Celebrating With Saint Padre Pio

Celebrating with the Saints: Padre Pio

Feast Day: September 23

Have you ever been “stalked” by the saints? A wonderful young friend of mine introduced me to this concept. She told me that she was being stalked by a particular saint. I asked her what she meant. She said have you ever had a saint that just kept popping up everywhere (books, movies, talking with friends)? No matter where you turn, there they seem to be. Sometimes a saint “stalks us” when they are trying to befriend us. They keep popping up until we pay attention. So much insight for a young lady in her early teens. I knew exactly what she meant because Padre Pio was just such a “stalker” in my life. 

I don’t recall when I first heard about him and I don’t know what attracted me to him initially. One day when I was packing up my apartment to move into my new house, I saw a Padre Pio book on my shelf. I thought to myself, “You know, Marisa, you have had this for a few months but have not read it yet. You really need to sit down and read it. Pio was supposedly a great saint.” A couple books over was another book on Padre Pio. I thought, “I don’t remember buying this. Wow! Now I have 2 books to read.” This went on. By the time I had my whole bookcase packed up, I had discovered more than 5 books and prayerbooks on Padre Pio that I did NOT recall buying. This may not seem strange to you but I have a pretty good memory for when and where I acquire things; what someone said to me 5 min ago, or what I had for breakfast, not so much but where I got each and every cross on my wall, yes. In the next couple weeks, I kept hearing his name and seeing his images. He would pop up in a homily, I would go to a friends’ home who would have a picture of him front and center. It was eerie. So I started reading. Turns out he experienced the stigmata which is a common theme among my team of “Warrior Saints”. He also was blessed to call St. Francis of Assisi his Patron Saint. St Francis happens to be my patron saint and once when unexpectantly confessing to a young Irish priest, Padre Pio burst into tears. The young priest began to console him, Padre Pio said, “Listen, my son, you think, like many others, that sin is the breaking of the law, but it’s not that but infidelity to love.” YES! That is exactly why I cry every time I go to reconciliation! He put it into words what I was not able to form or piece together myself. It was as if he reached into my heart, mind and soul and said exactly what I had wanted so much to say but didn’t know how. What I had never been able to put my finger on. At one point I discovered a prayer asking Padre Pio to be my spiritual father. I didn’t hesitate, So if you aren’t familiar with him, let me introduce you. If you do know him but not well, let me help you get to know him better. Below his biography you will find a few ideas and suggestions for celebrating his feast day.

Biography

*Born: 25-May-1887. (Francesco Forgione)

*Died: 23-Sept-1968

*Country of Origin: Italy

*Holy Order: Capuchin Franciscan

*Patron Saint of: Pietrelcina, Italy…civil defense…volunteers…and adolescents.

*Spiritual Abilities/Gifts: 

• First stigmatized priest in recorded Catholic history. (All 5 wounds of Christ) lasting the majority of his life.
• Ability to read souls during Reconciliation
• Bilocation
• Ability to speak with and see his Guardian Angel and other angels
• Great obedience
• Miraculous healings
• ecstasy
• levitation
• Mystic

*Case for Canonization open: 1982 by Archbishop of Manfredonia 

*Blessed: 1990 “Servant of God Padre Pio”

*Venerated: 1997 by St. Pope John Paul II “Venerable Padre Pio”

*Beatified: 2-May-1999 by St. Pope John Paul II “Blessed Padre Pio”

*Canonized: by St. Pope John Paul II

*Body: Partially incorrupt. (Though his body was well preserved at exhumation, his head was predominantly skeletal, thus a life like mask was created for display of his remains.)

Francesco Forgone was born in a small poor farming town in southern Italy. His parents were poor in money but Pio recalls he had everything he needed which, at this time, left a boy considering himself “happy”. Though unwealthy Francescos’ family, as well as his community, were deeply religious. His extraordinary life began at the tender age of 5 years old when he recalls The Lord Jesus touching his hand and telling him that he would be His faithful follower. His mother once stated, he was always different from other children. He was given the gift of seeing and speaking with his guardian angel as well as Jesus and Mary. Padre Pio offered himself to Christ as a victim soul and thus was plagued with great illness and diabolical attacks throughout his life. Though he was still seen joyful and peaceful by others. When Francesco was determined to be responsible enough, he was given charge of a few sheep to look after on the farm. He recalls when food was available, children would be given a chunk of bread and sent out to the fields to complete their work. For most young boys the bread was placed loose in their pocket to be eaten as they walk. Francescos’ mother, however, would wrap his bread in a napkin. Once he got to the field he would sit on the ground ceremonially unwrapping his food and eating it. Any crumbs that fell, he would pick up, kiss and eat. He wasted nothing and took nothing for granted. Once, when someone asked where another child was Francesco spoke somewhat incredulously at them saying “Why do you ask me where he is? Why don’t you just ask your angel he can tell you where they are.” He was completely unaware that others were not able to see and converse with their angel, as he was. One tradition tells of a time when Francesco and his father were in prayer at church. Francesco noticed a young girl with a disability. Her mother had brought her to church to pray for her. He was so moved with a desire to help, he prayed that Jesus would heal her. Jesus told him that if he promised to never ask for healing for himself that he would be allowed to heal any person he wished. Young Francesco approached the young girl and healed her. This would be just one of countless healings that Padre Pio would offer over the course of his life. When young Pio told his parents he wished to attend seminary, Francescos’ father would travel to America to work, earn money and send it back to Italy to pay for Francescos’ private education and seminary. At 15 Pio was allowed to enter the Capuchin order as a novitiate. 

Ordained a priest in 1910, despite great health concerns, Pio offered his first Holy Mass a few days later. Pio first received the stigmata as invisible pain with no physical wounds present. When visible wounds did appear, he was deeply and unbearably humiliated by the physical appearance of his wounds and begged The Lord to take away the outward signs and allow him to suffer in private. For a time his request was granted. On 20-September 1918, while hearing confession, his wounds returned and would be visible for the remainder of his life (The next 50years) only disappearing in the last few days of his life. The stigmatic wounds reportedly smelled of perfume. He grew a large and faithful following of devout christians who came to witness his masses and hope to see his bleeding hands. He also attracted much skepticism from the pope as well as other priests. Pio would suffer great scrutiny as a result of his stigmata and even have much of his faculties removed due to the belief that he was faking his condition to garner attention and admiration. He was so doubted that secret recording devices were placed in his private room and even within the confessional to record his confessions. Pope John XXIII was alerted to this and though he, to his credit, was believed to have refused to listen to the tapes himself, he believed that the claims of Pios’ deception were credible and denied Pios’ miraculous signs. Pio, being extremely shy, would often deny others their request to see his wounds he kept them covered with mittens. This was partly from his hatred for the attention that it brought him and partly out of obedience to the popes’ request for him to keep it private. During investigation, none of Padre Pios’ miracles we able to be proven but those who he had healed never retracted their claims. In 1933 Pope Pius XI began the restoration of Padre Pio’s reputation by stating “”I have not been badly disposed toward Padre Pio, but I have been badly informed.” His faculties (the right to offer Mass publicly and hear confessions was reinstated and continued for the rest of his life. Pope Paul VI, dismissed all criticism doubt and accusations of Pio in the mid 1960s.

[Pio held a harsh attitude towards vain women, stating: “Women who satisfy their vanity in their dress can never put on the life of Jesus Christ; moreover they even lose the ornaments of their soul as soon as this idol enters into their heart.”

Pio also held to strict rules concerning modesty, and refused confession to women who did not wear skirts that extended a minimum of 8 inches (20 cm) past the knees.^[105] He posted a notice at the entrance of the Church of St. Mary of All Graces in San Giovanni Rotondo, reading: “The Church is the house of God. It is forbidden for men to enter with bare arms or in shorts. It is forbidden for women to enter in trousers, without a veil on their head, in short clothing, low necklines, sleeveless or immodest dresses.”] wikipedia

[As Pio grew older, he became increasingly distrustful of television. After the Second World War, when Pio’s nephew, Ettorne Masone, asked Pio for advice on opening a movie house, Pio warned him to be careful about what movies he would show. Pio stated “You don’t want to contribute to the propagation of evil.”^[111] By the 1960s, Pio was displeased that the Capuchins were now permitted to watch television. To Pio, television was responsible for the destruction of the family life and he strongly warned others not to buy one when asked. On one occasion, when asked about motion pictures, Pio replied “The devil is in it!” On another occasion, Pio told a penitent in confession that the reason the penitent’s car had broken down the day before was because the penitent was driving to a movie theater.] wikipedia

Having founded the Casa Sollievo, [Padre Pio considered the Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza (Casa) his “Work”, inspired and blessed by God, to be a haven of relief from suffering for all of God’s children in pain in body or soul. It is a model community of Catholic Christian health delivery, and has grown into a regional referral center of international renown. Today, with over 1,000 beds and services comparable to most academic research centers of excellence, the Casa is thriving by God’s graces in one of the most remote, desolate and poorest areas of Italy…atop Mount Gargano, four hours from Rome.] -Saint Pio Foundation.org

Padre Pio was greatly troubled by the changes taking place resulting from the second Vatican council. Though he did not like them he was insistent that faithful Catholics must remain obedient to the church’s authority. He immediately wrote the Holy See(The office of the Pope) Requesting special dispensation to continue the Traditional Latin Mass. Dispensation was granted and he continued celebrating the TLM while remaining obedient.

Padre Pio was reported to have levitated during prays of ecstasy, conversing with angels and saints as well as Jesus and healing many. He was also reported, more than once, to have bilocated. When a woman was deeply troubled and requested a visit from Padre Pio, he sat at her home with her and visited her while he was simultaneously offering mass far away. Pio would say that he could not explain how this occurred. He could not say if he was there physically or if his mind traveled there.

Padre Pios’ 5 Rules for Spiritual Growth:

1. Weekly Confession

2. Daily Communion

3. Spiritual Reading

4. Meditation

5. Frequent Examination of Conscience.

Padre Pio is now one of the most beloved and famous saints that we have within the Catholic Church. He was very devoted to daily rosary and said “The person who meditates and turns his mind to God, who is the mirror of his soul, seeks to know his faults, tries to correct them, moderates his impulses, and puts his conscience in order.” Shortly before he died he stated that his real work would begin once he had died. Pio dearly loved his spiritual children and once said he would not enter paradise until the last of his spiritual children entered first and when he takes on a spiritual child he takes on their whole family. Because of this I asked Padre Pio in prayer to be my Spiritual Father. He is dear to me and my life and I pray you will develop a love and relationship with him as well. 

Quotes of Padre Pio: 

Quotes by Padre Pio

“Pray, hope and don’t worry. Worry is useless. Our Merciful Lord will listen to your prayer.”

“The final purpose of meditation is the love of God and one’s neighbor. Love the first with all your soul and without reservation, love the second as another self, and you will have arrived at the final purpose of meditation.”

“Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips, but with your heart. In fact on certain occasions you should only speak to Him with your heart.” 

“Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips, but with your heart. In fact on certain occasions you should only speak to Him with your heart.” 

“The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain” 

“The longer the trial to which God subjects you, the greater the goodness in comforting you during the time of the trial and in the exaltation after the combat.” 

“The most beautiful act of faith is the one made in darkness, in sacrifice, and with extreme effort.” 

“Do not be so given to the activity of Martha as to forget the silence of Mary. May the Virgin who so well reconciled the one with the other be your sweet model and inspiration.”

“It would be easier for the world to exist without the sun than without the Holy Mass.”

“A thousand years of enjoying human glory is not worth even an hour spent sweetly communing with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.”

“In the spiritual life he who does not advance goes backward. It happens as with a boat which always must go ahead. If it stands still the wind will blow it back.”

“Kneel down and render the tribute of your presence and devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Confide all your needs to him, along with those of others. Speak to him with filial abandonment, give free rein to your heart, and give him complete freedom to work in you as he thinks best.”

“Thank and sweetly kiss the hand of God that strikes you, because it is always the hand of a Father who strikes you because he loves you.”

“Where there is no obedience, there is no virtue; there is neither goodness nor love. And where there is no love, there is no God. Without God, we cannot reach Heaven. These virtues form a ladder; if a step is missing, we fall down.”

“Obey promptly! Do not consider the age or merit of a person. And in order to succeed imagine you are obeying the Lord.”

“The demon has only one door by which to enter into our soul: the will; there are no secret doors. No sin is a sin if not committed with the will. When there is no action of the will, there is no sin, but only human weakness.”

Ideas for Celebrating…

As Padre Pio is a relatively recent saint. There are no longstanding traditions for celebrating him but here are some of my thoughts. 

• Display a statue, holy card, or some other image of Padre Pio in a predominant location of your home and/or office to remind you of him throughout the day.
• Since Padre Pio had such a profound and deep love for the Traditional Latin Mass(TLM) Look for a TLM near you and go. This is a wonderful way to honor him. 
• Padre Pio also had the gift of reading souls in the confessional. Take the opportunity to go to Reconciliation. Prepare yourself and make the most sincere confession you are capable of and be urgent in carrying out your act of penance.
• Included above is the link to a 9 day Novena beginning on 14-September and culminating on 23-September (His feast day) Novena’s in honor of a saint are always a wonderful idea.
• Bake a loaf of bread the day before or the morning of his feast. Take it outside, sit on the ground, say a prayer of thanks to The Father and eat your bread in silent meditation. Once done (leave no crumbs) get up and faithfully go about your day.
• After mass go to Our Lady’s candle stand and light 2 candles; one for all those seeking healing, whether physical, spiritual, or physical. The second for the protection of those who suffer the effects of war. Say a pray for each candle you light. 
• Take a small bunch of flowers to leave at the alter under the statue of Our Mother Mary. Padre Pio loved her very much and died with her name on his lips.
• Start a week or so before. Find a biographical book on Padre Pio and read a little each night leading up to his feast day. 
• Find a celebration idea for St Francis of Assisi as he was Padre Pios’ Patron Saint.

Favorite Prayers with Padre Pio

Nine Day Novena leading up to his feast day… https://shrineofpadrepio.com/about-padre-pio

Stay With Me (Prayer after receiving Jesus in The Holy Eucharist) https://padrepiodevotions.org/stay-with-me-lord/

A Prayer for Trust and Confidence in God’s Mercy 

“O Lord, we ask for a boundless confidence and trust in Your divine mercy, and the courage to accept the crosses and sufferings which bring immense goodness to our souls and that of Your Church. Help us to love You with a pure and contrite heart, and to humble ourselves beneath Your cross, as we climb the mountain of holiness, carrying our cross that leads to heavenly glory. May we receive You with great faith and love in Holy Communion, and allow You to act in us as You desire for your greater glory. O Jesus, most adorable Heart and eternal fountain of Divine Love, may our prayer find favor before the Divine Majesty of Your heavenly Father.” Padre Pio

Padre Pio’s Prayer to the Guardian Angel

Angel of God,
my guardian,
to whom the goodness
of the Heavenly Father entrusts me.
Enlighten,
protect and guide me
Now and for ever.
Amen.

Sources:

National Centre for Padre Pio

https://saintpiofoundation.org/saint-pios-biography https://www.padrepio.org/about/

https://www.padrepio.catholicwebservices.com/ENGLISH/Biogr.htm

https://www.padrepiodapietrelcina.com/en/the-life-of-padre-pio-the-years-of-childhood/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padre_Pio

https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/190385.Padre_Pio

https://www.ncregister.com/blog/50-wise-and-wonderful-insights-from-padre-pio

The Joyful Spirit of Padre Pio by Patricia Treece

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