Mgr Ugo Emilio Lattanzi and Maria Valtorta
Born in 1899 in Fermo (Ascoli Piceno), where he died in 1969, Monsignor[1] Ugo Emilio Lattanzi was a professor of fundamental theology. He was Dean of the Faculty of Theology of the Lateran (1960-1968) and Peritus (expert theologian) of the Second Vatican Council where he worked in the commission established at the request of Cardinal Ottaviani to propose a conciliar text on the Church[2]. Consultant to various Vatican congregations and bodies, he was a member of the Pontifical Academy of Theology.
He spoke out in favor of the work of Maria Valtorta whose theological value he recognized. He studied it for "more than a year"[3], in view of the imprimatur, at the request of Monsignor Fontevecchia, bishop of Sora, his compatriot[4] and friend. He found nothing opposing the Catholic faith and concluded to a preternatural source, but he was not sensitive to the descriptions that so captivate readers. Similarly, he questioned some original positions, but without delving into them.
There exist two drafts of one of his “declarations,” both typewritten and signed by him. The first differs from the second (this is the one we report here) by some formal expressions as well as by the date (which is the 12th) and at the beginning (which omits the precision: because of the office entrusted to me, etc.).
DECLARATION
Because of the office entrusted to me a few years ago by Monsignor Michele Fontevecchia, bishop of Aquino, Sora and Pontecorvo, I have read almost all the volumes of “Words of Life”.I consider it absolutely impossible that the woman who is the author, a woman of below average culture, could have written such a quantity of pages with a pen without having undergone the influence of a preternatural power.
I say “preternatural” and not “supernatural”: indeed, I am not in a position to specify whether it is the intervention of the good spirit, and this even if I do not see how a Work of this kind could be attributed to the evil spirit.
These volumes contain splendid pages in thought and form: psychological situation descriptions worthy of Shakespeare and dialogues conducted in the manner of Socrates, worthy of Plato, finally pictures of nature and life environments worthy of the most imaginative writer.
While there are scenes in which the Lord and the Virgin Mary show themselves worthy of themselves, rare others leave one perplexed.
Similarly, alongside pages of extraordinary theological depth, there are unusual expressions that I do not see how to harmonize with common doctrine.
I had noted some of these “weaknesses” during my reading, but I have not found the sheet where I wrote them.
In my humble opinion, these volumes, pruned of some exuberant descriptions, expurgated of the scenes I just mentioned and corrected of their “unusual” expressions, could be published as a “Romanced Life of Jesus,” naturally without reference to alleged revelations that have not yet been proven.
I am indeed convinced that the reading of these volumes thus revised could bring more than one indifferent soul to quench their thirst at the source of living water: Holy Scripture.
Rome, 18 January 1952
[Mgr Ugo Lattanzi]
On 29 January 1952, this declaration was included with those of other personalities in the petition submitted to the Holy Father by Monsignor Alfonso Carinci. It requested that Maria Valtorta's work be published "with the imprimatur" and that for this purpose Pius XII appoint a reviewer "competent in theology and exegesis." The petition followed the normal course and ended up ... on the desk of the Holy Office. Monsignor Michele Fontevecchia (as well as his successor) would have granted the imprimatur to the work if the Holy Office had not prevented it.
Monsignor Lattanzi notably wrote: “Il Vangelo dell’Infanzia è verità o mito?,” Acta Congressus Mariologici-Mariani, Lisboa/Fatima 4 (1967):
Notes and references
- ↑ Monsignor (Monsiniore or Mons. in Italian) here designates the honorary title of Prelate and not that of bishop in the sense of authority leading a diocese.
- ↑ La civiltà cattolica, notebook 4013. 2 September 2017. Father Congar notes in his conciliar journal on 4 March 1961: "There is a schema of Ecclesia, drafted by Monsignor Lattanzi, professor of fundamental theology at the Lateran University. He made three successive drafts, all of which were given to the members. But they only received these papers on Sunday, the eve of the day (13 February, I believe) when the session was held. So the members and consultants could not read all the (numerous) papers thus provided to them." The conciliar text on the Church was published on 21 November 1964 under the title of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen gentium.
- ↑ Letters to Mother Teresa Maria, Volume 2, p. 287.
- ↑ They were both born in Fermo in the Marche region, central Italy. Monsignor Lattanzi in 1899 and Monsignor Fontevecchia in 1886 (May 8).