the end of the night, at the same hour when every day the priest’s blessing had freed her from her state of rigidity. Luisa remained sitting up in bed. It was impossible to lay her out. … Phenomenon – her body never suffered rigor mortis and remained in the position in which it had always been.
Forty-seven years after her death in March of ’47, the Vatican directed the Archbishop of Luisa’s diocese to begin the process for her Beatification.
In 1994, on the day of the Feast of Christ the King, in the main church, Archbishop Carmelo Cassati, in the presence of a large crowd including foreign representatives, officially opened the beatification cause of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta.
I have met a few prayerful people WHom are very committed to LUISA’s cause for her beatificatin…I am trying to learn ALL about Luisa Piccarretta and her commitment to Jesus…she is VERY INSPIRATIONAL…GOD BLESS LUISA!
Comment by hrl-patches — July 2, 2005 @ 3:16 am
In October 2005 Luisa’s Cause will pass from the Archdioces of Trani to Rome.
Trani, June 4, 2005
COMUNIQUE
The “Divine Will” has guided the Archdiocese, in this last decade, for the completion of the works regarding the process of the Cause of Beatification of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta. The Diocesan Postulation announces having completed this journey.
It communicates that on the days of the 27th, 28th, and 29th of October 2005 it will celebrate the 2nd International Congress with the conclusion of the diocesan process.
The Pious Association Luisa Piccarreta Little Children of the Divine Will*, in Corato, has been charged with performing the job of Secretary for the celebration and welcome of guests.
Later the program of the celebration will be published in a definitive way.
May Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist guide us as He has guided His Servant Luisa.
The Vicar General
(His Grace Savino Giannotti)
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* Pious Association Luisa Piccarreta Little Children of the Divine Will
Referent: Sister Assunta Marigliano
70033 Corato (BA) – Via Nazario Sauro, 27 – Tel. +39.080.8982221
www.luisalasanta.com - e-mail: pia.ass.luisalasanta@libero.it
Comment by robert — July 6, 2005 @ 12:28 pm
How to Read the Writings of Luisa Piccarreta in the Catholic Way
To read in a Catholic way the sublime writings of Luisa Piccarreta, a soul must have the humility to recognize that these Volumes are a diary between Jesus and Luisa, Luisa and Jesus. Unfortunately, many forget this most important first “Truth.” Some unfortunately have eliminated Luisa’s words, only quoting Jesus, and others have done worse by eliminating Luisa completely or marginalizing her and putting their name in Luisa’s place. This “Gift” of gifts, this “Prodigy” of prodigies, was given to Luisa and first formed in her so that we also can be formed like Luisa in order to receive this “Gift.” We must live in our nothingness and be so little that Jesus sees Luisa in us. That means that we must read, study, and put into practice these “Truths” that Jesus dictated to Luisa, as Luisa read, studied, and put into practice all that Jesus taught her. Jesus wants us to be linked to Luisa in order to receive this “Gift.” Jesus in the writings tells Luisa that she has an unsevered “umbilical” cord to the womb of the Most Holy Trinity, and Jesus states that those who want to “Live in” the Divine Will must have an unsevered “umbilical” cord to the womb of Luisa. This is how one is to be linked: it is not a lifeless cord, not a metal chain, not a rope; it is a living lifeline connecting to Luisa, receiving the life of the Trinity through Luisa. Then and only then do we really and truly become the little children of the Most Holy Divine Will, and we can call Luisa our “little mama.”
To be on the right track in understanding the Doctrine of the Divine Will, three things are most important. Number one, in all our acts, in all our rounds, we must be one with Luisa; we must echo Luisa; we must go to Luisa; we must plead with Luisa; we must pray to Luisa. This will prove to Jesus that we have an understanding of the beautiful diary of the Divine Will. Otherwise, one does not understand the diary of Luisa. As one continues to read, study, and put into practice the “Truths” of the Volumes, one begins to realize that next to Jesus, Mary, and Adam before the Fall is Luisa, who is the only one born of original sin, who possesses the fullness of the Divine Will. As Jesus through Our Lady brought about the Kingdom of Redemption 2000 years ago, Jesus and Mary now through Luisa will bring the Kingdom of Sanctification, which is the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven, the fulfillment of the prayer of the Our Father.
The second important point to understand is that the first one, next to Luisa, to possess this “Gift” of gifts, this “Prodigy” of prodigies, to “Live in” Its fullness, will be the Holy Father. The Pope holds the keys of the Kingdom and he will open the doors to all the world, so there will be one Church, one flock, one shepherd.
The third point is you must have a priest to teach you the Divine Will. This is the only way that Jesus explains to Luisa that the Divine Will shall be given: through the priests. Jesus teaches that as the priest is in charge of the Holy Eucharist, the second bread, and gives the Holy Eucharist to the peoples, the priest will also be in charge of the first bread, the Divine Will, the food, as Jesus says in the Gospel, “that you do not know of… .” The priest will also give this food to the peoples. If one has understood the “Truths” taught to Luisa, by Jesus Himself, one realizes that it can certainly not be a layperson’s responsibility to teach the Divine Will.
If you do not have a priest to teach you, please go to your priests, go to your pastor, and present him with *The Hours of the Passion dictated by Jesus Christ to Luisa, *The Virgin Mary in the Kingdom of the Divine Will dictated to Luisa by the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Biography by Fr. Bucci: *The Memoirs of Aunt Rosaria. These are the three writings that everyone who begins to learn about the Divine Will must start out with in order to get a clear understanding of these most sublime writings. Please let the priest or pastor know of your interest in the Divine Will, and ask him to help your soul in understanding the “Gift” of gifts of the Divine Will. God will take care of the rest.
Fiat!
*These books can be downloaded free at www.DivineWill.org and www.BookofHeaven.org
Comment by robert — July 6, 2005 @ 1:35 pm
The Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta was born in Corato in the Province of Bari, Italy on April 23, 1865 and died there in the odor of sanctity on March 4, 1947.
Luisa from her very birth was given a Mystical life, for example, at the age of 17 she received the Mystical Union that Saint John of the Cross, Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint Catherine of Siena received right before they died. After this Mystical Union Jesus asked Luisa if she would stay in bed and because of her “Fiat!,” He taught Luisa about the Life of the Divine Will forming It first in her. For the next 64 years until her death Luisa stayed in bed basically not eating, drinking or sleeping. Luisa was nourished by receiving the Most Holy Eucharist during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass daily said in her room. This special blessing was given by Pope Saint Pious X and Pope Leo XIII his predecessor. Luisa also lived on the food of the Divine Will, which Jesus said in the Gospels, “a food that you do not know of….” During that time through great sufferings and a sublime call to holiness Jesus taught Luisa about the fulfillment of the Our Father, the prayer that Jesus taught His Apostles. Jesus taught Luisa that now is the time for the Kingdom of God to reign on earth as in Heaven
Jesus dictated 36 Volumes of the doctrine of the Divine Will, which He gave the title “The Kingdom of the Fiat in the Midst of Creatures. Book of Heaven — The Recall of the Creature into the Order, to Its Place and into the Purpose for Which He was Created by God, to teach Luisa how to “Live” in the Divine Will, this is different than the devotional life of the Saints which is “doing” the Will of God. These Volumes were basically dictated in three sections: In the first section, Volumes 1-10, Jesus shows Luisa how to become a Divine Mirror of Jesus Himself. In the second section, Volumes 11-19, Jesus shows Luisa how to “Live” in the Divine Will through the Power of the Holy Spirit. In the third section, Volumes 20-36, Jesus shows Luisa how to receive the Divine Inheritance of the Father. In humble obedience Luisa under the constant direction of the Church faithfully wrote all that Jesus Himself wanted her to put down on paper. This would be not only for herself but for those who would read it, so that they too could “Live” in the Divine Will as Luisa learned how to “Live” in the Divine Will by putting into practice these “Truths” taught by Jesus and Mary. In addition to the 36 Volumes Jesus dictated the book, “ The Hours of the Passion” and Our Lady dictated the book, “Virgin Mary in the Kingdom of the Divine Will” to Luisa. Jesus told her Confessor, Saint Annibale Maria Di Francia, through Luisa that these 36 Volumes are to be called: “The Book of Heaven.” Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Annibale and declared him to be the Saint for our time to pray to for Vocations. Yet, Saint Annibale himself stated in Messina on February 14, 1927:
…Know, that I no longer occupy myself with almost anything of the other things of my Institutes, since I dedicated myself completely to the great Work of the Divine Will. I talk about it with people of (docile) spirit; I engage in conversation about this topic with whomever I best can; I promote it as much as I can, even in my Institutes.
On June 4, 2005 a letter was sent from the Archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie–Nazareth by His Grace, Mons. Savino Giannotti stating that:
“The “Divine Will” has guided the Archdiocese, in this last decade, for the completion of the works regarding the process of the Cause of Beatification of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta. The Diocesan Postulation announces having completed this journey” (and will be handed over to the Vatican.)
Fiat!
For further information please go to: www.divinewill.org
Comment by robert — July 6, 2005 @ 1:37 pm
Luisa Piccarreta - Status of her Cause - EWTN
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For several years an incongruity has existed between the fame of holiness of Luisa Piccarreta, which includes the canonization of one of her spiritual sons, St. Annibale de Francia, and the establishment of a Cause for her own beatification, and the confusion and controversy surrounding her name and spirituality, especially in the United States. It has never seemed justified to attribute this confusion to the Servant of God, but rather to poor translations, rash interpretations of her writings, and a lack of theological competence by some who try to explain her writings. For this reason, EWTN has always urged Catholics to use great caution, until such time as clarity could be brought to the situation by ecclesiastical authority.
Toward this end, EWTN contacted the Holy See and the new Archbishop of Trani, Italy, Giovanni Picchierri, where Luisa lived and died and where in 1994 the Diocesan phase of a Cause for her Beatification was opened. Until the Cause arrives at the Congregation for the Causes of the Saints for its Roman phase, the Archbishop is the competent ecclesiastical authority. This contact resulted in a letter from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the sending of the Promoter of the Faith, Father Bernardino Bucci, OFM Cap., to the United States, both to answer EWTN’s questions and to meet with various groups who promote the spirituality of Luisa Piccarreta. His official capacity is certified by the Archdiocese in the Certificate he supplied. Deacon Bill Steltemeier and myself met with Fr. Bucci for several hours, during which time he answered our questions and provided the following important clarifications, many of them in writing (as documented below). I have summarized our meeting and the documents as follows:
The Servant of God
Luisa Piccarreta lived a holy life of prayer and suffering, attested to by her contemporaries and with a fame of holiness to this day. She was always obedient and submissive to the Church in everything. This is precisely known, since from 1884 until her death in 1947 she was under the care of confessors appointed by her bishop. On this basis the Archbishop of Trani, with the permission of the Holy See, opened her Cause for Beatification in 1994. The investigation to date has confirmed these facts without any doubt. Any attribution of heterodoxy to her constitutes a grave injustice [Clarifications 1-6]
Her Writings
Writing under obedience, Luisa Piccarreta wrote two small texts Life of the Blessed Virgin and Hours of the Passion, and later produced 36 numbered manuscripts, in which she elaborated what she received in prayer about “living in the Divine Will.” These texts were written in her region’s Italian dialect, rather than in standard Italian, a factor which complicates accurate translation of the sense. A number of the early volumes were reviewed, and published, by Saint Annibale de Francia (+1927), in his capacity as confessor and diocesan censor. In 1938, however, this activity ended, when three of her works, annotated by another person, were put on the Index of Forbidden Books. The balance of her writings were taken into custody by the Holy Office (now called the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith), where they remained sequestered until 1994.
In that year, the Holy See authorized the Cause for the Beatification of Luisa Piccarreta, now designated Servant of God, by granting it the nihil obstat. Retaining the originals, the Congregation allowed the Postulation to photocopy the writings for study and the production of a critical edition, now in process. Some other copies of the writings, however, are in circulation, both from before 1938 and reproduced and translated from the 1994 photocopies. These latter have neither the approval or the imprimatur of the Archbishop of Trani, who is the legal owner of Luisa’s writings. While the Archdiocese has allowed some small publishers to exhaust their stocks of the first two books (Life of the Blessed Virgin and Hours of the Passion), in the future the Archdiocese alone will produce the authorized translations of the writings, based on the critical edition. The Postulation is not now granting, or encouraging, publication and promotion of the writings (except as noted above), so as not to create obstacles to the Cause. [Clarifications 7-9, 11, 14; Communique]
As for the status of the writings with the Holy See, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith affirmed the following in a letter to EWTN of 4 October 2003,
The writings of Luisa Piccarreta have not been judged by this Dicastery: as such they enjoy neither the official approbation, nor the official condemnation, of this Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In fact, they are currently being studied, by reason of competence, by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, after this Servant of God, independently of the content of her writings, received the nihil obstat of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding her cause for beatification.
As such, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith makes, at this time, no pronouncement on the writings in question.
Interpreting her Writings
The Servant of God’s writings should be interpreted according to the mind and teaching of the Church. Even if they are ultimately judged to be of supernatural origin, they necessarily correspond also to the mystic’s own mentality, which was that of a simple pious person and not a theologian. In keeping with Catholic theology, this must be taken into account in judging what she wrote down of her mystical experiences. At this stage in the Process there is no definitive interpretation of her work. The Diocesan Process is judging only her life and heroic virtues, not the writings. The critical edition of the writings, with commentary, being produced by the Postulation will be consigned to the Holy See, which alone can give the writings a definitive judgment and explanation. [Clarifications 2-3,7-8]
Conferences
In 1998 the now retired Archbishop of Trani, Carmelo Cassati, ordered the suspension in the United States of Divine Will Conferences, because of the controversies noted earlier. The current Archbishop is only authorizing certain qualified individuals, conversant with both the totality of the writings and Catholic theology, to speak on Luisa’s spirituality in the name of the Postulation. Asked who in the United States is so authorized, Fr. Bucci answered “Io” (I), that is, he alone. However, he also noted that the Archbishop of Trani has authority only over those subject to him, and so another diocesan Bishop could authorize Conferences in his own diocese on his own authority and judgment. These conferences would not represent the Postulation, however. So, while unable to regulate what local bishops might allow, the Postulation is not encouraging conferences given by individuals without the recognized competence in both Luisa’s writings and Catholic theology. (Clarifications 14).
Reading her Writings
The Postulation does not have the authority to prohibit the reading of Luisa’s writings that are in circulation, though it is discouraging their promotion by those without the requisite credentials. It is also prohibiting new publications of the writings, which as the copyright owner it can do, with force of law if necessary. Its desire at this time is for the study and promotion of her life, and is allowing the two small volumes ( Life of the Blessed Virgin and Hours of the Passion) to be used. [Clarifications 8, 14].
Prayer Groups
The Postulation encourages prayer groups in the various dioceses of the world, in order to spread Luisa’s fame of holiness. It especially desires that her great devotion to the Mother of God be imitated. It urges, whenever possible, that groups be conducted under the guidance of a prudent priest of proven orthodoxy. The supervision of prayer groups falls under the competence of each diocesan bishop.
The Postulation also encourages prayer to Luisa, and the careful documentation and reporting of any favors received through the intercession of the Servant of God. However, in keeping with the norms of the Holy See, while there may be private prayer and veneration (i.e. outside the church setting), there must be no public cultus of Luisa, as would be given to a blessed or saint (public liturgies or devotions, images in churches, etc.) . This would constitute a grave obstacle to the Cause, as it belongs to the Holy Father alone, with the Beatification of an individual, to permit public veneration. [Clarifications 10, 12-13]
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Further Reading:
1913 Catholic Encyclopedia on Private Revelations
A Short Biography from the Postulation
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Answered by Colin B. Donovan, STL
15 October 2003
Comment by robert — July 7, 2005 @ 4:54 pm
Please pray that my family (Earl, Ronnie, Alexis, John and David, extended families, friends and relatives are gifted and grow in living in the Divine Will.
Comment by Earl — July 23, 2005 @ 12:01 am
The reading, studying and the reverence of a potential saint, are …desireable. However, if the message of Jesus, of the Divine Will is not understood and put into daily practice…all such other observations and opinions are of no concern to this apostle of the Divine Will of God!
Jesus: “The first canticle that they sang to my Mama was the ‘Hail Mary’, because in the ‘Hail Mary’ there are the most beautiful praises, the greatest honors; and the joy which She felt in being made Mother of God is renewed. Therefore, let us recite it together to honor Her, and when you come to Paradise I will let you find it as if you had recited it together with the Angels and the Saints for the first time in Heaven.”
So, we recited the first part of the ‘Hail Mary’ together. Oh, how tender and moving it was to hail our Most Holy Mama together with Her beloved Son! Each word He said carried an immense light, through which one could comprehend many things about the Most Holy Virgin. But who can say them all – especially because of my inability? Therefore I let them pass in silence”. So, shall I!
Comment by Adela Maria, BSP — December 29, 2005 @ 3:56 pm
Thank for the article I Attended Last October 27,28, conference at Corato and it is a blessing for us I thank God I went in Corato I was healed in that place.
Comment by cora — November 19, 2006 @ 3:53 am
I can’t find the book “The Hours of the Pssion of Jesus Christ” so I can order it. I have read these 24 Hours of the passion and friends want the book also but we can’t seem to find a web site or store that sells this book by Luisa Piccarreta. Can you help?
Comment by JOYCE HOINSKI — November 20, 2006 @ 8:24 am
Have any of you seen this?
http://www.unitypublishing.com/Apparitions/A%20Divine%20Will%20Conversation.htm
If the above link doesn’t work, go to the Unity Publishing homepage. The “Divine Will Conversation” is at the top, as of December 2, 2006.
http://www.unitypublishing.com
The “Divine Will Conversation” is also found on the “Apparition Reports” page. You can get to this page from the homepage. Scroll down, and you’ll find it.
This is truly shocking!
Comment by Dandelion Wine — December 2, 2006 @ 6:12 pm