Padre Pio

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Padre Pio was born in the village of Pietrelcina, Italy, on May 25, 1887, and was named Francesco Forgione (was the son of a shepherd). Religion was the center of life for both Pietrelcina and the Forgione family. The family was described as “the God-is-everything-people" because they attended Daily Mass, prayed the Rosary nightly and fasted three days a week from meat in honor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. Sacred Scripture was memorized and the children were told Bible stories. When Padre Pio was five years old, he consecrated himself to Jesus. Furthermore, he liked to sing hymns, play church and preferred to be by himself where he could read and pray. In 1902 (when he was 15 years old) he entered the novitiate of the Capuchin Friars. On the day of his investiture, he took the name of Pio in honor of Saint Pius V, the patron saint of Pietrelcina, and was called Fra, for brother, until his priestly ordination. Even though he suffered from poor health, Pio completed the required studies and was ordained a Franciscan priest in August 1910.

On September 7, 1910, as Padre Pio was praying in the Piana Romana, Jesus and Mary appeared to him and gave him the wounds of Christ, the Stigmata. He, however, asked Jesus to take away the Stigmata saying, " I do want to suffer, even to die of suffering, but all in secret." The wounds went away and this supernatural aspect of Padre Pio’s life remained a secret – but only for a short period of time.

Due to his on-going ill health, Padre Pio was sent home to recuperate and was separated from his religious community from the end of 1911 – 1916. In September, 1916, he was ordered to return to his community life and was assigned to San Giovanni Rotondo, an agricultural community, located in the Gargano Mountains.

Eight years later, on September 20, 1918, whilst praying before a cross in the choir loft after Mass, Padre Pio again received the wounds of Our Lord, in his hands, feet and later on, his side. Word spread, especially after American soldiers brought home stories of Padre Pio following the Second World War, and the priest himself became a point of pilgrimage.

Pio’s life was filled with controversy. In June, 1922, the Orders of the Holy Office (today the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) began to restrict the public's access to Padre Pio. From 1924 to 1931, various statements of the Holy See denied the supernaturality of Padre Pio's phenomena. In June, 1931, (on the Feast of Corpus Christi), Padre Pio was ordered by the Holy See to desist from all activities except the celebration of the Mass, which was to be in private. In early 1933, however, Pope Pius XI ordered the Holy Office to reverse its ban on the public celebration of Mass. The following year, Padre Pio’s faculties were progressively restored - first the confessions of men were allowed (March 1934) and then of women. (May 1934).

Regarding confession, he would hear confessions by the hour, reportedly able to read the consciences of those who held back (For more information on Pio the Confessor, check out http://www.ewtn.com/padrepio/priest/Confessor.htm). It is also reported that he was able to bilocate, levitate, and heal by touch. In 1956 he founded the House for the Relief of Suffering, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year.

Padre Pio’s masses were also extraordinarily popular. The people would line up near the church door by 4:00 in the morning, or even earlier. Once the Mass commenced, it lasted anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours. Pio constantly emphasized the importance of Mass:
“It is easier for the earth to exist without the sun, than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass”.

“When attending Holy Mass, renew your faith and meditate on that Victim who is being immolated for you in order to appease Divine Justice. Do not leave the altar without shedding tears of pain and of love for Jesus who was crucified for your eternal well-being”.
“Every holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual and material graces which we ourselves, do not know.”

Regarding confession, he would hear confessions by the hour, reportedly able to read the consciences of those who held back (For more information on Pio the Confessor, check out http://www.ewtn.com/padrepio/priest/Confessor.htm). It is also reported that he was able to bilocate, levitate, and heal by touch. In 1956 he founded the House for the Relief of Suffering, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year.

Padre Pio and the Stigmata

Padre Pio bore the wounds of Jesus on his hands, feet, and side for approximately 50 years. Several days before he died, however, all evidence of the wounds disappeared. In October, 1918, Padre Pio wrote to his spiritual advisor, Padre Benedetto, describing how he received the stigmata: "On the morning of the 20th of last month, in the choir, after I had celebrated Mass, I yielded to drowsiness similar to a sweet sleep. All the internal and external senses and even the very faculties of my soul were immersed in indescribable stillness. Absolute silence surrounded and invaded me. I was suddenly filled with great peace and abandonment which effaced everything else and caused a lull in the turmoil. All this happened in a flash. "While this was taking place, I saw before me a mysterious person similar to the one I had seen on the evening of 5 August. The only difference was that his hands and feet and side were dripping blood. The sight terrified me and what I felt at that moment is indescribable. I thought I should die and really should have died if the Lord had not intervened and strengthened my heart which was about to burst out of my chest. "The vision disappeared and I became aware that my hands, feet and side were dripping blood. Imagine the agony I experienced and continue to experience almost every day. The heart wound bleeds continually, especially from Thursday evening until Saturday. Dear Father, I am dying of pain because of the wounds and the resulting embarrassment I feel in my soul. I am afraid I shall bleed to death if the Lord does not hear my heartfelt supplication to relieve me of this condition. Will Jesus, who is so good, grant me this grace? Will he at least free me from the embarrassment caused by these outward signs? I will raise my voice and will not stop imploring him until in his mercy he takes away, not the wound or the pain, which is impossible since I wish to be inebriated with pain, but these outward signs which cause me such embarrassment and unbearable humiliation" (Letters 1, No. 511).

For a further explanation of stigmata, please check out http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14294b.htm

Padre Pio's Daily Life As a Capuchin

3:00 a.m. His day began. He liked to spend several hours in prayer and meditation before Mass.
He would not celebrate Mass prior to 5:00 a.m.
Celebration of Mass – could last up to 2 hours
Padre Pio would bless, meet, and talk to people in the sacristy while vesting
After Mass and removing his vestments, Padre Pio would proceed to the choir on the balcony above the small church and make prayers of thanksgiving.
Then he heard confessions – all morning (would take a morning break) and several hours in the afternoon

12:00 Noon – would have lunch in the friary refectory
After lunch would go into the garden for 30 minutes of recreation
Would then take a short siesta
Pray a rosary
Early afternoon joined the community for afternoon Office
Would have private prayer time in the choir, sometimes for 2 hours
Would then work on correspondence

Mid Afternoon – resumed hearing confessions
4:30 p.m. Vespers and Benediction
Go into the garden for ten or fifteen minutes
At supper would join his community for juice and a cracker (By 1950, he was eating only an ounce of food a day.)
At sundown he would bless the people underneath the window of the choir

In the evening he would confer with other priests, deliver a lecture in town, or work on more correspondence

Late in the evening Padre Pio joined the community in Compline, the Night Office
The rest of the community would go to sleep; Padre Pio would study Scripture and pray
Nightly he would visit Padre Agostino’s room and get his blessing
Go to his room and read the Bible until 12:45 a.m., until it was time for Matins.
Then he would join 20 friars in the choir
At 1:30 a.m. would lie down.