"An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign..." (Matt 16:4)
"Maria Valtorta's multi-volume life of Jesus flirts with heresy
and exhibits bad taste..." Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J.
"In 1959 when the 'Poem' was put on the Index of Forbidden Books,
it was described as 'a badly fictionalized life of Christ'
(L'Osservatore Romano, quoted by Cardinal Ratzinger
in a letter to Cardinal Siri, 31 Jan. 1985" EWTN expert, Colin B. Donovan, STL
CRITIQUE: "POEM OF THE MAN-GOD"
MEDJUGORJE'S GOSPEL
Maria Valtorta, 1897-1961
Volumes I, II, III, and IVImmaculate Mary, Help of Christians, we love You! You are our Mother! In this valley of tears, we cry to You, mourning and weeping. Please assist us! Poem of the Man-God is so false, so untrue, yet my brothers and sisters are accepting it as a history of Your life, and of our Lord's Life. We thought we were intelligent! After reading these books, after hearing that Blue Army Chapters, (World Apostolate of Fatima), Daughters of Saint Paul, Saint Joseph Workshop, Box 33, Ayer, MA 01432, Trinity Communications, Manassas, Va 22110, and many other stores selling Catholic religious articles, sell these books, only cause me to raise my heart and soul to You! My intention is not to ridicule them, as to show that this rubbish is disemination by Catholics who are known to accomplish good works. At one time we could say: "The enemy has done this!" Now our problems are caused from within our own ranks! Please help us! If I had the solution, the honor and glory would be mine, but I know. You know, that Sodom and Gomorrah were not as guilty as poor mortals in this twentieth century. At Fatima, You promised to assist us, if we prayed our Rosary each day; consecrated ourselves to Your Immaculate Heart; pray at Mass on First Saturdays of each month in reparation to Your Heart; our Holy Father consecrate Russia, in union with Bishops, to Your Immaculate Heart, resulting in the conversion of Russia. I am told that what is happening in Communist countries is Your accomplishment. I see it as a result of survival. If You were accomplishing what is happening in Europe, You would have done it instantly. We do not despair! We have all the more reason to rely on You, not on ourselves. Please Mother Mary, Your children need You! In this desert valley of tears, we await the accomplishment of Your Promises, since this task is far beyond our capacity. What is also bad with this book, is that our Savior Jesus is portrayed as a homosexual. Valtorta has Jesus caressing John and the other apostles. Heresy and error of this book is not acceptable to our Holy Church. Valtorta quotes You as saying: "Can one be a sinner out of love for God." "Perhaps the Lord God will no longer accept the offer of His maidservant and does not want Me a Virgin for His love?" Please permit me to be an instrument, by which You show that Poem of the Man-God is satan's work! I thank You! Amen. A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FOUR VOLUMES
Written c.1988 by Brother James, S.D.B.
Salesian of Saint John Bosco
Saints Peter and Paul Church
650 Filbert Street, San Francisco, California. 94133.
With a few added comments from
Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J.,[1] Rick Salbato of Unity Publishing,[2] and F. John Loughnan.[3]
Apart from red and blue hilighting, emphasis is as in the original
obtained by F. John Loughnan about 10-15 years ago.
This copy compiled Feb. 20, 2001.
This book has no imprimatur.
COMMENT by Fr. Mitch Pacwa: [The] "L'Osservatore Romano, [of] Jan. 6, 1960...article complained that the 'Poem' broke Canon Law. 'Though they treat exclusively of religious issues, these volumes do not have an 'imprimatur,' which is required by Canon 1385, sect. 1, n.2." Fr. Mitch Pacwa:[of the then existing Canon Law. F.J.L.].
In the front of Volume I, Poem Of The Man-God: "Pope Pius XII : Publish this work as it is ( . .. ) Whoever reads it, will understand." (Osservatore Romano, February 26, 1948, private audience).
In an advertisement for Poem Of The Man-God: "Imprimatur by Pope Pius XII in a private audience, February 26, 1948." It is impossible to give an imprimatur in a private audience, not even if we were told that it was given by Pope Saint Pius X! A nihil obstat is required by any bishop, since he has not read the book, to assure us readers that nothing, in the book, is contrary to our Holy Faith. Even if there is an Italian edition of a book, with an imprimatur, and it is later published in other languages, it requires an imprimatur in each language.
While I was at Medjugorje, in August, 1989, Ivan: "Marija was told by gospa: 'Every person should read: Poem Of The Man-God.' " Priests were quoting this book in their sermons at Medjugorje. This book is riddled with error. They sell it in the Franciscan Book Store in Medjugorje, open seven days a week. Franciscans hire people to work on Sunday. Are persons working in the book store violating God's Holy Law? Are Franciscans, who require persons to work in the book store, on Sunday, violating God's Holy Law?
My first objection to this book, was its title. Never have I heard of our Holy Redeemer referred to as Man-God, but God-Man. Our Eternal Word took on flesh, not man taking on God.
You will notice that Valtorta's vision is a soap-opera. Her description, at times, of events, clothing, flowers, and persons, are superb; other times, she is banal, cheap, vulgar, and stupid. She was a teacher! Some of her quotes: "He can see nothing." "Mary is thinking of Her little house." "Joseph is concerned about his work." "sleeping unaware of it all" probably withdraws to the kitchen for a little while, etc. Valtorta cannot read minds!
I will first quote some choice morsels! The text is either so bad, or self-explanatory, therefore few comments are needed. Valtorta's Jesus = V's Jesus!
COMMENT by Fr. Mitch Pacwa: Volume I Page 7. oddly claims: "mary can be called the 'second-born' of the Father..." Her explanation limits the meaning, avoiding evidence of an authentic heresy; but it does not take away the basic impression that she wants to construct a new mariology, which simply goes beyond the limits of propriety.
COMMENT by Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. and Rick Salbato:
Volume I, pp. 195, 223: The use of screwdrivers is the blunder of blunders for a book said to be dictated by Jesus and Mary. Screws were not even invented at the time of Christ.
COMMENT by Fr. Mitch Pacwa: Volume 1 Page 30. There are theological errors, as when "Jesus says" that Eve's temptation consisted in arousing her flesh, as the serpent sensuously "caressed" her. While she "began the sin by herself," she "accomplished it with her companion." Sun Myung Moon and Maria Valtorta may claim the first sin was sexual, but Scripture does not.
COMMENT by F. John Loughnan:
I have read a portion of Vol. I (relative to the Annunciation) at Glow Magazine
Here is the relevant quote from Valtorta's Vol. I:
"Mary begins to sing in a low voice, then She raises Her voice slightly. But She does not sing loudly. Still, it is a voice vibrating in the little room and one can perceive the vibration of Her Soul in it. I do not understand the words as they are spoken in Hebrew. But as now and again She repeats 'Jehova' I realize that it is a sacred song, perhaps a psalm. Mary is probably remembering the songs of the Temple..."So -:
The next paragraph is as follows:
"The song changes into a prayer:['Mary' asks God to send Christ into the world; she offers herself; she repeats 'Send the Redeemer to your maidservant...Come, come, O Spirit of the Lord...Come, Prince of Peace!' F.J.L. summary.]
- Valtorta admits she does not "understand the words as they are spoken in Hebrew.".
- She claims she recognizes ONE (1) of the Hebrew words her "Mary" sings: "Jehova".
- Subsequently, her "Mary" "changes into a prayer". But it is now a language that Valtorta can understand. It cannot be Hebrew, so it could be Aramaic, Syriac, Greek or (say) Italian - which Valtorta does know!!!
- Donald Attwater's "A Catholic Dictionary", 1958, p.9, states that:
"Several centuries before the Christian era Jews, out of reverence, had ceased to pronounce the sacred name of God, J.H.V.H. [or Y.H.V.H. F.J.L.]...and had substituted Adonai in its stead...and Christians later misread this as Jehova.
- Unger's Bible Dictionary, 1983, pp. 564/5 has this to say of the pronunciation of the name of God:
"The true pronounciation of this name, by which God was known to the Hebrews, has been entirely lost, the Jews themselves scrupulously avoiding every mention of it, and substituting in its stead one or other of the words with whose proper vowel points it may happen to be written, usually the name Adonai. They continued to write Yhwh, but read Adonai...The strong probability is that the name...was pronounced Yahweh... This custom, which had its origin in reverence, and has almost degenerated into a superstition was founded upon an erroneous rendering of Lev. 24:16, from which it was inferred that the mere utterance of the name constituted a capital offense...
- If further evidence is required of proof of the Vatican's assessment of Valtorta's writings as "belonging in the category of "mental illness"(L'Ossrevatoro Romano), consider this: Valtorta speculates that her "Mary" "is probably remembering the songs of the Temple"!!! - in which, if the name of God was uttered, the utterer's fate would have been death!!!
- In summary: Valtorta has her "Mary" singing, in Hebrew (which Valtorta does not understand) a word which did not exist until later Christians mistakenly and erroneously used for the name of God - but, in Jesus and Mary's time, for Jews to utter it was a capital offense!!!
Then, for the convenience of Valtorta', "Mary" switches to a language that Valtorta can understand - very probably, to Italian!
COMMENT by Rick Salbato:
Volume I, pp. 195, 223: The use of screwdrivers is the blunder of blunders for a book said to be dictated by Jesus and Mary. Screws were not even invented at the time of Christ.
Volume I Page 283 V's Jesus: "When My mission started, I was no longer the Son submissive to My Mother, but I was the Servant of God. My moral ties with My Mother were broken."
Volume I Page 198 Valtorta's Jesus looks at him. He is not angry. On the contrary He smiles as one smiles at a child. He gets up, goes slowly over to Peter and smiling, says to him: "Peter! Peter! You are a big, old baby!"
Volume II Page 309 Valtorta's Jesus: "Come here, you usurper and corrupter!"
V's Peter: "Me? Why? What have I done. Lord?"
V's Jesus: "You have corrupted My Mother. That is why you wanted to be alone. What shall I do with you?"
Jesus smiles. Peter recovers confidence. "You really frightened me! Now You are laughing. . ."
Comment: Our Lord Jesus would never say to Peter or any other person: "You have corrupted My Mother," smiling afterward! I know this is satan! ! !Page 89 V's Jesus: "I solemnly tell you that brutes surpass you in the honesty of their love."
Volume II Page 699 Valtorta's Jesus: "I am Father, Mother, Husband, [Never is Jesus: husband, or even sister] Brother, Friend, and I love you as such and as such I am to be loved."
Volume II Page 81 Valtorta's Jesus: "Simon! To tell you the truth, you are now the snake." Jesus severely repels Peter, who lowers his head, and He goes on.
Volume II Page 677 Philip: "Will there be priestesses?"
Valtorta's Jesus: "Do not misunderstand Me. They will not be priestesses like men. . . ."
Volume II Pages 649, 650 James in fact has begun to weep on Jesus' chest.
Valtorta's Jesus: "Come I will kiss you thus, to help you forget the burden of My fate as Man. Here, I kiss your lips that will have to repeat My words to the people of Israel." They remain embraced for a long time and James seems to doze off in the joy of God's kisses.
COMMENT by Fr. Mitch Pacwa: Volume IV Page 240. Another strange and imprecise statement made by Mary is that she will "be second to Peter with regard to ecclesiastical hierarchy..." Our Lady surpasses St peter's holiness, but she is not in the hierarchy, let alone second to Peter.
COMMENT by Fr. Mitch Pacwa: Volume 5 Page 73. ...some passages are rather risque, like the "immodest" dance before Pilate.
Footnotes
- Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. - Valtorta.txt, EWTN Library
- Rick Salbato's "Poem of the man-God"
- Quote from e-mail to Mary Clare W. Feb. 24, 2001.(See Brickbats)
Go to Next Section - Volume I Part 1
Go to Detailed Critique of Volume I Part 2 | Go to Detailed Critique of Volume II
Go to Detailed Critique of Volume III | Go to Detailed Critique of Volume IVMaria Valtorta's "Poem Of The Man-God" and Medjugorje Brickbats and/or Bouquets on the Medjugorje/Valtorta Files Selections From Maria Valtorta's "Poem of the man-God" - As to: the SENSUALITY [of her 'Jesus'] Return to HOME [Index] PAGE