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| Catherine Passananti |
By Angelica Avcikurt
Few seem to know that about fifty years ago, in the Italian neighborhood in the North End of Boston, there was a lay mystic called Catherine Passananti (1894-1978). She spent hours in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and was called by Jesus, “Catherine of the Blessed Sacrament.” She had many encounters with Jesus and Mary in the Blessed Sacrament and kept a dairy of her life, visions and messages received. Her writings have come down to us thanks to Mons. Donato Conte, a firm believer in her holiness, who published four books about her. Catherine was also the foundress of the Secular Institute of the Sons and Daughters of the Holy Eucharist in Boston. She was professed with 6 companions on December 8, 1971 at the Convent of the Daughters of the Church in Rome. She spent her life praying, helping others, and was sent on “missions” by Jesus throughout the US and to other countries.
Catherine was born in Boston on January 6, 1894. Since her family was not rich, she only had an elementary school education. The family home was in the North End, the “Little Italy” of Boston. She lived there at 222 North St. for 75 years until she had to go to a nursing home. Catherine’s grandparents emigrated from Avellino, Italy in the late 19th century. Her parents Federica (1869-1954) and Genneroso Perillo (1862-1925) had 8 children: Rosina (1905-1910) and Adelina (1910-1920) died at an early age; Luigi, died at the age of 9 due to a fall in a playground in Boston; Francesco (1892-1970), Catherine Passananti, Concetta Pizzimenti (1895-1997), Josephine (1908-1989), and Aida Covino (1914-2000).
It is unclear from the sources when her mystical experiences started. It seems that she started getting messages from Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament during a retreat she made in Brighton: “In 1924, I went to the Cenacle Convent in Brighton, with a group of ten girls. We made a private retreat. We boarded there for five days. The Mother also taught me how to meditate before the Blessed Sacrament and to ask for anything I needed most, but I had to always be in a state of grace. I did get many messages for my entire family. I would get the answers but sometimes they would come in strange words, but eventually I would understand them.”(A Mystic of Boston, p.21) Her friend Geraldine Piva, later named Geraldine of St. Gerard by Jesus, and the second companion, after Margaret Laracy, the Lord chose for Catherine, recalls what Catherine told her about that retreat:
Catherine married at an early age in Sacred Heart Church in the North End in 1910, the church where she had been baptized and made her first Holy Communion. After the wedding, the couple went to live in her parent’s house. They had no children and her husband left her after 24 years of marriage in 1934. After that, she spent most of her life in her family home caring for her mother Federica and her sister Josephine, who never married. In her diary, she talks to Jesus about the problem with her husband: “Lord, I have a serious problem with my husband. He does not love you as I would like. What can I do, Lord? I await your answer, because my husband does not listen to me. I trust in your help”.
–“Catherine, take rest. Be patient. Trust. Continue to speak of me to him. How can you expect that he believes (sic), if you do not speak to him of Me?”
–“Lord Jesus, I ask you to give me patience; not to let me be impetuous and answer in a strong way as I have done today. Why have I raised the tone of my voice, I don’t know. Help me Lord.”
–“Catherine, learn to listen to Me more and more, in all moments of your life, each day. Use more words of love as you do with others. Share all that is beautiful in your heart, and know that I love you.”
And on another occasion: “Lord Jesus, tell me how I can resolve the problem with my husband. What can I do? I say it to You, beloved. I cannot tell You a lie. You know that I have this problem. It is unresolved. I always trusted in You but I didn’t receive an answer until now, only silence. I feel the solitude. I feel that you have in a certain way, abandoned me in my suffering. I heard several judgements dear Jesus. What can I do? Today I will not leave Your Presence until You give me an answer. I do not like to see You crucified and bloody for sins committed by my husband. Today I decide to know the solution and I know You will give it to me.” And the answer came to her: “My daughter come to Me. Give Me your heart and I shall give you My heart. In this moment I give you the solution to the problem. The thing you must do is love your husband. Every day in the Presence of My Father who is in heaven, put the person who has caused you much suffering and we should see a change.” (A Dove of God, p.95-96) Unfortunately, this is all we know about the relationship with her husband from the sources. We don’t know what happened to him after he left or whether he had a conversion later on in life.
–“Catherine, take rest. Be patient. Trust. Continue to speak of me to him. How can you expect that he believes (sic), if you do not speak to him of Me?”
–“Lord Jesus, I ask you to give me patience; not to let me be impetuous and answer in a strong way as I have done today. Why have I raised the tone of my voice, I don’t know. Help me Lord.”
–“Catherine, learn to listen to Me more and more, in all moments of your life, each day. Use more words of love as you do with others. Share all that is beautiful in your heart, and know that I love you.”
And on another occasion: “Lord Jesus, tell me how I can resolve the problem with my husband. What can I do? I say it to You, beloved. I cannot tell You a lie. You know that I have this problem. It is unresolved. I always trusted in You but I didn’t receive an answer until now, only silence. I feel the solitude. I feel that you have in a certain way, abandoned me in my suffering. I heard several judgements dear Jesus. What can I do? Today I will not leave Your Presence until You give me an answer. I do not like to see You crucified and bloody for sins committed by my husband. Today I decide to know the solution and I know You will give it to me.” And the answer came to her: “My daughter come to Me. Give Me your heart and I shall give you My heart. In this moment I give you the solution to the problem. The thing you must do is love your husband. Every day in the Presence of My Father who is in heaven, put the person who has caused you much suffering and we should see a change.” (A Dove of God, p.95-96) Unfortunately, this is all we know about the relationship with her husband from the sources. We don’t know what happened to him after he left or whether he had a conversion later on in life.
The Blessed Virgin Mary in her Life
Catherine had a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary on March 25, 1945. The blessed Virgin told her, “I am the Lady of All Titles. I appear to you as the ‘Lady of the tabernacle Door.’ This country is made up of foreign people. This country must help foreign countries.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 23)
On January 13, 1948, she had another vision of Jesus, Mary and a group of Carmelites. During this vision she is given a scapular, “She was sitting on a throne, with the Babe on her lap. Holding Him with her left arm, and two people below kneeling. Our Lord said, “My Mother suffered from the birth to the death.” He meant, the birth of her Child, and the death of her Son; for the Babe turned to be Our Lord, dead in her arms. He said, “Please, Mother, take care of this child for she needs help.” Mary then gave me a scapular and said, “Never part with it.”(A Mystic of Boston, p.50)
Catherine was very devoted to the sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary and many times Jesus asked her to say the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary or the Rosary of the 7 Sorrows. Geraldine Piva tells of a vision that Catherine had related to the 7 sorrows of Mary: “Catherine told me that she admired the flowers in the Garden and Our Lord said,“Look under the flowers.” And she saw worms eating the roots. Our Lord said,“It is the evil(trying/destroying souls).” She said, she then saw Our Lady dressed in black crying. Catherine asked Our Lady if she could help, and Our Lady put her hand to her heart and said, “My First Dolor for the conversion of sinners.” (Each time placing her hand on her heart.) “My Second Dolor for people and religious suffering in the hands of the enemy.”
“My Third, for all those that receive Communion at the birth of my Son shall be cured.”
“Fourth, for the dying.”
“Fifth, for all humanity that fears the atomic bomb.”
“Sixth, for all my children to keep them pure and protect them from being attacked by the enemy.”
“Seventh, for all broken homes that they may be united.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.65)
Catherine Passananti was present during the last apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Bronx on November 14, 1945. The Blessed Virgin Mary allegedly appeared to Joseph Vitolo (at the age of 9) and other children at the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, NY from October 29th to November 14th, 1945. The time Catherine went, she saw Our Lady turning towards the four corners dressed in blue. Catherine did not return to shrine at the apparition site until 1961. Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament told her to go there and to take Joseph to the Shrine. She had a message for him. After this she went back many times as requested by the Lord to give messages to people there. Catherine asked the Lord what title should be given to the Lady of the Bronx, or the Lady of the Grand Concourse, as she was known, and the Lord told her she was to be called Our Lady of the Universe. On occasions, Our Lady appeared to Catherine at this Shrine as Our Lady of Sorrows. Catherine was instrumental in the purchase of the Shrine which was given to 7 devotees of the Virgin Mary, including Joseph. It was also through Catherine that Joseph met his wife Grace with whom he had two daughters. (In the Divine Light, p. 221-223)
Visions of Purgatory
It seems that Catherine was sometimes taken to Purgatory to assist the Poor Souls. On October 6, 1947, she wrote down this vision: “I saw people below ground level, thousands of them in rows. Immorality. Are these people to be saved? “To have them lifted up, they must be cleaned (sic) by prayers, many prayers.” I saw Jesus. Mary, Joseph and my Guardian Angel of my right. The protector Angel (on my left) will take me to the people.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 43) On March 8, 1963 she was taken near the pit of hell, which she often refers to: “Our Lord came to me and said, “Come with Me, I will take you near the pit of hell.” I got frightened. We went, it looked like a large cellar or basement but it was very light. I saw a priest there, he was behind a wall-only it was half. Behind the half wall, I saw a priest, I saw him from the waist up. The place did not impress me, for there was much light. The priest was bald in the center of his head-hair circled around the bald head. He looked like a monk. Our Lord said,“You have saved a soul.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.348) A couple of weeks later, she had another vision, “I see way out, in a wide space-full of people screaming help us. Guards were holding them back. I asked who they were. I was told, “Suffering souls near the pit of hell.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.349) In another vision she was shown how these souls near the pit of hell are able to move away from the entrance and regain hope when we pray for them. (A Mystic in Boston, p.361)
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| Catherine's mother Federica Passananti |
Her mother, Federica, was a very pious woman, a daily communicant who prayed the Rosary constantly. Catherine considered her a saint and Jesus told her repeatedly that one day her mother, Federica, would be canonized. On September 22, 1951, while Federica was still alive, Jesus told Catherine, “Your mother will grant many graces after her death.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.124) On April 19, 1955, Catherine had a vision about her mother, “Here lies a Saint to be canonized. To be written on stone.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 153) Catherine’s mother died on December 10. 1954. Her mother started appearing to her as soon as 8 months after her death. On October 6, 1955, Catherine wrote, “I see my mother, way up high, standing in full length on a cloud. And she spoke to me and said, ‘I will go visit her. It will not happen.’” (A Mystic from Boston, p. 158) As it happens many times in Catherine’s dairy, there is not context to this situation, so it is not clear what her mother was referring to. Even though Catherine keeps seeing her mother frequently after death, she mentions that Jesus revealed to her when her mother entered Heaven, which was 5 years after her death, which would mean that the first apparitions of Federica to Catherine were as a soul in Purgatory. “Dear Lord, you told me in the Blessed Sacrament my mother Federica, went to Heaven 5 years after she left this Earth. My father Joseph, left this earth in 1925, after 40 years he went into Heaven. My mother, is now in Paradise.” (Moments Divine, p.96)
About a year after her mother died, she had this vision, “I see a grave. My mother on top, laid out, and roses spread around her. I was told to bring roses from the shrine (her mother’s shrine at home) and spread it around her and say the Rosary.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 161) Later, her mother told her that she could give these roses to whomever she wished. Jesus told her to visit her mother’s grave with her friends frequently. Geraldine Piva recalls, “We used to bring roses to her grave. One day, Catherine, Margaret (her old companion) and I went to visit her grave, in compliance to our Lord’s requests. The roses didn’t stand upright and kept falling on her grave (several times), so that I said to Catherine, ‘Perhaps they want to touch the ground.’ Catherine said, ‘You may be right.’ So, we took every rose and put it on the ground; afterwards, they stood upright. Shortly after, Our Lord told Catherine to take some of the earth from the grave back home. Our Lord told her to get some roses and have them touch the earth she had previously taken home. Those roses were given to some people who wished to keep them. Many favors were granted and so Our Lord said, ‘There are roses in graces and graces in roses’.” (In the Divine Light, p. 202-203)
On July 11, 1962, Jesus told Catherine, “Give a picture of Federica to Rose Signorelli (a friend of Catherine who lived in Yonkers, NY) and to pray to her. Federica will not refuse her. Those that have received favors, peace of mind and heart; those who have received graces, may give a little charity in memory of Federica.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.319) Catherine was so convinced that her mother would be canonized that she felt very confused when Jesus told her to go to a nursing home, but she still trusted God: “Now we must move from this house. I lived in this house 75 years. You said there would be a shrine to Federica here, but it is all changed. You do understand what is in my heart. You said, ‘Federica would be canonized in time.’ You spoke to me in the Blessed Sacrament, before my mother left this earth. But me and my family are happy to know that 5 years after Federica left this earth, You, dear Lord, told me she entered into Heaven, not to have Requiem Masses anymore, now she has entered into Paradise. My family and I, are very happy that she is in Heaven. We are looking forward that Federica will be canonized.” (Moments Divine, p.105-6)
Mystical Graces and Experiences
Catherine experienced several other mystical phenomena. In one of her diary entries, it seems that she has received Holy Communion miraculously. On May 12, 1956, Jesus told her, “I have classed thee among the Apostles, for you have faith. Open your mouth wide.” She did and the host went into her mouth (A Mystic of Boston, p.173)
She also experienced the crown of thorns. She wrote on July 3, 1953, “I was the Blessed Virgin on my left with a crown on her head. I noticed especially, her crown was with prongs. Then I see before me, Our Lord with the Crown of Thorns on His Head. He took the crown and placed it on my head and said, ‘Make a Novena 12 days, and say 12 Our Fathers, Hail Mary’s and Glory Be for the 12 thorns.’
Then there were roses on my mother’s bed.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.176)
Then there were roses on my mother’s bed.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.176)
On March 8, 1958, she had a vision of her mystical espousal, “Afternoon, 3 p.m., I went to bed very weak and I had a vision. There was someone standing on my left, but in front of my left. He took my left hand, where I had my wedding band, and said,‘I bless thee.’ He put His right Hand on my finger, and pointed at my wedding band, and said, ‘With this ring I wed thee.’” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 223)
Catherine was visited by several saints, such as St. Gerard and St. Joseph. She also had many after death appearances of Pope Pius XI. On April 4, 1949, Jesus told Catherine, “He will be exhumed, blessed and elected among the saints, Pope Pius XI.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.83)
One day Catherine asked Jesus who were her Guardian Angels and Jesus replied, “St. Michael, Mary-cousin of My Mother Mary, Saint Teresita (St. Therese of Lisieux), and your mother, Federica.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.375)
One day Catherine asked Jesus who were her Guardian Angels and Jesus replied, “St. Michael, Mary-cousin of My Mother Mary, Saint Teresita (St. Therese of Lisieux), and your mother, Federica.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.375)
Like many victim souls, Catherine was able to mystically assist the dying. She had this experience on January 13, 1957: “Sunday afternoon I went to bed feeling very sick. In the vision, I was carried down, down, down. Then, I felt my head was to explode. The veins in my body were about to explode .I suffered and suffered. Then the voice said, ‘Has passed away, or the person has passed away.’ I asked was it a she? Someone I know? I know, I am sure for I could not go through all that suffering if I did not know the person. And the voice said, ‘He, he has just passed away.’ I came to; my eyes wide open, but could not see anything. Then I went through a torture of my body. My whole system was realized (sic), and very weak. I was sensitive for what I went through, my heart was very weak. I could not cry for a while. And then, to my heart’s content, I cried, and cried, and cried. I wonder if I was sorry for myself. I hope not.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 194) We don’t find out who that person was. Might it have been her husband?
She also experienced her own dying in a vision when she was in the Bronx on June 16, 1963. She says, “It was confusion, I was on my deathbed.” In a frightened voice she started calling, “Ma, Ma” but felt that her mother could not help her. The only one who could help her was a little man, whom she had seen in a previous vision, who came from near the pit of hell. She said he was very humble like a beggar. She heard the Eternal Father saying, “I am Just. You are a creature.” She concludes writing about this experience by saying, “It is frightening, but I don’t mind having gone through it. Always pray for the dying, it is so hard to die.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.354-356)
When friends and relatives realized Catherine was getting messages from God, they would bring their troubles to her and ask for advice. She would take all these problems and questions before the Blessed Sacrament and very often was given messages for people that brought great comfort to them. Again, Geraldine Piva, recalls, “Once, someone was given a message different from that (sic) expected and so, they started to discuss the contents of the message. When he went before God, she said much to her regret, ‘But Dear Lord, they don’t believe.’ Our Lord replied, ‘Catherine, my child, they don’t understand.’ Then Catherine said, ‘At times, I don’t understand either. ’ Our Lord replied,‘Catherine, don’t you realize that, on some occasions, I don’t want you to understand?’” (In the Divine Light, p.195) This may explain why some of the prophecies that she received about world events turned out to be wrong, such as Trumann’s reelection to the Presidency in 1952. (A Mystic of Boston, p.129). She also said that Pope Pius XII would die before his 82nd birthday, but he died 6 months after his birthday on October 9, 1958. (A Mystic of Boston, p.199) She also got wrong the year of her death. On May, 1974, she wrote, “I have seven more years before I leave this earth.” (Moments Divine, p.69) However, she died 4 years later in 1978.
Some of the messages she received are very interesting. For example, talking about other religions, Jesus told her, “I AM not in Body in other Religions, but in Spirit. I do possess them in all Religions. If they cannot receive Me in Body, they shall receive Me in Spirit. Now, my child, do not be disturbed for there are many things that are not right, it will be corrected.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.406)
John Haffert, the prolific Marian writer, met Catherine and asked her prayers for the success of his first book. When she asked Jesus if his book would be successful, He told her, “Yes. In the future, it will be tremendously successful; he will write more books in time. I have blessed him in his traveling. He is much precious in My Heart.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 492)
About receiving Holy Communion in the hand, Jesus told her,“I am not pleased but it must be accepted.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 618)
Finally, she felt that it was part of her mission to denounce the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. On November 8, 1971 when she asked Jesus if He approved of the Pentecostal Movement, He replied, “It is diabolical.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.652) She even wrote a letter to Pope Paul VI stating, “My Dear Holy Father, Pope Paul, the all-powerful Vicar of Christ, I have a secret for you from the Blessed Sacrament, You are to be warned of the great disaster coming on its way. The disaster of the Pentecostal Movement. Our Lord said in the Blessed Sacrament, “It is diabolical,” they have changed the name to Charismatic Movement. Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament said, “It is one in (sic) the same” meaning Pentecostal and Charismatic.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 809) She was given the mission to go to several convents to give this same message. (Moments Divine, p.99)
Her Life and Mission
Catherine Passananti’s mission was to do the will of God. By spending endless hours in front of the Blessed Sacrament, Catherine learned to hear her Master’s voice and carry out His requests. Jesus directed her as to what prayers and sacrifices she had to offer and for which intentions, what messages she had to deliver and where she had to travel. He chose her companions and her spiritual directors. Therefore, when we look at her life, we can see it was God’s mission, not Catherine’s; she was just a faithful servant.
During her lifetime, she was directed and helped by many priests chosen by God. Her first spiritual director was Fr. Joseph Reardon, a Maryknoll priest, who directed her until his death in 1959. Just a few days after his death, he started appearing to Catherine and asked her to take messages and bring consolation to his family. Other priests she worked with were Fr. Cantwell, Fr. Sullivan and Fr. John Santyr. In 1951, Our Lord instructed her to take her messages to Fr. Dougherty, a Redemptorist priest at the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in Roxbury, because he had been chosen to take these messages to Cardinal Cushing. Fr. Dougherty asked why he had been chosen and Catherine said because of his great devotion to the Holy Spirit. (In the Divine Light, p.198) In 1957 Catherine had cancer and underwent 4 operations but she mentions that it was Jesus who cured her.
Catherine had an intense prayer life and formed many prayer groups. Jesus would tell her what intentions to pray for in the Rosary. In her diary she writes down how Jesus directed her. This is a typical entry from January 14, 1961:
”Kneel down. Make your sign of the Cross. Repeat, ‘Oh My God, I am heartily sorry…’ Sit down, Start with your Joyful Mysteries. First ‘I believe in God,’ three Our Father’s to the Blessed Trinity. Begin with the first Joyful Mystery-For those that are condemned to death. 2nd-For the dying. 3rd-For the poor and hungry souls. 4th-For all that are carrying their Cross. 5th-For humble souls. Begin with the Sorrowful Mysteries. 1st-For the most suffering souls. 2nd-For those near the pit of hell. 3rd-For those that have refused Me as their God and Father. 4th-For all those that have purged Me. 5th-For all those that stood by Me at the Cross. Now for the Glorious Mysteries.1st-For all souls in Heaven. 2nd-That we will all rejoice in the end. 3rd-For all that are filled with the Holy Spirit and they will be close to My Heart. And ask My Mother to help. 4th-For all that are confused and do not understand. Ask My Mother, Mary, to help all. 5th-That you will rejoice with My Mother and she will conquer in the end.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 303-304) She was frequently asked to pray the Rosary for Martin Luther and all priests in darkness.
”Kneel down. Make your sign of the Cross. Repeat, ‘Oh My God, I am heartily sorry…’ Sit down, Start with your Joyful Mysteries. First ‘I believe in God,’ three Our Father’s to the Blessed Trinity. Begin with the first Joyful Mystery-For those that are condemned to death. 2nd-For the dying. 3rd-For the poor and hungry souls. 4th-For all that are carrying their Cross. 5th-For humble souls. Begin with the Sorrowful Mysteries. 1st-For the most suffering souls. 2nd-For those near the pit of hell. 3rd-For those that have refused Me as their God and Father. 4th-For all those that have purged Me. 5th-For all those that stood by Me at the Cross. Now for the Glorious Mysteries.1st-For all souls in Heaven. 2nd-That we will all rejoice in the end. 3rd-For all that are filled with the Holy Spirit and they will be close to My Heart. And ask My Mother to help. 4th-For all that are confused and do not understand. Ask My Mother, Mary, to help all. 5th-That you will rejoice with My Mother and she will conquer in the end.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 303-304) She was frequently asked to pray the Rosary for Martin Luther and all priests in darkness.
Jesus often asked her to pray the Chaplet of the Holy Trinity. The following is a prayer to the Holy Trinity that Jesus gave her:
“Most Holy Trinity I commend myself to Thee. I do promise not to offend Thee, nor displease Thee. On this very day, I will offer You all my doings, temporal and spiritual. I must also remember not to be displeased in Your doings.” (A Mystic of Boston, p. 270)
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The Lord sent her on Missions throughout the country and also to Peru and Venezuela. About this, she writes: “Sometimes, I can’t understand myself. Especially when you send me on Your Missions, in strange countries with names or places. Of course, we do find the place in the end. But I do want to thank You many, many times, for having us return to our homes safe and not too hurt. I know You will always protect us no matter how difficult it is.” (Moments Divine, p.39)
In 1969 she met Rev. Mother Olivia, Daughter of the Church, in her convent in Rome. This is the convent where on December 8, 1971, Catherine and her companions would make the profession of their consecration as the Seven Daughters of the Church of the Holy Eucharist. They made their profession to Msgr. Joseph Conte. Then, they went to St. Peter’s square to receive a Papal blessing of Pope Paul VI, who welcomed them and blessed them as the “Seven Daughters of the Church of the Holy Eucharist from Boston.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.654)
In 1972, Fr. Remingo, Pastor of the Sacred Heart Parish in the North End, asked her to conduct Holy Hours on the First Fridays of the month. She was reluctant but Our Lord gave her permission and she did this until her death in 1978.
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| Monsignor Donato Conte, author of four books about Catherine Passananti |
All the information for this article was taken from the four books that exist about Catherine Passananti all written by Msgr. Donato Conte. What is interesting is that Msgr. Donato Conte never met Catherine during her lifetime. He came to learn about her and her writings in 1993. Msgr. Conte lives in Rome but has been coming to spend his summers at St. Florence Church in Wakefield, MA for years. In 1993, a parishioner named Estelle Filadoro, told him, “Finally I have met a priest that is able to understand my spiritual life and my spiritual confidences, and able to enjoy and venerate the divine intimacy of Catherine Passananti with Jesus’ Heart, with Mary and with the Blessed Sacrament. During my life I have met many priests, but I find God’s will only in you, Msgr. Donato Conte. I have waited. I have waited for a long time, and I have waited in His time, in God’s time and in God’s will.”
Msgr. Conte replied, “Estelle, please, I do not speak English; I do not speak English at all well.” To which she answered, “God will help you, do not be afraid, Champion of God, and Catherine of the Blessed Sacrament will be with you.” (In the Divine Light, p.14)
Msgr. Conte replied, “Estelle, please, I do not speak English; I do not speak English at all well.” To which she answered, “God will help you, do not be afraid, Champion of God, and Catherine of the Blessed Sacrament will be with you.” (In the Divine Light, p.14)
In the summer of 1994, he was given the personal diary of Catherine Passananti by Grace Gallo, a cousin of Catherine. Msgr. Conte describes his reaction: “Reading it, I was really amazed. It is difficult to find a person who, without a high school education, is able to speak so deeply, and to teach spiritual theology better than a theologian. She teaches a true spiritual theology and supernatural experience. During the reading of the personal notes I was surprised to find a person so close to God, a person inspired and moved by the Holy Spirit. I was surprised at feeling the same emotions and the same feelings that I feel when I stand in front of Jesus Christ, closed in the Divine House of the Tabernacle, and finally, I was surprised to realize that Catherine Passananti had the same theological knowledge that I have.” (In the Divine Light, p.15)
On September 1st, 1995, on an Alitalia flight returning to Rome, he had a mystical experience: “A voice came from above and repeated to me many times: ‘Donato, please talk about Catherine Passananti, speak, speak, write a book about her personality and spirituality.’” (In the Divine Light, p.15)
Another confirmation about his special Mission with Catherine was that one night he had a dream about a woman, not tall, dressed in black, who told him, “You have to write my life, your name, spiritually has always been present among my spiritual friends (Father Donato). Read my notes and you will understand.”
That same night, a woman called Dolores called him about 11:00 o’clock at night, woke him up and started talking to him about Catherine Passananti. (In the Divine Light, p. 16-17).
That same night, a woman called Dolores called him about 11:00 o’clock at night, woke him up and started talking to him about Catherine Passananti. (In the Divine Light, p. 16-17).
Msgr. Conte has followed the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and has published 4 books about Catherine. He is a firm believer in her holiness and the importance of her message for our times, and he has written: “Catherine, the mystic of the beautiful American city of Boston, had a depth of divine intimacy with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and with the Blessed Mother, our Tabernacle Door on this earth…I believe in her, this humble creature of God, and I believe with all my heart, my strength and my life. I wish that other spirits, other souls would be open to this extraordinary walk of faith and love made by the Italo-American, Catherine Passananti.” (A Mystic of Boston, p.1064)
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The four books about Catherine Passananti written by Msgr. Donato Conte are:
- In the Divine Light, Vatican City: Vatican Press, 1997.
- A Dove of God, Vatican City: Vatican Press, 1998.
- Moments Divine: Catherine Passananti, Vatican City: Vatican Press, 2000.
- A Mystic of Boston, Vatican City: Vatican Press, 2006.