St. Pio of Pietrelcina

For more than fifty years, people sought Padre Pio at the Capuchin friary of San Giovanni Rotondo. They found a priest centered on the Mass, long hours of prayer, and the sacrament of confession. Born Francesco Forgione in Pietrelcina in 1887, he entered the Capuchins at sixteen, took the name Pio, and was ordained in 1910.

In 1918, visible wounds associated with the Passion of Christ appeared on his body. They brought pain, fame, medical examination, and close ecclesiastical scrutiny. When restrictions were placed on his ministry, Padre Pio submitted to his superiors. The Holy See's account of his life places the Cross, prayer, obedience, and care for souls at the center of his holiness.

Pilgrims crowded his confessional, where his frankness was directed toward repentance and sacramental mercy. He also wanted suffering people to receive skilled practical care. The Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, the Home for the Relief of Suffering, opened beside the friary in 1956. His prayer groups joined intercession and penance to that same concern for the needs of others.

Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968. His life points beyond extraordinary signs to a demanding and accessible path: remain close to Christ in prayer, return sincerely to confession, accept the Cross with love, obey faithfully, and give concrete help to those who suffer.