Abbé René Laurentin and Maria Valtorta

Abbé René Laurentin, 1996, after G.A. Pistoia

Born on October 19, 1917, and died on September 10, 2017, almost centenarian, Mgr Laurentin was a theologian, exegete, historian, and former expert at Vatican II.

Abbé Laurentin, who became a prelate of Benedict XVI in 2009, is the author of 160 works notably on mariology but also on Marian apparitions worldwide, a field in which he specialized. He had several occasions to give his opinion on the Valtorta case:

In The Life of Mary According to the Revelations of the Mystics

The Life of Mary According to the Revelations of the Mystics, Presses de la Renaissance, 2011

At the end of this four-year comparative study on the life of Mary as revealed to eight mystics, including four main ones (Mary of Ágreda, A. C. Emmerich, M. Valtorta, T. Neumann), Abbé Laurentin regrets the title of The Gospel as It Was Revealed to Me, which seems to claim equivalence to the canonical Gospel, but notes the uniqueness of the visions of Maria Valtorta and finds nothing contrary to the Gospel.

• Maria Valtorta stands out among the revealed lives : "Maria Valtorta led a holy life, a victim gift that commands esteem. Among the 'revealed lives,' she recommends herself by the many titles below: it contains a minimum of marginal marvels in conformity with the sobriety of the Gospel […] What she says is convergent and constantly in conformity with the Gospel. This is all the more striking as she relates so many marginal episodes otherwise unknown. […] She is the best matched with the innumerable discoveries of current exegesis (pp. 42-43)."
• The support of Pius XII : "Added to this are the breadth and importance of various endorsements of this life. Pius XII, as authorized as he was demanding in his faith, discernment, and pontifical prudence, had great esteem for this life which he had read and whose inclusion in the Index by the Holy Office (December 16, 1959), one year after his death, he suspended until the beginning of the next pontificate (October 28, 1958). Pius XII never took an official position; he only confided his private discernment: Publish the work as is. There is no need to give an opinion about its origin, whether extraordinary or not. Those who read it will understand, he advised" (p. 43)."

• The Gospel is in no way contradicted, refuted, or distorted by these astonishing accounts : "From a historical point of view, it cannot be proved nor excluded that these enlightening or remarkable details can be considered a revelation or a legitimate addition to gospel history. In any case, they add nothing new to the doctrine of Christ. On this point, the visionaries fully and solely base themselves on the Gospel. But what to think of the historicity of the many new episodes that M. Valtorta narrates on the margins of the Gospel [...] Nothing allows confirming them, but nothing allows excluding them, since the Gospel is in no way contradicted, refuted, or distorted by these astonishing accounts. (common conclusion, p. 252)."

In the Dictionary of Gospel Characters, According to Maria Valtorta

Dictionary of Gospel Characters According to Maria Valtorta, Salvator ed., 2012

Intrigued by the work of Maria Valtorta, Mgr Laurentin requested to undertake an examination of her "historical charism." For this, he added, besides François-Michel Debroise, a third collaborator: Jean-François Lavère and recommended the study in the form of a dictionary. In 2012, he published a Dictionary of Gospel Characters According to Maria Valtorta, in which he describes the historical and spiritual data of Maria Valtorta as "remarkable" but recalls her status as a private revelation:

"These remarkable conclusions on the historical and spiritual authenticity of Maria Valtorta, as rich and new as they are, do not give her the theological status of biblical authors, nor that of official interpreter of Revelation. But she recommends herself privately, without proportion to the other 'revealed lives' [...] The very numerous dialogues of Maria Valtorta expound the doctrine of Christ, but add nothing to it. Likewise, the miracles, which she alone reports, are analogous to the healings of the Gospel, but do not bring any modalities reinforcing the divinity of Christ.

It is indeed a historical supplement to the Gospel that is proposed to us, but it depends on our private judgment. [...] Thus, she holds an honorable position that our works have located, confirmed, and valued but which does not elevate her beyond the serious authors who supported her. It seems difficult to address her objections since her statements are all plausible and often confirmed by historical erudition. Again, this does not change her humble status. Pius XII himself expressed himself on the subject only allusively and circumspectly: "Publish the work as it is. There is no need to give an opinion as to its origin, whether extraordinary or not. Those who will read it will understand."

Everyone will judge.

This book concludes one of the great debates of our time.. In 1992 the Italian Episcopal Conference only requested the publisher that all publications of the work of Maria Valtorta clearly mention that it is a private work and not Public Revelation. Nothing has changed in 20 years. Its publication continues with tacit agreement of the Church. (pp. 28-29)"

IN 2011, Abbé Laurentin received at length Jean-François Lavère in an interview during which he inquired about his work and, in conclusion, encouraged him to continue:

R.L.: "So continue your daily studies on the historicity of Maria Valtorta and publish them as I suggest, in commented notes on every chronological, archaeological, historical detail… that you will continue to find every day."

In The Virgin of the Last Times

The Virgin of the Last Times, Salvator ed., 2014

After studying the "historical charism" of Maria Valtorta, Mgr Laurentin requested that her "theological or prophetic charism" be studied. The field was difficult to apprehend since her main work, The Gospel as It Was Revealed to Me, covers 98.5% of the canonical Gospel. The opportunity arose to focus on the prophetic theme of the Virgin of the Last Times announced by St. Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort and surprisingly actualized and explicated by Maria Valtorta in her "dictations," supported by various other mystics. It is notably noted regarding the common thought of Grignion de Montfort and Maria Valtorta:

"In the dictations entrusted to Maria Valtorta, Jesus echoes the prophecy of Grignion de Montfort whom he nevertheless does not quote: 'It is in the fervor of Mary that lies the secret of the final Redemption.' The Holy Spirit, commenting on the Apocalypse, confirms to Maria Valtorta: The Virgin Mary will be the forerunner of the second coming of Christ, just as John the Baptist was of the first. She will bear children for God. The Holy Spirit dates this advent: now is the hour of Mary. The time is therefore contemporary according to her: not the 1950s when this was written, but the 2000s when these writings are disseminated (p. 26)."

Notes and references

Source: Chrétiens Magazine, no. 218 of March 15, 2009, Maria Valtorta special issue, page 7.