Q. Someone told me that St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio) once affirmed the existence of intelligent life on other planets. Is this true?
A. According to the late Msgr. Corrado Balducci (1923–2008), a member of the Vatican Curia and long-time exorcist for the Archdiocese of Rome, St. Pio (feast day this week, September 23) did in fact affirm the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence. In a paper entitled “Ufology and Theological Clarifications,” presented at Pescara, Italy, in 2001, the Monsignor reported:
“The following dialogue is documented and officially published by the Capuchin Order:
“Question: Father, some claim that there are creatures of God on other planets, too.
“Answer: What else? Do you think they don’t exist and that God’s omnipotence is limited to this small planet Earth? What else? Do you think there are no other beings who love the Lord? “Another question: Father, I think the Earth is nothing compared to other planets and stars.
“Answer: Exactly yes, and we Earthlings are nothing, too. The Lord certainly did not limit His glory to this small Earth. On other planets other beings exist who did not sin and fall as we did.
(From Don Nello Castello, Così parlò Padre Pio, Vicenza, Italy, 1974).”
On a related note, it’s also reported that St. John Paul II made an equally intriguing remark during his visit to the parish of Sant’Innocenzo I Papa e San Guido Vescovo in Rome on November 28, 1999. When a child asked him, “Holy Father, are there any aliens?” he replied, “Always remember: They are children of God as we are.”