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Padre Pio under Investigation: The Secret Vatican Files. By Francesco Castelli. Translated by Lee and Giulietta Bockhorn. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press. 2011. Pp. xxviii, 311. $17.95 paperback. ISBN 978-1-58617-405-7.)
The publication of the first investigation ordered by the Holy Office-now the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith-of Padre Pio da Pietrelcina is undoubtedly the greatest contribution of this volume edited by Francesco Castelli. It is, in fact, the report of the apostolic visit made in June 1921 by Raffaello Carlo Rossi (the bishop of Volterra and future cardinal). The discovery of this valuable documentary material, made in the archives of the same pontifical department, was made possible after Pope Benedict XVI decided, in 2006, to make available the material from the years 1922 to 1939.
The story of the investigation made by the prelate is contained in the first part of the work. The documentation itself occupies the second part of the volume. It consists of the following papers: the visitor's Votum (January 1922); the testimony of some witnesses collected by Bishop Rossi during his stay at the Capuchin monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo; a few letters sent to the spiritual daughter of the friar, Giovanna Longo; and finally some letters written by Father Benedetto Nardella of San Marco in Lamis for Padre Pio himself, in his role as Padre Pio's spiritual director. The third part of the book presents some texts in appendices. These consist of a brief profile of Rossi, some documents requested of the papal...