The Reluctant Saint Page #5

And when l looked up,

Father Giuseppe was,

oh, l would say,

two feet off the floor.

Thank you, Brother Tomas.

Brother Leo.

l saw exactly the same thing,

except that in my opinion

Father Giuseppe rose much higher...

At least five feet.

Thank you, Brother Leo.

Brother Alfredo.

He levitated exactly 1 9 inches -

no more and no less.

Because when l heard

that the Vicar General

was coming

from Naples to investigate,

l took the trouble to measure it.

Thank you, Brother Alfredo.

Brother Orlando.

l assisted at Father Giuseppe's Mass.

l kneeled directly behind him.

There can be no denying what l saw.

He flew to the very top of the altar -

at least 1 5 feet.

Thank you, Brother Orlando.

Brother--

Thank you, Father.

l think we have heard

enough from the brothers.

lf we wait long enough

l am sure we will hear

that Father Giuseppe

ascended into heaven.

Brothers, this is not a laughing matter.

ln fact, it is more serious

than l imagined.

That is why

we asked you here, Your Excellency.

Before we bother the Holy Father

with our parochial problems,

l suggest we try

to clean up the matter ourselves.

Exactly.

Father Giuseppe.

Father Giuseppe.

Giuseppe.

Giuseppe.

Giuseppe!

Father Giuseppe,

how was your health as a boy?

Health?

Were you often sick?

Yes.

There's a great deal of malaria

down here in Calabria and Apulia.

Were you ever afflicted with it?

Yes.

Half the people of Cupertino had it.

Then you should know something

about the ravages of the disease.

They say it often

affects their reasoning.

lsn't that so?

Ah, yes.

A boy in my class, Franco,

he had it...

but he is dead now.

But it didn't happen to you?

No.

We requested these records

from the parish in Cupertino.

You weren't a very good student,

were you?

No.

Without intending

any cruelty, Father Giuseppe,

that would indicate you were

a very bad student.

Why were you so backward?

Does your mind

sometimes wander?

Yes.

Doesn't this condition worry you?

Haven't you ever seen

a doctor about it?

No.

Think about it, Father Giuseppe...

Do you remember

sustaining a serious injury?

Did you ever fall and hurt yourself?

Oh, yes, yes.

Did you ever fall on your head?

Oh, yes, many times.

Heredity sometimes affects

our character, Father Giuseppe.

Was your mother ever sick,

seriously sick, so that her judgment

was impaired?

My mother was never sick

a day in her life.

She's strong in mind and body.

Your father?

He was a good man.

Wouldn't you say

he drank to excess?

lsn't it possible

that it affected his mind?

My father was a wonderful man.

He wanted to know about things -

to understand.

He studied poetry, music.

He understood dogs.

This strange power of yours -

how long have you had it?

A year.

And does it frighten you?

No.

But do you think

the Blessed Mother

is responsible

for these...levitations?

Yes.

Can other things

cause you to levitate?

Other things?

Holy things.

Yeah, Holy things.

What Holy things?

The Holy Mass.

Oh, yes. We know about that.

What else?

Can you exercise this power at will?

There are so many

Holy Men here...

You should be able to fly to Rome.

Could you levitate up to there...

if we asked you?

Please, try.

Thank you, Father Giuseppe.

l'm sure that this phenomenon

is a temporary thing...

and will pass away.

Be that as it may,

there can be no doubt

that here we have

a case of divine intervention.

No!

l'm sorry, but l must disagree

with my distinguished brothers.

l mean no disobedience,

your Excellency,

and l speak with no personal malice.

My feelings in this matter

go much deeper than that.

This man has deceived you.

Father Raspi...

That's a grave charge.

l do not make it lightly,

Your Excellency.

This man makes

a mockery of the priesthood.

1 9 inches..

2 feet, 3 feet...

5 feet - and finally 1 5 feet!

Now clearly, someone is wrong.

Or all of them.

Why is there such

conflicting testimony?

Why is there

such wide disagreement?

There may be disagreement

on how high he flew,

but there is no doubt

that everyone saw him fly.

Did they?

Did they?

Or did they imagine

they saw Father Giuseppe levitate?

What do you mean?

They were all bewitched by this man,

all bewitched!

No!

He couldn't have bewitched us!

He had his back to us.

l repeat - bewitched!

The same as the lndian rope trick.

Hundreds, even thousands,

duped into seeing a man

climb a rope suspended in midair.

A trick.

The fakir's art!

The devil's genius!

Even his ordination was a lie -

and was obtained

not through grace...

but through the intervention

of the devil.

Father Raspi!

l charge that Lucifer himself

is working through this young man!

What are you suggesting?

Possession.

Oh, no, no.

Diabolic possession.

Father Giuseppe

possessed by the devil?

You cannot be serious.

Possession is a serious matter,

Your Excellency.

l do not take it lightly.

l understand your feelings

about keeping this in the family.

But it is my considered judgment

that this sorcery is not

a parochial matter!

l believe it should be reported

to the inquisitorial court in Rome.

But a scandal?

There must be some other way.

There is another way, there is.

The prescription of the church

in matters of possession

is very clear.

Exorcism.

Come now, Father Raspi,

we are not inquisitors.

Look at him.

Do you really believe

that there is a devil

lurking inside that humble man?

There was once

a Lucifer in heaven.

Must we go through

with this, Your Excellency?

lt's either that or Rome.

Before we proceed

we must get his permission.

Father Giuseppe.

Father Giuseppe.

With your indulgence,

Your Excellency,

we'll get his permission later,

when he's with us again.

Very well, Father Raspi.

Purge the devil out of him

and clear this matter up

once and for all.

From Your wrath...

Deliver us, O Lord.

From sudden

and unprovided death...

Deliver us, O Lord.

From the snares of the devil...

Deliver us, O Lord.

From anger and hate

and all evil intentions...

Deliver us, O Lord.

From the lightning

and the tempest...

Deliver us, O Lord.

- From perpetual death..

- Deliver us, O Lord.

Through the mystery of

Your Holy lncarnation...

Deliver us, O Lord.

- Through Your coming...

- Deliver us, O Lord.

Through Your nativity...

Deliver us, O Lord.

Through Your Baptism

and Holy Fasting...

Deliver us, O Lord.

Through Your cross

and passion...

Deliver us, O Lord.

Through Your death and burial...

Deliver us, O Lord.

Through Your Holy Resurrection...

Deliver us, O Lord.

Through Your Admirable Ascencion...

Deliver us, O Lord.

Through the coming of

the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete...

Deliver us, O Lord.

ln the day of judgment...

Deliver us, O Lord.

You will please kneel down.

Father, the chains.

lf it is the devil

who gives you wings,

the chains will

prevent you from flying.

Father Giuseppe.

Father Giuseppe,

what are they doing to you?

lt's for my own good, little brother.

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