10 Reasons why Padre Pio is among the greatest Saints of the 20th Century

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Among the most loved saints of The Holy Roman Catholic Church, St. Pio of Pietrelcina is popular.  His popularity did not begin when he was canonized but rather during his life time: the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo where he lived and died continues to be flooded with lots of visitors and devotees. Indeed, he is a reflection of the power of God's gratuitous graces.

St. Pio was born to Guiseppa and Grazio Forgione on the 25th of May, 1887. As a boy he dedicated himself to God and manifested great signs of extra-ordinary gifts of grace. He saw and communicated with Jesus, Mary, his Guardian Angel and thought that everyone had the same experience. 

At the age of fifteen he was admitted into the Capuchin Novitiate. He was always sick and thus, had a trying formation days; yet, he was blessed with extraordinary experiences and a deep spirit of piety. In the year 1910, he was ordained priest. As a minister of the Sanctuary, he celebrated the sacraments especially the Eucharist with so much devotion that it lasted for hours. He also spent hours at the confessional. 

On September 20, 1918, he received the sacred stigmata which he bore for fifty years. His life was full of Crosses, persecutions, misunderstandings and many other difficulties. However, he embraced all this with love and total submission to the will of God especially as it is expressed in the will of his Superiors.

Here, then, are the 10 Attributes that made Padre Pio much loved and revered by many

1. MYSTICAL EXPERIENCES AND GIFTS

St. Pio of Pietrelcina was greatly blessed with many extra-ordinary experiences and gifts that it is rare to find his kind since the history of humanity. Among the numerous mystical experiences of Pio was the gifts of Bilocation that enabled him to be in two places at the same time; the gift of reading minds that enabled him to know the secrets in the heart of another; the gifts of visions, communication with Heavenly Spirits that he even sends his angel on errands; the gift of healing, prophecy, levitation, gift of tongues and so many other extra-ordinary gifts.

2. STIGMATA

St Pio is among the very few Christians that have the special privilege of bearing the marks of our Savior in their bodies. On the 20th of September 1918, the marks of our Lord appeared in his body. He bore this wound for 50 years and it disappeared, three days before his death. He was the first priest Stigmatist.

3. UNWAVERING OBEDIENCE

Owing to the greatness of his extraordinary experiences, he was severely tried by the Church authorities to ascertain the spirit behind it all. Thus, he was given many sanctions: he was banned from celebrating public Mass, blessing people, showing his stigmata, answering letters and even communicating with his spiritual director. He, also, underwent many tests; medical, spiritual, psychological and so on. He was even accused of having suspicious relations with women but in all this he was totally resigned to the will of God expressed in the will of his Superiors; and finally his obedience won the battle for him

4. DEEP HUMILITY

One who has read any writing of St. Pio would notice one thing: he had a deep awareness of who he was. He knows that his a poor sinner who is desperately in need of God's loving mercy; thus, he always refer to himself as unworthy and sinful. This went a long way to influencing every other act of his. He would say "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."

5. UNCEASING PRAYER

Padre Pio wanted to be known as a friar who prays. Prayer played an important role in the life of Padre Pio. He would say "Pray, hope and don't worry". He was wont to saying that "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." In obedience to the Pope's request, he founded a prayer group which till today, tries to live out the prayerful spirit of this holy man of God. 

6. LOVE FOR THE POOR

This was very visible in the life of Pio. He never allowed the poor who crossed by to go without being assisted. There were cases where it was said that Pio would take the friary's resources to go and assist the needy. This was culminated in his great project of building a mighty hospital: the hospital which he named "Home for Relief of Suffering". Today, the Hospital serves both as a place of taking good care of the sick and Job opportunity for over 2900 employees.

7. SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Padre Pio was a man of the Confessional. He spent many hours hearing the confessions of the People. Many people came from far and near just to confess to him. Also, his gifts of knowing the secrets of the heart aided him to guide the penitents better. He encouraged weekly confession.

8. DEDICATION TO THE CELEBRATION OF THE EUCHARIST.

Padre Pio was very much in love with Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. while he deemed himself unworthy of celebrating the Eucharist, he did so with so much devotion that it lasted for hours. He would say " Every Holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual and material graces which we, ourselves, do not know…It is easier for the earth to exist without the sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!"

9. LARGE CORRESPONDENCE

Considering the amount of time St. Pio spent in celebrating the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Prayers and receiving visitors. One would marvel at the rate at which he wrote and received letters. But, because of his love for the people of God he desired to reply their letters in other to bring solace to them. Some of the letters were delivered by his guardian angel.

10. DEVOTION TO OUR LADY

St. Pio's love for our Lady was very much exemplified in the way he referred to her. He had a deep devotion to the Rosary and would say that there is nothing that he has asked our Lady through the Rosary that he has not received. He would say "Some people are so foolish that they think they can go through life without the help of the Blessed Mother. Love the Madonna and pray the rosary, for her Rosary is the weapon against the evils of the world today. All graces given by God pass through the Blessed Mother."

St Padre Pio died on the 23rd of September, 1968 at the age of 81. He was canonized by Pope John Paul II  in 2002. Till date his body remains incorrupt.

PRAYER TO ST PIO

Teach us, we pray, humility of heart, so that we may be among the humble to whom the Father in the Gospel promised to reveal the mysteries of his Kingdom. Help us to pray without ceasing, certain that God knows what we need even before we ask him. Obtain for us the eyes of faith that will help us recognize in the poor and suffering, the very face of Jesus. Sustain us in our hours of trouble and trial and should we fall, let us experience the joy of the sacrament of reconciliation. Teach us tender devotion towards Maria, mother of Christ and our mother. Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage towards the blessed homeland, where we too hope to arrive to contemplate eternally the Glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen

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