Padre Pio - born Francesco Forgione, 25.5.1887, in Pietrelcina, Beneventu, Italy.
Died 23.9.1968 in San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy.
Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1999.
Canonised by Pope John Paul II in 2002.
Feast Day - 23 September
Padre Pio - Roberto
Dughetti/Lucia Dughetti (1966) (Wikipedia)
I have recently finished reading ‘Padre
Pio, Man of Hope’ by Renzo Allegri, published by Servant Books, St Anthony
Messenger Press, Ohio, which I thoroughly enjoyed and strongly recommend.
My knowledge of St Padre Pio and his life was
minimal, limited to the facts that he was an Italian Franciscan priest,
renowned for his holiness, who bore the Stigmata throughout his religious
life.
Having read this book I now know much more,
particularly with regard to Padre Pio’s great love of God and his
love of people, and his holy acceptance of suffering, physical and
moral. As well as the pain experienced from the Stigmata, Padre Pio
suffered from generally poor health throughout his life. Additionally he
was the innocent victim of malicious rumours spread by certain secular clergy,
resulting in the Holy Office imposing humiliating restrictions on his priestly
freedom, restrictions which lasted for many years. Padre Pio was finally
and completely exonerated from any wrong-doing, and his accusers shamed.
Padre Pio first received the Stigmata when he was
23 years old, shortly after his ordination to the priesthood. This remained
with him until his death in 1968, aged 81 years. When preparing his body for
burial no trace of the stigmata was found. Perhaps this was not so surprising,
for when he first received the Stigmata , he prayed in his humility, that it be
hidden from view of others, without any lessening of the pain endured by him.
At the end his prayer was answered.
In his life, Padre Pio always looked to the future
in a spirit of optimism, faith and love, with incredible, some would say
miraculous, results. An example of this was the planning and overseeing, with
others, of the construction of the 'House for the Relief of Suffering’, a
hospital for everyone rich and poor, which today is one of the largest, most
well-equipped and efficient hospitals in the south of Italy.
'House for the
Relief of Suffering', San Giovanni Rotondo. (Mazaki) (Wikileaks)
Of Padre Pio’s spiritual stature, Cardinal Siri had this to say; “With the Stigmata which he bore throughout his life and with the other physical and moral sufferings he endured, Padre Pio calls our attention to the body of Christ as a means of salvation. Jesus died on the cross for us, and the entire theology of redemption rests on this truth, one of the principal tenets of our faith. This truth is so important … and men have forgotten it…. and God has sent us this man with the task of calling us back to the truth.” (ack. ‘Padre Pio, Man of Hope’)
Bilocation, levitation, mind-reading,
premonition, and clairvoyance, are some of the phenomena known to have been
associated with Padre Pio during his life, as were numerous miracles.
In his monastic cell, on many occasions
he suffered violent physical assaults by devils, also continual spiritual
torments.
I have only touched the tip of the
iceberg as far as Padre Pio’s life is concerned. For a fuller introduction you
need to read this book or any of the many books written about this humble
Saint.
Even the little I have learnt has truly
been a revelation, and I intend to try to deepen my faith by learning more of
Padre Pio’s life, and praying for his intercession to Our Lord and His Blessed
Mother, for myself and all those dear to me.
This post is just a brief introduction
to Padre Pio, but I include at the end a video recording events, people, and places, during and after his life, which is fascinating and occasionally very moving. I urge you to make time to watch it, or at least some of it, if you
possibly can. You will not regret it.
Saint Padre Pio, pray for us.
