I thought it might be a good time to write a few words about Padre Pio, a Humble country Friar who has been called the greatest Saint of the 20th century. First his back ground, very humble working , poor farming folk from a tiny little Italian village. Padre Pio was praying for his grandparents one time when someone asked if he did not mean he was praying for their souls as they were both then dead? Padre Pio said no that he was praying for them when they were living as God is Master of time. He went on to say that his grand parents lived in very great poverty and needed all the prayers they could get. For someone like Padre Pio who lived in poverty as a child himself to talk of his grandparents this way must only mean they lived a very hand to mouth existence indeed. Struggling to find things even such a the very means to keep themselves alive such as food itself. His own parents were so poor that his father had to travel to the USA to work to find the money to get Padre Pio the education he needed to be a priest. His mother pushed for this, his father being a little more reluctant to make such a big step. But the two of them made the most incredible sacrifices to help his with his vocation, little wonder Padre Pio loved them both so much. Especially I think his mother, he was pretty well knocked flat when she died. He looks so young and happy here! No beard! https://www.facebook.com/american.c...rgione-emigrated-to-the-uni/1206827528136462/ Young Padre Pio with his parents. His father Grazio Forgione emigrated to the United States multiple times, first in 1899, to earn money for his son's education to become a priest. He worked on farms and in places like Mahoningtown (New Castle) Pennsylvania.
Padre Pio was pretty well buried in Special Graces even from early childhood. What are, 'Special Graces'? Well things like visions, locutions miracles and so on. Padre Pio talked to Jesus and Mary all his life and even saw them . He was amazed when his Spiritual Director told him not everyone could do this. Most spiritual fathers agree folk are better of not having Special Graces. That there are all kinds of dangers such as pride connected with all this. Also as Jesus said to Doubting Thomas, blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. But the way I look at it is of God chooses to grant people Special Graces, fine and good. If he decides not to give special graces fine and good too. Whatever God wants . Padre Pio in speaking of this said such graces are not given for the sake of the person himself but for other peoples sakes. I think that is partly true. But only partly. Why do some people see beyond the veil and others, not? But there is one curious thing I notice from Black Magic and Satanism. There seems to be certain people who have special magical gifts. These folks are called Black Hats or Magicians. They are great at working spells, hexes, enchantments, curses talking to demons ansd so on. Kind of Black, 'Special Gifts'. So it occurs to me if these folks had walked the Path of Light they might have had Special Graces, that by being witches they are abusing natural gifts God granted to them. There are certain things I think can pre open special graces. For instance nearly dying or near death experiences. An encounter with something from the other side. Say like seeing a ghost or a demon. Or having a traumatic experience. Say someone actually saw Our Lady, for example. This being so the veil between this world and the next is torn so to speak and then you might see all kinds of things. But the major way I would guess is prayer. As you climb the mountain you might very well get Special Graces, or maybe not. But it is not having Special Graces that makes people Holy. It is loving that raises us up.
These Special Graces that Padre Pio was granted are a double edged sword. For as the veil opens to the other side it opens to heaven and the citizens of heaven it also opens to hell and the citizens or slaves of hell. So in the case of Padre Pio we see direct diabolic attack including physical , and a kind of whole shadow world of ghosts (the souls in purgatory) those who are possessed, discerning ouls that have died and gone to hell and on and on and on. Are these bad things? Well in the case of Padre Pio these doors were permitted to open by God. Padre Pio never actively looked for such things. They were granted. For myself I would say there lots of good things coming from the kind of Dark Side being shown. For instance diabolical attack. It is a great confirmation of Faith. Also as my spiritual director used to say it is a great compliment to yourself that the devil does such things. Another thing I would say about such things is that they are so interesting. Seeing such things are really, really great teachers. We should never ever seek such things of course, but on the other hand when God permits them H does so for very good reasons. Another thing about these praeternatural which is very curious I have found is that they can be very entertaining and funny. For instance if I am in Church and hear the demons discussing a lady, says call her Mr's Brown. The demons might be outraged at her and one screams complaining about the huge harm she is dong to their, 'Kingdom'. The other one agrees and asked about why the tempting demons who were supposed to stop her failed. A lot of whinging and whining and complaining about how holy this poor woman had gotten and how much harm she does to hell. I find this quite funny because it is the totatally opposite way we have in looking at things. But anyway looking at Padre Pio with all this, I am sure he got a lot of positive things about the Dark Side attacking, about the veil to hell pulling back a little.
Manuela – Repent, Do Penance, and Live in The Holy Sacraments Apparition of Saint Padre Pio to Manuela Strack on March 2, 2026 Saint Padre Pio comes to us surrounded by a beautiful light, and I greet him. He blesses us and says: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Friends of Jesus, it is so important that you pray for peace! This time of tribulation is the revelation of all evil. The time in which you are living is one of struggle, for this is the time of purification; but it is also the time of very great graces that the Lord bestows upon you! Thus, you are opposed when you live out your faith. It is good that you are in a struggle; for this shows that you are children of God and not children of the spirit of the age (Zeitgeist), who only bear the world in their hearts. Open your hearts to Jesus! Padre Pio speaks to M.: Look at my stigmata! M.: I see them, Padre! Saint Padre Pio says: I received them as a gift on earth. Out of pure love and devotion to the Lord, for I wanted to belong entirely to Him! Pray also for your spiritual fathers, that their hearts may also belong entirely to Jesus! The love of Jesus is gentle, strong, and full of fervor, taking hold of you in a wonderful way when you open your hearts. I gave my life to Jesus, and He lived in me through His grace. In His name, I ask you to convert with your whole heart—not just a fleeting infatuation. All these wars are happening because of your sins. It is you, children of God, who can change the world and enter into eternal life through these good works. I have warned you that you are facing great events, and I cannot say it enough: Repent, do penance, and live in the holy sacraments, in which the Lord is alive; and thus He will also live in you if you are full of contrition. Saint Padre Pio takes his leave and says that he will bless us later with the priest. His apparition is accompanied by the scent of roses. https://www.callofthekingdom.com/
This apparition of St. Padre Pio (which I hadn't seen before) took place on my birthday and the first day of retirement. I take this as a good sign. It was St. Pio who was mainly responsible for guiding me to a greater appreciation of the Mystery and Truth of the Catholic faith, when I started to learn more about his life and mission in the early 1980s. Recently I have been praying to him more and asking that he continue to guide and help us. This feels like it could a response to those prayers too. Saint Padre Pio, pray for us.
Saint Padre Pio is one f my favorite Saints and I bug Him daily. Many miracles! So glad that he has intercede for you so wonderfully!
My sweetest memory of my visit to San Giovanni Rotondo was to sit way back up in the upper wooden stall looking down on the picture of Our Lady of Graces were Padre Pio used to go to pray in peace and quiet and be by himself. No one else was there. I often think of Padre Pio kneeling there. It is over 40 years since I visited and looking at the recent videos the little village has grown to be huge. One person even described it as a city! But I am glad I got there when it was more like when he was alive.
Shared by the Irish Centre for Padre Pio Fb page, an RTE (Irish TV) news report on Padre Pio's beatification on 2nd May 1999: Fr. Brian Shorthall: "I was present in May 1999 with Eileen Maguire for this wonderful day and again in 2002 for the Canonization of Padre Pio. Eileen was asked by Fr Alessio Parente and the Friars in San Giovanni to read in English at the Liturgy. And our beloved Fr. Angelus is featured in this piece. St. Pio, Pray for us!" https://www.rte.ie/archives/2014/05...il_wiH9Kfaz9FWPpGw_aem_zDNas9oDE76Kzi9GXP9Cpg
Not a day goes past when I do not think of the saint. He is a great source of joy and peace and hope.
