# 38 OF 45 - THIS HAPPY BOOK REPORT ON PADRE PIO

# 38 OF 45 - THIS HAPPY BOOK REPORT ON PADRE PIO

IN PURSUIT OF THE TRUTH - BLOGGER - GEORGE KUBECK - WED. JAN. 22, 2020

 

PADRE PIO - THE TRUE STORY BY C. BERNARD

Chapter 16 - The Satanic War - p. 194-198

    The Association sent a delegation to the archbishop, Gagliardi smiled an unctuous smile and told them, "I will do everything possible to prevent the removal of Padre Pio," adding. "Since, however, such measures do not come from my initiative, I will send my secretary to Rome at once to plead the cause of the People's Association to the minister general of the Capuchins." When the delegation left, however, Gagliardi turned to an aide and snapped. "The next time these blinking Sangiovennnese come here. I'll call the police....

 

    The People's Association, through Brujnatto, was aware of everything. To prevent the transfer, three of Padre Pio's closest followers headed for Rome: Brunatto to see Padre Gemelli; Francesco Morcaldi to Donato Cardinal Sbaretti, prefect of the Congregation of the Council (which oversaw, among other things, the discipline of the clergy); an Don Giuseppe Orlando to see Don Alessandro Lottini of the Holy Office....

 

    This was illustrated only too vividly on August 10, during Vespers. Padre Pio was about to bless the faithful from the altar with the Blessed Sacrament enclosed in a receptacle called a monstrance. He had opened the tabernacle, which contained the consecrated Communion wafers, and was about to place on of them in the monstrance when a man, identified only as Donato, a bricklayer, lunged forward and, brandishing a revolver, leveled it at Padre Pio's head. "Either dead or alive," he shouted, "you're going to with us in this town!" The frenzied declaration of the would-be assassin gave worshipers and police the chance to wrestle him to the ground before he could squeeze the trigger, but the incident only underscored the explosive nature of the situation.

 

    Pio, who must have been badly shaken, pleaded for mercy for his assailant. That night he put his thoughts in writing: Lord, what would these people want of me? ... Tomorrow may bring I don't know what where my superiors are going to send me. As a faith son of holy obedience, I will obey without a murmur....

 

    Doubtless the murder attempt impressed Padre Giusepantonio as to the truth in Dr. Camilleri's warning, for August 17 a telegram arrived from the Holy Office stating that the transfer order was suspended until further notice.

 

   ... The cardinal told her that he was present at an important meeting with Pope Pius XI during the summer of 1923. The Holy Office had been debating what to do with Padre Pio. Pius himself tended to think of Padre Pio as a fanatic, willing to incite a riot rather than be transferred. ... Pope Pius announced that he was ready to suspend Padre Pio a divinis (that is, from all priestly functions). Suddenly while he was speaking, a Capuchin friar appeared knelt, and kissed his feet, saying only, "Your Highness for the good of the Church, do not take this course of action." He then asked the pope's blessing, kissed his feet, rose, and left.

 

    "Who let that friar in?" the pontiff demanded. The prelates ran outside the meeting room to upbraid the guards for letting the friar in. ... all strenuously denied having seen any friar enter.... After that, Pius said no more about suspending Padre Pio from his priestly faculties... Padre Pio's trouble were far from over!

 

George H. Kubeck