Discover the experiences shared by our readers
These detailed testimonies reveal the profound impact of Maria Valtorta's work on the spiritual lives of its readers. Each account witnesses the graces received and conversions experienced.
202
testimonies collected
These detailed testimonies have been collected according to a structured methodology, allowing precise documentation of the impact of Maria Valtorta's work on readers' spiritual lives. Each testimony addresses the discovery of the work, its impact on faith, the graces received, and recommendations for other potential readers.
Sr. Christine Kabumbu
In 1999 while doing my Master's degree, I went to our Mother House but had an attack of malaria. I was on medication and couldn't sleep. So I went to get a boring book to help me sleep. I found a thick one with the word ‘Poem’. In less than a page, I fell asleep. In mid-1999, I went to Tanzania for a research program for three months. While there, I met a devout Catholic man who told me about Valtorta's books and he insisted I get them. Back in Zambia, my friend Maria told me about Valtorta. I went and found that 'boring Poem' at the back of my locker. These three things led me to Valtorta.
I felt a real thirst. I recall how my life felt so empty after finishing one volume. I felt something missing. The more I read, the more my spiritual life completely changed because Jesus took control of everything, He became so meaningful and close. I felt my studies meant nothing without Jesus. I graduated from the school of Jesus rather than from the school of natural sciences. I was on a higher plane with regard to my religious and Christian life. I was very prayerful and aglow with the spirit. Through the writings, I came to love the name of Jesus and I don’t tire talking about the people and events. In 2000, I was elected as a councilor in the leadership team of my congregation. Our then Apostolic Vicar for Religious who was my spiritual director and now a bishop congratulated me saying, “You see? This is where Maria Valtorta has led you, so be ready for challenges.” This was like a prophesy.
In 2016, I became the Superior General of my congregation. It has been the most turbulent of my human life. I believe the Faith, which the reading of Maria Vartorta’s writings instilled in me, has kept me sane! There are many inspiring words in the writings of Maria Valtorta which I have amassed and use for my meditation and counsel. They speak to me very profoundly because it is Jesus, Mary and the Apostles speaking to me directly.
They are to be shared - I took the five volumes back with me to the University where I shared them with other devout students and friends.
These are my memorable experiences of how deeply the Valtorta works have affected people who open their hearts. When my late elder sister she read the passion and death of Our Lord, she could not contain herself. She could not sit still but started going round the house just to get rid of her emotions. Before my sister died (much later), after being acquainted with Vartorta’s works, she looked forward to dying to meet the Man-God. Another experience was that of a teacher who was dying. I used to go to him to read the Poem of the Man God during his sickness. Each time I arrived with the volume, the sick man would sit up, weak as he was, to give glory and praise to God who he said had spoken to him more than ever in his life. The teacher cried tears of joy for having encountered God just before his death. The man died happily having received the gift, as he put it, of hearing the voice of God. These two experiences left a deep impression on my life and I always wished many people would open-handedly and open-heartedly receive the Work of Maria Valtorta and not miss something great.
Pierre
Through the daily email "Jesus Today" and its reading.
Having been very interested for a long time in the "history" of Christ and having made two trips to the Holy Land to see the places described in the Gospels firsthand, reading Maria Valtorta, the descriptions, the "atmospheres" of everyday life that she relates, have completely opened me up to faith.
From an occasional practice, I now go to mass every Sunday and on holidays, I read the mass every day, as well as the "message of mercy" (living next to Poitiers, I went to the tomb of Sister Josefa Mendenez) and 1000 reasons to believe. Finally, I try to recite the Rosary every day.
The reading of the day's mass followed by the reading of Maria Valtorta provides a new light on the gospel, a finer understanding of Christ's message. It's as if we find ourselves in the presence of Christ, in his steps, through the eyes of Maria. The additional explanations from Christ, the Holy Virgin, her Guardian Angel or other Saints are very clear and lucid.
Thank you for allowing us to discover the work of Maria Valtorta. It is regrettable that the church does not appropriate these writings. I have tried to talk about it with priests, but each time the subject is quickly dismissed.
ALAIN
I had distanced myself from the Catholic Church for about 40 years. In 2023, at the age of 63, having been in search of "truth" for several years, I discovered Maria Valtorta while watching the video "Maria Valtorta, a gift from God validated by science". Together with my wife, we decided to buy the 10 volumes of "The Gospel as it was revealed to me". At the same time, I read her "Autobiography" as well as Jean-François Lavère's study "The Valtorta enigma, a fictionalized life of Jesus?". Then we bought the "Notebooks", "The Book of Azarias" and later the Bible.
Reading "The Gospel as It Was Revealed to Me" was a true revelation. My wife and I discovered in a clear text the depth of Jesus' teaching. Throughout the pages, we live alongside Jesus, the Virgin Mary, the apostles, the disciples. We share with them the joy of miracles and the suffering of hypocrisies, betrayals, the ordeal. By reading and rereading this work that nourishes us daily, we have "naturally" reorganized our life around faith in the church.
Reading "The Gospel as It Has Been Revealed to Me" has transformed our lives and led us to: - lose interest in many things of the "world": outings, shows... - talk about it to our 2 children and their spouses. We gave each of them the 10 volumes of "The Gospel as It Has Been Revealed to Me". - talk about it to our 3 grandchildren through the books of the "Discover the Life of Jesus" collection and the comic books of the "Ictus" collection. - learn about the lives of the Saints: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Therese of Lisieux. - confess our sins. - go to mass every week. - participate with a priest in a sharing group around the canonical Gospels. - pray for our surroundings, for the priests, for the Church, for the world.
- That the authenticity of "The Gospel as it was revealed to me" is for us indisputable because no human being is capable of creating such a work by their own will. - That this work, in addition to bringing joy on a daily basis, provides a deep understanding of the Gospels. - That we have been given a true treasure and that, as Pope Pius XII said: "Those who read, will understand".
Long
I discovered Maria Valtorta's online writings in 2016 thanks to a video from the Marie de Nazareth association. At first, I thought it was simply a pious woman who had imagined stories about the life of Jesus. But from the first readings, I was struck by the depth and accuracy of the words attributed to Jesus. I clearly found the Jesus of the Gospels there. Very quickly, I was seized internally and I read nine volumes in less than a year.
I had the feeling that my heart was burning as I read, a bit like the disciples of Emmaus when they listened to Jesus. There was so much wisdom, so much love in his words. I was born and raised in an evangelical Protestant environment. I had been active in my community for several years. But this reading increased my love for Christ tenfold, and it helped me to free myself from sins to which I had been attached for a long time. I no longer wanted to grieve the Lord, nor his Holy Mother whom I was learning to welcome into my life.
This reading was for me like a new conversion. It was one of the paths through which Jesus led me, a few years later, to enter the Catholic Church. Even today, I sometimes reread or listen to certain chapters. Like the Bible, it helps me keep my heart turned towards Jesus, nourish my prayer, and remain faithful in my Christian life, always loving His Church.
It is a gift for our time, which can nourish faith and lead closer to Christ.
Ode
The reading of the work was suggested to me by members of my family at the beginning of the 2000s. A few years later, a fire ravaged both my business and my home. This forced stop gave me the opportunity and time for this inner pilgrimage. It is with great interest that I devoted myself entirely to the reading of the work throughout the following year.
As a person of Catholic faith, this reading was a real turning point in my spiritual life. I was overwhelmed by this endless journey that deeply moved me. I had a personal and authentic encounter with Jesus. I felt his presence intensely. On each page, I took the time to savor each word, each sentence, as if I was transported into his time and immersed in his universe. I felt lucky to live this extraordinary experience. I fell in love with Jesus. I learned to know and love Mary and Joseph with all my heart, as well as the apostles, the shepherds, the disciples. I knew and loved all those who surrounded him and loved him. Jesus made me feel the infinite love He feels for me and for each of us. This reading allowed me to experience deep joys as well as intense sorrows by his side. I shed all the tears of my body, for various reasons.
I take the time to immerse myself in the pages of the ten volumes of the work, reading and rereading them incessantly. I will never tire of it; I savor and scrutinize every detail, I refer to the New Testament, the Bible, as well as to the readings of the great saints and the notebooks of Maria Valtorta. Even if it seems senseless, the fire that devastated our home and our business was a blessing, a gift that God gave to our family. I believe that with the kind of life we were leading, this frantic race for work and leisure, this tumult around us would have been the end of our marriage. We pray as a family now. My son has undertaken the reading of the work and his partner is embarking on a spiritual exploration seeking to discover the face of Jesus and his teaching, through the exchanges and conversations we have as a family. Today, I strive to share my Christian faith, with kindness, without passing judgment, with people who, with sincerity, are in search of God.
Don't hesitate to get started, because you have nothing to lose in this process. Read the testimonials on this site.
Pierre-Jean
Around the age of 30, I regularly went to the Duquesnes Diffusion library in Paris (Lefebvrist), because the books were close to my ideas. I had started reading again at 25, and I gradually became interested in all subjects of reality, politics, philosophy, history, religion, ecology, which opened my mind.
Specifically, it was reading "A Romanticized Life" by Jean-François Lavère, studying point by point the work of Maria Valtorta, that convinced me that it could not be a coincidence. So I took the step. I had read many things that could have converted me (Padre Pio, Joan of Arc, ...), but it was the compilation of the extraordinary facts of this story that made me take the leap. I only read the work a few years later, and I have just finished it (I listened to the second half in a podcast), and I was overwhelmed by the life of Mary, the details of the conversions and Jesus' love for his "prey", which I did not distinguish as well in the somewhat laconic phrases of the Gospel ("he loved him", "he wept", etc.).
So, I returned to the Church after reading Jean-François Lavère's book. I had a friend who told me that I had to confess before taking communion, which got me back on track very quickly. I then found a spiritual father 6 months later, and I have never looked back. I go to mass, pray every day, recite the daily rosary, say grace, always read a lot of things related to faith, am married to a Catholic with whom we used to go to Jeunes Pros and now to Equipes Notre Dame. Having 4 children, I don't have the leisure to do much more in the day, but try to pass on this faith to them.
If you don't have the time, listen to the podcast. But reading the book touched me more I believe. Read the first book about Marie and the birth. It is short, and you will quickly see if this work speaks to you. Watch videos (Ignis 2 for example), which show the beauty and the extraordinary character of the work. How could the devil have wanted this work given the fruits it bears?
I stopped at volume 5 because, in my opinion, the Church seemed to more or less advise against reading the work, so I preferred to stop out of obedience, even though I greatly enjoyed reading the work. I picked it up again somewhat by chance with the podcast.
Marie
Around 1961: Retreat with Father Berti OSM. He spoke to us about Maria Valtorta. Occasional reading of a page from one of the 10 volumes we had in the library. Then Total Forgetfulness... Fifty years later, at least, seeking to deepen the Truth of the Gospels... after having read a lot... Looking for answers to my questions of FAITH... after stumbling upon some videos talking about M.V. and The Work... I found the gold mine or better the Source I was looking for...
Although Christian, baptized, etc... even religious... around my 17 years, I questioned EVERYTHING... walking on water like Peter... (ups and downs succeeding each other) = "crisis of faith"... After many years of searching for The Truth (my scientific mind wanted "proof" of the Resurrection first)... I finally discovered The Truth by reading, meditating, praying "The Gospel as it was revealed to me". "Jesus today" has become my daily manna as well as: "the calendars" on "Valtorta.fr".
I'm not saying that I have come out of "crisis," but I know why Jesus is making me live through it. I am more present to the Mystery of the Eucharist, I quickly discover in the moments of my daily life what is contrary to "His doctrine"... or where He has acted in my favor or for others, or even what the Father is doing in the world... putting me in almost continual thanksgiving...
Read and you will understand... As Pope Paul VI said. If you have your own questions of Faith (Jesus knows them better than we do! be sure of it!) believe that little by little your eyes will open and He will lead you to the answers, as is always the case for me.
I know that my answers to the questions are incomplete. But the explanations would be too long. I remain available to those who might need to know something else to be helped in their own life. My life is a unique path like for everyone, but it does not belong to me: "no one lives for oneself, no one dies for oneself."
Christine
I do not know how, by chance and chance is God. I stumbled upon the first volume of: "The Gospel as It Was Revealed to Me" in a bookstore on chemin neuf in Ars in the 90s. I was immediately captivated by this extraordinary story full of truths that brought me considerably closer to Christ, Mary, and all his close surroundings. Remarkable details about the places and characters that Christ met while Maria Valtorta was in her bed and could not move!
Especially the parables of Jesus which have become understandable while they remained partly mysterious. From time to time, I reread the periods that correspond to the liturgical feasts and I deeply nourish myself with the action of Christ in our souls.
I live my faith more intensely with each passing hour of my life and I give thanks to God for having loved me so much in this way by making me meet Maria Valtorta.
It is a true treasure of faith. Popes have encouraged the reading of this extraordinary work. It was said: "You will understand..." and I understood.
Joelle
I discovered the writings of Maria Valtorta while watching a video on YouTube and subsequently ordered the first volume which I read eagerly and I continue. I am on the fourth volume.
It was wonderful to see Jesus in a different light, to follow him, to hear him, in all the details of His life. I learned to know him better and understand what he wants for us. The episode of Joseph's death particularly moved me, but above all, I drew closer to Mary and her infinitely great role in God's plan. I discovered her great humility and the love that Jesus has for her.
I returned to the Catholic Church after spending more than thirty years in the Protestant Adventist church. I rediscovered the riches of the Catholic Church, that of my childhood, with a new perspective and a love for the Eucharistic communion, very different from the Last Supper.
To believe that it is indeed the Spirit of God who is the origin and to recognize the voice of Jesus who says "my sheep hear my voice and recognize me".
Lise Vicky
In 1998, a colleague who had bought the entire collection of books lent them to me one by one: as soon as I finished a volume, she would give me another. Later, upon discovering on the Marie de Nazareth website that these books were available online, I took the time to reread them in their entirety.
Reading the writings of Maria Valtorta is a valuable experience to deepen one's faith, better understand the life and teachings of Jesus, and nourish personal prayer. Her vivid and detailed accounts allow one to contemplate the Gospel from a concrete and touching angle, bringing the reader closer to the mysteries of the life of Christ and Mary. These books invite meditation, inner conversion, and a greater intimacy with God.
The first time I read the writings of Maria Valtorta, it was out of pure curiosity for the real facts and a bit of history; at the time, I was 22 years old. Recently in 2021-2022 while I was jobless, I returned to it to reconcile with my God, after three difficult years, lost in a superficial life without deep prayer that kept me more and more distant from my Lord Jesus and Mother Mary. This re-reading helped me find the path of faith, to rekindle my prayer and to return to God with a renewed heart. I now almost daily read the "Jesus Today" newsletter which nourishes my soul.
I would tell him to let himself be touched, without fear, by the depth and beauty of this work. It helps to better understand the immense love of Jesus and Mary, and to live one's faith in a more concrete and personal way. Even if one starts out of curiosity, one comes out transformed, with a heart closer to God.
Your testimony can encourage other people to discover Maria Valtorta's work and contribute to the ecclesiastical study of this important case.
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