However the family's desires were trumped by “higher authorities”, as the Bishop told them, and was authorized by the Vatican's Congregation for the Causes of Saints to proceed. But then there was money to be made and yet how the church initially treated this man as follows:
...Pio was shunned by church officialdom for much of his life ...Various statements were made by the Holy See that denied the supernaturality of Padre Pio’s phenomena.... On June 9, 1931, Padre Pio was ordered by the Holy See to desist from all activities except the celebration of the Mass, which was to be in private. not public....he was also ordered not to answer correspondence from people seeking spiritual direction. ....It was also rumored that plans were being developed to transfer Padre Pio...but they couldn't find another place 'as remote' as the place he was in.
.... his devotees 'believed' he bore the wounds of the crucified Christ on his hands, feet and side for at least 50 years. However no signs were discoverd on the corpse that this was so.
Here's the order against him:
(Vespers on June 11, 1931, Padre Raffaele summoned Pio to the friary parlor to read the decree received, without comment:....."Padre Pio is to be stripped of all faculties of his priestly ministry except the faculty to celebrate the Holy Mass, which he may continue to do provided it is done in private, within the walls of the friary, in the inner chapel, and not publicy in church".)
Now to get back to the thread topic...but I found the study of this mans history rather interesting in light of him being used as a reference.
Speaking of the topic of the thread. Catholics have obviously been duped on the assumption of Mary. No support from scripture or their early church fathers yet today it is central to Catholicism.