“The most beautiful act of faith is the one made in darkness, in sacrifice, and with extreme effort.” Saint Padre Pio
Mini Bio of Saint Padre Pio
Francesco Forgione was born in Pietrelcina on 25 May 1887 from Grazio Forgione and Maria Giuseppa De Nunzio. In 1901 he expressed a strong desire to become a friar following a meeting with Fra 'Camillo di Sant'Elia, a Capuchin friar of the Convent of Morcone. With great joy, his parents accepted his vocation and so, Father Grazio emigrated to America to guarantee him his years of study.
On January 6, 1903 Francesco entered the convent and on January 22 of the following year he made his profession of simple vows, taking the name of fra 'Pio.
On the morning of 10 August 1910, Padre Pio was ordained a priest in the Cathedral of Benevento and celebrated the first Mass in the Mother Church of Pietrelcina on 14 August.
The September 7, 1910 , in the family campaign of Piana Romana, under the large elm tree where he prayed, he received the first stigmata, which disappeared within a year.
In 1915 Padre Pio was called to arms. During medical examinations he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and was sent home.
In February 1916 he was inserted into the religious community of S. Anna in Foggia and on 28 July of the same year he was invited by the superior of San Giovanni Rotondo to the convent of the country in which he remained for the rest of his life.
On 20 September 1918 , in front of the Crucifix of the church of the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo, he received the stigmata in his hands, feet and side, signs of the passion of Christ. In 1940 his great work Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza was planned, inaugurated May 5, 1956. On September 22, 1968, Padre Pio celebrated his last Mass and in the early hours of September 23 he returned to the Father's house.
About this website:
I was introduced to St. Padre Pio by Fr. Pierre Leblond, OP the former pastor of St. Mary’s parish in Vancouver. He challenged me to read four books about St. Padre Pio when the first topic of the Saint came out during our conversation. I was hooked immediately to the Saint, and later I agreed to help him set up the prayer group. This was back in 2016. This website was then created to store all the information about the prayer group, from the upcoming prayer meeting, collection of prayers written by the Saint himself or other saints about Padre Pio and also blog of testimonies of how the Saint through the prayer group has changed lives.
Later the prayer group decided not to continue to use this website, but I would like to continue to maintain this website. I updated the contents. I want people to pray using all the prayers written by the Saint or the prayer that Padre Pio would recite every day. Explore this website, I hope and pray that you will be transform by Saint Pio. God bless you! Lucy