37. St. Pio of Pietrelcina

37. SAINT PIO

Saint Pio

Was an Italian priest who was known for his piety and charity as well as for the gift of the stigmata and supernatural experiences.

He was born Francesco Forgione, on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy. His parents were peasant farmers.

As a child, he was very religious and by the age of 5 he made the decision to dedicate his life to God.

Fortunately, his parents were also very religious and they supported his Catholic development. His family attended daily Mass. Francisco served as an altar boy at his local parish. Francisco was known for taking on penances and his mother once scolded him for sleeping on a stone floor.

From a young age, Francisco had a peculiar ability. He was able to see guardian angels, spoke with Jesus and the Virgin Mary. 

At the age of 15, Francisco entered the novitiate of the Capuchin friars. He took the name of "Pio" in honor of Pope Pius I, whose relic he often saw at his local chapel. He eventually went to the Monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo.

On September 20, Padre Pio was hearing confessions when he felt pain in his hands and feet. He noticed the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, appearing on his hands. The experience was painful. Bleeding occurred. The wounds smelled of roses. The stigmata of the hands eventually became the Five Wounds of Christ.

By 1919, word began to spread about Padre Pio's stigmata and people came from far away to examine him.

Padre Pio became popular with the people he encountered and soon began to attribute supernatural occurrences to him. For example, he was said to levitate, and to be capable of performing miracles. He could read souls and bilocate. He was visited in confession by Satan who refused to kneel for the Act of Contrition (hence he was able to know it was Satan).

In 1947, Fr. Karol Wojtyla visited Padre Pio who prophetically told him he would rise to the highest post in the Church." Fr. Karol Wojtyla became Pope John Paul II in 1978.

He famously advised, "Pray, hope and don't worry."

Pope John Paul II recognized padre Pio as a Saint. His feast day is September 23. He is the patron, adolescents.