Fr. Jorge Fuentes—Mexican
Salesian priest
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[This
article is an offering from Fr. Jorge Fuentes, describing the extraordinary
random sequence in which Maria Valtorta received her visions and dictations for
The Poem of the Man-God.]
Dear readers, allow me to
begin this article with the following question: is there some prestigious writer
willing to compose a novel of literary value - of some 250 pages, in 30 chapters
- under three conditions: of not being able to map out a sketch or outline
before writing it; of not being able to correct any of the written words (apart
from typographical errors), and of completing it within a certain time frame.
Let us be
optimistic, and let us suppose that such a writer exists, who is interested in
the challenge, and who accepts it in exchange for a juicy prize.
Now imagine
further, that we surprise the writer with the offer of tripling the promised
prize, provided he agrees to a further condition: that he/she writes the 30
chapters of this novel in the following order: first
chapter 7, then chapter 25, then chapters 19, 5, 14, 12 and 15, and then the
remaining chapters in this order: 6, 26, 18, 12, 2, 30, 17, 23, 4, 21; and 24,
16, 1,13, 9; and 11, 20, 3, 8, 10. 29, 28, 22, 27,
so that when finished, there would be a beautiful, coherent and
convincing novel. Do you believe that this challenge would be accepted? I dare
to think that he/she would say something like this: “no writer will ever be able
to successfully produce a readable novel
with this new condition, which world be contrary to any human
logic”.
Well, dear readers, although
it seems incredible, there was already somebody who achieved such a feat! It was
a female Italian writer, single, Catholic, who spent the last 27 years of her
life, unable to get out of a sick-bed, until the day of her death at age 64 in
October 1961. This simple woman recorded visions and dictations received of the
lives of Jesus and Mary, in some 90 notebooks - sitting up with her knees bent.
The 11,000 pages of her monumental Work took from December 1943 to April 1947.
She didn't have at hand any bibliography - other than the Sacred Bible and the
Catechism of Saint Pius X. And the marvellous thing
was that she completed this without correcting any written word, and without any
preparatory outline. Of such a feat there were numerous first-hand
witnesses, including her Spiritual Director Father P. Romualdo Migliorini - of
the Order of María's Servants – and Marta Diciotti, her live-in companion until
the day of her death. Also the original notebooks
themselves can be checked, to verify that there aren’t any corrections at all –
acting as mute witnesses to this feat.) And the most surprising aspect of all
was that this monumental Work doesn't only consist of 30, but 652
chapters!!
Here is
the beginning segment of the “lawless” order
in which the chapters of this great Work were actually written (some small
groups of chapters were written consecutively): 647,
52, 235, 36, 41(first part.), 185, 32, 45, 42, 44, 599 (part.) to 600 (part.),
597, 606 (part.), 609, 612 (part.), 614, 616, 633, 41(part.), 46 to 47, etc.,
etc. I ask readers this question: who would write chapter 647 first, then
chapter 52, then 235, etc., in a literary work? Does this seem madness? However,
it was not. Let us see how it happened.
Those chapters
were written - in these 90 or so notebooks - without having any assigned number.
That is to say, the writer didn't know what chapter number she was writing. The
only thing that she added was the date in which each
chapter was written. So as the Work was progressing, and she wanted to
have them put in a coherent order, it was seen necessary have them typed by Fr.
Migliorini in loose leaves, so as not to have to pull out the leaves of the
notebooks. Those loose leaves were put together in
the order indicated by the Lord, and totalling 652 chapters. And once in order,
everyone – even the writer – got to know the real order in which these chapters
were really written in the notebooks (see part of that list above) This
was, in fact, the true Author's purpose: to surrender this wonderful Work, in
such a form - evident for all - that nobody but He could have planned it
and written it in that total disorder.
How were the
chapters ordered? By a series of simple notes dictated by the Author, such as
that which followed the chapter describing of the Crucifixion:
« And now, » says Jesus, « pay attention. I spare you the description of the
burial, which was well described last year: on 19th February 1944. So you will
use that one, and [Fr. Migliorini} at the end of it will put Mary's lamentation,
which I gave on 4th October 1944. Then you will put the new visions you see.
They are new parts of the Passion and are to be put very carefully in their
places to avoid confusion and gaps. »
This Work, originally in
Italian, was written by a great mystic of our time, María Valtorta, whose
writings have been eulogized by experts in many disciplines: geographical,
geological, archaeological, ethnological, botanical, zoological (all in relation
to the Palestine of Jesus' time), besides experts in history, psychology and
theology (mentioning the most outstanding). Written with a lucid, vigorous and
attractive language, with an interesting captive simplicity for the readers, it
has been published by Central Editoriale Valtortiano in 10 volumes.
The first Italian
edition is dated 1956–59, and the third and definitive edition, entitled; “The
Gospel as it has been Revealed to Me”, is dated 2001. It has been translated and
published - starting from the year 1971 - in eight other languages: Spanish,
English, French, German, Portuguese, Dutch-flamenco, Korean and Croatian. It is
also being published - cumulatively - in seven other languages: Slovakian,
Malayan, Japanese, Hungarian, Tamil, Suahili and Russian. And soon, the first
volume of this collection will appear in Polish, Chinese, Arabic, Lithuanian and
Albanian.
The English
translation of the Work was given the name The Poem of the Man-God. It
consists of five volumes containing more that 4,000 pages.
In this Work there
are hundreds of characters, highlighting those that appear in the gospels, all
wrapped within the wonderful plot of Jesus' life. The beauty, depth and
astonishing harmony with the Gospels, is in full agreement with the Doctrines of
the Church, making it a Work worthy of being well known and diffused for the
people of God, and strongly inducing the reader to discover their divine origin.
In fact, the writer repeatedly affirmed that she was only the “spokesman”, the
instrument through which the “Author” wanted to share with us His life, in order
to be able to deepen, over time, the knowledge of both the Person and the Word,
contained in the four Gospels.
This Work
has received Pope Pius XII’s verbal
recommendation for publication, given in a private audience to three Servite
priests – Fr. Romualdo M. Migliorini,
Fr. Corrado M. Berti, and Fr. Andrea M. Cecchin – on 26th
February 1948. It has been, in the life of countless people, a decisive factor
on their way to conversion to God. Like a tree, it is known more for its fruits,
than for the depth of its roots. The official bulletin of its publishers has
given countless testimonies of benefits from this Work. Among these, there have
been cardinals and many bishops – at least two of whom have granted
“Imprimaturs”, through which the Work is declared free from error in faith and
the morals.
There have also been
renowned theologians and biblical scholars who have left valuable written
testimonies, for this exceptional woman's writings. I mention five of these by
way of example: 1) Cardinal Agostino Bea, S.J., who was Rector of the Biblical
Institute of Rome and confessor of the Pope Pius XII; 2) Mons. Alfonso Carinci
who was Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of Rites; 3) Mons. Ugo Lattanzi,
professor of the Papal University Lateranense of Rome; 4) Fr. Gabriele María
Roschini, O.S.M., Doctor in Philosophy and founder of the theological Ability
“Marianum” of Rome, and of the International Magazine “Marianum”; and 5) the
Venerable Fr. Gabriele M. Allegra, O.F.M., theologian and bible scholar, being
the first to translate the Bible to Chinese, and whose beatification process is
under way.
Personally, I
don't shelter the smallest doubt that this Work is called to be spread more and
more for the whole world, so as to offer - as much to Christian as to
non-Christian, and in general to all persons of good
will - a deeper understanding of Jesus' life, as well as a strong
incentive to live His Word in a more radical way. I pray to God that, in spite
of the controversies that are always raised with His authentic Works - even
inside His Church - many people will end up knowing, enjoying, and benefiting
from this Work. It will be, for them, a source of inexhaustible spiritual
wealth, and of interior happiness.