23 September - Feast of St. Padre Pio

[BarbaraTherese]

Memorial
Pio of Pietrelcina



From the Catholic Culture library:

• Biography of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
• The Devil and Padre Pio
• Five Maxims for Living a Devout Life
• His Wounds Spoke of God’s Love for All.
  There are many other documents in the library which may be found by searching for “pio”.

"Always humble yourself lovingly before God and man, because God speaks to those who are truly humble of heart, and enriches them with His gifts." Padre Pio

• Highlights of His Life
• Biography
• The Personality of Padre Pio
• His Home Town, Pietrelcina
• San Giovanni Rotondo
• Biography from L’Osservatore Romano
• The Man
• The Franciscan
• The Priest
  The Mystic
• The Saint
• Multimedia

 

[water]

Thank you, Barb!

Patience paves the way to holiness and perfection

Among the virtues that foster the achievement of holiness and perfection, Padre Pio points to patience: “You may rest assured, my dear friend, that what best guarantees our perfection is the virtue of patience; and if it is necessary to practice this virtue with others, it is right to exercise it first of all towards ourselves. Those who aspire to the pure love of God need patience with themselves even more than with others”.

I really need to ask St. Padre Pio for this part of his intercession.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Thank you, Barb!

I really need to ask St. Padre Pio for this part of his intercession.

…please ask for me too, Water. I will keep you in my own prayers. Isn’t Padre Pio a fascinating character to read about!

I always wondered why in defining Love, St. Paul mentions patience first. Once I tried to consciously develop real patience, both inwardly as well as outwardly, I started to understand.

and if it is necessary to practice this virtue with others, it is right to exercise it first of all towards ourselves.

Those who aspire to the pure love of God need patience with themselves

even more than with others".

Thank you for drawing attention to the above quote…well and truly worth the noting, huh?

Barb

 

[Joysong]

This timely inspirational news was in my email this morning, and I thought our Padre Pio friends might enjoy reading it.

The Secret Story of Padre Pio’s Stigmata

Volume Reveals Report of Vatican Investigator

ROME, SEPT. 22, 2008 (Zenit.org).- A volume detailing the report of a Vatican investigator into Padre Pio gives new information on the wounds of the Passion that the friar suffered.

Padre Pio da Pietrelcina received the stigmata from the crucified Christ, who in an apparition invited the Capuchin friar to unite himself to his passion so as to participate in the salvation of others, particularly consecrated persons: This is what we can know with certainty thanks to the recent opening – at the request of Benedict XVI – of the archives of the former Holy Office up to 1939, which contain information on revelations to Padre Pio that were not previously published.

For more … zenit.org/article-23688?l=english

 

[TurboVW]

Thank you BarbaraTheresa for this beautiful post on Padre Pio!!

Grazie Mille! A thousand thanks!

 

[water]

…please ask for me too, Water. I will keep you in my own prayers. Isn’t Padre Pio a fascinating character to read about!

I always wondered why in defining Love, St. Paul mentions patience first. Once I tried to consciously develop real patience, both inwardly as well as outwardly, I started to understand.

Barb

Thank you, Barb. I’ll be at mass today and pray for you intention. When you feel comfortable to share about this understanding, please share with us. I really love to learn.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Thank you, Barb. I’ll be at mass today and pray for you intention. When you feel comfortable to share about this understanding, please share with us. I really love to learn.

Just acknowledging your Post, Water…I will come back at some later point and reply properly - I am putting your post on my “To do list”. And thank you very much for your prayer, andyou and yours will be in mine.

Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

This timely inspirational news was in my email this morning, and I thought our Padre Pio friends might enjoy reading it.

Thanks for the contribution Carole. Do you get the regular Zenit emails…and if so, did you have problems with receiving them around the time of the Padre Pio stigmata article you quoted? Just for interest sake. I had problems for some reason, but they are arriving now on the normal regular basis.

Blessings, Carole, and regards…Barb

 

[Joysong]

Yes, I have subscribed to Zenit. However, when I post the link, I cannot use the one from my email address, since it won’t take the reader there, so when something of interest comes up, I log on directly to Zenit.org to get the link.

No, I didn’t have any problem receiving emails this week. Maybe they have different mailing lists which are not all sent at the same time?

Carole

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Yes, I have subscribed to Zenit. However, when I post the link, I cannot use the one from my email address, since it won’t take the reader there, so when something of interest comes up, I log on directly to Zenit.org to get the link.

No, I didn’t have any problem receiving emails this week. Maybe they have different mailing lists which are not all sent at the same time?

Carole

Thanks for responding, Carole…I have no idea what happened, but for about 10 days I was not receiving Zenit. Just as I had decided to re register and see what happened, they started up again. The link on the emails I receive work ok for me. I go through my Junk Files when I check emails, just in case something has automatically gone to Junk.
But the Zenit search engine for the archives, which would be very handy indeed, has me completely bamboozled (confused - Aussie again! ). The way I can overcome this is cut and print the details on the email and transfer them to Word and file in a Zenit Document…and then if looking for something use the “Find on This Page” (Edit facility)…but it has only just occured to me that this is the way I can overcome the archive search problem…although I file many matters in a similar manner and it works fine, if perhaps for computer literate people long way round.
Would you happen to know if there is online a good website/discussion forum for computer instructions that is charitable and tolerant to hard to get through to real learners with computers? The Vatican website search facility also has me completely confused and this would be very handy to know too.
I have dragged this thread right off topic, but I think a certain measure of tolerance on this point and leeway allowed is helpful, although if you assess we should, shall we open another thread elsewhere?

Blessings and regards, Carole…Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Hi Water - I’ll try to share some my thoughts about patience and why I think possibly and perhaps Paul mentions patience first.

First EpistlePaul Corinthians

1 If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 4

Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up; 5

Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8 Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.

St. Albert tells us that common sense is the guide of all the virtues and that humility is their foundation. Next, I would put patience. We need to learn patience with ourselves and also patience with The Lord when things just don’t go as we think they should
Isaias
Chapter 55

6 Seek ye the Lord, while he may be found: call upon him, while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unjust man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God: for he is bountiful to forgive.

8

For my thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts. 10 And as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but soak the earth, and water it, and make it to spring, and give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be, which shall go forth from my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall prosper in the things for which I sent it. 12 For you shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall sing praise before yen, and all the trees of the country shall clap their hands. 13 Instead of the shrub, shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the nettle, shall come up the myrtle tree: and the Lord shall be named for an everlasting sign, that shall not be taken away.

Aware of sins, faults and failings and struggle though we may, we just cannot overcome them. We need to be patient with it all and know that if The Lord willed it, our sins, faults and failings and all our struggles small and great would vanish in an instant. We need to place great trust and confidence in God’s Divine Providence and that He desires our sanctification far more than we do. We need to be patient when all our concepts of what holiness is about, we just cannot implement though we pray and try and try and try. Again, we need to patiently understand that The Lord does not think , nor work, as we do. As in Isiah above:

"13 Instead of the shrub, shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the nettle, shall come up the myrtle tree: "

Our concepts and hopes and dreams aspirations can be nothing but shrubs and nettles though we may think they are wondrous and important and the only way to go. Shrubs and fir trees are totally different as are nettles and myrtle trees. The Lord does not think nor act as we perhaps think should be effected.

Always patience.

How I began to try to learn exterior and interior patience was through not having a car and having to wait for buses in all weather sometimes for a long time and I HATE TO WAIT on bus stops and in a que etc. So I started to strive to be patient and not grumble and groan, not even inwardly. I find that suddenly I am aware I am inwardly moaning and then I deflect those thoughts to something else. I have oesteoarthritis and a back injury and at the moment my right knee is in trouble (saw the doc today) and painful and makes walking painful, and I have to walk or bus it everywhere. So with the painful walking, I imagine and ponder Jesus when He carried His Cross and with what patience He carried it though in shocking pain -overwhelmingly more pain than I have every know nor probably every will. This is not only striving to be patient with the fact of pain, but implementing what St. Teresa of Avila advised: “make a virtue of necessity”. Not having a vehicle I have to walk everywhere (necessity) so I strive to make a virtue of it by bringing to mind the Passion and the cruel walk of The Lord to Calvary and an even more cruel - one of the most cruel in fact - quite slow and agonizing death.

Is that too much, Water, or too little? Others, and you, may have important thoughts to share too. I still have my LPlates on, meaning I am still very much a learner, a novice, a beginner. Blessings and my regards - Barb
Deo Gratius

 

[water]

Hi Barb,

Thank you so much for your reply. Did you know that I was focusing on praying for patience on this feast day, and when God gave me the opportunity, I failed it. Nonetheless, He gave me consolation that I was able to recognize my failing - it’s better than not to.

Charity is patient, possibly and perhaps Paul mentions patience first.

I often asked for “Love” but I did not take “Patience” as the ingredient.

We need to place great trust and confidence in God’s Divine Providence and that He desires our sanctification far more than we do.

That is wonderful thought and very true. This gives us lots of hope!

Again, we need to patiently understand that The Lord does not think , nor work, as we do. As in Isiah above

Letting go our own plan is the toughest thing to do. About 6-7months ago, I read the book “Abandonment to the Divine Providence”. It’s helped me a lot!

so I strive to make a virtue of it by bringing to mind the Passion and the cruel walk of The Lord to Calvary and an even more cruel - one of the most cruel in fact - quite slow and agonizing death.

This part seems to be down in the road on my faith journey. I am not there yet, but I think that He gives me a little bit of it just enough for me to handle. If possible, next time, you can explore this part in more details - about bringing to mind the Passion and the curel walk of the Lord to Calvary.

God bless!

 

[water]

• by Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate in
  On Being Patient - marygateofheaven.com/hhff/html/0407.html

Charity in Our wordsPerth, Australia
marygateofheaven.com/hhff/html/0804.html

Check the main page: marygateofheaven.com/hhff/
many great articles.

 

[ConservativeOne]

Thanks, to BarbaraTherese (and to a personal friend of mine) -
We were devoted to Padre Pio long before his beatification but this past year has been rough for me, so while I knew September was his month, it took a friend to remind me about the 23rd.

I’ve had what might be a fragrance from St. Pio’s glove - years ago (before his canonization). It was strong, and while I couldn’t believe that no one else smelled it, it was unmistakably from the glove - as I kissed the glass covering it. People around me just smiled at me as I repeatedly asked in astonishment, “didn’t you smell it?” They knew I had experienced something. I couldn’t believe it was just me or for what reason - there had to be others. Guess I’ll never know. I had the chance to visit Pietrelcina years after St. Pio’s death but also before his canonization. Thank you, God, and St. Pio.

Wondering - does anyone know if there are any other similar souls - comparable to St. Pio - alive today? That is, with the gifts of discernment, holiness, etc.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

REFERRING TO POSTS OF
WATER
CONSERVATIVEONE

Quoting Water HERE

etting go our own plan is the toughest thing to do. About 6-7months ago, I read the book “Abandonment to the Divine Providence”. It’s helped me a lot!

“Abandonment to Divine Providence” by Jean Pierre de Caussade is one of my “bedside books often referred to” Water do you have his Letters written giving spiritual advice also. My book doesn’t have them but they are online. If you don’t have them, let me know and I will post the link. These Letters are really helpful, really helpful indeed!

I often asked for “Love” but I did not take “Patience” as the ingredient.

*God’s inspirations, motivation and insight come at all different times in our lives and in all sorts of ways and will probablycontinue to do so in Grace until death. What I think today, probably will not be my thoughts at all tomorrow and this applies, I think, to all…………especially women – LOL!!! *

Quoting Barb:

so I strive to make a virtue of it by bringing to mind the Passion and the cruel walk of The Lord to Calvary and an even more cruel - one of the most cruel in fact - quite slow and agonizing death.

Water replies: T

his part seems to be down in the road on my faith journey. I am not there yet, but I think that He gives me a little bit of it just enough for me to handle. If possible, next time, you can explore this part in more details - about bringing to mind the Passion and the curel walk of the Lord to Calvary.

I am making a note on my To Do List, Water, to try to reflect on the Passion and Post it………although I will also have a look in my files to see if I have a link which would say it far better than I ever could I am sure. Rest assured I will get back to you on the Passion. Alternatively or as well as, other members may have valuable reflections to share.

Quoting ConservativeOne HERE

I’ve had what might be a fragrance from St. Pio’s glove - years ago (before his canonization). It was strong, and while I couldn’t believe that no one else smelled it, it was unmistakably from the glove - as I kissed the glass covering it. People around me just smiled at me as I repeatedly asked in astonishment, “didn’t you smell it?” They knew I had experienced something. I couldn’t believe it was just me or for what reason - there had to be others. Guess I’ll never know. I had the chance to visit Pietrelcina years after St. Pio’s death but also before his canonization. Thank you, God, and St. Pio.

Hi CO…………It may well be that you were given a special gift in being able to smell sweet fragrance from the glove………and no other person present was.
I was reading in one of the links on Padre Pio (I think it was the one Joysong gave) that during his lifetime and though the stigmata was open wounds and bleeding, there was no ugly odour nor corruption of flesh, rather the smell of violets.

Wondering - does anyone know if there are any other similar souls - comparable to St. Pio - alive today? That is, with the gifts of discernment, holiness, etc.*

Interesting question. I think that there might be a couple of women with stigmata – unsure on this point. Certainly to my knowledge no person of the great fame of Padre Pio. Over and above that, I prefer The Church to pronounce, and not make assessments myself. I came across St. Faustina and I think it was before she was a Blessed even, and I was very drawn to her and the Divine Mercy message, but I left it all alone until The Church canonized her, I think it was. I don’t think I ever caught up with her while she was Blessed Faustina.

*Blessings all…regards…Barb *

 

[water]

Barb,

In responding to your question ““Abandonment to Divine Providence” by Jean Pierre de Caussade is one of my “bedside books often referred to” Water do you have his Letters written giving spiritual advice also.”

yes, I have the book. I read it about 4 months or so ago. I helps me so much, and I just pulled it out this morning again and plan to read it . I am currently read the Story of the Soul and I am almost finished. (I understand a little bit, so I learn a little bit from the Little Saint, I prayed that I could apply a bit of this bit into life.)

For the “Abandonment to Divine Providence”, I am not sure if my book has everything, but here are the contents:

1. On doing our part and leaving the rest to God
2. Embrace the present moment as an ever-flowing source of holiness.
3. To surrender to God is to practice every virtue.
4. Complete surrender to the will of God is the essence of spirituality
5. Only complete and true faith enables the soul to accept with joy everything that happens to it.
6. All will be well if we abandon ourselves to God.

Does the book miss any parts?

Thanks!

 

[ConservativeOne]

Hi CO…………It may well be that you were given a special gift in being able to smell sweet fragrance from the glove………and no other person present was.
I was reading in one of the links on Padre Pio (I think it was the one Joysong gave) that during his lifetime and though the stigmata was open wounds and bleeding, there was no ugly odour nor corruption of flesh, rather the smell of violets.

Interesting question. I think that there might be a couple of women with stigmata – unsure on this point. Certainly to my knowledge no person of the great fame of Padre Pio. …tina.

*Blessings all…regards…Barb *

Yes. I knew it was a sign - a gift. But I didn’t know what the purpose was. I kept trying to tell myself that maybe it was cologne on the priest who was holding the glove - but then why didn’t anyone else smell it? That was my confirmation that something special had happened - and I don’t know why. My Mom was a spiritual child of Padre Pio, so why didn’t she smell it? I did contact Vera Calandra (still living at the time, and it was she who was lecturing that night and bringing the glove). I wrote to her telling her of the experience. It all happened so fast, and the crowd so tight - that I didn’t have a chance to discuss it with her on the spot. She told me similarly (though I don’t know where I’ve put her letter) that it was a gift.

As for those comparable to St. Pio - I don’t necessarily mean with stigmata - but anyone like St. Pio - who knew just by a person being in confession - that they weren’t making good confession, etc. God had given him so many gifts in addition to the Stigmata. May he pray / intercede for us!

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Hi CO…………It may well be that you were given a special gift in being able to smell sweet fragrance from the glove………and no other person present was.
I was reading in one of the links on Padre Pio (I think it was the one Joysong gave) that during his lifetime and though the stigmata was open wounds and bleeding, there was no ugly odour nor corruption of flesh, rather the smell of violets.

Interesting question. I think that there might be a couple of women with stigmata – unsure on this point. Certainly to my knowledge no person of the great fame of Padre Pio. …tina.

*Blessings all…regards…Barb *

Yes. I knew it was a sign - a gift. But I didn’t know what the purpose was. I kept trying to tell myself that maybe it was cologne on the priest who was holding the glove - but then why didn’t anyone else smell it? That was my confirmation that something special had happened - and I don’t know why. My Mom was a spiritual child of Padre Pio, so why didn’t she smell it? I did contact Vera Calandra (still living at the time, and it was she who was lecturing that night and bringing the glove). I wrote to her telling her of the experience. It all happened so fast, and the crowd so tight - that I didn’t have a chance to discuss it with her on the spot. She told me similarly (though I don’t know where I’ve put her letter) that it was a gift.

As for those comparable to St. Pio - I don’t necessarily mean with stigmata - but anyone like St. Pio - who knew just by a person being in confession - that they weren’t making good confession, etc. God had given him so many gifts in addition to the Stigmata. May he pray / intercede for us!

Hello again ConservativeOne…Sometimes we cannot discern they why of things. If one is patient and prayerful the reason will become apparent, although perhaps not in our time frame. This is up to God. I’ve had something happen and it was a completely mystery as to why…now and then it popped back into my mind but still not the reason. Then in one instance it was many years later indeed that the reason suddenly, and very suddenly, just fell into place.

Padre Pio was indeed outstandingly gifted and not only in the stigmata. To my knowledge anyway, we have no one at this point (such as Mother Teresa and Padre Pio in our own lifetime) who seem to be outstandingly spiritually gifted by God. This, of course, is not to say that God has not someone “waiting in the wings” as it were…every age has its saints and indeed martyrs (there is such a thing as a spiritual martyrdom also)…known or unknown. Spiritual martyrdom means to undergo absolutely extreme suffering indeed with fortitude and humility. It is said that Our Lady underwent spiritual martyrdom at the foot of the cross of her Son.
In one of the links, I read that Padre Pio was being questioned by a bishop and his great humility was apparent and it was something of a source of confusion to the Padre that his stigmata, for one, was a well known phenomena and not only in The Church. Saints are very humble, and St. Therese for one saint did not become known until after her death. To her fellow sisters, she was just a quite ordinary good Carmelite nun. When her life story (which her superior asked her to write) was read they were truly stunned at her great holiness. If God wants a saint to be known, then known that saint will be known - and if not, then it will not be. We may have some very great saints (heroic in virtue) in the past and even now that will never be known until Heaven.

Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

God bless!

If possible, next time, you can explore this part in more details - about bringing to mind the Passion and the curel walk of the Lord to Calvary.

Hi Water…Just dropping in to this thread to let you know I have not forgotten your request re The Passion, as above:thumbsup: . I just have not got round to it yet, but be assured that I will and when I do I will send you a PM that I have posted it, although it probably will be into this thread, but this depends on what I dig out of my files or from the internet on The Passion…I may give it a new thread and let you know the link to the thread.
It is all noted in my “To Do List” to find something and post it and then let you know.

God Bless…Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Hi Barb,

Thank you so much for your reply. Did you know that I was focusing on praying for patience on this feast day, and when God gave me the opportunity, I failed it. Nonetheless, He gave me consolation that I was able to recognize my failing - it’s better than not to.

I often asked for “Love” but I did not take “Patience” as the ingredient.

That is wonderful thought and very true. This gives us lots of hope!

Letting go our own plan is the toughest thing to do. About 6-7months ago, I read the book “Abandonment to the Divine Providence”. It’s helped me a lot!

This part seems to be down in the road on my faith journey. I am not there yet, but I think that He gives me a little bit of it just enough for me to handle. If possible, next time, you can explore this part in more details - about bringing to mind the Passion and the curel walk of the Lord to Calvary.

God bless!

Hi Water…apologies for the delay. Here are a couple of meditations on the Crucifixion of Jesus. The third link, I must warn, is about Roman Crucifixion and is very very graphic with diagrams.

cardinalkungfoundation.org/cardinal/AMeditationontheCrucifixion.htm

americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=10673

The following link links to a very graphic account of Roman Crucifixion with diagrams………warning! It is very graphic indeed!

intermirifica.org/lent/passion1.htm

In all that we may endure and/or suffer in life, be it very small or very great, we have the example of one who went before us in Jesus. Also, the cross is the emblem always of Christianity and our emblem…and the cross, suffering, is our glory and intrinsic to our baptismal vocation. Every single person will suffer to some degree or other in the journey through life…The Cross gives suffering meaning and a glorious meaning. Sometimes our sufferings may be obvious, at other times quite hidden…and hidden in Christ and His Cross.

Blessings, Water…and doubtless we will catch up again in the rounds of the forums:thumbsup: …Barb