Padre Pio

Today is the feast day of a very special saint. In fact, he could be the hero in a comic book since God gave him some very special gifts.
 

 
One day, Padre Pio was praying before the Crucifix when he realized he had the stigmata.
 
The stig what?
 
The stigmata is the word used to describe the wounds that Jesus had after he was crucified. See here is a photo of Padre Pio and you can see the sores on his hands.
 

 
That must hurt!
 
I don't know about that Tallulah, but people said that the blood smelled like flowers.
 
Another gift that God gave to Padre Pio was the gift of bilocation.  And before you ask, bilocation means that Padre Pio could be in two places at the same time.
 
Wow that is very cool.
 
Here is one story that we found on EWTN's website.
 
Among the most remarkable of the documented cases of bilocation was the Padre's appearance in the air over San Giovanni Rotondo during World War II. While southern Italy remained in Nazi hands American bombers were given the job of attacking the city of San Giovanni Rotondo. However, when they appeared over the city and prepared to unload their munitions a brown-robed friar appeared before their aircraft. All attempts to release the bombs failed. In this way Padre Pio kept his promise to the citizens that their town would be spared. Later on, when an American airbase was established at Foggia a few miles away, one of the pilots of this incident visited the friary and found to his surprise the little friar he had seen in the air that day over San Giovanni.
 
But perhaps his greatest gift was his ability to bring people closer to God, especially when hearing their confessions.

He died in 1968 long before we and all you kids were born. But I bet your parents and certainly your grandparents were alive and might even remember him.

Did you know Cloë that more than 100,000 people went to his funeral.

Here is a picture of the church dedicated to him. If you click here you can see all kinds of neat photos. You can visit San Giovanni Rotondo virtually!

Why not make a Saint Folder on this special feast day.

Go to the My Little Flower Blog for instructions. Be sure to scroll down to September 23rd.

Let's finish with a prayer. Pope John Paul II recited this prayer on the occasion of the canonization of Padre Pio, June 16, 2002.

Teach us, we pray, humility of heart,
so that we may be counted among the little ones of the Gospel
to whom the Father promised to reveal
the mysteries of His Kingdom.
Help us to pray without ceasing,
certain that God knows what we need
even before we ask Him. Obtain for us the eyes of faith that will help us recognize
in the poor and suffering, the very face of Jesus. Sustain us in the hour of trouble and trial and, if we fall,
let us experience the joy of the sacrament of forgiveness.
Grant us your tender devotion to Mary,
mother of Jesus and our Mother.
Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage
toward the blessed Homeland,
where we too, hope to arrive to contemplate forever
the Glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen

Saint Padre Pio, pray for us.

Woof!

Cloë and Tallulah