2025: Luisa Piccarreta Approved by the Roman Catholic Church

In a compelling episode of his podcast, Dr. Michael James hosted theologian and scholar Fr. Joseph Iannuzzi to discuss a major development from the Vatican concerning the Servant of God Louisa Piccarreta. The focus of the episode was a December 3, 2024 letter issued by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), which offered decisive clarification on the orthodoxy of Louisa’s writings. This Vatican statement affirmed that Louisa’s teachings contain no doctrinal errors, an assertion with wide-reaching implications for her cause for beatification and canonization as well as for Catholic spiritual discourse more broadly.

Fr. Iannuzzi, widely regarded as an expert on Louisa Piccarreta and the Church’s mystical tradition, provided critical insight into the significance of this letter. Addressing a French bishop’s inquiry about the theological soundness of Louisa’s doctrines, the DDF unequivocally stated that her writings are “unassailable” and free of doctrinal error. This official endorsement, granted through a nula obstat in June 2024, confirmed that there are no theological obstacles to the continuation of her canonization process. According to Fr. Iannuzzi, this declaration validates what he has asserted for over thirty years in both his scholarship and pastoral ministry: Louisa’s teachings align with the Catholic faith.

However, Fr. Iannuzzi pointed out that the Vatican’s letter did more than affirm Louisa’s orthodoxy—it also acknowledged the significant problems caused by mistranslations and unauthorized interpretations of her work. After her death, Louisa’s writings were widely translated into multiple languages—English, Spanish, German, French—often by well-meaning but unqualified laypeople. These unofficial translations introduced doctrinal errors that did not exist in the original Italian manuscripts. Fr. Iannuzzi, who has worked extensively with the original texts and holds a doctorate in theology, explained that the Church never approved these distorted versions, which have unfortunately fueled confusion and even condemnation among some members of the Catholic hierarchy and lay faithful.

Dr. James asked about several Catholic figures—such as Tim Staples, Fr. Terry Staples, and Bishop Gualka—who publicly condemned Louisa's writings. Fr. Iannuzzi clarified that these individuals likely based their judgments on faulty secondary sources rather than the original Italian texts. He noted that many of Louisa’s critics are not fluent in Italian and therefore could not accurately assess her writings. Fr. Iannuzzi stressed the critical importance of understanding the original language, historical context, and theological framework of a spiritual author before passing judgment. He compared this to attempting to interpret the Bible without knowledge of Greek or Hebrew—an exercise destined for error.

The episode also revisited the controversy from mid-2024, when a leaked letter and subsequent statement by Bishop Gualka suggested that Louisa’s cause had been paused due to doctrinal concerns. Fr. Iannuzzi revealed that he personally wrote to Bishop Gualka in August 2024 to correct the misinformation. In response, the bishop issued a follow-up letter in September 2024 acknowledging that Louisa’s cause had never been suspended and affirming that her writings could continue to be read privately by the faithful, even if official Church editions were still pending.

Fr. Iannuzzi emphasized that while some critics may have acted with good intentions—seeking to defend Catholic doctrine from potential error—their lack of training and linguistic understanding led to unjust conclusions. He called for a spirit of humility, obedience, and fidelity to the magisterium in approaching mystical and theological texts. He also noted that the Church has had to correct similar misconceptions in other cases, such as with the writings of Faustina Kowalska and Antonio Rosmini.

In conclusion, this episode of Dr. James’ podcast provided a thorough and timely exploration of a crucial Vatican clarification. With Fr. Iannuzzi’s expert insight, listeners gained a deeper understanding of both the theological accuracy of Louisa Piccarreta’s writings and the decades-long challenges surrounding their reception. The December 3, 2024 statement from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith marks a definitive turning point, dispelling years of confusion and reaffirming Louisa’s place within the rich tradition of Catholic spirituality.