On 23 September, the Catholic Church throughout the world celebrates the feast of the Franciscan Capuchin saint, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. Many of us Maltese have heard about this extraordinary man, the saint of the stigmata. Some of us had the grace of meeting him personally, while others had visited the places connected with his early and later life, notably the Capuchin Friary of Santa Maria delle Grazie and the newly built church at San Giovanni Rotondo. Why do millions of people keep flocking to the tomb of Padre Pio every year? Who was this man? Why does he exert such a great influence on millions of people in our time?
Francesco Forgione was born on 25 May 1887. His parents, Giuseppa and Grazio Forgione were both peasant farmers. From his very young age, little Francesco was inclined to a quiet and solitary life. His family did its very best to give him the best education it could afford. On 22 January, the 15-year-old Francesco was invested the Capuchin habit as a novice. His superiors gave him the name of Pio of Pietrelcina. He made his solemn profession in 1907 while on 10 August 1910, Padre Pio was ordained to the priesthood. Due to his ill health, he completed his philosophical and theological studies in Pietrelcina and remained in his hometown till the year 1916. His unhealthy condition kept persisting so much that he had to be dismissed from military service and returned home. His superiors appointed him Director of Studies at the Capuchin seminary in San Giovanni Rotondo. As a matter of fact, this happened to be Padre Pio's last posting, since he was to spend his entire life in this friary.
On 5 August 1918 is the day Padre Pio received from the Lord his mission in the Church for the world: that of being a co-sufferer with Christ for the redemption of humanity. The story goes that as he was hearing confessions, a heavenly Figure appeared to him and mystically pierced his heart with a lance. On 20 September, the same Figure reappeared to him carrying the marks of the Crucified Christ. In this mystical experience, Padre Pio went through unbearable and agonising pain. His screams made the friars rush to him for help. He was found lying on the floor, unconscious and bleeding excessively. From now on, Padre Pio became the Capuchin of the Stigmata.
Pope Benedict XV admitted: "Padre Pio is one of those extraordinary men whom God sends on earth from time to time, to convert mankind". Not everything was plain sailing for the stigmatised Capuchin. In fact, the successive Pontiff, Pope Pius XI, not only prohibited any signs of veneration that was surrounding the friar but also impeded him from exercising his ministry in public. Padre Pio obeyed and remained loyal to Mother Church.
In July 1933 he was allowed to minister, safe from preaching or keeping in touch through correspondence with people on the outside. Now he could hear confessions and celebrate mass in public at San Giovanni Rotondo. For the people, Padre Pio was conceived as a valid spiritual guide to God. His whole life was marked by those long and intense hours of adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, day and night, for the conversion and reparation of sinners. For the saint, "prayer is the best weapon we have, a key that opens the heart of God". He translated his love for sinners by spending long hours hearing their confessions.
Padre Pio's love for his Crucified Lord opened him to love and treasure the poor and the sick, in whom Christ's presence radiates. He once said: "rising above selfishness, we must bow down to the wounds and the sufferings of our fellow men. In every sick man it is Jesus himself who is languishing, in every poor man it is Jesus himself who is suffering, in every man who is both sick and poor Jesus is doubly visible". Padre Pio served the marginalised of his time, especially the sick, with an outstanding humility and poverty of spirit. The Stigmatised Capuchin gave witness of his unfailing love for the sick when in 1956 he opened Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (House for the Relief of Suffering).
Padre Pio's spiritual patrimony is in fact great and very actual in today's everyday living of the Christian faith. This poor praying Franciscan, as he used to call himself, managed to synthesise prayer and charity into a prayerful symphony of thanksgiving to God and wholehearted service to his people. Thus reiterating that prayer and charity are the two complementary wings on which the human spirit rises to God. Padre Pio's presence is still perpetuated by the "Prayer Groups" that he established, which provide to the Church and to society the amazing gift of incessant and confident prayer.
Padre Pio died on 23 September 1968. He was beatified on 2 May 1999, and canonised on 16 June 2002 by Pope John Paul II. Some 300,000 people filled St Peter's Square for his canonisation ceremony.
The Church in Malta will be joining the universal Church in the celebration of the feast of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina. On 23 September, a concelebrated mass will be held at Marsa Holy Trinity Church, at 6.30pm. Saint Pio's devotees, especially those who are members of his prayer groups, as well as the general public are warmly invited to attend and fully participate in the Eucharistic celebration.
The best way to remember and imitate Padre Pio, is by resorting to his unceasing and powerful presence and intercession on our behalf in front of the Lord. Let us make our own the beautiful prayer, which Pope John Paul II prayed to Padre Pio at the end of his moving homily at the canonisation of the stigmatised Capuchin priest.
O humble and beloved Padre Pio. Teach us, we ask you, humility of heart so we may be counted among the little ones of the Gospel, to whom the Father 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 be able to recognize right away in the poor and suffering the face of Jesus. Sustain us in the hour of the combat and of the trial and, if we fall, make us experience the joy of the sacrament of forgiveness. Grant us your tender devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our Mother. Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage toward the blessed homeland, where we hope to arrive in order to contemplate forever the glory of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.