Dear Omar:

Luzzatto's allegations were investigated by the Holy See during the process of determining sainthood. The allegations were found to be false. This should not be surprising since anyone who does a major work for God will be attacked viciously, thought a fraud, and any host of other pejorative names.

I have no idea who these two Popes were who thought Padre Pio was a fraud. Frankly, it makes no difference. Those Popes, if indeed there were any Popes who offered that opinion, since detractors routinely make-up or take quotes out of context, it was only their opinion as a man, not an official papal declaration.

It is very common for detractors use this technique. They think that revealing the opinions of previous popes or bishops gives their allegation support. It does not do so. Using this technique only reveals that the person making the allegation ether does not understand the way these things work in the Catholic Church, or they are anti-Catholics and do not care.

The only thing that matters is what the current Magisterium declares when the issue at question is not an infallible teaching.

The current Magisterium has investigated these allegations and dismissed them as unsupported and false. Thus, it matters not what previous popes may have opined.

Padre Pio was confirmed as a Saint. That decision, as are all papal decisions on canonization of saints, is an infallible declaration made ex cathedra.

Padre Pio's confirmation as they Saint does not mean that the good padre was infallible or perfect. He was what all Saints are, a human being with flaws and sins. His canonization, however, does confirm infallibly that there was nothing in Padre Pio's life that was an impediment to sainthood. That we know for sure because canonization is infallible declaration from the Pope.

Therefore, we should ignore the detractors and pray for them for they are sinning. In fact, such detractors are committing blasphemy.

Canon 1369 A person is to be punished with a just penalty, who, at a public event or assembly, or in a published writing, or by otherwise using the means of social communication, utters blasphemy, or gravely harms public morals, or rails at or excites hatred of or contempt for religion or the Church.

The Fr. John Hardon's Modern Catholic Dictionary defines blasphemy as...

Speaking against God in a contemptuous, scornful, or abusive manner. Included under blasphemy are offenses committed by thought, word, or action. Serious contemptuous ridicule of the saints, sacred objects, or of persons consecrated to God is also blasphemous because God is indirectly attacked.

Thus, to disparage a canonized Saint is to commit blasphemy against that Saint and against God. Shame on them.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary