TENTH
DOCUMENT: SOLEMN
PROCLAMATION REGARDING SAINT PIO OF PIETRELCINA,
We, Supreme
Pontiff, Vicar of Christ, Successor of St. Peter, Servant of the Servants
of God, Patriarch of Palmar de Troya.
BEATIFICATION
AND CANONISATION OF THE VENERABLE PADRE PIO OF PIETRELCINA.
We, as
Universal Doctor of the Church, present, as follows in this Pontifical
Document, certain details of the life and work of the Italian Capuchin
Priest, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina.
We set forth
several important reasons that move Us to undertake this holy cause.
The true and only Church founded by Our Lord Jesus Christ on the
firm rock of Peter, called in truth The Church, One, Holy, Catholic and
Apostolic, subsists in the Holy Apostolic See of Palmar de Troya, the
place very much linked with the venerable Padre Pio.
We, as
Visible Head of this Holy Church, comprehend the unanimous consent of all
the members of the Church; Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Religious and
faithful, living in all parts of the world; the unanimous consent which
concretely refers to the sanctity and heroic virtues of the Venerable
Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. It
is therefore a matter of popular and universal acclamation of the whole
Church; which, as we know, cannot deceive nor be deceived.
We, as
Common Father of the whole Church, assisted by the Holy Ghost, believe,
confess and recognize the heroic virtues of the illustrious Capuchin
Priest, whom We present today as example for the faithful.
We recognize the heroic life, beautifully adorned with the halo of
sanctity, on the crown of this exalted Capuchin.
We declare that Padre Pio lived more than 50 years of intense and
profound martyrdom. Padre Pio
received the Stigmata of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, making him
share intimately and profoundly the Sacred Passion of Christ.
We declare
that Padre Pio lived a life consecrated to God and dedicated to souls.
He lived an exemplary spiritual life.
He gave himself to the full to prayer and penance, and practised
true charity at all times.
We declare
that Padre Pio suffered continual persecutions, incomprehension, with very
intense pain in his spirit and in his flesh. He bore with admirable self
denial all his sufferings for love of God and the Church.
We declare
that the life of Padre Pio was the life of an authentic martyr.
We know that the Holy Office condemned him five times, and always
unjustly, thus augmenting his great martyrdom.
He suffered terribly also when a group of clerics, composed of
Cardinals, Bishops, the Father General of the Order, and immediate
Superiors, committed the sacrilege of violating the Sacred Seal of
Confession, by placing microphones in secret places in his confessional.
There is no doubt that this was a satanic action to bring the
downfall of Padre Pio. Lamentably,
our venerated Predecessor, His Holiness John XXIII, following the advice
of this accursed group, also became a persecutor of Padre Pio.
It was something unprecedented in the history of the Church.
In the face of all We have mentioned, Padre Pio stood firm,
offering all in union with the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the
sorrows of the Most Holy Virgin Mary.
We make
known that Padre Pio spent his life doing good, in imitation of the Divine
Master. We make known also, as a matter of information, that Padre Pio was
favoured by God with innumerable charisms, visions, stigmatizations,
levitations
and other
mystical experiences. Padre
Pio left around the world a great constellation of innumerable spiritual
children. These
spiritual
children always met in him a model of exemplary Christian life.
We remind all the faithful that Our venerated Predecessor, His
Holiness Paul V1, restored the good fame, ineffaceable, spiritual and
exemplary, of the life of Padre Pio. We declare that this exemplary life
of Padre Pio has been crowned with innumerable miracles through his
intercession, even during his lifetime.
We, as
Visible Head of the Church, Supreme Pastor and Universal Doctor, proclaim
the solemn Beatification of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina.
We, with the
Authority with which We are vested, canonise Blessed Pio of Pietrelcina,
raising him to the glory of the altar.
We, with the
Authority with which We are vested, declare Saint Pio of Pietrelcina to be
crowned with the halo of Martyr and Confessor.
We, as Vicar
of Christ on Earth, proclaim Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, exalted Patron of
the Chapter and of the College of Cardinals of Palmar de Troya.
We appoint
the 23rd. of September as the day of solemn commemoration of the Saint.
We offer today as model, which day coincides with the day of his
death. We establish in honour
of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina a solemn preparatory Novena for his great
Feast; and as well, of the octave to follow.
We inform all the faithful that Saint Pio of Pietrelcina will be a
great intercessor in order to obtain strength and firmness for all the
members of the Church.
We, as
Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, concede the fullest Plenary
Indulgence on the 23rd. of September of each year, to the faithful who, on
that day, hear Holy Mass with devotion, receive Holy Communion, and recite
the Holy Penitential Rosary with the intention of honouring this great
Saint.
Given in
Seville, at the Apostolic See, the 12th. of September, Feast of the Sweet
Name of Mary, and sixth anniversary of the enthronement of Our Crowned
Mother of Palmar, the year of Our Lord Jesus Christ MCMLXXVIII.
With Our
Apostolic Blessing.
Gregory XVII
, P. P.
