“Luisa, la Santa”

Servant of God

Luisa Piccarreta

The Little Daughter of the Divine Will

INTRODUCTORYNOTE

The following pages contain thetranslation from the original text inItalian of a Biography of LuisaPiccarreta written by Father BernardinoGiuseppe Bucci, in 1980.

Father Bucci is one of the lastliving personal witnesses of Luisa. He isa Franciscan Priest, and lives currentlyin Trinitapoli (Foggia), not far fromCorato. Father Bucci is the nephew ofRosaria Bucci, “Luisa’s faithful and

silent confidant”, who lived with herand assisted her for forty years.

Father Bernardino Bucci visitedthe house of Luisa between 1942 and1947 - the last five years of her life -when he was still a child. In thefollowing pages, he presents highlightsfrom the life of Luisa, and also uniqueanecdotes and circumstances from hispersonal and direct encounters with Her.

Luisa Piccarreta

The Little Daughter of the Divine Will

Written by

Father Bernardino Giuseppe Bucci

Parish Priest Cappuccino

Immaculate Church – Trinitapoli(Foggia)

1980

With Ecclesiastical Approval

To dearest aunt

ROSARIA BUCCI

humble and faithful confidant,

who, for forty years,

lived in the shadow

of a creature so close to God,

whose Secrets and Spirituality

she gathered.

G.B.

INDEX

To the Reader

LUISA PICCARRETA

The Little Daughter of the Divine Will. . .

Childhood of Luisa . . . . . .

Suffering Christ . . . . . .

Humiliations and Sufferings . . . .

Desire to Become a Nun . . . . .

The Calvary . . . . . . .

The Gift of God . . . . . .

The Victim . . . . . . .

Toward the Sunset

Extraordinary Phenomena at herdeath . . .

Prayers to Beseech the Beatificationof the Servant of God,

Luisa Piccarreta . . . . . .

COMUNIQUE

To the Reader

This is not a preface - nor does itintend to be so; it is only the expressionof a feeling, as one might say, in thewarmth of the moment, after reading thepages which follow, and which deeplytouched (it is fair to say it now) the soulof one who, like me, had the privilege tobe among the first, if not the first, to readthem and meditate on them; to read thelife of Luisa Piccarreta of Corato, “theLittle Daughter of the Divine Will”.

On the one hand, in this book onecan find a woman - a life, which iscertainly that of a saint; on the other, a

priest who wrote of this creature with asimplicity which is all Franciscan, andwith an ardent spirit of filial love. Hehas had the fortune to know Luisa - “thelittle Daughter of the Divine Will”- formany years, nailed to a bed, whichwould have been a bed of sorrow foranyone else, but which was for Her ananticipation of Heaven upon earth, inspite of the atrocious sufferings causedby the assaults of the evil spirit. But the“visits” of the Divine Lover, Christ,Who had wanted to make of Luisa theservant of the “Divine Will”, consoledHer, giving Her the ineffable certainty ofParadise – the smile of God.

It is not easy to write about anyhuman being, and especially about anexceptional person, like LuisaPiccarreta. Yet, the author of thisbiography, which I have the honor topresent to the reader, fully succeeded inportraying her character; allowing thereader to penetrate, little by little, withno strain, into the intimate life of thissublime creature, who remainedcrucified in a bed for seventy years,managing to transform her room into anardent cenacle of love for Christ;teaching through her own life - and thisis the most beautiful “lesson” – to lovethat Jesus of Nazareth, Who callswhomever He wants, and nobody canresist His call.

The author of this biography wasalso able to describe the environment,the places and the people, in anadmirable way, as though expressing itin prayer, or as though listening toarcane melodies. He evoked images andmoments of his childhood, of his youth,and of his maturity as a man and priest,with extreme delicacy, remaining alwaysin the shadow – or better, in the light - ofLuisa Piccarreta. This excelling soul,who had attended school only up to thesecond elementary grade, wrotesomething like thirty-six volumes (in theform of a diary), charged with highestspirituality, extraordinary uniqueness,

and finest theological intuition, whichonly a direct and continuous relationshipwith Christ could have inspired!

With sober but incisive words, theauthor described the scenery in whichthis story of love and sacrifice takesplace: the sunny and generous Puglia; aPuglia with its strong people, who canstill speak of God with the vehemence ofthe prophets of the Old Testament.

With prudence, but withoutreticence, the author described theincomprehensions and the bitternesses

which were also present in the life ofLuisa Piccarreta; and here his voicerises, clear and serene, though veiledwith sadness. But soon the voice of theauthor revives again, and its tonesbecomes sonorous like bells on EasterDay, when he remembers the work ofcourageous priests who followed Luisaon her difficult but joyful journey. Fromthe limpid and measured style of theauthor, the figure of Luisa Piccarretaarises more than ever, vivid and real,powerful and sculptural, thoughpreserving her humility.

When Luisa died, all the people

crowded streets and balconies to see thetransit of the “Little Daughter of theDivine Will”, accompanied byillustrious Prelates and by all the clergy.But Luisa Piccarreta is not dead: Shecontinues to live in the memory of thosewho had the fortune to know Her andlove Her. This biography delineates veryeffectively the outlines, which fade intothe infinite heaven of the souls chosen byGod. Antonio Basso Alonzo

LUISA PICCARRETA

THE LITTLE DAUGHTER OF THEDIVINE WILL

I was only a little child when, onthe knees of my mother, I heard herspeak for the first time of “Luisa, laSanta”.

My mother took a framedphotograph of Luisa, showed it to me,and said: “Give her a kiss becauseLuisa is the Protector of our home. She

is a very, very good lady, so much so,that the Lord is always near her, andgrants her anything she asks.”

This was the first contact I hadwith Luisa, which aroused greatcuriosity in me, and a great desire toknow her and speak to her.

This was not difficult for me,because my aunt Rosaria Bucci had beenliving close to Luisa from her childhood.

Finally, the day came, so longedfor. To reward me for a good action Ihad done, my aunt took me to the houseof Luisa. It was an unforgettableencounter for me, which will alwaysremain etched in my mind: as soon as Ientered her little room, a little old ladywith a most sweet and penetrating gazeappeared before my eyes of a child. Shewas all in white, sitting on her bed, andworking at the tombolo. Luisa smiledsweetly at me, called me close to her,and talked to me about many things. Icannot remember well all of her words,but I know that she spoke to me aboutBaby Jesus, and asked me to make alittle sacrifice for him: “Today isSunday, and you will have meat at

home. You will leave, for love of Jesus,a little piece of meat, and you will seethat Jesus will always love you and…”

This first encounter with Luisawill remain in my life as a point ofreference along the paths, not alwaysflowery, of my youth and of mypriesthood.

Many other encounters followedthis one, ever more familiar. In fact,when I grew enough to be able to go toschool by myself, I used to go to thehouse of Luisa on various errands. I usedto bring big fresh flowers that my fatherhad just picked in the country. At other

times, I used to go together with mysister Gemma, who, for a period of time,went to Luisa almost every day in orderto learn the work of tombolo. Being inthe room with the pious lady, our officewas to pick up from the floor all theneedles that had fallen while Rosariaand Luisa were working at the tombolo.A contest to pick up the needles arosebetween me and my sister, under thepleased and benevolent eyes of Luisa,who rewarded us every time by givingus little holy pictures.

These have been the mostcharacteristic encounters and the most

beautiful memories of my childhood.

To these personal memories, Icannot do without adding that which isdescribed by an authoritative witness,Msgr. Don Luigi Doria, Archpriest ofCorato and Vicar General of theArchdiocese of Trani, highest figure ofpriest and shepherd of souls:

“While still a child, I kept hearingthe name of a woman who had beenbedridden for more than forty years. Mymother was fond of her, and often spokeabout her. Especially in the moments ofsorrow and oppression, she would run toher to implore her prayers. After twenty

years, I went back to visit this soulagain, and I found her always the same:placid and smiling, working with thefusetti of the tombolo in her hands, orwith the rosary between her fingers, inattitude of prayer.

For all those who saw her andvisited her, she had always the sweetword of the Will of God on her lips, andwas able to bring to everyone peace totheir souls and consciences, and smilesto families.

Upon entering her little room, turning

the eyes to the right, the visitor found abed surrounded by a curtain. On this beda woman had been lying for aboutseventy years, always serene and freshas a daisy. Small in stature, lively eyes,penetrating look, her head slightlyleaning toward the right, this virgin livedalone with her sister - never a lament,never an act of anger. One could see heralways sitting, leaning on three pillows,with a crucifix - on which she wanted tomodel her entire existence - in front ofher, hanging from the bar of the curtain.

Lifting the veil of the curtain, onecould see an altar, upon which every

morning a Priest celebrated the Sacrificeof the Mass. Near it, a closet in whichthe sacred vestments were kept. Nothingelse, except for a balcony from which,every once in a while, she used to getsome air and sun.

Seventy years in bed! One entirelong existence. Well, from 1878 to 1947,this soul spent her life in solitude, insuffering, in silence, and in prayer.

This soul had a name known tomany: Luisa Piccarreta, called “Luisa,the Saint”.”

CHILDHOOD OFLUISA

Luisa was a lively and a sturdygirl, like many other girls of thosehealthy and patriarchal families whichstill exist in our land, who love to live inthe open countryside, among thefragrance of thyme, the bleating of thesheep and the harmony of the domesticanimals which still populate ourfarmyards.

Our Puglia, austere and rough,industrious and sober, reflected thenature of its inhabitants.

A tenacious land, a land with aheart of stone, in which God wanted tofulfill His ancient promise: “...I willgive you a new heart and a new mind. Iwill take away your stubborn heart ofstone and give you an obedient heart. Iwill put my Spirit in you and will see toit that you follow my laws and keep allthe commands I have given you” (Ez.36, 26-27). Indeed the Lord blessed thisland, giving numerous souls, who, inrecent times, have drawn crowds of

faithful to God. Everyone remembersPadre Pio of Pietrelcina, whotransformed the stone of Gargano into abeacon of light for both faithful andunbelievers.

In this wondrous plan of God, notleast, comes Luisa Piccarreta, “THELITTLE DAUGHTER OF THE DIVINEWILL.”

Luisa was born in Corato,province of Bari, on the morning ofApril 23, 1865. Her parents, Vito NicolaPiccarreta and Rosa Tarantino, had four

daughters: Maria, Rachele, Luisa andAngela. Luisa was born on Sundaymorning “in Albis” (the first Sundayafter Easter); for her family, this eventwas a happy premonition, and in this joy,on the same evening, her father took herto the Church where she received theSacrament of Holy Baptism.

On the knees of her mother and ofher dear father, Luisa learned the firstelements of the faith. Her parents werefor her the first witnesses of that faith,strong and clear, which forms the truerichness of our families.

During her tender years, Luisa wasof rather fearful temperament; this wasthe consequence of some visions (Luisacalls them dreams) of the evil spirit,who terrorized her continuously, to thepoint of making her shiver, bathed incold sweat. She tried to conquer thisemotional state by hiding behind herbed, or in seeking refuge in the arms ofher mother, in which she felt safe. Thesethings happened to her especially whenshe went with her family to thefarmhouse, called “Torre Disperata”,located in the territory of Murge, 27 Km(~ 17 miles) from Corato.

Those who know these places canappreciate the solemnity of the silence

which reigns there, and the hills, sunny,bare and stony.

When she was assailed by the evilspirit, in that solitude, Luisa turned toprayer. She prayed incessantly to theMost Holy Virgin, asking with tears andfilial trust to be freed from such anguish.Her tender years went on like this,embittered and unhappy, living alwaysisolated, without ever taking part in theinnocent games, typical of children.

Divine Providence was leadingthis child along these mysterious paths,

in such a way that Luisa knew no joyother than God and His Grace. In fact,one day the Lord will say to her:“Listen, I went around the earth, overand over again; I looked at allcreatures, one by one, in order to findthe littlest of all. And among them all Ifound you, the littlest of all. I likedyour littleness, and I chose you. Ientrusted you to my Angels to guardyou, not to make you great, but topreserve your littleness. Now I want tobegin the great work of the fulfillmentof my Will. You will not feel greaterbecause of this; on the contrary, myWill will make you smaller, and youwill continue to be the little daughterof your Jesus - the little daughter of my

Will” (Vol. 12, 3-23-1921).

One day, being assailed by the evilspirit, terrorized, Luisa turned to herCelestial Mama, who benignly spoke toher: “Why do you fear? Your Angel isby your side, Jesus is in your heart, andyour Celestial Mama keeps you underHer mantle. Why do you fear then?Who is stronger? Your guardian Angel,your Jesus, your Celestial Mama, orthe infernal enemy? Therefore, do notrun away, but stay, pray, and do notfear.” At that instant everythingdisappeared; serenity invaded her, andnothing else happened to her.

When she was nine years old, withher heart filled with joy, she receivedEucharistic Jesus for the first time, andsince then, she learned to remain inprayer and adoration for hours beforethe Most Blessed Sacrament, in herParish Church of Santa Maria Greca.

She became “daughter of Mary” ateleven, and with great fervor diffusedthe devotion to her Celestial Motheramong the girls of the same age.

This will be one of the fundamentalcharacteristics of her spirituality; in fact,

one day she will write a Book ofMeditation on Our Lady (The VirginMary in the Kingdom of the DivineWill).

The voice of Jesus led Luisa tocomplete detachment from everyone andeverything. For this purpose, He gaveher as a model, the humble, hidden andsilent life of the Holy Family ofNazareth. All her life, Luisa will besubmitted to the cares and obedience ofher confessors, although, extraordinarily,they were never her spiritual directors.

This role was assumed by JesusHimself, Who molded her among a

thousand sufferings and humiliations, tomake of her a vessel of election andGrace, and to promote the Kingdom ofthe DIVINE WILL among men.

SUFFERING CHRIST

When she was thirteen, while beingat home, Luisa heard a great uproarcoming from the street, and she went outto the balcony to see what washappening.

A terrible vision appeared beforeher eyes: the street was crowded withshouting people, and with armedsoldiers who, containing the crowd,were leading three prisoners. Amongthese, Luisa recognized Jesus, carryingthe cross on His shoulders. Afflicted andterrorized, Luisa contemplated this sadprocession, but when the Divine Convictwas under her balcony, He raised Hishead and said: “Anima, aiutami!”(“Soul, help me!”).

At this scene, Luisa cried out andlost her senses.

This extraordinary event marked forLuisa a decisive turning point in her life,because on that day she accepted herstate of victim of expiation for the sinsof men.

HUMILIATIONSAND SUFFERINGS

After she accepted her state of

victim, Luisa found herself very often ina state of complete unconsciousness: herbody would stiffen, becoming hard likestone, to the point that they were not ableto move it or raise it. These werephenomena so particular and unique asto be considered strange even by thepeople of her own family, who railedagainst her, and humiliated hercontinuously. However, her family wasimmensely worried, especially herparents, who subjected her to visits bydoctors, who remained mute anddumbfounded before such anextraordinary clinical case, unable tomake any diagnosis. All of this was forLuisa a trial of unheard-of suffering,which the Lord would make her go

through.

When the hopes of the doctors werecompletely exhausted, her family turned,in anguish, to the last hope: the priests.

Father Lojodice was called to herhome; a Passionist Priest of a holy life,who lived with his family because of thesuppression of the religious orders,which occurred after the unification ofItaly.

Father Lojodice drew near the bedof Luisa, he blessed her, and to the

stupefaction of all, she immediatelyregained her normal faculties. This fact,so extraordinary, produced theconviction, in Luisa and her relatives,that Father Lojodice was a Saint. Fromthat day, Father Lojodice went to Luisaevery time he was called by her family;and every time, without fail, his blessingfreed Luisa from her state of immobility.

After a short time, Father Lojodiceleft Corato, being called back to theConvent by his Superiors. This eventcaused great sorrow to both Luisa andher family. Luisa lamented with herJesus: “Why do you cause all thesethings when you come in me? Can we

not love each other without othersknowing anything? Have pity on me!Free me from this terriblehumiliation.”

But Jesus responded: “Have you notpromised to suffer for me? So now letyourself be led by Me along the ways ofsuffering.”

After the departure of FatherLojodice, another priest was called,who blessed her, and to the stupefactionof the priest himself and of all who werepresent, Luisa regained consciousness.

This fact produced in Luisa theconviction that all priests were saints.However, one day the Lord said to her:“Not because all of them are saints – ifonly they were so! They all have thispower because they are priests, and allthe faithful are submitted to theirpriestly authority, created and wantedby Me. You must always be submitted totheir priestly authority, you must obeyalways, and never go against their will,because they are the continuation of mypriesthood in the world. Theunworthiness of some does not annultheir priesthood.”

The humiliations and the sufferingswhich Luisa had to bear this periodwere unspeakable. She wasmisunderstood by all - consideredproud, false, a cheater, and a person whowanted to draw attention upon herself.These ideas were also shared by herparents, who would think of any way -from the understanding to the violent - inorder to change this crazy head. But themost terrible humiliations she receivedfrom the priests. When they were calledby her family in order to free her fromher usual state of immobility, they wouldrefuse to go; and if they did go, theywould overwhelm her with the mostbitter reproaches. Once they left her inthat state for as long as twenty-five days.

THE DESIRE TOBECOME A NUN

During this period, Luisaexpressed to her parents her desire tobecome a cloistered nun. On hearingthis, her parents were absolutelyopposed. One day, after her insistence,her mama took her by gig to Trani, to thecloistered nuns, where they spoke withMother Superior. But her mama, notreally wanting her little Luisa to cloisterherself in a monastery, revealed, inextreme detail, all the defects and thestrange phenomena surrounding herdaughter, adding that she was a sicklygirl of weak constitution. Obviously,

these details provoked a definitiverefusal on the part of the Superior, whoimmediately dismissed her, saying thatlife in the monastery was very hard, andthat her health would not have borne themonastic rule.

So Luisa went back to Corato withher heart full of sadness and melancholy,pouring out her sorrow to Jesus:

“Had You not promised me that Iwould become a nun?” The Lordanswered: “You will be a nun, but thetrue little nun of my Heart. You willremain closed in a room, without evermoving, in which you will pray, suffer,

and be always with Me.”

And so it happened. Luisa remainednailed to her bed of suffering for aboutseventy years.

THE CALVARY

In seeing that Luisa wasted awaymore and more every day, her familydecided to bring her to the countryside,to their own farmhouse, to regain herhealth. There was the Lord waiting forher, to make her pass into a new state oflife. One day, while she was meditatingin the solemn silence of the country of

Murge, the evil one made his finalassault - so violent as to make hercompletely lose consciousness. Reducedto a most pitiful state, she had a vision ofJesus suffering for sinners, andconquered by Grace, she fully consentedto the Divine Will, accepting theperennial state of victim, to which Jesusand the Most Holy Virgin were callingher.

She was only sixteen; and fromthis age began those atrocious sufferingswhich immobilized her for the rest of herlife on her bed of suffering. One day,still in the farmhouse, Luisa lostconsciousness again, not because of theevil one, but by the Will of Jesus, who

made her share in the sufferings of HisPassion. As she came round from theecstasy, Luisa felt great repugnance forany food; so she refused everything, andif sometimes, forced by her parents, sheate something, she would bring it upimmediately. Her family attributed thisto a new and unheard-of fuss, andtherefore she had to suffer new and bitterreproaches. However, this was the Willof God, Who was preparing Luisa tolive only from the Divine Will, in such away that It would be her only food. Infact, this extraordinary phenomenonlasted until her death.

Luisa ate very little, only once a day

and out obedience to her confessor; butimmediately after, she would sweetlybring up the food, whole, fresh andfragrant.

I write these page and I confirm thisphenomenon because I have been aspectator of it. One day, while I was inthe house of Luisa, my aunt RosariaBucci, her faithful and silent confidant,prepared food for four people: forherself, for me, for Angelina, Luisa’ssister, and for Luisa.

I was surprised upon seeing that the

lunch of Luisa consisted of just 4 or 5orecchiette [pasta with the shape of“little ears”, typical food from Puglia]and a few grapes, which I myself hadbrought an hour before. Everything wasplaced on a little plate. After my aunt putgrated cheese on it, she told me: “Take itto Luisa”. Surprised by this strangemeal, I brought the food to the little roomof Luisa. She welcomed me with asmile, placed the plate on theappropriate bed table, made the sign ofthe cross, and began to eat. Feeling mystate of amazement, Luisa smiled at meagain, then took a grape and offered it tome. When Luisa finished her lunch (so tospeak), she rang a little bell, and soonmy aunt appeared, carrying a little tray

in her hands. Here began the scene,which I will never be able to forget:Luisa brought up everything in a strangeway; I say this, because I felt norepugnance; on the contrary, a strangefragrance diffused throughout the room.Then, removing the little bed table, myaunt closed the shutters and said: “ComePeppino, let’s go eat, for Luisa has tosleep.” My aunt brought to the table thefood brought up by Luisa, and there itremained during our lunch. I counted theorecchiette – they were six, and all thegrapes, whole and bright – preciselyeleven.

This fact so impressed me that, afterlunch, I ran home and told everything tomy mother, who showed no surprise,since she already knew of it. I rememberher saying this sentence: “BlessedRosaria… how many times have I toldher to bring me those leftovers, but shenever made me content.”

The confessors were opposed to thisnew prodigy, and ordered her to eat,even if she brought up everything after alittle while.

Up to the age of twenty-two, the life

of Luisa was tormented by her need tooffer herself perennially to the Lord, andby the atrocious humiliations that camefrom her family and especially from thepriests, who, as has already beenmentioned, refused to go to her house tocall her back to normality, when she wascaught by her state of petrifaction.

This entered into the Divine design,which, for Luisa, was a most heavycross to carry. The need of the priestlyauthority to give or remove hersufferings constituted the greatestsuffering for Luisa. The mother of Luisa,greatly grieved by the continuous

mortifications received from priests -who considered these phenomena to bespells, or, at the most, follies of afanatical girl - turned crying to theBishop of that time, who, against everyexpectation, took interest in the case, andgave dispositions so that the priestswould go to Luisa’s home every time thecircumstance required it. After a maturereflection, the Bishop found itappropriate to delegate a specificconfessor, who, bothered with having togo there continuously - almost every day- to wake her up from her particularstate, prohibited her the repetition of thisphenomenon. But Our Lord interveneddirectly to cause the confessor to changehis decision, using the cholera epidemic,

which, in 1887, claimed many victims inCorato. Luisa asked her confessor to beable to continue her state of victim ofreparation and expiation for men. Theconfessor granted her permission on thecondition that she would pray to theLord to make the scourge of choleracease.

The cholera disappearedimmediately after three days ofsufferings by Luisa - who had remainedmotionless in her bed of suffering. Theconfessor had to bend to the evidence ofthe prodigy. The Bishop appointed ashining figure of a priest as Luisa’sordinary confessor - Don Michele DeBenedictis - to whom Luisa opened her

soul minutely; this had not been possiblefor her with other priests. She herselfcould never explain why.

In order to understand this soul well,Don Michele imposed limits to hersufferings; even more, she could donothing without his consent, and ifnecessary, she had to resist even theLord.

One day Luisa asked the confessorpermission to suffer in bed for a certaintime, about forty days. “If this is theWill of God, stay”, Don Michele said;

but the bed was never again abandonedby Luisa, who was then, in 1888,twenty-three years old, and remained,always sitting, nailed to the bed, for thefifty-nine years until her death, whichoccurred on March 4, 1947.

It is to be noticed that until then, eventhough she had accepted the state ofvictim, Luisa had remained in bed fromtime to time, because obedience to herconfessors had never allowed her toremain bedridden in a continuous way.

After the forty days, Don Michele

too, bothered with having to go everyday to wake her up, brusquely orderedher not to fall again into that state.Luisa’s reasons, which affirmed that thiswas the will expressed by God, coulddo nothing; therefore Luisa had to resistour Lord so as not to fall into her usualstate of petrifaction.

But the Lord wanted this soul allto Himself, to lead her along the paths ofHis celestial graces. So, in order toconvince the confessor, the Lordrevealed to Luisa the imminent warwhich was to break out between Italyand Ethiopia.

Don Michele, always firm in hisdecision, was skeptical in the face ofsuch news, but what was not hisstupefaction when, a few days later, heverified its accuracy in the event. Wemust consider that, in those times, meansof communication were not available toeveryone, and in a little out-of the-waytown of Southern Italy the news did notarrive very easily - and what wasthought in Rome was unknown to most.Though reluctantly, Don Michele had tobend to the Will of God; and so Luisadid not abandon her bed, ever again, forall the rest of her life. It was new year’seve of 1889.

In 1898, Don Gennaro Di Gennarowas the new confessor delegated by thebishop, and so he remained for 24 years.

As the first thing, Don Gennaro, an“enlightened and prudent Priest”,realizing the wonders that the Lord wasworking in this soul, ordered her to putinto writing all that the Grace of Godoperated in her.

Luisa certainly did not expect thisorder, to which she had to submit withdocility, even though it strongly clashedwith her humility.

Luisa was to write everything fromthe very beginning, without neglectinganything; and she was to give everythingto him, day by day. Though weeping,Luisa submitted herself. The excuse ofbeing an illiterate woman (she hadattended only up to the secondelementary grade) had no success: herconfessor was immovable. So she beganto write her volumes (36) in the form ofa diary. It was February 28, 1899. Shewrote the last chapter of Volume 36 onDecember 28, 1938. As soon as theorder to do it ceased, she no longerwrote,.

THE GIFT OF GOD

The Lord makes known to Luisa thatHe wants to give her an extraordinarygift: THE GIFT OF THE DIVINEWILL. This particular grace which Godgives to the creature from Himself,constitutes a special and free gift…

Into the most complete silence and in

the greatest hiddenness of this Soul, Godwanted to send the message of theDivine Will, in which the Holy Spiritwants to renew the face of the earth:the Kingdom of God on earth as it is inHeaven. So a new event of grace beginsin souls, through which God wants toenrich humanity. It is November 1900 –the century which will see the forces ofevil being unleashed, the Christianvalues compromised, the voice of theVicar of Christ little listened to, andprotestations at all levels. Also the HolyChurch of God will suffer her silentmartyrdom, and in the face of the humandisasters, only the Will of God will beHer strength on Her thorny path. Andprecisely in this century, so troubled, the

Lord gives a new era, which will invadeHis Church and all men of good will,and in which the triumph of Grace willbe the ultimate goal: “Do not fear: Iwill be with you until the end of times”.

In order to be worthy of thismarvelous gift, the Lord Communicateswith Luisa, as with a soul who mustdispose herself to:

“Perfect conformity to my Will,because you will never be able to loveMe perfectly if you do not love Me withmy own Will. Even more, I tell you thatif you love Me with my own Will, youwill come to loving Me and your

neighbor with my own way of loving.

Profound humility, placing yourselfbefore Me and before creatures as thelast among them.

Purity in everything, because any slightspot against purity, both in loving andin working, is reflected in the heart,and this remains stained.

Free obedience, which must beconformed to my Will; and it regardsboth the Superiors I sent to you onearth, and obedience directly to Me.Such obedience cannot be separated,whether it regards God or men, becauseone is its value, as I Myself acted onearth, submitting Myself both to men

and to the Father, unto death, anddeath on the Cross.”

Then He added: “Know that fromnow on you will live with my Heart;you must feel in the way my Heart feels,that I may find my satisfaction in you.Your heart is no longer yours, butMine.”

This happened on November 22,1900. Such a special gift from God is anexclusive prerogative of Luisa, but mustbe extended to all men who accept thisnew event of grace.

THE VICTIM

Luisa never abandoned her bed ofsuffering and remained sitting in thesame position for 64 consecutive years -not counting the first six years - withoutever contracting the wounds on her body,which are inevitable during longillnesses.

In the morning Luisa found herselfhuddled in her bed, as though petrified,to the extent that no one could manage tomove her, until her confessor or any

other priest would come in prayer tobless her; only then would Luisa begin tomove and be released. So her sisterAngelina and faithful Rosaria wouldplace her again in her usual position(sitting), while the priest would beginHoly Mass on a movable altar, whichwas in her room. Luisa participated inthe Mass with great devotion; shereceived Communion every day, andthen remained in meditation for abouttwo hours. Afterwards, she would beginher work of tombolo. Many girlsattended her home, working and prayingwith Luisa, and meditating together onthe Passion of Jesus Christ. Everymorning, before starting her day, out ofobedience Luisa had to read to her

confessor all that she had written thenight before, and give it to him. Thislasted until 1938. These writings formed36 volumes, some of which have beenpublished.

Around one o’clock Luisa ate asmall amount of food, which she wouldpunctually bring up. Afterwards, shewould remain in meditation for a fewhours, and then begin her ordinary work.Around midnight Luisa would begin towrite all that the Lord had worked in herduring that day. In this way her daywould end. This way of life lasted untilher death.

In 1922, her confessor, Fr.Gennaro, died and by order of thebishop Fr. Francesco De Benedictis tookhis place. Fr. Francesco died in January,1926. The Bishop, then, appointed ayoung priest, Fr, Benedetto Calvi, parishpriest of Santa Maria Greca, whoassisted her until her death. Thisextraordinary figure of a priest receivedwith maternal care all the concerns, thejoys and the sufferings of this soul,privileged by God.

Luisa was struck by unheard-ofstorms, which would certainly have

crushed any other person, but whichwere surpassed by her profoundhumility, obedience and faith – true foodof this chosen soul. Her confessor andthe persons who were close to her –especially her faithful Rosaria – sufferedtremendously, and while the weakabandoned her, they remained at her sidewith humility and faith, until the triumphof the Work of God.

TOWARD THESUNSET

After the storm passed by, and thewaters were calmed, Luisa continuedher humble and silent life, alwaysassisted with love by her faithfulRosaria and by all the souls who hadbeen conquered by her spirituality,especially the sisters Cimadomo.

It was in this last period that I hadthe singular fortune to know her:specifically, my contact with Luisa goesfrom 1942 until 1947. Luisa wrote 36volumes of highest spirituality, some ofwhich were published in differenteditions and spread throughout theworld.

At the age of 81 years, ten monthsand nine days, her parenthesis in historyended - to be projected into God. Thejoyful transit happened on March 4,1947, at six o’clock in the morning.

Her illness (bronchitis), the onlyclinical illness she actually everreported, had lasted only fifteen days.

EXTRAORDINARY

PHENOMENA ATHER DEATH

As it appears in the picture, the deadbody of Luisa is sitting on the little bed,just as when she was alive; nor was itpossible to stretch it out through thestrength of various people. She remainedin that position; so a special casket hadto be built. Her body was not subject tothe “rigor mortis” typical of all humanbodies after death. This was noticedeach day she was exposed to the eyes ofthe people of Corato, and to those ofmany foreigners who came to Corato forthe purpose of seeing and touching withtheir own hands this unique and

marvelous case: all were able, with noeffort, to move the head to all sides,raise her arms and bend them, bend herhands and all the fingers. Even theeyelids could be lifted and her brighteyes, which were not veiled, could beobserved. Luisa seemed to be alive, asthough sleeping, while a group ofdoctors, convened for the purpose, aftera careful examination of her body,declared that Luisa was actually dead,and therefore it was to be considered atrue death and not an apparent death,as everyone had imagined.

They were forced, with theconsent of the Civil Authority and of theHealth Officer, to keep her on her little

deathbed for 4 days - I repeat, foursdays - without reporting any sign ofcorruption, in order to satisfy the crowdthat thronged around, especially thepeople who were not from Corato, andwhich poured into the house, even withviolence.”

Luisa used to say that she wasborn upside down, therefore it was justthat her life be upside down, comparedto the lives of other creatures.

Also her death was upsidedown… She remained seated, as she hadalways lived, and sitting, was she to gothe cemetery in a casket which was built

for the purpose, with the sides and thefront of glass, so that all might see her,as a queen on her throne, clothed inwhite, with the “FIAT” on her breast –the little daughter of the Divine Will,whom the Lord wanted to remove fromher silence and humility only at herdeath.

More than forty priests, theCapitolo [the Ecclesiastical authorities]and the local Clergy, were present; thesisters, who brought her on theirshoulders in turns, and an immensecrowd of citizens. The streets alongwhich the procession was to pass, werepacked - incredibly; even the balconies

and the roofs of the houses werecrammed with people, and theprocession proceeded with greatdifficulty. The funeral was celebrated inthe Matrice Church by the entireCapitolo.

All the people of Corato followedthe body of Luisa to the cemetery, andeveryone tried to bring home a souvneirof the flowers which had accompaniedand touched the body.

A few years later, the body ofLuisa was transferred to her Parish

Church of Santa Maria Greca, where sheis humbly waiting for her glorification.

Prayers to beseech theBeatification of the

Servant of GodLuisa Piccarreta (*)

(*) Published on November 11, 1948with the Ecclesiastical Approval

of the Archbishop of Trani, Fr.Reginaldo Addazi O.P.

O Most Sacred Heart of my Jesus,Who chose your humble servantLuisa as herald of the Kingdom ofyour Divine Will, and as angel ofreparation for the innumerable sinswhich sadden your Divine Heart, Ihumbly pray You to grant me thegrace which I beseech from YourMercy through her intercession, sothat she may be glorified on earthas You have already rewarded herin Heaven. Amen.

(Our Father, Hail Mary,Glory Be)

O Divine Heart of my Jesus, Whogave to your humble servant Luisa,

victim of your Love, the strength tosuffer the spasms of yoursorrowful Passion for all her longlife, let the halo of the Blessedshine soon upon her head for Yourgreater glory. And through herintercession, grant me the gracewhich I humbly ask You...

(Our Father, Hail Mary,Glory Be)

O Merciful Heart of my Jesus,Who graciously preserved uponearth for many years your humbleservant Luisa, Your LittleDaughter of the Divine Will, forthe salvation and the sanctification

of many souls, answer my prayer -that she may be soon glorified byyour Holy Church. And throughher intercession, grant me thegrace which I humbly ask You...

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be)

APPENDIX

The Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta was bornin Corato in the Province of Bari, Italy on April23, 1865 and died there in the odor of sanctityon March 4, 1947.

Luisa from her very birth was given a Mysticallife, for example, at the age of 17 she received

the Mystical Union that Saint John of theCross, Saint Teresa of Avila and Saint Catherineof Siena received right before they died. Afterthis Mystical Union Jesus asked Luisa if shewould stay in bed and because of her “Fiat!,” Hetaught Luisa about the Life of the Divine Willforming It first in her.

For the next 64 years until her death Luisastayed in bed basically not eating, drinking orsleeping. Luisa was nourished by receiving theMost Holy Eucharist during the Holy Sacrificeof the Mass daily said in her room. This specialblessing was given by Pope Saint Pious X andPope Leo XIII his predecessor. Luisa also livedon the food of the Divine Will, which Jesussaid in the Gospels, “a food that you do notknow of….”

During that time through great sufferings and asublime call to holiness Jesus taught Luisa

about the fulfillment of the Our Father, theprayer that Jesus taught His Apostles.

Jesus taught Luisa that now is the time for theKingdom of God to reign on earth as inHeaven. Jesus dictated 36 Volumes of thedoctrine of the Divine Will, which He gave thetitle "The Kingdom of the Fiat in the Midst ofCreatures. Book of Heaven -- The Recall of theCreature into the Order, to Its Place and intothe 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 theSaints which is “doing” the Will of God.

These Volumes were basically dictated in threesections: In the first section, Volumes 1-10,Jesus shows Luisa how to become a DivineMirror 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, Volumes20-36, Jesus shows Luisa how to receive theDivine Inheritance of the Father.

In humble obedience Luisa under the constantdirection of the Church faithfully wrote all thatJesus Himself wanted her to put down on paper.This would be not only for herself but for thosewho 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 intopractice these “Truths” taught by Jesus andMary.

In addition to the 36 Volumes Jesus dictatedthe book, “ The Hours of the Passion” and OurLady dictated the book, “Virgin Mary in theKingdom of the Divine Will” to Luisa. Jesustold her Confessor, Saint Annibale Maria DiFrancia, through Luisa that these 36 Volumesare to be called: “The Book of Heaven.”

Pope John Paul II canonized Saint Annibale anddeclared him to be the Saint for our time topray to for Vocations. Yet, Saint Annibalehimself stated in Messina on February 14,1927:

…Know, that I no longer occupy myself withalmost anything of the other things of myInstitutes, since I dedicated myself completelyto the great Work of the Divine Will. I talkabout it with people of (docile) spirit; I engagein conversation about this topic with whomeverI best can; I promote it as much as I can, even inmy Institutes. On June 4, 2005 a letter was sent from theArchdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Bisceglie–Nazareth by His Grace, Mons. Savino Giannottistating that:

“The “Divine Will” has guided the Archdiocese,

in this last decade, for the completion of theworks regarding the process of the Cause ofBeatification of the Servant of God LuisaPiccarreta. The Diocesan Postulationannounces having completed this journey” (andwill be handed over to the Vatican.) Fiat!

Current events

2005 - Archbishop Giovanni BattistaPicchierri, current Archbishop of Trani. Itis he who requested that the Cause ofBeatification of the Servant of God LuisaPiccarreta be continued.

More info on Luisa’s spirituality, cause andwritings can be found at the followingsites:

www.DivineWill.org

www.BookofHeaven.org

www.piousuniversalunion.com

ARCHDIOCESE

Trani - Barletta - Bisceglie – Nazareth

70059 TRANI - VIA BELTRANI, 9 -TEL.0883-583498

Trani, June 4, 2005

COMUNIQUE The “Divine Will” has guided the

Archdiocese, in this last decade, for thecompletion of the works regarding the processof the Cause of Beatification of the Servant ofGod Luisa Piccarreta. The DiocesanPostulation announces having completed thisjourney. It communicates that on the days ofthe 27th, 28th, and 29th of October 2005 itwill celebrate the 2nd International Congresswith the conclusion of the diocesan process.

The Pious Association Luisa PiccarretaLittle Children of the Divine Will*, in Corato,has been charged with performing the job ofSecretary for the celebration and welcome ofguests. Later the program of the celebrationwill be published in a definitive way.

May Jesus Christ present in theEucharist guide us as He has guided His ServantLuisa.

The Vicar General

(His Grace Mons. Savino Giannotti)

* Pious Association Luisa Piccarreta LittleChildren 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

Come Holy Spirit, Come Supreme Will,

down to reign in Your Kingdom on earth

and in our hearts!

Come Holy Spirit, Come Supreme Will,

down to reign in Your Kingdom on earth

and in our hearts!

Come Holy Spirit, Come Supreme Will,

down to reign in Your Kingdom on earth

and in our hearts!