The Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta was born in Corato in the Province of Bari, on April 23 A.D.1865 and died there in the odor of sanctity on March 4 A.D. 1947. For four days her mortal remains were exposed for the veneration of an immense throng of the faithful, including over forty priests, who went to her house to have a last look at Luisa the Saint, so dear to their hearts.

One day Luisa asked the confessor permission to suffer in bed for a certain time, about forty days. “If this is the Will of God, stay”, Don Michele said; but the bed was never again abandoned by Luisa, who was then, in 1888, 23 years old, and remained, always sitting, nailed to the bed, for the fifty-nine years until her death, which occurred on March 4, 1947.

Luisa started writing Volumes I and II from Feb 28, to Oct 30 A.D. 1899 and the final Volume XXXVI from Apr 12 to Dec 28 A.D. 1938 – a period of forty years. September 1939 was the start of WWII. Rosaria Bucci, “Luisa’s faithful and silent confidant”, who lived with her and assisted her for forty years. On October 7 A.D. 1928, (forty years after the gift of the Divine Will in September 8, 1889), when the house of the sisters of the Congregation of Divine Zeal in Corato was ready, Luisa was taken to the convent in accordance with the wishes of Saint Annibal. Blessed Annibal had already died in the odor of sanctity in Messina. In 1938, a tremendous storm was unleashed upon Luisa Piccarreta: she was publicly disowned by Rome and her books were put on the Index. At the publication of the condemnation by the Holy Office, she immediately submitted to the authority of the Church. A priest was sent from Rome by the ecclesiastical authorities, who asked her for all her manuscripts, which Luisa handed over promptly and without a fuss. Thus all her writings were hidden away in the secrecy of the Holy Office. On October 7 A.D. 1938, because of orders from above, Luisa was obliged to leave the convent and find a new place to live. She spent the last nine years of her life in a house in Via Maddalena, a place which the elderly of Corato know well and from where, on March 8 A.D. 1947, they saw her body carried out.
Forty days after Luisa’s death, on April 12, 1947, the Virgin of the Revelation appeared to Bruno Cornacchiola in the Roman Apparition of Tre Fontane.

Carata, on March 4 A.D. 1987, recognized canonically the Pious Association “Luisa la Santa” (Piccoli Figli della Divina Volonta’) founded by Padre Bucci

Book of Heaven – October 3, A.D. 1928

…Now there will be an exchange: if Jerusalem gave to Rome the life of religion and therefore of Redemption, Rome will give to Jerusalem the Kingdom of the Divine Will. This is so true, that just as I chose a Virgin from the little town of 

Nazareth for the Redemption, so I have chosen another virgin in a little town of Italy belonging to Rome, to whom the mission of the Kingdom of the Divine Fiat has been entrusted. And since this must be known in Rome just as my coming upon earth was known in Jerusalem, Rome will have the great honor of requiting Jerusalem for the great gift received from her, which is Redemption, by making known to her the Kingdom of my Will. Then will Jerusalem repent of her ingratitude, and will embrace the life of the religion which she gave to Rome; and, grateful, she will receive from Rome the life and the great gift of the Kingdom of my Divine Will. And not only Jerusalem, but all of the other nations will receive from Rome the great gift of the Kingdom of my Fiat, the first criers of It, Its gospel – all full of peace, of happiness and of restoration of the creation of man. And not only will my manifestations bring sanctity, joys, peace and happiness, but the whole of Creation, competing with them, will unleash from each created thing each of the happinesses It contains, and will pour them upon the creatures.
1967 (Forty years after Luisa entered the Congregation of Divine Will in Corato in 1928) the holy city of Jerusalem was restored to Jewish control for the first time in almost 2,000 years, a sign that the time of the Gentiles was coming close to fulfillment and that the Kingdom of God on earth was at hand. In the United States the Rogationists established their first community in 1967 assuming parish work in Mendota, California. Forty years after 1967 on March 7th A.D. 2006 three days after the 59th anniversary of Luisa’s passage to Heaven Luisa’s cause was officially opened in Rome. Nov 20 A.D. 1994 – Feast of Christ the King: Archbishop Cassati officially opened the beatification cause of the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta in the principal church of Corato. The year 2033 will follow 40 years after the opening of Luisa’s cause and two-thousand years after the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and the first Pentecost.

Pray for a second Pentecost!

The number forty has always signified a sacred period of time: the rains during the time of Noah lasted 40 days and nights; the Jews wandered through the desert for 40 years, our Lord fasted and prayed for 40 days before beginning His public ministry.

Book of Heaven – September 8, 1927

… My daughter, the number forty is symbolic and significant in my life down here. When I was born, for forty days I wanted to remain in the grotto of Bethlehem – symbol of my Divine Will which, while being present in the midst of creatures, was as though hidden and outside of the city of their souls. And I, in order to repair for the forty centuries of human will, wanted to remain outside of the city for forty days, in a miserable hut, crying, moaning and praying, to callback my Divine Will into the city of souls, so as to give It Its dominion. And after forty days I went out to present Myself to the temple, and reveal Myself to the holy old Simeon. He was the first city I was calling to the knowledge of my Kingdom; and his joy was so great, that he closed his eyes to the earth to open them to eternity. Forty days I spent in the desert, and then, immediately, I did my public life, to give them the remedies and the means in order to reach the Kingdom of my Will. For forty days I wanted to remain on earth after my Resurrection, to confirm the Kingdom of the Divine Fiat

and Its forty centuries of Kingdom which It was to possess. So, in everything I did down here, the first act was the restoration of the Kingdom; all other things entered into the secondary order, but the first link of connection between Me and creatures was the Kingdom of my Will. Therefore, when it is about my Will, I hold nothing back, neither light, nor sacrifices, nor manifestations, nor happiness – they are seas that I release from Myself so as to make It known, to make It reign, and to make It loved.”

Book of Heaven – October 10, 1928

… “My daughter, do you think that my keeping you imprisoned for forty years and more has been by chance, without agreat design of mine? No! no! The number forty has always been significant and preparatory to great works. For forty years the Jews walked in the desert without being able to reach the promised land, their fatherland; but after forty years of sacrifices they had the good of taking possession of it. But, how many miracles, how many graces, to the point of nourishing them with the celestial manna during that time. A prolonged sacrifice has the virtue and strength to obtain great things from God. I Myself, during my life down here, wanted to remain in the desert for forty days, away from all, even from my Mama, to then go out in public to announce the Gospel which was to form the life of my Church – that is, the Kingdom of Redemption. For forty days I wanted to remain as risen, to confirm my Resurrection and to place the seal upon all the goods of Redemption. So I wanted for you, my daughter: in order to manifest the Kingdom of my Divine Will, I wanted forty years of sacrifices. But, how many graces have I not given you! How many manifestations! I can say that in this great length of time I placed in you all the capital of the Kingdom of my Will, and everything that is necessary in order to make creatures comprehend it. So, your long imprisonment has been the continual weapon, always in the act of fighting with your very Creator, to have you manifest my Kingdom.

….Now, it seems to me that every time the Reverend priests occupy themselves with reviewing the writings in order to prepare them, my sweet Jesus comes to attention, to see what they do and how they do it. I do nothing but admire the goodness, the love of my beloved Jesus who, while coming to attention in my Heart, echoes in the Tabernacle, and from within it, inside that cell, does what He does inside my heart. I remain all confused in seeing this, and I thank Him with all my heart.

Book of Heaven
3/19/01 – Vol. 4

This morning, as I was all oppressed and in suffering, much more so, because of the privation of my sweet Jesus, after much waiting, I saw Him for just a little and He told me: “My daughter, the true way of suffering is in not looking at whom the sufferings come from, or at that which one suffers, but at the good that must come from those sufferings. This was my way of suffering. I looked neither at the executioners, nor at the suffering, but at the good I intended to do by means of my suffering, also for the very ones who gave Me suffering. And looking at the good that was to come to men, I disregarded everything else, and with intrepidness I followed the course of my suffering. My daughter, this is the easiest and most profitable way to suffer – not only with patience, but with unconquered and courageous heart.”

Maria Bambina

The Blessed Virgin and the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta

Book of Heaven
2/28/99 – Vol. 2

. . . I (Luisa) also understood that the words that the Lord says to His beloved souls – “I will espouse you in the Faith” – mean nothing less but that the Lord, in this mystical marriage, comes to endow the souls with His own virtues. It seems to me that it happens as to two spouses: as they join their properties together, the belongings of one can no longer be distinguished from those of the other, but both of them become their owners. However, in our case, the soul is poor – all the good comes from the Lord, who lets her share in His possessions. . .

***

On the Feast Day of the Purity of Mary Most Holy, the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta, Little Daughter of the Divine Will, received the Gift of the Mystical Marriage.

Book of Heaven
Volume One 

The longed for day finally arrived, after not a little suffering. I remember that it was almost one year that I had been continuously in bed – it was the day of the purity of Mary Most Holy. On the night before that day, my lover Jesus made Himself seen all festive. He drew near me, took my heart in His hands, and He looked at it over and over again; He dusted it, and then He gave it back to me. Then He took a garment of immense beauty, whose background seemed to be a surface of gold streaked with various colors, and He clothed me with that garment. Then He took two gems, as if they were earrings, and He bejewelled my ears. Then He adorned my neck and my arms, and surrounded my forehead with a crown of immense value, all enriched with precious stones and gems, all refulgent with light; and it seemed to me that those lights were as many voices which resounded among themselves, speaking in clear notes of the beauty, the power, the fortitude, and of all the other virtues of my spouse Jesus. Who can tell what I comprehended, and in what sea of consolation my soul was swimming? It is impossible to say it.

Now, while He was crowning my forehead, Jesus told me: “Most sweet spouse, I place this crown upon you so that nothing may be missing in order to make you worthy of being my spouse; but then, after our wedding is finished, I will take it with Me to Heaven, to keep it for you at the moment of your death.” Finally, He took a veil and covered me completely with it, from head to foot; and He left me in that way. Ah! it seemed to me that there was a great meaning in that veil, because the demons, in seeing me all covered with that veil, were so frightened and had such fear of me, that they fled, terrified. The very angels were around me with such veneration, that I myself was confused and all full of blushing.

On the morning of the aforementioned day, Jesus made Himself seen again all affable, sweet and majestic, together with His Most Holy Mother and Saint Catherine. First, the angels sang a hymn, while Saint Catherine assisted me, Mama took my hand, and Jesus put the ring on my finger. Then, we embraced and He kissed me, and so did Mama also. Then we had a conversation, all of love – Jesus told me of the great love He had for me, and I also told Him of the love I had for Him. The Most Holy Virgin made me comprehend the great grace I had received, and the correspondence with which I was to correspond to the love of Jesus.

My Spouse Jesus gave me new rules in order to live more perfectly, but since it has been a long time, I don’t remember them so well; therefore I will skip them. And so it ended, for that day.

***

On September 8, the day of the nativity of the Mary Most Holy, the Gift of the Mystical Marriage was renewed in Paradise in the presence of the Most Holy Trinity; Our Lord Jesus Christ presented the Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta with a ring of three precious stones, one white, one read, and one green.

 Book of Heaven
Volume One 

One morning – it was the eve of the nativity of Mary Most Holy – my always benign Jesus Himself came to dispose me. He did nothing but come and go continuously. He would speak to me now about Faith, and then He would leave me, and I would feel a life of faith being infused in my soul.  . . .

After this, on that morning, in order to dispose my heart more, Jesus spoke about the annihilation of myself. He also spoke of the immense desire which I was to excite within me in order to dispose myself to receive that grace. He told me that desire makes up for the lacks and imperfections that may be in the soul; it is like a mantle that covers everything. But this was not a simple speaking – it was an infusion in me of that which He was saying.

While my soul was exciting itself with ardent yearnings for receiving the grace that Jesus Himself wanted to give me, Jesus came back and transported me outside of myself, up to Paradise. And there, in the presence of the Most Holy Trinity and of all the Celestial Court, He renewed the marriage. Jesus put out the ring adorned with three precious stones, white, red and green, and He gave it to the Father, who blessed it and gave it back to the Son again. The Holy Spirit took my right hand and Jesus placed the ring on my ring finger. Then I was admitted to the kiss of all the Three Divine Persons, and each of Them blessed me.

Who can tell my confusion when I found myself before the Most Holy Trinity? I will just say that as soon as I found myself in Their presence, I fell flat to the ground, and I would have remained there if it wasn’t for Jesus, who encouraged me to go into Their presence, so much was the light, the sanctity of God. I am only saying this; the other things I will leave out, because I remember them confusedly. . .

Luisa received the gift of the Divine Will in its fullness which is the perennial possession of the Three Divine Persons, concealed in the three theological virtues (Faith, Hope and Charity), on September 8 A.D. 1889, Feast of the Nativity of Mary. Luisa was 24 and a half years old. When Luisa was 13 she saw the vision of Jesus carrying the cross, so it took about 11 years of training by Jesus and sufferings before she was given the gift of the fullness of the Divine Will.

On February 28 A.D. 1899, Luisa began to write her volumes (large notebooks) in the form of a diary. Most likely she wrote at the same time volume 2, as a diary, and volume 1, in which she narrates her past life, from the age of 12 on (more or less, between 1877 and 1899). Subsequently, in 1926, she had to write a “Notebook of childhood memories” in order to complete volume 1. The last chapter of the last volume (vol. 36) was written on December 28 A.D. 1938.

Afterwards she did not write any more, as the order to do it ceased.

Round:  Seventh Hour

The Soul, one with Luisa, Plunges into the Ocean
of Light and Holiness of the Heavenly Mother.
With Her, It Prays that the Kingdom of the Divine Will May Come Upon the Earth.

Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I feel Your Love overflowing in me. I see with greatest joy that You are now laying aside Your mantle of Justice and getting ready for a new festivity, perhaps even greater than Your festivity in the creation of man. You are displaying oceans of Power, Wisdom, Love, and indescribable Beauty. Gathering all these oceans together, You call from the very depths of these oceans, based on Your omnipotent word, the life of the little Queen. And the Royal Lady, so pure, so stainless, is so exquisite in beauty as to captivate Your very Divinity.

With the Conception of this Immaculate Sovereign, the festivities begin between Heaven and earth. All creation rejoices and celebrates its Queen. I, too, pay homage to Her. She is the object of delight of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I invite the sky, the sun, the wind, all creation, the angels and every human being to sing with me the praises of the little Queen just conceived and to acknowledge Her as Noble Lady, as Mother, as the chosen one among all creatures.

My Mother, do You see? All people are turning to You their hearts, their glances. Our fate is in Your hands. Therefore, in this first act of Your Conception, all together we prevail upon our Heavenly Father and exclaim: “Let the Kingdom of the Divine Will come upon the earth!”

Holy Mother, present us to God; and He will be overcome, seeing that all creatures, gathered close around You, are saying with You: “Let the Kingdom of the Divine Fiat come!”

Yes, O Divine Persons, You do nothing other than continually pour love upon the newborn Queen. Nor do You ever cease granting Her new graces to extend Her oceans increasingly and without bound. In this Heavenly Creature, You see She who has to give You everything, who has to make amends to You for everything, She who must restore to You intact the glory of creation. So, You explain to Her immediately the history of fallen man, Your sorrow, Your adorable Will rejected by creatures.

While You entrust everything to Her, She generously gives You the gift of Her own will and swears to You that She doesn’t care to recognize it. Plunging into Your Fiat, She chooses It for Her own Fiat. She gives It dominion over Her and in this way forms in Her soul the first Kingdom of the Divine Will. And now I hear the echo of Her continual refrain: “May the Kingdom of the Redemption come; may the Word come upon earth; may peace come between the Creator and the creature. Eternal Father, I will not leave Your lap if You don’t give Me what I ask of You.”

I, too, Heavenly Father, will repeat with my little Queen Mother, the refrain I usually say: “May the Kingdom of the Divine Will come!” Far from getting off Your Paternal lap, I will hold You with my arms until You assure me that the Divine Will not only will be known and loved by men but will reign over them with complete triumph.