Clarifying Misinterpretations and Theological Context

By Stephen Austin, December 2025

In a hurry or not up for a deep dive? The conclusion concisely summarizes the essentials.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Examining Alleged References to Extraterrestrial Life
Non-Rational Life: The Most Plausible Interpretation
Angels and the Spiritual Inhabitance of Planets
Fallen Angels and Spiritual Presence
Human Souls and the Limbo of Children
Enoch, Elijah, and the Physicality of the Limbo of the Patriarchs
Summary of Interpretations
Earth as the “Most Corrupt” Planet
Humanity as Assailants of Other Planets
Vatican Astronomy and Extraterrestrial Speculation
The Importance of Footnotes and Commentary in Mystical and Scriptural Texts
Conclusion: Clarifying Valtorta on Extraterrestrial Life
References

Introduction: Examining Alleged References to Extraterrestrial Life

Some skeptics of Maria Valtorta claim that a passage in her writings suggests the existence of aliens or intelligent extraterrestrial life, and they regard this as theologically problematic. However, this interpretation is not supported by the context or the evidence; a closer and more plausible reading does not point in that direction. Indeed, other sections of her writings, attributed to Jesus, explicitly affirm that only angels and humans possess free will and rational intelligence. This understanding effectively precludes the notion of “alien” life in the science-fiction sense popularized by Hollywood.

Now we turn to the passages in question. On August 22, 1943, Maria Valtorta reports receiving a dictation from Jesus in which He comments on various passages from St. John’s Apocalypse. The following excerpts from this dictation focus on the Great Babylon (see Apocalypse [Revelation] 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2–21) and are presented here in His own words:1

[…] Maria, now I will take your hand to lead you to the most obscure point in John's book. The annotators of it have exhausted their capacity in many deductions to explain to themselves and to the multitudes who the “great Babylon” is. With a human view, to which the jolts left by desired events or by events taking place were not unconnected, they have given the name of Babylon to many things.

But how is it that they have never considered that the “great Babylon” is the whole Earth? I would be a very small and limited God the Creator if I had created only the Earth as an inhabited world! With a beat of my will I have brought forth worlds upon worlds from nothing and cast them as luminous fine dust into the immensity of the firmament.

The Earth, about which you are so proud and fierce, is nothing but one of the bits of fine dust rotating in unboundedness, and not the biggest one. It is certainly the most corrupt one, though. Lives upon lives are teeming in the millions of worlds which are the joy of your gaze on peaceful nights, and the perfection of God will appear to you when, with the intellectual sight of your spirits rejoined to God, you are able to see the wonders of those worlds.

Isn't the Earth really the great harlot that has committed fornication with all the powers of earth and hell, and haven't the Earth's inhabitants prostituted themselves-bodies and souls-just to triumph during the earthly day?

That is certainly the case. The crimes of the Earth have all the names of blasphemy, as the Beast does with whom the Earth and its inhabitants have allied themselves just to triumph. The seven sins are like a horrendous ornament on the head of the Beast, who transports the Earth and those of the earth to the pastures of Evil, and the ten horns, a metaphorical number, serve to demonstrate the limitless acts of wickedness committed just to obtain, at any cost, what his ferocious covetousness wants. […]

Isn't the Earth seated on the waters of her seas and hasn't she made use of these to do harm? What has she not made use of? Peoples, nations, races, boundaries, interests, food, expansions-everything has been of use to her to fornicate and carry out enormous homicides and betrayals like that of Judas. Her own children, nourished by her with the blood of sin, will accomplish God's vengeance upon her by destroying themselves, bringing themselves, bringing the sum of the crimes against God and against man to the perfect number which demands the thundering of my “Enough!” […]

This passage has raised concerns for some readers who believe it implies that Jesus is affirming the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life, or “aliens.” Certain critics of Maria Valtorta attempt to use this interpretation as evidence that her writings are erroneous, arguing that such a claim would pose serious theological difficulties. What is often overlooked, however, is the strong possibility that the interpretation itself is flawed. When alternative—and, we would argue, more accurate—interpretations are considered, it becomes clear that the passage is not only theologically sound, but also offers a profound reflection on the spiritual condition of our world, the unseen spiritual order, and the vast scope of God’s creation.

At the outset, I want to state clearly that I agree there would indeed be theological problems if one were to interpret this passage as asserting the existence of intelligent, physical beings with immortal souls on other planets. For a more detailed analysis of why this poses serious doctrinal difficulties, I refer readers to the following resources:

Non-Rational Life: The Most Plausible Interpretation

I will argue below that the most reasonable and theologically coherent interpretation of the dictation points instead to non-rational physical life without immortal souls—such as animals, plants, or microorganisms—rather than to intelligent extraterrestrial beings. I will also briefly consider the separate theoretical possibility of non-physical intelligent life, namely angels, and perhaps even souls in the Limbo of the Children, neither of which would conflict with Catholic theology.

Catholic blogger Frank Rega offers commentary on the passage under discussion:

Note: From the context and tone of the Lord, these 'lives' are most likely plant and animal lives. When He says the Earth is the most corrupt world, this might be hyperbole to emphasize the degradation of the Earth. At any rate, man is still the apex of Creation. See below in the second part, where the Lord states that humans are perfect creatures “superior to all beings living in time and in the world.”

I agree with this assessment. The simplest and most coherent interpretation is that other worlds may be inhabited by creatures that do not possess free will or rational intelligence like humans—that is, plants, animals, microorganisms, and similar life forms.

As a side note, in Catholic philosophy and theology, the term “creature” applies not only to living beings but also to non-living entities, such as stones, soil, or material possessions, since everything that exists was created by God. Saints often spoke of detaching themselves from creatures, referring in that context to non-living things like houses, locations, or personal possessions. In the context of this dictation, however, it seems far more plausible that Jesus was referring specifically to living creatures, since the term “inhabited” generally implies life.

We will now present the other passage in Maria Valtorta’s primary work to which Frank Rega was referring. This excerpt begins with Peter the Apostle (Simon Peter) speaking to Our Lord, followed by Jesus’ response:2

« Well! I am a blockhead, I know and I say so without being ashamed. And if it depended on me, I would not care to be very learned, because I think that the greatest wisdom consists in loving, following and serving You wholeheartedly. But You send me here and there. And people ask me questions and I must reply to them. I think that what I ask You, other people may ask me. Because the thoughts of men are alike. Yesterday You said that innocent and holy people will always suffer, nay they will be the ones who will suffer on behalf of everybody. I find it difficult to understand that, even if You say that they will wish that themselves. And I think that as it is difficult for me, it may be so also for other people. If they ask me, what shall I tell them? In this first journey a mother said to me: "It was not fair that my little girl should die with so much pain, because she was good and innocent". And as I did not know what to say, I repeated Job's words: "The Lord has given. The Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord". But I was not convinced myself. And I did not convince her. The next time I would like to know what to say… »

« It is just. Listen. It seems an injustice, but it is a great justice that the best should suffer on behalf of everybody. Now tell Me, Simon. What is the Earth? All the Earth? »

« The Earth? A great, a very great expanse, made of dust and water, of rocks, with trees, animals and human beings. »

« And then? »

« Then, nothing else… Unless You want me to say that it is the place of punishment and exile for man. »

« The Earth is an altar, Simon. A huge altar. It was to be the altar of everlasting praise to its Creator. But the Earth is full of sin. Therefore it must be the altar of endless expiation and sacrifice, on which the victims are consumed. The Earth, like the other worlds with which Creation is strewn, ought to sing psalms to God Who created it. Look! »

Jesus opens the wooden shutters, and through the wide open window comes in the cool of the night, the noise of the torrent, a moonbeam, and one can see the sky studded with stars.

« Look at those stars! They are singing the praises of God with their voices that are light and motion in the infinite spaces of the firmament. Their song, which rises from the blue fields of the sky to the Heaven of God, has lasted for thousands and thousands of years. We can imagine stars, planets and comets as sidereal creatures that like sidereal priests, levites, virgins and believers are to sing the praises of the Creator in an unlimited temple. Listen, Simon. Listen to the breeze rustling among the leaves and to the noise of the stream in the night. Also the Earth, like the sky, sings with the winds, with the water, with the voices of birds and animals. But if the luminous praise of the stars that people the sky is sufficient for the vault of heaven, the song of winds, waters and animals is not sufficient for the temple that is the Earth. Because on it there are not only winds, waters and animals unconsciously singing the praises of God, but there is also man, the perfect creature, superior to all beings living in time and in the world, gifted with matter, like the animals, minerals and plants, and with spirit, like the angels of Heaven, and like them destined, if faithful in the trial, to know and possess God, through grace at first, and in Paradise later. Man, the synthesis comprising all natures, has a mission that no other creature has and that should be for him a joy, besides being his duty: to love God. To give God a cult of love intelligently and voluntarily, repaying God for the love that He gave man by granting him life and Heaven in addition to life. To give an intelligent cult. Consider this, Simon. What benefit does God get from Creation? What profit? None. Creation does not make God greater, it does not sanctify Him, it does not make Him rich. He is infinite. He would have been such even if Creation had never existed. But God-Love wanted to have love. And He created to have love. God can get only love from Creation, and that love, which is intelligent and free only in angels and in men, is the glory of God, the joy of angels, the religion for men. The day that the great altar of the Earth should omit the praises and entreaties of love, the Earth would cease existing. Because once love is extinguished also expiation would cease, and the wrath of God would destroy the Earth that had become an earthly hell. So the Earth must love in order to exist. And also: the Earth must be the Temple that loves and prays with the intelligence of men. But which victims are always offered in the Temple? The pure, spotless, faultless victims. Those are the only victims agreeable to the Lord. They are the early fruits. Because the best things are to be given to the Father of the family, and the first fruits of everything and choice things are to be given to God, the Father of the human family.

But I said that the Earth has a double duty of sacrifice: that of praise and that of expiation. Because Mankind that has spread over the Earth sinned in the First men, and continuously sins by adding to the sin of estrangement from God the other countless sins of its consent to the voices of the world, of the flesh and of Satan. A guilty, very guilty Mankind that, although it has likeness to God, having its own intelligence and divine help, is more and more sinful. Stars obey, plants obey, elements obey, animals obey and they praise the Lord as best they can. Men do not obey and do not praise the Lord enough. Hence the necessity of victim-souls that may love and expiate on behalf of everybody. They are the children who, innocent and unaware, pay the bitter punishment of sorrow for those who can do nothing but sin. They are the saints who willingly sacrifice themselves for everybody.

Before long - a year or a century is always a short time as compared to eternity - no more sacrifices will be celebrated on the altar of the great Temple of the Earth, that is, of victim-men, consumed with the perpetual sacrifice: victims with the perfect Victim. Do not be upset, Simon. I am not saying that I will establish a cult like those of Molech, Baal and Ashtoreth. Men themselves will immolate us. Do you understand? They will immolate us. And we shall face death happily to expiate and love on behalf of everybody. And then the days will come when men will no longer immolate men. But there will always be pure victims that love consumes with the Great Victim in the perpetual Sacrifice. I mean the love of God and the love for God. Truly they will be the victims of the future days and of the future Temple. No longer lambs and kids, calves and doves, but the sacrifice of one's heart is what pleases God. David realised that. And in the new times, the times of the spirit and of love, only that sacrifice will be pleasant.

Consider, Simon, that if a God had to become incarnate to appease divine Justice for the great Sin, for the many sins of men, in the times of the truth, only the sacrifices of the spirits of men can appease the Lord. You are thinking: "Why then did He, the Most High, order men to immolate the offspring of animals and the fruits of plants to Him"? I will tell you: because, before I came, man was a stained holocaust and Love was not known. Now it will be known. And man, who will know Love, because I will give Grace back to him, and through it man will know Love, man will come out of his lethargy, he will remember, understand, live and he will replace kids and lambs, as a victim of love and expiation, on the model of the Lamb of God, his Master and Redeemer. Sorrow, so far a punishment, will turn into perfect love, and blessed are those who will embrace it out of perfect love. »

« But children… »

« You mean those who cannot yet offer themselves… And do you know when God speaks in them? The language of God is spiritual. A soul understands it and a soul has no age. Nay, I tell you that a child's soul, as it is without malice, with regard to its capacity of understanding God, is more adult than the soul of an old sinner. I tell you, Simon, that you will live so long as to see many children teach adults, and even yourself, the wisdom of heroic love. But in those little ones who die for natural reasons, God acts directly for motives of so high a love that I cannot explain to you, as they are part of the wisdom written in the books of Life, and that only in Heaven will be read by the blessed souls. I said read, but in actual fact it will suffice to look at God to know not only God, but also His infinite wisdom… We have let the moon set, Simon… It will soon be dawn and you have had no sleep… »

In this chapter, Jesus affirms that man is “the perfect creature, superior to all beings living in time and in the world.” Since the material universe exists within time, “living in time” encompasses the entire material cosmos, including all the planets. Jesus continues:

“God can get only love from Creation, and that love, which is intelligent and free only in angels and in men, is the glory of God, the joy of angels, the religion for men.”

Here, He makes it clear that only angels and humans can love intelligently and freely—that is, only they possess free will and rational intelligence. This understanding precludes the idea of “alien” life as commonly depicted in science-fiction media.

Therefore, for consistency, if Jesus says that other planets are inhabited, He cannot be referring to intelligent life with free will unless He means humans or angels. As far as we know, humans occupy only the Earth and, temporarily, extraterrestrial locations such as spacecraft, space stations, and, according to commonly accepted historical records, the Moon via the Moon landings. Nothing in Valtorta’s writings suggests otherwise.

Angels and the Spiritual Inhabitance of Planets

In Catholic theology, angels are spiritual beings created by God to serve as messengers and ministers of His will. They are traditionally arranged into nine choirs, grouped into three hierarchies of three: the highest hierarchy (Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones) contemplates God and directs divine governance; the middle hierarchy (Dominions, Virtues, Powers) administers creation and ensures cosmic order; and the lowest hierarchy (Principalities, Archangels, Angels) interacts more directly with human affairs.

Through the middle choirs—Dominions, Virtues, and Powers—they help sustain the order of creation as instruments of God’s providence. For example, Virtues are said to oversee the laws of nature and support miracles, Powers defend the universe and humanity from spiritual evil, and Dominions guide lower angels in executing divine commands. Any influence over the cosmos is always by God’s permission, so angels facilitate the divine governance of creation rather than exercising autonomous control over stars, planets, or elements.

Regarding angels, St. Thomas Aquinas proposed in the Summa Theologica that angels could act as intermediaries through which God moves the celestial spheres. In this view, God is ultimately the source of motion, while angels serve as the immediate agents moving the planets. St. Thomas writes:

“Therefore in our opinion we must assert that the angels possess an immediate presidency not only over the heavenly bodies, but also over the inferior bodies. […] So an angel can change corporeal matter in a more excellent way than can corporeal agents, that is by moving the corporeal agents themselves, as being the superior cause. […] The angels, by causing local motion, as the first motion, can thereby cause other movements; that is, by employing corporeal agents to produce these effects, as a workman employs fire to soften iron, […] The power of an angel is not so limited as is the power of the soul. Hence the motive power of the soul is limited to the body united to it, which is vivified by it, and by which it can move other things. But an angel's power is not limited to any body; hence it can move locally bodies not joined to it.” (Summa Theologica, Part I, Question 110, Articles 1-3)

This perspective supports the idea that planets may be “inhabited” in the sense of being under the influence or governance of spiritual beings (angels), rather than implying the presence of intelligent extraterrestrial physical life with free will.

This concept was also discussed by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (5th–6th century) and later theologians. In medieval cosmology, Ptolemy’s geocentric system (Earth-centered universe) was often integrated with the idea of angels as movers of the celestial spheres. In this view, each celestial sphere—the Moon, Sun, planets, and fixed stars—has an angel responsible for its motion. By the Renaissance and the Copernican revolution, this view became largely obsolete in science, though it persisted in theological speculation.

If one were to adapt this viewpoint, one could posit that angels “inhabit” the planets they directly interact with. Even if an angel does not move a planet personally, it may be assigned to the planet in a manner analogous to how Catholic tradition holds that every person has a guardian angel (see Matthew 18:10). Beyond individuals, Catholic theology and tradition speak of angels assigned to families, towns, nations, armies, and even the Church itself.
While modern science explains planetary motion through natural laws, it remains theologically possible that God assigned angels to the planets as spiritual stewards of creation. This extrapolates from the medieval notion, articulated by thinkers like St. Thomas Aquinas, that angels can serve as intermediaries for divine governance, without implying any contradiction with natural law. To read more about what St. Thomas Aquinas wrote about the angels in relation to space, please see these passages from his Summa Theologica: Question 52 – The Angels in Relation to Place.

Can angels “inhabit” a planet? According to the principles outlined by St. Thomas Aquinas in the following section of his Summa Theologica, it appears that they can:

Article 1. Whether an angel is in a place?

I answer that, it is befitting an angel to be in a place; yet an angel and a body are said to be in a place in quite a different sense. A body is said to be in a place in such a way that it is applied to such place according to the contact of dimensive quantity; but there is no such quantity in the angels, for theirs is a virtual one. Consequently an angel is said to be in a corporeal place by application of the angelic power in any manner whatever to any place.

Accordingly there is no need for saying that an angel can be deemed commensurate with a place, or that he occupies a space in the continuous; for this is proper to a located body which is endowed with dimensive quantity. In similar fashion it is not necessary on this account for the angel to be contained by a place; because an incorporeal substance virtually contains the thing with which it comes into contact, and is not contained by it: for the soul is in the body as containing it, not as contained by it. In the same way an angel is said to be in a place which is corporeal, not as the thing contained, but as somehow containing it.

In this sense, one could say that these worlds are “inhabited” by the angels assigned to them. That said, the earlier explanation—that other worlds may host non-rational life such as plants, animals, or microorganisms—remains the more straightforward and plausible interpretation.

Fallen Angels and Spiritual Presence

Another possibility is that humans could exist on other planets, but not in the usual physical sense. Just as angels are incorporeal and can be said to “inhabit” a location, the same might be true of those who have died. Consider, for example, fallen angels—also called demons, devils, or evil spirits. Exorcists recognize the reality of haunted houses or objects. In everyday language, we say that a haunted house is “inhabited” or “possessed” by one or more demons, or that a possessed person is inhabited by demons. For instance, the Exorcist Files podcast featured an episode about a music box said to be haunted—or “inhabited”—by a demon.

This phenomenon is also reflected in Scripture. Mark 5:11–13 recounts:

“And there was there near the mountain a great herd of swine, feeding. And the spirits besought him, saying: Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And Jesus immediately gave them leave. And the unclean spirits going out, entered into the swine: and the herd with great violence was carried headlong into the sea, being about two thousand, and were stifled in the sea.”

Notice that the fallen angels “entered the swine” and asked Jesus to let them do so. This is noteworthy because angels, being incorporeal, do not occupy physical space in the same way humans do—a point we discussed earlier in our consideration of how angels can “inhabit” locations. The passage illustrates that Scripture itself employs the term “inhabiting” to describe the presence of spiritual beings within physical forms or specific locations.

Scripture also contains several references to demons “inhabiting” or “roaming about” the Earth:

• “Be sober and watch: because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
• “And the Lord said to [Satan]: Whence comest thou? And he answered and said: I have gone round about the earth, and walked through it.” (Job 1:7)

If demons can “inhabit” or “roam about” the Earth, it is conceivable that the same could be true of other planets by angels if God permitted it, as St. Thomas Aquinas himself affirmed.

Human Souls and the Limbo of Children

So, what happens to humans when they die? At death, the soul separates from the body. According to Catholic theology, the soul then goes to one of several destinations: Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Limbo, or sometimes remains temporarily on Earth. The Limbo of the Patriarchs ended at the moment of Christ’s Resurrection, as Scripture describes:

“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.” (Matthew 27:51–53)

In this account, the souls were temporarily present on Earth, appearing to many. Similarly, some exorcists report instances of souls spending portions of Purgatory on Earth, manifesting in ways that call for prayers or Masses to relieve their suffering. Saints, too, have reported visions of souls from Purgatory, Heaven, or even Hell temporarily appearing on Earth.

Even though the Limbo of the Patriarchs was emptied, the Limbo of the Children remains. Catholic theology teaches that unbaptized children who die before reaching the age of reason go to this Limbo. They cannot enter Hell, having never sinned, but they cannot enter Heaven prior to the General Judgment because they were unbaptized (as will be explained in greater detail below).

Where is the Limbo of the Children located? It cannot be in Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory. It may or may not be on Earth, but Scripture affirms that the present earth will be destroyed at the End of Time and replaced by a new heaven and a new earth (Apocalypse 21:1). Therefore, if these souls temporarily reside on Earth, it is only provisional. Could they inhabit other planets? Theoretically, this is possible. The Limbo of the Children is described as a place of perfect natural happiness, so God could have placed these souls on one or more planets beyond Earth.

In this sense, they could “inhabit” these locations in the same way angels or fallen angels (demons) can inhabit places, objects, or even people. Departed human souls (prior to the Resurrection), angels, and fallen angels do not have physical bodies, yet they can still be said to inhabit places. Thus, it is theoretically possible that some of these departed children inhabit one or more planets.

After the resurrection of the body, these children will receive their bodies. The possession of a resurrected body necessarily implies a relation to place, raising the question: what “place” will their resurrected bodies occupy? If the Limbo of the Children is understood, prior to the resurrection, as a purely spiritual state, then once bodily resurrection occurs it becomes necessary to account for a corresponding physical mode of existence. Where, then, would such a place be located?

In several dictations reported by Maria Valtorta, it is affirmed that unbaptized children and other innocently just souls remain in Limbo without punishment until the end of time, and that, at the Last Judgment, through the infinite merits of Christ, Limbo is emptied and these souls are admitted into Heaven. While such claims cannot be regarded as doctrinal, it is acceptable within Catholic theology to speculate about this possibility, provided it is clearly presented as theological reflection rather than defined teaching.

The Church has never dogmatically defined the fate of unbaptized infants, nor the permanence of Limbo. Catholic tradition, as reflected in the Catholic Encyclopedia, holds that unbaptized infants, while deprived of the beatific vision (objective loss), enjoy perfect natural happiness, free from any positive or subjective suffering.3 Their state prior to the resurrection is understood to be consistent with justice and mercy, and no definitive teaching addresses their fate after the General Judgment.

Some Catholic theologians have articulated positions that indirectly support the possibility of post-General-Judgment admission to the beatific vision. Among them is Cardinal Thomas de Vio (Cajetan) (1469–1534). Cajetan does not teach that the deprivation of the beatific vision for unbaptized infants must be eternal. By affirming that God is not bound to the sacraments, he allows for the theological possibility that sanctifying grace may be conferred upon infants dying without sacramental baptism in an extraordinary manner.

Ludwig Ott, in Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, explains:4

“The spiritual rebirth of young infants can be achieved in an extra-sacramental manner through baptism by blood (cf. the baptism by blood of the children of Bethlehem). Other emergency means of baptism for children dying without sacramental baptism, such as prayer and desire of the parents of the Church (vicarious baptism of desire—Cajetan), or the attainment of the use of reason in the moment of death, so that the dying child can decide for or against God (baptism of desire—H. Klee), or suffering and death of the child as quasi-Sacrament (baptism of suffering—H. Schell), are indeed possible, but their actuality cannot be proved from Revelation (cf. D 712).”

It should be noted that, contrary to some older theological summaries, it is not a defined article of Catholic faith that unbaptized infants are eternally excluded from the beatific vision. While traditional theology, including the work of St. Thomas Aquinas and many scholastics, held that such souls are deprived of supernatural happiness due to original sin, this was a widely held theological opinion, not a solemnly defined dogma. The Church has never definitively taught what happens to these souls after death or following the General Judgment. Contemporary magisterial guidance, such as the 2007 statement of the International Theological Commission, emphasizes that it is permissible to hope that God, in His mercy, provides a way of salvation for these infants. Private revelations, such as those reported by Maria Valtorta, suggesting that they may ultimately receive the beatific vision after the General Judgment, remain within the realm of speculative theology. Very few theologians have discussed the possibility of the Limbo of the Children ceasing after the General Judgment.

Enoch, Elijah, and the Physicality of the Limbo of the Patriarchs

Another intriguing theological conundrum concerns Enoch and Elijah, both of whom were taken up by God without undergoing death (see Genesis 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11). According to Christian tradition, Enoch and Elijah are unique in having been taken by God to the Limbo of the Patriarchs with their bodies intact, unlike the rest of the righteous who died prior to Christ. This raises an interesting question: if their bodies remained intact, the Limbo of the Patriarchs must have been, in some sense, a physical place capable of accommodating physical bodies. If it was not located on Earth, then where was it? Could it have been on another planet? Or perhaps in some realm outside the physical universe—and thus outside of time—yet still distinct from Heaven? It could not have been Heaven itself, since no human being was admitted into Heaven prior to Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection, when He opened its gates.

Summary of Interpretations

I believe the most plausible explanation for the phrase “inhabited worlds” remains the simplest one: the presence of non-rational life such as plants, animals, or microorganisms. This interpretation is straightforward, easily understood, non-contradictory, and consistent with both theology and reason. Nevertheless, the possibility that angels or departed human souls—particularly those in the Limbo of the Children—could “inhabit” other worlds remains a theoretical alternative or supplementary explanation.

Regardless of which interpretation proves correct, Jesus’ revelations to Maria Valtorta make one point unmistakably clear. He affirms that man is “the perfect creature, superior to all beings living in time and in the world.” Since the entire material universe exists within time, “living in time” necessarily includes all planets and everything material within them. Jesus further states, “God can get only love from Creation, and that love, which is intelligent and free only in angels and in men, is the glory of God, the joy of angels, the religion for men.” Here, He affirms that only angels and humans are capable of intelligent and free love—that is, only angels and humans possess rational intelligence and free will. This excludes the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life (“aliens”) in the sense commonly imagined in science fiction. The sole exception would be humans themselves when they travel beyond Earth—for example, to the Moon or aboard space stations. In that strictly literal sense, humans in space could be described as “extraterrestrial intelligent life,” since they are intelligent beings temporarily located outside the Earth.

Earth as the “Most Corrupt” Planet

When Jesus says that the Earth is the “most corrupt” planet, this does not necessarily mean that other planets are morally corrupt in the sense of having inhabitants who have personally sinned. Scripture teaches that through one man—Adam—sin entered the world (Romans 5:12). Numerous scholars note that the Greek term translated as “world” can also mean the entire cosmos or universe, not merely the Earth. Likewise, through one man—who is also God, Jesus Christ—sin is forgiven and redemption is made possible.

Following original sin, the effects of sin extended beyond humanity and even beyond the Earth itself. The entire universe was affected, as sin introduced disorder into creation as a whole. From this perspective, other planets could be described as “corrupted” insofar as they participate in this cosmic disorder. Their relative corruptness, however, would not result from moral failure by rational beings on those planets, but from the universal consequences of humanity’s fall.

If plant, animal, or bacterial life exists on other planets, it would likely be subject to death, just as life on Earth is. Physical corruption—manifested in sickness, death, and entropy—is distinct from moral corruption but still a form of disorder. In fact, death has already occurred beyond Earth: astronauts have died in space, as discussed in the article “Has Anyone Ever Died in Space?” There is nothing intrinsic to non-Earth planets that would exempt life from death.

Moreover, Scripture teaches that even the just fall: “A just man falls seven times a day” (Proverbs 24:17). If one accepts the Moon landings as historical, humans have already set foot on another celestial body. It is therefore possible that human sin has already extended beyond the Earth itself—albeit onto a body that is not technically a planet.

Since the source of human sin began on Earth and humanity continues to commit innumerable sins each day, it is entirely appropriate for Jesus to call Earth the “most corrupt” planet.

In summary, any reference to other planets being “corrupt” can be understood as referring to the universal effects of original sin and physical decay, rather than the existence of morally culpable rational beings.

Humanity as Assailants of Other Planets

This is not directly related to the question at hand, but it is worth noting that in another dictation Jesus does speak of humanity in the context of potentially becoming “assailants of other planets.” Here is the relevant excerpt from the dictation:5

God does not change. He adapts to your changes, to your – let's even call it – evolution, in the settings of His work, but the core of it, the true content of His teaching in what is not a matter of the passing life, but a question of the soul that does not die, remains and always will remain that, even if the Earth were still to remain the Earth for a thousand or ten thousand years and man were to reach such material evolution – note carefully – as would enable him to abolish the laws of space, gravity, and velocity and became nearly omnipresent through instruments annulling separation, towards which man is headed and which you designate with scientific names such as television, telephoto, and other similar ones, or, through other instruments, he were to abolish the impossibility of acting at a distance, creating radio controls which will unleash on earth the demoniacal vengeance of deflagrations at a distance, lethal rays, and similar creations with a Satanic mark.

I can never tell you – even if you manage to become the assailants of other planets and the creators of rays as powerful as the ray of my sun and the interceptors of waves which abolish the most immense distances for hearing and sight – that it is licit to abolish the Law of Charity, Continence, Sincerity, Honesty, and Humility. No, I can never, ever tell you that. But, rather, now and always I tell you, and will tell you, “May you be blessed if you use the intellect for discoveries serving the common good. May you be accursed if you prostitute your intelligence by illicit commerce with Evil to give birth to works of wickedness and destruction.” [bolded emphasis added]

In this context, the phrase “assailants of other planets” appears to function as a hypothetical or prophetic description of humanity’s potential technological reach, rather than as an affirmation that such planets are already inhabited by rational beings. The emphasis of the passage is moral and spiritual, not speculative astronomy: no level of technological advancement—however vast—can justify abandoning God’s moral law.

Vatican Astronomy and Extraterrestrial Speculation

Related discussions sometimes cite a 1997 interview with Fr. Malachi Martin, Ph.D., on Coast to Coast AM, a late-night radio program known for exploring paranormal and fringe topics. In that interview, Fr. Martin was asked why the Vatican was heavily invested in deep-space research at the Mt. Graham Observatory. He suggested that individuals at the highest levels of the Vatican and global geopolitics might be aware of unusual or significant developments in space that could have major implications in the coming years.

This comment is often quoted by UFO enthusiasts as implying that the Vatican was tracking something significant in space, potentially with implications for extraterrestrial life. However, there is no verified evidence that the Vatican actually has secret information about extraterrestrials or is tracking a hidden object approaching Earth. The astronomers actually associated with the Vatican Observatory study standard astronomical phenomena and have publicly stated they are searching for signs of life in a scientific context.6 Public statements from Vatican astronomers emphasize that so far there is no sign of intelligent life elsewhere, and that science must guide any such investigations. Fr. Malachi’s claim, as circulated in UFO and conspiracy circles, is that Vatican leadership privately knew or suspected something significant in space, but this comes from a radio interview and is not a documented Vatican position. Official Vatican science, by contrast, involves the Vatican Observatory, which conducts mainstream astronomy and expresses openness to the possibility of extraterrestrial life in a scientific sense, not based on secret revelations.

The Importance of Footnotes and Commentary in Mystical and Scriptural Texts

As an example of why footnotes and interpretive guidance are essential, consider Genesis 6:5–7, where God is described as “repenting” for having created man. Taken literally, this would be heretical, since God is immutable and cannot make mistakes. A reliable biblical commentary explains:7

“It repented him: God, who is unchangeable, is not capable of repentance, grief, or any other passion. But these expressions are used to declare the enormity of the sins of men, which was so provoking as to determine their Creator to destroy these his creatures, whom before He had so much favored.”

Similar clarifications are often needed throughout Scripture and other mystical writings. In the case of Maria Valtorta, a footnote could be highly beneficial for passages that are potentially confusing, such as:

“The term ‘lives’ in this passage may refer to angels, non-rational creatures (plants, animals, microorganisms), souls in Limbo, or could be understood metaphorically.”

Other examples from Scripture illustrate the same principle:


These examples demonstrate that Scripture, mystical writings, and even approved Church teachings often contain passages that are difficult, seemingly contradictory, or context-dependent. Footnotes, commentaries, and explanations are not optional—they are necessary for proper understanding.

Therefore, it is inconsistent—and indeed hypocritical—for someone to claim that:
  1. A phrase or passage in Valtorta’s writings should never require a footnote for correct understanding.
  2. Every mystical or scriptural statement must be perfectly clear on its face value, so that anyone, regardless of intellectual capacity, can understand it without explanation.

Footnotes and commentary are not a concession of weakness; they are essential tools for truth, clarity, and faithful interpretation.

Conclusion: Clarifying Valtorta on Extraterrestrial Life

In examining the passages often cited as evidence that Maria Valtorta wrote about extraterrestrial life, it becomes clear that such claims are based on misinterpretation. Valtorta herself never affirms the existence of intelligent, rational life beyond Earth in the sense popularized by science fiction. Her writings consistently distinguish between beings capable of free will and rational love—humans and angels—and other forms of life, which may include animals, plants, or microorganisms.

When she refers to “inhabited worlds,” the most straightforward and coherent interpretation is that these are worlds teeming with non-rational life, reflecting the vastness and richness of God’s creation, rather than populated by alien intelligences. Theologically, only humans and angels can act with rational intelligence and freely love God, a point Valtorta explicitly conveys through her dictations attributed to Jesus.

Alternative interpretations—such as angels or the souls of the Limbo of the Children “inhabiting” worlds—remain possible but are secondary explanations, consistent with Catholic theology and not implying science-fiction-style extraterrestrials. Likewise, references to the Earth as the “most corrupt” planet reflect the spiritual and moral effects of sin on creation, not evidence of alien civilizations.

In summary, careful contextual reading and theological reflection show that Valtorta’s works are consistent with Church teaching and reason. Alleged references to extraterrestrial life are better understood as metaphorical, symbolic, or descriptive of non-rational life forms, rather than claims about intelligent beings on other planets. By clarifying this distinction, we can approach her writings with both fidelity and intellectual honesty, appreciating their spiritual and theological depth without importing speculative assumptions.

References

1. Maria Valtorta, The Notebooks: 1943, Centro Editoriale Valtortiano, August 22, 1943, pp. 261-262. ISBN-13: 9788879870320.
Click Here to Jump Back to Footnote 1 in the Text

2. Maria Valtorta, The Poem of the Man-God, Volume 5, Chapter 553, pp. 123-126; The Gospel as Revealed to Me, Volume 9, Chapter 555, pp. 17-20.
Click Here to Jump Back to Footnote 2 in the Text

3. Patrick Toner, “Limbo,” The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 9, New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. New Advent, accessed December 22, 2025.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09256a.htm
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4. Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, Translated by Patrick Henry Reardon, Rockford, IL: TAN Books and Publishers, Inc., 1974. Book 2, Section 2, Chapter 2, III, no. 25, “The Lot of Children Dying in Original Sin.”
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5. Maria Valtorta, The Notebooks: 1943, Centro Editoriale Valtortiano, September 17, 1943, pp. 315-316. ISBN-13: 9788879870320.
Click Here to Jump Back to Footnote 5 in the Text

6. Ary Waldir Ramos, “Are We Alone in the Universe? Vatican Astronomer Answers,” EWTN Vatican, August 15, 2023.
https://ewtnvatican.com/articles/are-we-alone-in-the-universe-vatican-astronomer-answers-1404
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7. The Douay-Rheims Bible, “Genesis Chapter 6,” DRBO.org: Douay-Rheims Bible Online.
https://www.drbo.org/chapter/01006.htm
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