Today, the Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of Saint Pius (Pio) of Pietrelcina, a Capuchin Franciscan Friar who lived between the years 1887 and 1968. Born Francesco Forgione, he was given the name of Pio when he entered the Order. Even as a young Friar, Pio was afflicted with a number of illnesses including gastroenteritis at age 6 years and typhoid fever at age 10. As it turned out, he suffered physically for most of his life, but he accepted it as a gift from God.
As a youth, Francisco reported that he had experienced heavenly visions and ecstasies (a type of altered state of consciousness characterized by greatly reduced external awareness and expanded internal and spiritual awareness). He was about 10 years old when he first felt drawn to the life of the Franciscans. This desire continued until he entered the noviciate of the Capuchin Friars at Morcone on 6 January 1903. Two weeks later, he took the Franciscan habit and the religious name Fra Pio.
For the next seven years, he studied and prepared for priesthood. Throughout this period, he continued to experience poor health, but he never allowed this to stop him. Eventually, he was ordained a priest and sent to live - along with a small community of seven friars - in the Capuchin Friary of Our Lady of Grace, located in San Giovanni Rotondo, in the Province of Foggia. He lived there for the remainder of his life.
Saint Pio is known and loved by the Italian people because of his piety and because of the rare gift of the stignata: the spontaneous appearance of bodily wounds, scars and pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ, on the hands, wrists and feet. In a very tangible way, this holy man practiced the advice that Jesus gives to his disciples: Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me (Mt 16:24).
Padre Pio compared weekly confession to dusting a room weekly, and recommended the performance of meditation and self-examination twice daily: once in the morning, as preparation to face the day, and once again in the evening, as retrospection. His advice on the practical application of theology he often summed up in his now famous quote, Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry. He directed Christians to recognize God in all things and to desire above all things to do the will of God. Many people who heard of him traveled to San Giovanni Rotondo to meet him and confess to him, to ask for help, or to have their curiosity satisfied.
Padre Pio died at the Friary of Our Lady of Grace on 23 September 1968. His funeral Mass was celebrated three days later and was attended by more than 100,000 people. He was Canonized on 16 June 2002 by Saint John Paul II. The Shrine of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina was dedicated by Saint John Paul II on 1 July 2004 and continues even today to be a place of pilgrimage and prayer for pilgrims from all corners of the world.
May this beloved Saint intercede for us today and help us to always look to Jesus for guidance as we seek to follow him.
Have a great day.
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