Another set of dubious quotes attributed to Padre Pio are quotes which praise the Second Vatican Council and the encyclical letter Humanae Vitae of Paul VI, which endorsed contraception in the form of Natural Family Planning (for more information, see: Natural Family Planning is Contraception). These dubious quotes come from a Letter to Paul VI which is purported to be written by Padre Pio. There are two versions of the letter. The first version, translated from L'Osservatore Romano, is as follows:


"Your Holiness:


Availing myself of Your Holiness' meeting with the Capitular Fathers, I unite myself in spirit with my Brothers, and in a spirit of faith, love and obedience to the greatness of Him whom you represent on earth, offer my respectful homage to Your August Person, humbly kneeling at Your feet.


The Capuchin Order has always been among the first in their love, fidelity and reverence for the Holy See. I pray the Lord that its members remain ever thus, continuing their tradition of seriousness and religious asceticism evangelical poverty, faithful observance of the Rule and Constitutions, renewing themselves in vigorous living and deep interior spirit—always ready, at the least gesture from Your Holiness, to go forward at once to assist the Church in her needs.


I know that Your heart suffers much these days on account of the happenings in the Church: for peace in the world, for the great needs of its peoples; but above all, for the lack of obedience of some, even Catholics, to the lofty teachings which You, assisted by the Holy Spirit and in the name of God, have given us. I offer Your Holiness my daily prayers and sufferings, the insignificant but sincere offering of the least of your sons, asking the Lord to comfort you with His grace to continue along the direct yet often burdensome way—in defense of those eternal truths which can never change with the times.


In the name of my spiritual sons and of the "Praying Groups" I thank Your Holiness for the clear and decisive words You have spoken in the recent encyclical, "Humanae Vitae", and I reaffirm my own faith and my unconditional obedience to Your inspired directives.


May God grant truth to triumph, and, may pence be given to His Church, tranquility to the people of the earth, and health and prosperity to Your Holiness, so that when these disturbing clouds pass over, the Reign of God may triumph in all hearts, through the Apostolic Works of the Supreme Shepherd of all Christians.


Prostrate at Your feet, I beg you to bless me, my Brothers in religion, my spiritual sons, the "Praying Groups", all the sick—that we may faithfully fulfill the good works done in the Name of Jesus and under your protection.


Your Holiness' most humble servant,


Padre Pio, Capuchin


San Giovanni Rotondo, 12th September, 1968."

The second version, which differs from the first one, seems to be an EWTN translation. It is as follows:

"Your Holiness,


I unite myself with my brothers and present at your feet my affectionate respect, all my devotion to your august person in an act of faith, love and obedience to the dignity of him whom you are representing on this earth. The Capuchin Order has always been in the first line in love, fidelity, obedience and devotion to the Holy See; I pray to God that it may remain thus and continue in its tradition of religious seriousness and austerity, evangelical poverty and faithful observance of the Rule and Constitution, certainly renewing itself in the vitality and in the inner spirit, according to the guides of the Second Vatican Council, in order to be always ready to attend to the necessities of Mother Church under the rule of your Holiness.


I know that your heart is suffering much these days in the interest of the Church, for the peace of the world, for the innumerable necessities of the people of the world, but above all, for the lack of obedience of some, even Catholics, to the high teaching that you, assisted by the Holy Spirit and in the name of God, are giving us. I offer you my prayers and daily sufferings as a small but sincere contribution on the part of the least of your sons in order that God may give you comfort with his Grace to follow the straight and painful way in the defense of eternal truth, which never changes with the passing of the years. Also, in the name of my spiritual children and the Prayer Groups, I thank you for your clear and decisive words that you especially pronounced in the last encyclical "Humanae Vitae"; and I reaffirm my faith, my unconditional obedience to your illuminated directions.


May God grant victory to the truth, peace to his Church, tranquility to the world, health and prosperity to your Holiness so that, once these fleeting doubts are dissipated, the Kingdom of God may triumph in all hearts, guided by your apostolic work as Supreme Pastor of all Christianity.


Prostrate at your feet, I beg you to bless me in the company of my brothers in religion, my spiritual children, the Prayer Groups, my sick ones and also to bless all our good endeavours which we are trying to fulfill under your protection in the name of Jesus.


Humbly yours,            


P. Pio, Capuchin"

Interestingly enough, the older version of the letter from L'Osservatore Romano, while it mentions Humanae Vitae, makes no mention of the Second Vatican Council. It seems as though the editor of the second version of the letter, which appears to be EWTN, interpolated this statement to make it seem as though Padre Pio embraced the Second Vatican Council. Yet inconsistently enough, EWTN hosts both versions of the letter on two different parts of their website. Due to the varying versions of the letter, the authentic text of the original letter is needed. This is assuming that there in fact is an original text outside of that which was printed in L'Osservatore Romano. The letter was printed for the public for the first time in the October 10, 1968 edition of L'Osservatore Romano, one month after the letter was said to be written by Padre Pio. If it turns out there is an original text, and if the text turns out to match what was printed in L'Osservatore Romano (or on EWTN), the question still remains: was the letter written by Padre Pio? In all probability, it was not. Padre Pio died only three weeks after the letter was supposedly written by him. During this time, he was bedridden and could not write, but instead dictated his letters to others who wrote for him. There is no telling whether or not those who wrote for him faithfully wrote down what he said, or whether Padre Pio proofread and confirmed the text before it was sent.


However, if it turns out that the letter was written by him, or that the letter is faithful to his dictation, then—and only then—can the arguments be had over the content of the letter, and the judgements be made for or against Padre Pio; whether he was guilty of heresies, or whether, similar to St. Columbanus, he rashly wrote based on what other people told him about certain docuмents, rather than reading the actual docuмents before approving them. Because there are two varying versions of the letter, both produced by modernists, and because it can not be indisputably said to be written by Padre Pio, until the original text is seen, and until it is confirmed to have been either written by Padre Pio or faithfully dictated, then the letters should be treated as modernist forgeries.