Father Luigi Villa?
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Who is Father Luigi Villa? The Apostolate of Our Lady of Good Success WhoWho isis FatherFather LuigiLuigi Villa?Villa? by Dr. Franco Adessa -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At the request of many people from Italy and abroad, and after more than twenty years of collaboration with this courageous Priest, I decided to write this short biography of Father Luigi Villa, because I can no longer be silent about the indescribable and unending persecution suffered by this old, faithful and incorruptible Minister of God! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- uigi Villa was born in Lecco, It was exactly for this work, that is, Italy, on February 3, 1918. his relationship with the youth and the L Having completed his sec- influence he had on them, that pro- ondary school, high school and theol- cured a death sentence for him. ogy, he was ordained priest, on June In fact, the Fascist party leader, Jus- 28, 1942. tice Minister, Roberto Farinacci, is- He said his first Mass at the Cathedral sued a death sentence against him. of Lecco. He exercised his priestly The reasoning was: «We do not ministry in his country of origin with- know who Father Luigi Villa is. He in the Comboni Institute for about apparently has been sent out to stir ten years. up the youth of the Republic.» En- Father Villa was a real pursuer of vo- forcement of the execution did not cations and a respected preacher and take place thanks to a “tip-off” made lecturer. His presence (work) was ap- by an official of the Ministry of Jus- preciated and requested in many cities tice, who, secretly and hastily, warned and places of Italy. In addition, he de- a confrere (or colleague) of Father voted himself particularly to the train- Villa, Father Ceccarini - who lived at ing of young people. the Institute of the Comboni in Crema The Apostolate of Our Lady of Good Success 1288 Summit Ave Suite 107 Oconomowoc, WI. 53066 USA Phone 262-567-0920 website: www.ourladyofgoodsuccess.com e-mail: [email protected] 2 (a little town close to Brescia) with In early 1953, due to family problems, Father Luigi - in order to escape. So, he left the Comboni Institute. At the Father Villa climbed out of a window invitation of the Archbishop of Fer- and fled, exactly at the moment when rara, Msgr. Ruggero Bovelli, he was a jeep arrived with six heavily armed incardinated into this diocese, to es- soldiers of the firing squad. tablish an International Missionary This condemnation weighed on Fa- Movement. ther Villa for the duration of the Re- public of Salò (the Republic created by Mussolini at the end of World War Meetings with Padre Pio In those years, Father Villa continued his activities as a preacher and lecturer. In 1956, he held a series of lectures for the graduates of Bari. It is there, after a lunch of fish, that he was poisoned due to the clams in the spaghetti. Father Luigi Villa, shortly after being or- dained a priest, in 1942. II). There was always a provisional at- mosphere and a continuous threat sur- rounding Father Villa. Only at the end Padre Pio. of the war, on July 25, 1945, was he liberated from this nightmare! During the war, Father Villa was con- Informing his friend, Father Berni, sumed with the desire to save entire who was chaplain at the airport of families of Jews. In fact, in obedience Bari, Father Villa was taken by some to the edicts of Pius XII, Father Luigi pilots to the nursing department of the rescued 57 Jews. In three trips, on the airport. There, he was treated by a mountains bordering Italy and Switzer- medical colonel. He remained there land, he risked his life for them. until he was well. 3 The ancient church of “Santa Maria delle Grazie” of the Convent of Padre Pio. Before leaving Bari, Fr. Berni wanted who was passing, who said: «Good Father Luigi to go with him to San sign, good sign!» adding that Padre Giovanni Rotondo. Arriving there, Fr. Pio would soon return to his cell. Berni asked him to wait while he During the wait, Father Villa wrote a went to the hotel “Santa Maria” and list of 12 questions in his notebook make reservations for lunch. that he intended to ask the friar. After Fr. Villa, then went to pray in the awhile, he saw the door open, which chapel of the Convent of Padre Pio. was at the bottom of the stairs of the The church was empty as he knelt in sacristy. As soon as Padre Pio entered, one of the pews. Suddenly, he sensed he looked at him (he was at the bot- a presence and turned to see if some- tom of this narrow staircase, about one was there: There was a young twenty meters away) and said: «What man, exceedingly beautiful, who is Father Villa doing here?» Then, asked him: «Do you want to meet he walked up to his room, No. 5, Padre Pio?» which he entered, followed by two «No», said Father Villa, but the young doctors. After a few minutes, the doc- man insisted: «Go, go on now, Padre tors left and Padre Pio called Fr. Lui- Pio is waiting for you.» gi and had him enter his room. Here, Father Villa turned toward the person he answered his 12 questions and who had just spoken, but, there was spoke for over half an hour, giving no one any longer at his side. The per- him an assignment: you must dedi- son who had uttered those words had cate your entire life to defend the disappeared! Church of Christ from the work of Then, he entered the Convent and Freemasonry, especially the ecclesi- went to the area of Padre Pio’s room. astical [Freemasonry]. He noticed a strong fragrance of flow- Father Villa, puzzled, said: «But I’m ers and communicated it to a friar, not prepared for such a commitment, I 4 should also be protected by a Bish- The Cardinal was immediately op- op.» Padre Pio interrupted him and posed to it, stating that such a task said: «Go to the Bishop of Chieti, was reserved for only the top leader- and he will tell you what to do.» ship of the Church, and not a simple Two days later, Father Villa departed priest. However, having heard that from Bari and went to the Bishop of this project was initiated by Padre Chieti, Msgr. Giambattista Bosio. Pio, he said he would talk to the Holy Father. And he did. When Msgr. Bosio came back to Cardinal Tardini, the Cardinal told him that Pius XII had approved the mandate given by Padre Pio to Fr. Vil- la, but with two conditions: Father Luigi had to have a degree in dogmat- ic theology, and that he had to be placed under the direction of Card. Alfredo Ottaviani, Prefect of the Holy Office, Card. Pietro Parente, and Card. Pietro Palazzini. Msgr. Giambattista Bosio, Archbishop of Chieti-Vasto. The Bishop asked: «Why are you here?» Father Luigi said: «Because Padre Pio told me to come to you.» And then explained the reasons. But Msgr. Bosio said: «This is impos- sible! A bishop has only authority in his diocese, and your agenda is much broader! However, since you were told by Padre Pio whom I have never seen or known, I will go to Rome for a clarification.» In fact, Bishop Bosio went to the Sec- retary of State, Cardinal Domenico Tardini, to speak of the commitment Card. Domenico Tardini, Father Villa received from Padre Pio. Secretary of State of Pope Pius XII. 5 After this, Msgr. Bosio, by decree of May 6, 1957, secretly incardinated Father Villa, in his diocese of Chi- eti-Vasto. Father Luigi, then enrolled at the Uni- versity of Fribourg (CH) where he “received a diploma” in Sacred Theol- ogy in July of 1963. He graduated, then, at the Lateran University in Rome, on April 28, 1971. Pope Pius XII. These cardinals had to guide him and educate him on all the secrets of the Church relevant to his papal mandate. Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, Msgr. Bosio transmitted to Father Vil- Prefect of the Holy Office. la the “conditions” of Pius XII, but, on his own, he added another one: «I accept the responsibility to be your Bishop, but I tell you: Never have In the second half of 1963, Father Vil- anything to do with Montini!» la had his second meeting with Padre Struck by the harshness of these Pio. words, Father Villa asked: «Who is As soon as he saw him, Padre Pio Montini?» said: «I have been waiting for you Msgr. Bosio said: «I give you an ex- for a long time!» Padre Pio com- ample: I’m on this side of the table plained about the slowness with which and you on the other side. On this Father Luigi had been proceeding with side, there is Msgr. Giambattista his assignment. Montini, on the other side, the rest At the end of the encounter, Padre Pio of humanity.» embraced Father Villa and said: It should be noted that the Montini «Courage, courage, courage! for and Bosio families were both resi- the Church is already invaded by dents in Concesio (a town near Bres- Freemasonry,» adding: «Freemason- cia). So, the Bosio family was well ry has already reached the Pope’s acquainted with Montini! slippers.» (Paul VI!) 6 Secret Agent Holy Office of their membership in Freemasonry. In all those years, Father Villa worked One of the most famous cases was as a secret agent of Card.