Padre Pio: the scandal of the Banker of God

The case of the banker Giuffrè, nicknamed the Banker of God, caused much uproar. He was a financier who lent money at sky-high rates for the making of works of charity in northern Italy. This happens in the period when the hospital of San Giovanni Rotondo was now an established institution. New ones came constantly donations and this allowed him to grow. The continuous ailments and the infamous ones charges they made Padre Pio increasingly weak and vulnerable.

Because of speculation wrong soon the banker was involved in a crack financial. It overwhelmed many religious bodies and associations including some religious from the province of Foggia. They turned to Padre Pio who had already granted them loans in the past. This time they asked large figures to save yourself from bankruptcy. Padre Pio in his goodness and naivety agreed.

The scandal broke out and it came involved also the name of the friar. His old enemies thus found easy ground for new accusations. The was also involved managing of the House for Relief of Suffering. They began inferences on the use of the money of the offerings. The friar was surrounded by a poisoned climate, he was in fact spied on and controlled in his movements. Even in confessional there were hidden recorders.

What was Padre Pio accused of?

A new in charge, Monsignor Carlo Maccari who, unlike the previous inspector, was not convinced of the good faith of the friar. The accused of fanaticism, of mysticism, of administrative disorder. His enemies this time came from above. They were protected by the Vatican secretary of state, Monsignor Loris Capovilla.

Padre Pio was coming persecuted for those riches that he administered for the benefit of the poor and that he would never have thought of keeping them for himself. Despite the intervention of many people, Padre Pio suffered a real one lynching moral up to the end of 1963. Only from 1964 could he return to exercise the priestly offices again.