A Visitor from Heaven, Part III: Apparitions in Northern Italy
In Part II, I introduced a glimpse into the life of Francesca Sgobbi and her husband Giorgio, marked by the latter’s terminal illness, followed by the former’s pivotal mystical experience. Fr. Jerzy outlined the urgent need to abandon ourselves to Jesus in the present world.
A LIFE MARKED BY SUFFERING
Francesca Sgobbi is from the village of Conca d’Albero in the Veneto. Because her family was poor, she completed only five years of elementary school. As a child she suffered greatly at the hands of relatives because the family believed she had been born out of wedlock. Because of a serious spinal defect, Francesca never held a steady job; after getting married, she ran the household and occasionally sewed clothes.
Like many Italians of that era, they dreamed of a large family—even eleven children. They expected sweetness, but life handed them lemons. Their first child, a son named Massimo, died shortly after birth; his parents only had time to baptize him. “It is a lifelong cross,” she confides. Then Francesca had three miscarriages, and ultimately doctors had to have her reproductive organs removed. The knowledge that God knows why this happened is enough for her. In the end, the couple adopted two boys, whom they supported through school and education; they now have families of their own.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Sgobbi look young for their age, especially Francesca, who has suffered from numerous illnesses: intestinal cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Crohn’s disease, hepatitis B, frequent fractures of the arm and hip, and dental problems. “Doctors told me many times that I would not survive, that I had no chance of recovery,” Francesca recalls, “and then they were surprised to see me again.” Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko told her that she would suffer even more!
To accept this bitter cup fully, without complaint and with a smile, Francesca’s “spiritual resilience” is strengthened by weekly confession and Holy Communion, as well as by counsel from a spiritual director at the nearby Sanctuary of Monte Grisa. Above all, however, what many readers—including the author—envy is her home chapel and tabernacle, granted with the permission of the local bishop.
LIVING IN TRUTH
Returning to the apparitions…
Initially, the visionary kept the apparitions completely secret; the only person who knew was her husband, Giorgio. Like the contemporary mystic Alicja Lenczewska, she understood a fundamental principle: a person of deep spirituality does not broadcast mystical experiences, but, like Mary and St. Joseph, keeps these things in their heart and reflects on them. Another striking point is that Fr. Jerzy’s messages closely echo those of the Polish mystic.
Nevertheless, when the Blessed One began insisting that their content be made public, she informed the bishop, then her spiritual director, and subsequently the Polish Postulation Office. Francesca and Giorgio both say the writings should first be published in the martyr’s homeland, as Fr. Jerzy wished, and only afterward translated into other languages. Often, after finishing his messaggi, she heard him say, “Tell your friends about it,” or “Take this important message and bring it to other people.”
“Through the messages given by Fr. Jerzy, God wants to remind a lost humanity that Jesus can save them, that He loves them, and that He is merciful,” Francesca emphasizes.
Under the direct influence of Fr. Jerzy, on December 8, 2010, the couple made a solemn act of consecration to the Virgin Mary, together with a promise to live in chastity—a so-called Josephite marriage—with the bishop’s permission.
“The Lord reveals Himself to the most unexpected people, such as Francesca Sgobbi. Her simplicity, faith, and goodwill lend credibility to what she says and what she has written,” observes Fr. Luigi Moro, Francesca’s spiritual director.
FRANCESCA IN POLAND
She visited the homeland of St. John Paul II four times throughout her life, when her health and circumstances allowed.
Francesca had the opportunity to see Marianna Popiełuszko, the mother of the Blessed Jerzy, in a mystical way during the beatification ceremonies in June 2010. She was particularly moved by visiting the places associated with Fr. Jerzy’s martyrdom—Bydgoszcz, where he celebrated his last Mass at the Church of the Holy Martyr Brothers; Górsk, where he was stopped by the security services; and, above all, the Włocławek Dam, where his body was thrown into the Vistula River.
The Italian woman also vividly remembered her visit to the tomb of the Apostle of Divine Mercy in Kraków-Łagiewniki, as well as the time spent before the Icon of the Black Madonna at Jasna Góra. In the cabinet by her bed is the Diary written by St. Faustina, who was no stranger to suffering.
SHAPED IN CHRIST’S IMAGE
(Read Lk. 14:25-33)
Everyone, without exception, fears suffering. Even the great mystics trembled when it was about to fall upon them. The worldly person—though this is a truism, and perhaps not even worth mentioning—does everything to escape it and, when that is not possible, to eliminate it to the greatest extent.
(Read Gal. 2:20)
Meanwhile, suffering that is accepted and united with the suffering of Jesus gradually opens the eyes of our soul, as it were. We begin to see, hear, feel, and think as Our Lord Jesus Christ did when He was on earth. In other words, we gradually become conformed to Him. Indeed, without this transformation, it will be impossible for us to avoid purgatory.
Here is what Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko reportedly said about it:
“Francesca, you are in the grip of suffering. When affliction befalls you, try to understand the mystery of what it means. Consent to suffering as coming from the hands of God and in the end, you will be able to endure it and indeed will come to love it. Suffering is God’s visitation upon man. It is the surest door through which He enters human souls…
But pain, if it is not seen in the light of faith, is a problem without a solution…
Francesca, it is obvious that the sight of innocent suffering such as yours is troubling, but it is precisely this suffering that is more valuable in the eyes of God. Look at the scene on Calvary: who is holier than Jesus? Who is more innocent than Mary? The most beautiful words written on suffering are always from those who suffered the most, simply because they understood its transformative power and profound value. To suffer with Christ is to be conformed to Him…
It is the sick person who becomes the monstrance for Christ.”
Reflecting on the third part of the apparitions in northern Italy, especially on the mounting evil and the successive armed conflicts, I am drawn to the sobering words of St. Augustine of Hippo: “Bad times! Troublesome times! This is what people are saying. Let our lives be good and the times will be good. We are the times: such as we are, such are the times.”
Autor’s Note: For readers who are not yet weary of our protagonists, I invite you to Part 4 of this series, where Western rationalism will have to confront the supernatural in the life of the visionary and the need for nocturnal prayer, as Fr. Jerzy will explain.
Photo by Lourenço Silva on Unsplash
