SAINT FOR THE MONTH
Feast: September 23
(1887-1968)
Like the Apostle Paul, Padre Pio de
Pietrelcina placed at the centre of his life and apostolic work the
Cross of his Lord as his strength, his wisdom and his glory.
Inflamed by love of Jesus Christ, he became like Him in the
sacrifice of himself for the salvation of the world. In his
following and imitation of the Crucified Christ he was so generous
and perfect that he could have said: “I have been
crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who
lives in me” (Galatians 2:20).
This worthy follower of Saint Francis of Assisi was born on 25 May
1887 at Pietrelcina in the Archdiocese of Benevento, the son of
Grazio Forgione and Maria Giuseppa De Nunzio. On 6 January 1903, at
the age of sixteen, he entered the Capuchin Friars at Morcone. He
took the Franciscan habit and the name Brother Pio. At the end of
his novitiate year he took simple vows, and on 27 January 1907 made
his solemn profession. After he was ordained priest on 10 August
1910 at Benevento, he stayed at home with his family until 1916 for
health reasons. In September of that year he was sent to the friary
of San Giovanni Rotondo and remained there until his death.
Filled with love of GOD and love of neighbor, Padre Pio lived to
the full his vocation to work for the redemption of man, in
accordance with the special mission which marked his entire life
and which he exercised through the spiritual direction of the
faithful. The pinnacle of his apostolic activity was the
celebration of Holy Mass
On the level of social charity, he committed himself to relieving
the pain and suffering of many families, chiefly through the
foundation of the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (House for the
Relief of Suffering), opened on 5 May 1956.
For Padre Pio, faith was life: he willed everything and did
everything in the light of faith. He was assiduously devoted to
prayer. He passed the day and a large part of the night in
conversation with GOD. He would say: “In books we seek
GOD, in prayer we find Him. Prayer is the key which opens GOD's
heart”. Faith led
him always to accept GOD's mysterious will.
He demonstrated to the full his love of neighbor by welcoming, for
more than fifty years, countless people who had recourse to his
ministry and his confessional. But especially in the poor, the
suffering and the sick he saw the image of Christ, and he gave
himself particularly to them.
He understood very early in life that his would be the way of the
Cross, and he accepted it with courage and out of love. For many
years, he experienced spiritual sufferings. For years he endured
the pains of his wounds with admirable serenity. When he had
to submit to investigations and restrictions in his priestly
ministry, he accepted everything with humility and
resignation
From his youth, his
health was not very robust, and in the last years of his life it
declined rapidly. Death took him well-prepared and serene on 23
September 1968 at the age of eighty-one. An extraordinary gathering
of people attended his funeral. In the years following his
death, his reputation for sanctity and miracles grew steadily, and
became established in the Church, all over the world and among all
kinds of people. On 28 February 2002 the Decree for his
Canonization was promulgated.