Visit to the Shrine of Padre Pio



Tomb of Blessed Pope  Pius IX



Today I visited the church of St. Lawrence, who was a deacon and one of the early martyrs of Rome.  Along with his relics are the relics of St. Stephen, the first martyr and my name sake.  Also Blessed Pope Pius IX rests there.





Look down to the clouds at Monte Sant'Angelo



Yet, last weekend, I was able to travel to the shrine of Padre Pio and the Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel.  It was a very deep and spiritual experience.  The Grotto of St. Michael the Archangel is located in a cave on top of a mountain.  There are several stories of apparition (visits of the angel) associated here.  Yet, the most significant is when Pope Gelasius 1 (492-496) went to consecrate the grotto, eagles flew above the bishops protecting them from the sun.  Then when they arrived there was a primitive altar already in place.  Some declare that the very footprints of the angel St. Michael were visible.  Whatever the truth behind such legends, the fact is that the grotto is the only place of worship not consecrated by human hands because it is believed the angel already blessed the site.



This cave was important to Padre Pio as well.  Padre Pio had a vision of the angel Michael who encouraged him to protect other from evil.  Others who visited before and after Padre Pio include Popes like Gelasius I, St. Leo IX, Urban II, Alexander III, Gregory X, Saint Celestine V, John XXIII when a cardinal and John Paul II.  Among the saints are Anselm, Bernard of Clairvaux, William of Vercelli, Francis of Assisi, Bridget of Sweden, Bonaventure of Pisa, Alphonsus Liguori, Gerard Medulla and, of course, Padre Pio.  So there is a very ancient tradition here.  I do not have pictures, since they were not allowed.  I offered Mass along with Fr. Santos in the cave chapel.



Tomb of Padre Pio





Later that day we traveled to the Shrine of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina.  Even after the visit, I do not profess great knowledge of his life.  Yet, as a young boy he desired to be a Capuchian Friar.  At age 24, as a friar, he received the stigmata.  Imagine living with the suffering of the loss of blood everyday from your hands and feet.  Yet, his holiness is not so much in this unique joining to Christ.  His holiness was in the way he prayed, offered Mass and heard confessions.  He would listen for hours every day.  Actually people had to receive tickets and wait in line for this holy saint to hear their confessions.  What adds to this is that he only died in 1968, so there are many living witnesses to his holiness.  It might be easy to doubt all the visions and other miraculous episodes of his life, but their are those who remember.  (The picture above shows people in line to touch the tomb of Padre Pio.  There is an openning for one to do so.  I did so twice!-Saturday and Sunday).





Personally, the whole time was a beautiful place to pray.  After visiting the churches, walking the way of the cross and spending time in front of the Blessed Sacrament, my companion and I left.  Fr. Santos informed me that we were there over three hours and that it was past lunch.  I could not believe that so much time passed and I was not at all hungry when I left.  There was no great revelations or insights as a result of this visit.  Yet, I prayed for many folks, including all of our students.  The most interesting thing for myself, is how often I was drawn to pray the Glenmary Home Mission prayer.  The lines that seemed to echo in my heart of this prayer were:  "founded your Church in the Blood of Sacrifice",  "Raise up holy and zealous apostles ... to souls thirsting for the truth" and "send shepherds to lead them into your one true fold."  I do not know if Padre Pio is inviting me or Glenmary into a deeper sacrifice for the home mission effort.  What I do know, it was easy to pray here and my prayer was directed to the Home Mission  Prayer of our founder, Fr. William Howard Bishop, over and over again.



After Offering Mass in the Shrine of Padre Pio



On Sunday Morning we returned to the shrine and were able to offer Mass in the original church where the confessional of Padre Pio is displayed behind glass and the altar where he offered daily Mass is also there.  It was a deep blessing for me. 

May the Lord continue to raise up saints in our own day and increase the practice of the sacrament of penance among all believers.  May the good Lord, through the intercession of Padre Pio, help all priest to hear confessions with the compassion of Christ bringing healing and forgiveness to all who seek it.



Praying in front of this cross, Padre Pio at age 24 recieved the stigmata