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| Padre Pio |
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| Fr. Amorth |
In a recent article on the Secret of Fatima, Steve Skojec, the founder and editor of OnePeterFive,
published, to my knowledge, for the first time in the English language words
from Rome’s chief exorcist, Father Gabriele Amorth (d. 2016), about Padre Pio
and his knowledge of the Third Secret of Fatima. They come from a newly
published book written by José María Zavala, entitled The Best Kept Secret
of Fatima (El Sécreto Mejor Guardado de Fátima). OnePeterFive‘s
contributor, Mr. Andrew Guernsey, was very helpful in finding these quotes.
Since Mr. Skojec’s own article is somewhat lengthy, many readers may not have
realized the importance of this interview with Father Amorth, which was only to
be published after the priest’s death. In the following, I shall quote
extensively from Steve’s own post which first speaks about Father Amorth’s own
conviction that the specific Consecration of Russia has not yet taken place,
and then enters into the larger discussion about Fatima:
It [a piece of the Fatima puzzle] came in the form of an
interview with the very famous (and now deceased) Roman exorcist, Fr. Gabriel
Amorth, also conducted by José María Zavala. Fr. Amorth personally knew Saint
(Padre) Pio for 26 years, and it is from this towering figure of 20th century
Catholic sanctity that he claims to have learned the contents of the Third
Secret of Fatima.
Fr. Amorth was interviewed by Zavala in 2011, who kept the
interview secret until after the exorcist’s death, publishing it for the first
time in his book about Fatima. In the interview, Fr. Amorth relates — as he has
done elsewhere — that he does not believe the consecration of the world by Pope
John Paul II in 1984 was sufficient to satisfy the requirements set forth by
Our Lady.
“There was no such consecration then,” he [Father Amorth]
says. “I witnessed the act. I was in St. Peter’s Square that Sunday afternoon,
very close to the Pope; so close, I could almost touch him.”
Pressed by Zavala as to why he so forcefully believes that
the consecration was not done, Fr. Amorth replied: “Very simple: John Paul II
wanted to mention Russia expressly, but in the end he did not.”
Zavala pressed the issue with Fr. Amorth, saying that
Sister Lucia herself (as mentioned above) had said that Heaven had accepted the
consecration. He describes an incredulous reaction from Fr. Amorth. “Lucia said
that…?” He asked. Zavala continues:
“Well, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone said it, in the year 2000,
hiding behind a letter [escudándose en una carta] from Lucia dated
November 1989, in which she stated that Heaven had admitted consecration in
spite of one of the most important conditions.
“Have you seen that letter?” He asks, as if conducting a
police interrogation in search of evidence.
“Never,” I say flatly.
“I do not think you’ll ever see it, because I’m convinced
that Lucia did not write it.”
“How are you so sure of that?”
“Why didn’t Bertone show it when he should have, when he
announced the Third Secret of Fatima? A simple photocopy of the manuscript,
included in the official dossier of the Vatican, would have been sufficient to
dispel any doubt. If the Vatican has always been scrupulous in providing the
documentary proof that authenticated the information by Lucia on minor matters,
what reason would they have to skimp on the only documentary evidence that,
according to Bertone, validated a fact that without doubt was of as much
importance as the consecration performed by John Paul II?
“Yes, it’s weird,” I admit.
“You really think Lucia took five years to write that the
consecration had been truly accepted? And that Bertone waited no less than
sixteen years to announce the validity of something so crucial as the
consecration of Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary?” Father Amorth’s voice
sounds like dry leaves.
“It’s all very strange, in truth.” I [Zavala] nod again.
“Moreover,” he adds, “if the consecration of the world to
the Immaculate Heart of Mary made by Pius XII in 1942 was only partially
accepted [because he did not specifically mention Russia – ed],
for Jesus said that in view of it the war would only be shortened rather than
finished immediately, why would He now change his mind with John Paul II, if
Russia was not mentioned on this occasion?”
“It would be an incongruity, yes.”
“Rather.”
“So…?”
“I have no doubt that the consecration did not occur on the
terms required by the Virgin. But we must not lose sight of what she herself wanted
to tell us through Lucia: ‘In the end My Heart Immaculate will triumph. The
Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and it will become [come to be],
[thereby] granting itself to the world a time of peace’…”
The interview digresses here from the topic of Fatima, but
Zavala returns to it again later:
“Forgive
me for insisting on the Third Secret of Fatima: Did Padre Pio relate it, then,
to the loss of faith within the Church?”
Fr. Gabriele furrows his brow and sticks out his chin. He
seems very affected.
“Indeed,” he states, “One day Padre Pio said to me very
sorrowfully: ‘You know, Gabriele? It is Satan who has been introduced
into the bosom of the Church and within a very short time will come to rule a
false Church.’”
“Oh my
God! Some kind of Antichrist! When did he prophesy this to you?” I [Zavala] ask.
“It must
have been about 1960, since I was already a priest then.”
“Was that
why John XXIII had such a panic about publishing the Third Secret of Fatima, so
that the people wouldn’t think that he was the anti-pope or whatever it was …?”
A slight
but knowing smile curls the lips of Father Amorth.
“Did Padre Pio say
anything else to you about future catastrophes: earthquakes, floods, wars,
epidemics, hunger …? Did he allude to the same
plagues prophesied in the Holy Scriptures?” [asks Mr. Zavala]
“Nothing of the sort
mattered to him, however terrifying they proved to be, except for the great
apostasy within the Church. This was the issue that really tormented him and
for which he prayed and offered a great part of his suffering, crucified out of
love.” [says
Fr. Amorth]
“The Third Secret of Fatima?”
“Exactly.”
“Is there any way to avoid something so terrible, Fr.
Gabriele?”
“There is hope, but it’s useless if it’s not accompanied by
works. Let us begin by consecrating Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, let
us recite the Holy Rosary, let us all do prayer and penance …” [emphasis added]
Thus ends Steve Skojec’s own presentation of certain
passages of the new Zavala book on Fatima.
Father Amorth is a witness here to what Padre Pio – whom he
first met when he himself was a seventeen-year-old young man – told him
directly and personally. Father Amorth states in that same interview that Padre
Pio even let him sometimes read his own spiritual diary.
As we reported earlier, Father Amorth had also
already stated during his lifetime that he did not believe that the
Consecration of Russia has taken place (a statement which was just confirmed
by Cardinal Paul Josef Cordes). In December of
2015, Father Amorth had said:
“The Consecration has not yet been made. I was there on
March 25 [1984] in St. Peter’s Square, I was in the front row, practically
within touching distance of the Holy Father. [Pope] John Paul II wanted to
consecrate Russia, but his entourage did not, fearing that the Orthodox would
be antagonized, and they almost thwarted him. Therefore, when His Holiness
consecrated the world on his knees, he added a sentence not included in the
distributed version that instead said to consecrate “especially those nations
of which you yourself have asked for their consecration.” So, indirectly, this
included Russia. However, a specific consecration has not yet been made. You
can always do it. Indeed, it will certainly be done…”
As with other spiritual sons of Padre Pio – Dr. Ingo Dollinger and Father Luigi Villa, for example –
it seems that Padre Pio is still effectively with us, working through those
whom he met and guided while still on earth. It seems to be part of his
legacy to help us in these difficult times. Let us then pray to Padre Pio of
Pietrelcina and ask for his intercession!
—OnePeterFive
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