Tomorrow marks the 41st anniversary from the dies natalis of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, the stigmatised Capuchin priest, to heaven. Since his death on 23 September 1968, many people have heard or come into contact with Padre Pio, most probably due to his mysterious stigmata, which he patiently and lovingly bore for 50 years. For those who are genuinely interested to know the man, Padre Pio represents more than the unexplainable phenomena with which his earthy life was undeniably imbued with. The greatness of Padre Pio lies inscribed in his written spiritual heritage, the prayer groups he founded and also in the building and running of the Casa Sollievo Della Sofferenza (Home to Relieve Suffering).
In Padre Pio’s spirituality prayer is the basis for an intimate union with the Lord. He used to say: “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”. According to the stigmatised Capuchin, prayer was the sure means by which he could sail safely in the Lord’s hands, especially in times when he was greatly misunderstood, even by the Church. Holding to his belief that “prayer is the oxygen of the soul”, the holy Capuchin realised that faithfulness to God meant primarily two things for him: (a) being open and trusting to the Lord; and (b) being faithful to his Church. Thus he said: “The longer the trial to which God subjects you, the greater the goodness in comforting you during the time of the trial and in the exaltation after the combat.” Urged by his devoted filial love towards his caring Mother, the Catholic Church, Padre Pio used to exhort the people who came to him with the following words: “Keep close to the Catholic Church at all times, for the Church alone can give you true peace, since she alone possesses Jesus, the true Prince of Peace, in the Blessed Sacrament.”
Being an authentic priest, Padre Pio not merely loved and esteemed his spiritual children when he was alive but promised that from heaven he would still be caring for them till he will see them all saved at the Father’s eternal house. In his letter to his spiritual daughter Antonietta Pompilio, he ardently confided to her: “I have made a pact with the Lord: when my soul has been purified in the flames of purgatory and deemed worthy to be admitted to the presence of God, I will take my place at the gate to paradise, but I shall not enter until I have seen the last of my spiritual children enter.”
In his teachings this holy priest greatly accentuates the priceless value of time. “Oh, how precious time is! Blessed are those who know how to make good use of it. Oh, if only all could understand how precious time is, undoubtedly everyone would do his best to spend it in a praiseworthy manner! Who can assure us that we will be alive tomorrow? Let us listen to the voice of our conscience, to the voice of the royal prophet: ‘Today, if you hear God’s voice, harden not your heart.’ Let us not put off from one moment to another (what we should do) because the (next moment) is not yet ours”. If you would like to spend your time in a praiseworthy manner you can join us in the Eucharistic Celebration commemorating Saint Pio, which this year will be celebrated at Saint Nicholas Church in Siggiewi at 6.30pm. May be you can ask him to be your spiritual father. I assure you that he would do his job extremely well!
Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap
San Gwann