Bruno Cornacchiola, was raised a Catholic, but grew to detest everything Catholic, he also had a deep hatred for the Church and vowed to bring it down. Bruno vowed one day to kill the Pope, he bought a dagger in preparation. Bruno was not a good husband either, he constantly beat his wife and children.
Bruno demanded that his wife leave the Catholic Church and join a protestant Church, under great duress she did this but only upon certain conditions, that Bruno would make the Nine Fridays devotion. He scoffed at this “challenge” and so fulfilled her demands, it had no impact on him (or so he thought) and so Iolanda left the Catholic Church and with great sorrow joined her husband in the Protestant Church.
One day Bruno took his children to the park where he sat and he was preparing an anti-Catholic speech. His children were playing ball. As Bruno worked there he could hear his children cry out that they had lost their ball, with great irritation he left his notes and began to help his children look for their ball. While Bruno and his children searched for the ball Bruno could hear his son Gianfranco say over and over ‘oh beautiful lady, beautiful lady’. Very much in fear for his son Bruno searched for Gianfranco and found him kneeling transfixed in front of a small grotto, soon all three of Bruno’s children knelt in awe at the sight of this most beautiful lady.
Bruno, full of rage immediately tried to remove his children away from the Grotto but to no avail, he, as strong as he was, could not lift his own children. In fear, Bruno yelled ‘God help us!’
Eventually, Bruno could see what his children were seeing, as two hands reached out and touched his eyes he gradually saw this most beautiful lady. He also felt a great inner joy swelling up inside him at the sight of this most gracious woman. Bruno could not remove his eyes from this beautiful lady who was wearing a green mantle over a white dress with a rose sash tied at her waist. She looked at Bruno with an expression of deep sadness.
As Bruno looked on he saw that the beautiful lady held a book in her hands which she cradled close to her heart and beneath her feet was a broken crucifix on top of a black cloth. He could hardly believe his eyes but he could not move as he listened to our Lady speak to him. Our Lady said these words to him, “I am she who is related to the Divine Trinity. I am the Virgin of Revelation. You have persecuted me, now is the time to stop! Come and be part of the Holy Fold which is the Celestial Court on earth. God’s promise is unchangeable and will remain so. The nine First Fridays in honour of the Sacred Heart, which your faithful wife persuaded you to observe before you walked down the road of lies, has saved you.” She continued, “Live the divine doctrine. Practice Christianity. Live the Faith….The Hail Mary’s that you pray with faith and love are like golden arrows that go straight to the heart of Jesus,” and, “Pray much and recite the Rosary for the conversion of sinners, of unbelievers and of all Christians.”
A transformation began to take place within Bruno, his heart began to beat with love rather than hate, and a miracle had taken place within his soul. Our Lady also had more messages for Bruno, “I promise this special favour: With this sinful soil (the soil of the grotto) I shall perform great miracles for the conversion of unbelievers and of sinners…..Science will deny God and will refuse His calls.” Our Lady then spoke of her Assumption into Heaven, “My body could not and did not decay. I was assumed into Heaven by my Son and the angels.” The Blessed Mother also instructed Bruno with a special message for the Holy Father himself, “You must go to the Holy Father, the Pope, the Supreme Pastor of Christianity, and personally tell him my message. Bring it to his attention. I shall tell you how to recognize the one who will accompany you to see the Pope.”
Our Lady then disappeared leaving a beautiful scent of roses, Bruno would never be the same again. Upon returning home, Iolanda could smell the scent of roses and when she enquired the children blurted out what they had seen, Iolanda with tears in her eyes forgave her husband for his vicious behaviour towards her and their children. The entire family re-converted back to the Catholic Faith which filled his wife’s heart with great joy. Never again would Bruno raise his hand in violence against his family.
It took two years before Bruno could fulfill Our Lady’s request as he and a group were invited to a private audience with Pope Pius XII. The Pope asked if anyone wished to speak with him. Bruno raised his hand and with true sorrow begged the Pope for his forgiveness for his years of hatred and the intention to kill him, the Pope immediately gave Bruno his forgiveness. Bruno also presented the Pope with the dagger he had intended to use to kill him.
Even though over time many would try and use this simple man for their own purposes, Bruno has maintained what he saw and what our Lady revealed to him. He also continued to remain a devout Catholic with a sincere devotion to the Mother of God.
