St. Conrad Messenger
Published by the
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
www.capuchins.org
Published by the
Capuchin Province of Mid-
ST. CONRAD MESSENGER - FALL 2008 - VOL 4
PADRE PIO’S SECRET REVEALED
Br. Joseph Mary Elder, O.F.M.Cap.
St. Pio de Pietrelcina, known the world over as simply "Padre Pio," is once again making headlines. Although the Italian Capuchin Friar passed away 40 years ago, he has not ceased to capture the attention of millions worldwide, including many Catholics who continue to seek his intercession as a spiritual father.
Only recently, this very e-messenger published a story on the recent exhumation of the beloved saint along with pictures from his shrine in San Giovanni Rotundo. Less than two months have passed and the enigmatic saint is again making headlines. First, there was the release of new information from the Vatican investigation which studied his cause for canonization. This new information shed much light on Padre Pio's reception of the stigmata, the wounds of Christ which he bore for nearly fifty years, and about which the saint preferred to remain silent. Secondly, there was the announcement from the Vatican that the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, would himself be visiting the shrine.
Celebrating Mass in front of thousands gathered at San Giovanni Rotundo for the 40th anniversary of St. Pio's death, Cardinal Tarcicio Bertone stated, "Benedict XVI asked me to announce that everything is prepared. The Pope will come to San Giovanni Rotondo in 2009." During the course of his homily Cardinal Bertone reflected on Padre Pio's humble obedience and loving acceptance of suffering, saying that he was, "a disciple of Christ who sought no other glory than to love and suffer for him. He was a priest who wanted nothing other than to be consumed in love for God and his brethren." Speaking on his obedience, the Cardinal continued, "He was a sincere son of the Church, and preferred not to defend himself, even on the most painful occasions, dying to himself in the docile silence of difficult but fruitful obedience."
Regarding Padre Pio's stigmata, little was publicly known about the manner and circumstances of its reception save what the saint himself recorded in a 1918 letter to his spiritual director, Fr. Benedetto of San Marco. In that letter, Padre Pio writes:
"On the morning of the 20th of last month, in the choir, after I had celebrated Mass, I yielded to a drowsiness similar to a sweet sleep. All the internal and external senses and even the very faculties of my soul were immersed in indescribable stillness. Absolute silence surrounded and invaded me. I was suddenly filled with great peace and abandonment which effaced everything else and caused a lull in the turmoil. All this happened in a flash.
"While this was taking place, I saw before me a mysterious person similar to the one I had seen on the evening of 5 August. The only difference was that his hands and feet and side were dripping blood. The sight terrified me and what I felt at that moment is indescribable. I thought I should die and really should have died if the Lord had not intervened and strengthened my heart which was about to burst out of my chest.
"The vision disappeared and I became aware that my hands, feet and side were dripping blood. Imagine the agony I experienced and continue to experience almost every day. The heart wound bleeds continually, especially from Thursday evening until Saturday. Dear Father, I am dying of pain because of the wounds and the resulting embarrassment I feel in my soul. I am afraid I shall bleed to death if the Lord does not hear my heartfelt supplication to relieve me of this condition. Will Jesus, who is so good, grant me this grace? Will he at least free me from the embarrassment caused by these outward signs? I will raise my voice and will not stop imploring him until in his mercy he takes away, not the wound or the pain, which is impossible since I wish to be inebriated with pain, but these outward signs which cause me such embarrassment and unbearable humiliation" (Letters 1, No. 511).
Little else was known about the "mysterious figure" from which Padre Pio received the wounds of Christ and the saint himself seemed loath to provide additional details to the public. However, the recent opening of the archives of the Holy Office at the request of Pope Benedict XVI, have led to the publication of a new book on Padre Pio
Br. Joseph Mary Elder, O.F.M.Cap.
St. Pio de Pietrelcina, known the world over as simply "Padre Pio," is once again making headlines. Although the Italian Capuchin Friar passed away 40 years ago, he has not ceased to capture the attention of millions worldwide, including many Catholics who continue to seek his intercession as a spiritual father.
Only recently, this very e-
Celebrating Mass in front of thousands gathered at San Giovanni Rotundo for the 40th anniversary of St. Pio's death, Cardinal Tarcicio Bertone stated, "Benedict XVI asked me to announce that everything is prepared. The Pope will come to San Giovanni Rotondo in 2009." During the course of his homily Cardinal Bertone reflected on Padre Pio's humble obedience and loving acceptance of suffering, saying that he was, "a disciple of Christ who sought no other glory than to love and suffer for him. He was a priest who wanted nothing other than to be consumed in love for God and his brethren." Speaking on his obedience, the Cardinal continued, "He was a sincere son of the Church, and preferred not to defend himself, even on the most painful occasions, dying to himself in the docile silence of difficult but fruitful obedience."
Regarding Padre Pio's stigmata, little was publicly known about the manner and circumstances of its reception save what the saint himself recorded in a 1918 letter to his spiritual director, Fr. Benedetto of San Marco. In that letter, Padre Pio writes:
"On the morning of the 20th of last month, in the choir, after I had celebrated Mass, I yielded to a drowsiness similar to a sweet sleep. All the internal and external senses and even the very faculties of my soul were immersed in indescribable stillness. Absolute silence surrounded and invaded me. I was suddenly filled with great peace and abandonment which effaced everything else and caused a lull in the turmoil. All this happened in a flash.
"While this was taking place, I saw before me a mysterious person similar to the one I had seen on the evening of 5 August. The only difference was that his hands and feet and side were dripping blood. The sight terrified me and what I felt at that moment is indescribable. I thought I should die and really should have died if the Lord had not intervened and strengthened my heart which was about to burst out of my chest.
"The vision disappeared and I became aware that my hands, feet and side were dripping blood. Imagine the agony I experienced and continue to experience almost every day. The heart wound bleeds continually, especially from Thursday evening until Saturday. Dear Father, I am dying of pain because of the wounds and the resulting embarrassment I feel in my soul. I am afraid I shall bleed to death if the Lord does not hear my heartfelt supplication to relieve me of this condition. Will Jesus, who is so good, grant me this grace? Will he at least free me from the embarrassment caused by these outward signs? I will raise my voice and will not stop imploring him until in his mercy he takes away, not the wound or the pain, which is impossible since I wish to be inebriated with pain, but these outward signs which cause me such embarrassment and unbearable humiliation" (Letters 1, No. 511).
Little else was known about the "mysterious figure" from which Padre Pio received the wounds of Christ and the saint himself seemed loath to provide additional details to the public. However, the recent opening of the archives of the Holy Office at the request of Pope Benedict XVI, have led to the publication of a new book on Padre Pio
entitled, "Padre Pio Sotto Inchiesta: l''Autobiografia Segreta'" ("Padre Pio Under Investigation: The 'Secret Autobiography'"). The book, edited by Fr. Francesco Castelli and prefaced by Vittorio Messori reveals stunning new details, including the identity of the "mysterious figure" as Jesus Christ Himself and the secret cause for which Padre Pio suffered so willingly - to atone for the sins of men, especially the ingratitude of those consecrated to His service. According to a recent article from Zenit News Agency:
"The new book, which contains the first complete version of the report penned by Bishop Raffaele Rossi of Volterra, (later cardinal), apostolic visitor sent by the Holy See to secretly investigate Padre Pio, clarifies that on the occasion of the reception of the stigmata the saint had a conversation with the crucified Christ.
"The book also contains a number of statements that Padre Pio made under oath, which provide an interpretive key to Bishop Rossi's report. Asked to swear on the Gospel, Padre Pio for the first time revealed the identity of the one from whom he received the wounds. It was June 15, 1921, and in answer to a question posed by Bishop Rossi, Padre Pio said: "On Sept. 20, 1918, I was in the choir of the church after celebrating Mass, making the thanksgiving when I was suddenly overtaken by powerful trembling and then there came calm and I saw Our Lord in his crucified form. He was lamenting the ingratitude of men, especially those consecrated to him and favored by him."
"Then," Padre Pio continued, "his suffering was apparent as was his desire to join souls to his Passion. He invited me to let his pains enter into me and to meditate on them and at the same time concern myself with the salvation of others. Following this, I felt full of compassion for the Lord's pains and I asked him what I could do. I heard this voice: 'I will unite you with my Passion.' And after this the vision disappeared, I came back to myself, my reason returned and I saw these signs here from which blood flowed. Before this I did not have these."Padre Pio then said that the stigmata were not the result of a personal request of his own but came from an invitation of the Lord, who, lamenting the ingratitude of men, and consecrated persons in particular, conferred on Padre Pio a mission as the culmination of an interior mystical journey of preparation" (Zenit).
The book also dispels notions of a rumored sixth wound in the saint’s back, but did make mention of the aroma of roses, referred to in mysticism as the "odor of sanctity," which so often surrounded the Capuchin saint. This new information sheds great light on the meaning of so much of Padre Pio's suffering and will be a cause of joy to his millions of devotees around the world.
For much more information, read the article from Zenit News Agency: http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=29580
"The new book, which contains the first complete version of the report penned by Bishop Raffaele Rossi of Volterra, (later cardinal), apostolic visitor sent by the Holy See to secretly investigate Padre Pio, clarifies that on the occasion of the reception of the stigmata the saint had a conversation with the crucified Christ.
"The book also contains a number of statements that Padre Pio made under oath, which provide an interpretive key to Bishop Rossi's report. Asked to swear on the Gospel, Padre Pio for the first time revealed the identity of the one from whom he received the wounds. It was June 15, 1921, and in answer to a question posed by Bishop Rossi, Padre Pio said: "On Sept. 20, 1918, I was in the choir of the church after celebrating Mass, making the thanksgiving when I was suddenly overtaken by powerful trembling and then there came calm and I saw Our Lord in his crucified form. He was lamenting the ingratitude of men, especially those consecrated to him and favored by him."
"Then," Padre Pio continued, "his suffering was apparent as was his desire to join souls to his Passion. He invited me to let his pains enter into me and to meditate on them and at the same time concern myself with the salvation of others. Following this, I felt full of compassion for the Lord's pains and I asked him what I could do. I heard this voice: 'I will unite you with my Passion.' And after this the vision disappeared, I came back to myself, my reason returned and I saw these signs here from which blood flowed. Before this I did not have these."Padre Pio then said that the stigmata were not the result of a personal request of his own but came from an invitation of the Lord, who, lamenting the ingratitude of men, and consecrated persons in particular, conferred on Padre Pio a mission as the culmination of an interior mystical journey of preparation" (Zenit).
The book also dispels notions of a rumored sixth wound in the saint’s back, but did make mention of the aroma of roses, referred to in mysticism as the "odor of sanctity," which so often surrounded the Capuchin saint. This new information sheds great light on the meaning of so much of Padre Pio's suffering and will be a cause of joy to his millions of devotees around the world.
For much more information, read the article from Zenit News Agency: http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=29580