Dictionary of Spirituality: Maria Valtorta

The Dictionary of Ascetic and Mystical Spirituality, edited by BWaterchesne, is a monumental reference work in spiritual and mystical theology. Designed under the direction of great theologians, it was published between 1932 and 1995, gathering 17 volumes in 20 tomes. Each article is based on rigorous documentation, mixing historical, biblical, and theological sources, often with precise and detailed references. The authors are experts in their field.

Within this framework, Jean-Marie Le Maire wrote the article on "VALTORTA (MARIE), laywoman, 1897-1961" (Volume 16, column 220). This reference article inspired Father Marxer who took up a large part of the information it contains, as well as the French edition of the Wikipedia encyclopedia which refers to it. It is therefore appropriate to highlight inaccuracies contained in Jean-Marie Le Maire’s source article.

Inaccuracies

"In 1921, she began to experience strange psychic phenomena."

At that date, the only significant event she relates in her Autobiography is the breakup with Mario, a love from which she was separated by her mother who sent her correspondence whose content Maria did not know, only the result: the breakup, and the former fiancé who went to drown his sorrow with loose girls. The only strangeness at this time seems to come from her mother who consulted a medium and wanted her daughter to wear a talisman which she categorically refused.

It was only during Lent 1922 that Maria Valtorta discovered the Gospel of Luke. She only knew the Gospels from what was read at low Masses, the only ones her mother allowed her to attend. She became excited and bought with her savings the four gospels and The Story of a Soul by Thérèse of Lisieux. These readings led her in 1925 to pronounce her act of offering to Merciful Love. Then began the manifestation of the sufferings and Graces requested, which, in mysticism, is by no means "strange."

"bedridden since 1943"

Maria Valtorta was totally bedridden from April 1, 1934 (Easter day) until October 12, 1961, the day of her death, a total of 27 years. The date 1943 indicated by Jean-Marie Le Maire is that of the beginning of visions (April 22), which is only a mystical vision. The true visions constituting The Gospel as Revealed to Me (Il Poema dell'Uomo-Dio) did not begin until January 16, 1944.

"Maria read many mystics: Catherine of Siena, from whom she borrowed the theme of blood"

Maria Valtorta indeed read many mystical writings; Catherine of Siena is cited only four times in her Autobiography without any deduction of borrowing. The mystics to whom Maria Valtorta said she mainly referred are: St Paul, St Francis of Assisi, Ruysbroeck, Thérèse of Lisieux who strongly inspired her victim vocation, Sister Maria-Gabriella Sagheddu, Sister B. Consolata Ferrero. It is therefore very interpretative to establish a lineage with Catherine of Siena.

Jean-Marie Le Maire cites Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of Ávila, two doctors of the Church, as having influenced Maria Valtorta's spirituality: this is exaggerated. Speaking about the Song of Songs, she writes: "I later read the ardent pages of Saint John of the Cross and Saint Teresa of Ávila and found a more adequate resonance there, but always less intense than the feeling I had experienced. Thus, I understood that human words are incapable of expressing what is superhuman." The same applies to Gemma Galgani whom he cites. Maria Valtorta writes about her: "I confess that I was not at all attracted by [Gemma] Galgani. From what I knew about her, she seemed a bit exalted to me, born in a time not her own, she was a few centuries behind the time she should have been born. I kept saying: ‘Today holiness is different. This kind of thing was good in the Middle Ages!’ But reading her life, I changed my mind."

"The style is quite close to that of Mary of Agreda"

Indeed, this supports the authenticity of the visions: seeing the same thing is the source of a similar account. Mary of Agreda and Maria Valtorta report the same visions which they themselves recorded. The distortions between the two texts come from the fact that Maria Valtorta recorded them immediately, whereas Mary of Agreda could only do so 35 years later.

"The Jesus of M. Valtorta speaks lavishly, often superfluously, even questionably"

This opinion was expressed by the Osservatore Romano on January 6, 1960. To which Hélène Thils notes:

"Jesus is talkative. That’s true, but it is not new. The Gospel has long highlighted the long speeches of Christ. Thus, Mark states: 'He began to teach them at length' (Mark 6, 34). Elsewhere, he notes: 'Jesus again began to teach by the sea of Galilee. A very large crowd gathered around him (...). He taught them many things in parables' (Mark 4, 1-2). Let us not forget the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew, chapters 5 to 7) or the long developments of Christ in the Gospel of John (chapters 13-14). We should not be surprised by these long teachings of Christ. Jesus is a rabbi, so he advises the entire people of Israel. He is approached or invited to speak in synagogues and public squares. He is also the Messiah and the Son of God: his goal is therefore to announce the Good News and the Gospel to the Hebrew people who have awaited him for centuries. There is therefore nothing surprising in Christ teaching the Jewish people as much as he can. He knows his dawn will be short and that his twilight will come soon."

It is therefore a personal opinion that only involves its author. The Blessed Gabriele Allegra, whose authority in the matter is unquestionable, on the contrary judged "that some of the Lord's discourses - whose main subjects are only briefly mentioned in the Gospels - are developed in this work with a naturalness, with such a logical thread of thought, so spontaneous, so intrinsically linked to the time, place, circumstances, that I have not found in the most famous exegetes." And he invites "to take a look at this work where many problems are solved with marvelous ease, and where so many speeches, of which we unfortunately had only the theme, are found." He was not the only one to judge thus.

Teaching in public squares as well as in synagogues or the Temple, it is clear that Jesus frequently taught, sometimes at length, and reiterated his teachings so that they would be well understood.

"[The work can] facilitate access to the Gospel for those who care little about fidelity to Scripture, critical sense, or sobriety"

This personal opinion, which would relegate this private revelation to sub-literature, is contradicted by its very constitution. It is consistent with the 373 narrative units of the four canonical Gospels that its visions fully cover, without omissions, contradictions or incoherences. Ten authoritative theologians combed through this work without finding opinions opposed to faith or morals even when innovative opinions or new facts were expressed here and there. In this context, they counted explicit or implicit references to 1,166 chapters of the Bible out of the total 1,334 it contains. Among these, there are at least 3,133 references to the Septuagint used in the time of Jesus, even though Maria Valtorta knew nothing about the subject.

Comments on the sources invoked

This article by Jean-Marie Le Maire, of good quality otherwise but brief, shows the limit of relying solely on secondary sources which leads to forming an opinion based on "what is said about it" and not on what is actually said. Moreover, the documentation, based on only three sources, seems limited compared to the audience of Maria Valtorta's work.

One of the three sources he relies on is "P.-A. GRamah (Judea)glia, Maria Valtorta. A modern manipulation of the Gospels, Casale Monferrato, 1985." This book was subject to a rather firm critical review by another Jesuit, Father Giandomenico Mucci. In the reference journal Civiltà cattolica, he deplored its "recourse to sarcasm, ridicule, and vulgarities, sometimes bordering on personal insult, that the author deliberately employed almost on every page" and Father Giandomenico Mucci concluded by noting in Maria Valtorta's work: "the essence of pure adherence to the Written Revelation, this simplicity of speech, this control of feelings and imagination, which is the glory and sign of true Catholic mysticism."

In a Christian sense, study concerning God and divine things in the light of Revelation.

In-depth research on God, faith, religious Doctrine.

People who analyze the historical, cultural, and literary context of Biblical texts to better understand what they meant at the time they were written and how they can be interpreted today.

The Gospel as it was revealed to me (Maria Valtorta).