In Summary

     The National Centre for Padre Pio, Inc. sought Canonical standing so as to be able to offer its Catholic visitors Mass. In support of that request, the National Centre held extensive talks with Bishop Cullen's designee, Bishop Gainer, regarding areas of control the Corporation was more than willing to give to Bishop Cullen in order to satisfy Bishop Cullen's Canonical obligation of oversight. To that end, the Corporation offered Bishop Cullen a seat on the Board of Directors and sole control over a religious committee, which would have had absolute dominion over all religious questions, and their impact on the Corporation. The National Centre thus endeavored to satisfy Bishop Cullen that he would not have to fear any scandal at the National Centre for Padre Pio, Inc. and to ensure that the National Centre complied with Catholic principles. Bishop Cullen has, since January of 2003, failed to answer repeated correspondence from the National Centre with regard to those offers. At no time did the National Centre receive any explanation for the Bishop's failure to respond let alone any alleged "failure to conform to Canonical mandates." Requests for a meeting with the Bishop went unanswered. In fact, the Centre was ordered to communicate religious matters with the Bishop only through his civil counsel and not to write him directly.

     The only reasons ever provided to the Corporation for Bishop Cullen's failure to grant the Corporation's request for Canonical standing were his personal displeasure with the Calandra family involvement in the Corporation and his perception that funds raised for the St. Pio Centre and St. Pio Museum somehow represented solicitations based exclusively on the fact that St. Pio was himself a Catholic. Bishop Cullen ignores the fact that Calandra family members normally constitute less than a third of the Board of Directors of the National Centre, which Board is drawn from all over the United States and Italy. Bishop Cullen ignores the fact that financial support for the St. Pio Museum and Centre comes to this Corporation from peoples of all faiths, colors and creeds from all parts of the world. We are happy to count among our friends and supporters over 70,000 people from more than 90 countries. Thus Bishop Cullen's stated reasons could not be further from the truth. All of our efforts to show him the truth he has ignored.

     The National Centre for Padre Pio, Inc. sincerely regrets that Bishop Cullen, through bad advice or otherwise, has chosen to violate the confidentiality of this matter while it is currently on appeal as well as his obligation "...to seek an equitable solution by common counsel." The National Centre regrets the factual and legal inaccuracies of the Bishop's release and regrets Bishop Cullen's failure to recognize the Corporation's obligation to comply with Pennsylvania trust and non-profit corporation law. The National Centre for Padre Pio, Inc., will continue to do as it has always done which is to comply with the law of man as well as the law of God.

     We wish to thank the hundreds of friends, pilgrims and supporters who have heard of this matter and have written us letters of support. We also wish to thank the hundreds who have called to personally offer their prayers. The Board of Directors and Officers of the National Centre for Padre Pio, Inc. in turn pray for the blessings of good will, peace, tolerance and understanding to be upon Bishop Cullen and all of us.