Book Review by Br. Alexis Bugnolo

There is a new best seller in Italy about Pope Benedict XVI. It is entitled, “Pietro Dove Sei?” — “Peter, Where are you?”  And it is about the invalid resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

The book was written by the famous Sicilian priest, Don Alessandro Maria Minutella, who since 2018 has publicly declared Jorge Mario Bergoglio a heretic, and Benedict as the true Pope.

Father Minutella is the pastor of St. John Bosco Catholic  Church, at Palermo, the capital of the island of Sicily. He is a young priest, who holds a double doctorate. He is a graduate of the Gregorian University at Rome.

The subtitle of the book is “Dossier sulla situazione attuale nella Chiesa Cattolica” — “The Actual Situation in the Catholic Church”

This book was published in Italian in 2020. It is 286 pages, and sells for 10 euro in Italy. It is published by Gamba Edizioni, Verdello (BG), Italy (info@gambedit.com). It is divided into 4 sections, called chapters, and contained an appendix of hyperlinks for reference, as well as a collection of photographs in color in the back.

These 4 divisions each being with a grave question or theme. The first, “Who is Peter?”, which discusses Catholic Teaching on the Office of the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, the Roman Pontiff.

The second division, begins with the question, “Who is the Pope, today?” This part, Don Minutella discusses all the plots and pacts behind the election of Bergoglio and how this makes the Conclave’s choice of him invalid. He follows this exposé with an analysis of Pope Benedict XVI’s declaration of Feb. 11, 2013, to show that it is canonically invalid, and that Benedict XVI remains the holder of the Papal office.

The third, with the theme of Wisdom 21:15, “There is no wisdom, where there is malice”, a theological reflection on the spiritual imprudence in ignoring facts and laws, so as to have one’s own way. In this part, Don Minutella discusses the facts which show that Bergoglio is intentionally a pertinacious, formal public and manifest heretic, and how this makes it impossible that he hold any office or be elected Pope.

The fourth, with a review of the most important prophetic sources, from La Salette, Fatima, Leo XIII, Tre Fontaine, Padre Pio etc., and what they say about the present crisis of two popes, showing how they concord with the facts he has presented above.

The book concludes with a passage which serves also as an excellent introduction. Here is my translation:

The actual situation in the Church is dramatic, so much so that the pastors, theologians, canonists, knowlegeable of the anomaly in course, prefer to gloss over the questions confronted in this book.  The Catechism (of the Catholic Church) has anticipated these dramatic time, when in n. 675 it says:  “before the coming of Christ, the Church must pass through a final test which will strick the faith of many believers. The persecution which accompanies Her pilgrimage on Earth will unmask the ‘mystery of iniquity’ under the form of a religious imposture which offers to men an apparent solution to their problems, at the price of apostasy from Christ, that is a pseudo-messianism in which glorifies himself in the place of God and His Messia come in the flesh”. St. Augustine wrote that the Church in fide virgo, in haeresia meretrix, that is, remains a Virgin in the Faith, but would become a prostitute in heresy. …. In the apparitions of the Holy Virgin in Ecuador, in the 17th century, known as Our Lady of Good Success, it was prophesied, for the time of the final battle, a figure of a high prelate, who will have to govern the Church with strength and courage; he will be another Christ, called to confront the Antichrist.  And all the Catholic people, even the priests, will look upon him as a sure rock.  The prophetic vision, of the remnant, matches perfectly with the catalogue of the medieval monk, Malachy, who lists the popes down to the return of Christ.  After the Gloria Olivae, which has been attributed to Benedict XVI, there will arrive a final pontiff, the Petrus Romanus, who must govern the Church during the last, great tribulation, namely with the Antichrist.  Caterine Emmerich offers some curious details about this new Athanasius who, having succeeded Benedict XVI, will guide the Catholic Church, surviving through it all as the little remnant. As the German mystic says, he will come forth from just outside the City (thus a true Italian), he will be of a noble stock, about 50 years of age, and will dress in red (perhaps a sign of a martyr in suffering and, perhaps, even unto blood). He will take care to obtain the victory of Mary and the triumph of Her Immaculate Heart against the vicious enemies of the Church.  As at Lepanto, during the battle of October 7, 1571, and then at Vienna on September 12, 1683, Christians conquered the formidible Islamic hosts with the Name of Mary, invoked as the “Sacred Generalissima” (a name chosen by Ferdinand II, grandfather of the Austrian Emperor, Leopold I), so that, once again, it will be She herself, the Holy Virgin, who will obtain the liberation of the throne of Peter and the victory of the Church against Her Enemy.

We for our part, let us remain in the truth.

In the Book, Don Minutella in clear popular style lays out the Catholic Doctrine concerning the Pope, the effects of heresy, the impossibility of a heretical pope, as well as the canonical requirements of papal resignation and election, all of which conclude that Bergoglio can never have been validly elected for multiple causes of heresy and vote canvassing, both documentable, and that Benedict XVI has never resigned the papacy, as his behavior and words themselves show.  All of which are facts which every impartial observer can see and recognize, so long as he has yes open to the truth.

The book is written in a simple Italian, and is not difficult to understand for those even with a little knowledge of the language. This is especially true for all those clergy who have studied in Rome, and have acquired some knowledge of the Italian used in theological discourse.  It is a very good introduction to the controversies and written from a high moral regard for the truth and from our duty as disciples of Christ to separate ourselves from the party of the Sadducees who want a career in the Church without faith, and from the party of the Pharisees who want a career in the Church focusing on observances, but ignoring morals.

To my knowledge, this book is being translated into several languages, and in 2021, I look forward to publishing notices for each of them.

I highly recommend this book to all who can read Italian. It is a great gift for that favorite priest or bishop who has studied in Rome.