UTAH — Several pilgrimages have been scheduled by different diocesan priests as part of the events for the Jubilee of Hope the year-long celebration called by Pope Francis that began on Dec The Catholic Church celebrates a Jubilee every 25 years the theme is “Pilgrims of Hope,” taken from the opening words of Pope Francis’ Bull of Indiction titled Spes non confundit (Hope does not disappoint.) “Everyone knows what it is to hope,” the Pope wrote in the Bull hope dwells as the desire and expectation of good things to come despite our not knowing what the future will bring.” The first pilgrimage led by a local priest will be April 28 to May 9 will be the spiritual director for a pilgrimage around Turin Among the places that the pilgrims will visit in Rome will be the four major basilicas; they also will attend a papal audience the first monastery of the Order of Saint Benedictine will walk with pilgrims along the Way of St which also is known as the Camino de Santiago “I organized this pilgrimage during the Year of Hope to provide a unique opportunity for reflection and spiritual growth,” Fr “As participants walk 15 to 17 miles each day they have the chance to contemplate Jesus’ message of hope not only as it applies to our world but also to their personal lives.” When a person combines walking with the beauty of nature reflective atmosphere that helps deepen their focus on God’s message,” he said “It’s a journey that invites both individual and collective transformation where every step draws them closer to understanding and living out the hope that Christ offers.” administrator of Notre Dame de Lourdes and Good Shepherd parishes in central Utah Florence and the Marian shrines in Lourdes and Fatima This will be “a spiritual journey through some of the most sacred sites in Catholicism,” he said Dass David was with a pilgrimage group in the Holy Land when the war broke out “and when I was coming back I decided I was not going to organize any pilgrimage for the next four to five years,” he said “I had an intense feeling that kept coming and coming I had the thought about doing a pilgrimage and from them in a few hours everything was set I guess God really wants me to do it,’” he said Pilgrimages are part of the Church’s hundreds of years of tradition and they are “a very powerful experience; any pilgrimage that you do out of faith will change you.” Mary of the Assumption Parish in Park City will lead pilgrims in an exploration of the basilicas Gray said that he decided to do this pilgrimage “because it’s the holy year and people have been mentioning to me for some time how wonderful it would be to go to Rome with me,” he said A “pilgrimage is a spiritual practice that mirrors the path of the soul toward God,” he said People who accompany him on this pilgrimage can “hope to have a spiritual experience of visiting the holy sites in Rome and other places especially by participating in the Jubilee events,” Fr “Going through the holy doors of the basilicas will be a highlight but I pray that the whole of the journey is enriching in the hope of the joy of the Catholic Church alive today pilgrims from the whole world will go to Rome in great numbers and this will be spectacular to see and participate in.” a pilgrimage “symbolizes a profound spiritual quest for growth transformation and a deeper connection with the divine,” Fr “While it often involves traveling toward a sacred destination it also represents a movement of the heart and soul.” participants will be challenged to take this hope into their families “They will be called to be bringers of hope joy and compassion in a world that so desperately needs it This pilgrimage is not just a moment of personal reflection but a calling to live out the hope we receive sharing it with others and becoming active participants in the healing and transformation of the world around us.” For information about the April 28- May 9 pilgrimage to Turin visit https://www.206tours.com/cms/kockler/ visit  https://www.206tours.com/cms/frsantos/ visit https://holylandtc.wetravel.com/checkout_embed?uuid=10016804 visit  www.evolution35.com/ Tour 273  Via Francigena The SGR Francigena APS association is pleased to announce the opening of a new hostel located in the historic heart of San Giovanni Rotondo along the Southern Francigena route that crosses Puglia designed exclusively for hikers and pilgrims traveling on foot offers a unique opportunity to experience the Via Francigena in an authentic and charming setting The hostel is housed in one of the medieval towers on Corso Giacomo Matteotti 107 Immersed in the historical atmosphere of San Giovanni Rotondo the new hostel serves as a strategic point of rest for pilgrims traveling along the Via Francigena providing a refreshing pause in the middle of their journey the hostel features 10 beds in a shared dormitory Pilgrims will have access to a bathroom and a kitchen where they can prepare meals and refresh after a long day of walking the hostel is tailored to meet the basic needs of travelers fostering moments of rest and interaction among fellow walkers the hostel aims to be accessible to all pilgrims maintaining a spirit of solidarity and hospitality This affordable rate allows travelers to continue their journey without straining their budget offering quality service at a favorable price To reserve a bed, booking requests must be submitted through an online form, available at the following link: Hostel Torre Francigena Booking Form The SGR Francigena APS association is thrilled to offer this new accommodation point for pilgrims and to contribute to the revitalization of the Via Francigena as a path of faith Share this articleand follow us on social media: 👉🏻 Itinerary 👉🏻 Where to sleep 👉🏻 I ❤️ Francigena 👉🏻 The Via by bicycle 👉🏻 Events Calendar The European Association of the Via Francigena unites municipalities and countries crossed by the Via Francigena We’re always on the lookout for new partners who share our values and who want to help us promote sustainable travel across Europe F.A.Q © Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene | C.F. 91029880340 – P.IVA 02654910344 Powered by ItinerAria Privacy | Cookie Policy  | Legal Notice  © Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene | C.F Powered by ItinerAria In his Message for the 33rd World Day of the Sick Pope Francis grapples with the profound questions that confront those who are suffering and those who care for them “How can we be strong when our bodies are prey to severe debilitating illnesses that require costly treatment that we may not be able to afford?  How can we show strength when we see those of our loved ones who support us yet feel powerless to help us?” Although true hope “does not disappoint,” and in fact “strengthens us in times of trial,” this confidence can often prove perplexing in real situations of suffering we sense our need for a strength greater than our own and the strength that is the gift of His Spirit.” The Holy Father goes on to invite the faithful to reflect on three particular ways God remains close to those who are suffering: “encounter The Pope recalls that when Jesus sent the 72 disciples on mission “The Kingdom of God has come near to you,” that is “to help the sick see their infirmity… as an opportunity to encounter the Lord.” helping us to discover “a solid rock to which we can cling amid the tempests of life an experience that… makes us all the stronger because it teaches us that we are not alone.” This leads us to experience God’s closeness in our suffering as a gift suffering makes us aware that hope comes from the Lord by remaining ‘faithful to the faithfulness of God’.” The Pope goes on to explain that “only in Christ’s resurrection does our own life and destiny find its place within the infinite horizon of eternity.” The “great hope” that nothing can separate us from Christ “is the source of all those small glimmers of light that help us to see our way through the trials and obstacles of life,” Pope Francis explains which is often seen in places of suffering do we learn to have faith!  How often The Pope emphasizes the need “to learn how to appreciate the beauty and significance of these grace-filled encounters” between patients “All these are rays of light to be treasured; even among the dark night of adversity while at the same time teaching us the deeper meaning of life Pope Francis concludes his Message with a special word for those who are sick and suffering reminding them that they have an “especially important” part to play in the Jubilee “Your journey together is a sign of hope for everyone in the name of the whole Church and in his own name assuring them that they are always in his prayers The World Day of the Sick is observed each year on February 11 the liturgical commemoration of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lourdes with an especially solemn celebration taking place every three years at a Marian shrine Pope Francis has chosen to delay for one year the solemn celebration that would normally occur in 2025 The solemn commemoration of the World Day of the Sick will now take place in 2026 at the Marian Sanctuary of the Virgin of Chapi of Arequipa in Peru The Pope’s decision was announced in a press release published on Monday morning by the Dicasteries for the Promotion of Integral Human Development and of Evangelization The statement noted that for the Jubilee Year the World Day of the Sick will be celebrated in the ordinary manner at the diocesan level as usual on February 11; while at the same time noting the upcoming Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers set for April 5-6; and the Jubilee of People with Disabilities on April 28-29 Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here 0$0.00 Calvin Robinson by Gage Skidmore / Flickr (Left) Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza by Marcello Castigliego / Wikimedia Commons CV NEWS FEED // A Catholic hospital in the charism of St Pio of Pietrelcina’s Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (Home for the Relief of Suffering) in Italy is coming to Howell along with an ardently pro-life and pro-family medical school Catholic Healthcare International (CHI) is spearheading the twofold vision. According to a news release, CHI has signed a purchase agreement to buy a 140,000-square-foot hospital in Howell, which will be run in the style of Padre Pio Saint Padre Pio’s call was to create a chain of hospitals around the world in the footsteps of Jesus Christ,” CHI stated in the news release he developed the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza in San Giovanni Rotondo which has grown into a major research medical center The need for a Catholic medical school to protect life in America and serve at the hospital presented itself early on resulting in the decision to establish a school in Howell as well The proposed Saint Padre Pio Institute for the Relief of Suffering School of Osteopathic Medicine is currently seeking accreditation the Casa USA Home for the Relief of Suffering will not only include the medical school but will also feature an embryo orphanage The hospital will also offer a home for those who have suffered brain injuries a woman whose euthanization in 2005 after years of being in a vegetative state sparked controversy across America who is the president of the proposed medical school stated in the news release that the school will combat elements of Western medicine that violate the dignity of human life “[E]uphemisms of ‘reproductive health care,’ ‘ending suffering,’ and ‘no one would want to live like that,’ are more reminiscent of Germany in 1942 than what health care should be in 2024,” Mychaskiw stated “This medical school will armor physicians with the faith and truth to stand with their patients protecting the lives and dignity of the most vulnerable.” a cleric in the branch of Anglicanism that is most similar to Catholicism spoke at a recent event to announce the hospital and medical school and reminded attendees of the importance of a strongly religious medical practice you have no legs to stand on,” he stated “Either you stand for something or you do not stand at all.” Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms and Conditions Padre Pio's bed in Cell number 5 where he lived most of the years in San Giovanni Rotondo.+© Photo Courtesy of Bret Thoman whose gritty New York exploitation films of the 1980s and 1990s delved into the soulless evils of drug addiction pays homage to one of Italy’s best-known and most revered saints in his newest film which stars Shia LaBeouf and premieres at the Venice Film Festival next week confirms a change of pace for the cult director is an understatement chalks up to a decade of sobriety and a new life in Italy of living in a different life,” the “Bad Lieutenant” director said in an interview in his new hometown of Rome “I think it’s more just trying to get our game right.” The film chronicles a particular moment in the 20th century history of Italy and Padre Pio the mystic Capuchin monk best known for having displayed the “stigmata” wounds of Christ: He bled from his hands Padre Pio died in 1968 and was canonized in 2002 by St going on to become one of the most popular saints in Italy and frankly ignores some of the juiciest bits of the Padre Pio saga which involved a dozen Vatican investigations into purported dalliances with women alleged financial improprieties and doubts about the stigmatas Ferrara weaves a parallel tale about the beginnings of fascism in Italy that is The film takes as its starting point Padre Pio’s arrival at a Capuchin monastery in San Giovanni Rotondo at the time its soldiers were returning home from World War I with the Catholic Church and wealthy large landowners trying to hold onto power amid the first inklings of Italy’s post-war socialist movement that saw factory unrest and peasant strikes That social unrest erupted into a little-known police massacre of peasants in San Giovanni after the socialists won a 1920 local election church-backed ruling class refused to respect When the winning socialists tried to hang their red flag on the municipal building and install their mayor on Oct shots rang out and 14 people were killed and 80 injured the “Massacre of San Giovanni Rotondo” helped foretell the spread of fascism in Italy who has lived in Italy for some two decades in which supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S Capitol after refusing to respect the results of the 2020 election or the rise of the far-right Brothers of Italy party in his adopted country leads the polls ahead of Italian parliamentary elections next month Add to the mix Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 6 happens after you’ve been working on this film for five years elections are great until you lose,” he said The film is dedicated to the victims of the 1920 massacre as well as the people of Ukraine “What I’m looking at is a rerun of World War II Seventy-five million people died 70 years ago It’s happening right in front of our eyes,” he said is: “You’re looking at the end of the world.” Catholicism and his fascination with Padre Pio are not new: The Bronx-born Ferrara was raised Catholic and introduced to both Italy and the saint by his grandfather who was born in a town not far from Padre Pio’s hometown of Pietrelcina Those interests have emerged in Ferrara’s more recent films including “Pasolini” which paid tribute to the scandalous life and violent death of Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini and premiered at Venice in 2014; and “Mary,” about an actor (Juliette Binoche) playing Mary Magdalene in a film which won the Grand Jury prize at Venice in 2005 Both “Pasolini” and “Padre Pio” relied heavily on the diaries writings and documentation of their subjects and Ferrara first made a documentary about the saint’s life before deciding to zero in on the particular period of his arrival in San Giovanni Rotondo his doubts about his faith and the events surrounding the 1920 massacre “I thought the confluence between the massacre and his stigmata both happening in the same place at the same time … I mean how could you not make a movie about that?” Ferrara said But Ferrara is well aware that his early genre work — he has done pornography drug-addicted cop “Bad Lieutenant,” and his earlier “The Driller Killer,” about a New York artist who randomly kills people with a power drill — gave him something of a reputation “Given the list of films I’d made you’d be wondering,” Ferrara admits But he said church officials and the Capuchin friars who advised on set were entirely supportive of the project and its star who has admitted to alcoholism and has been accused by a former girlfriend of abuse LaBeouf spent four months in a California monastery preparing for the role and has said the chance to play “Padre Pio” was a miracle for him personally “It’s just that these cats have got that optimistic take,” Ferrara said admiringly of the church “Don’t judge someone on their worst moment.” Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser a picturesque town located in the Apulia region of southern Italy is renowned for its association with Saint Padre Pio one of the most popular contemporary saints The town today hosts the shrine dedicated to the image of “Our Lady of Graces” and the repaired and preserved body of Padre Pio is on display in the crypt of the Church Padre Pio arrived in San Giovanni Rotondo as a young novice in 1916 and he spent his years at the convent established in 1538 and dedicated to Our Lady of Graces His mystical experience of Transverberation where lans appeared in his side in August 1918 was the preparation of young Padre Pio for a long life mission: which was to suffer together with Christ until the end Padre Pio's moral sufferings were even greater than his physical ones there were all sorts of accusations and allegations against him The local clergy reported to the Vatican that Padre Pio was a greedy and wicked monk and that his influence was harmful for people Padre Pio was allowed to return to his public priestly service The Chapel in San Giovanni Rotondo was a well of Padre Pio's spiritual strength and a source of allmiracles and graces there is an never-ending flow of pilgrims that pray before the Blessed Sacrament and leave prayer petitions at Padre Pio’s confessional recalls how Padre Pio took sins onto his own shoulders during confession and it was a moment of deep union with the sufferings of Christ through which we are saved The Lord chose to give Padre Pio the stigmata for the sake of the body of the Church They were signs for others of his credibility as a confessor and a man who could read souls and people drew to Padre Pio because of the stigmata The Lord used them to lead souls from sinful ways and difficult situations towards the resurrection Padre Pio bore the stigmata for over 50 years but they disappeared immediately after his death They were a ministry given to him for his life to bring other souls to Christ and his life is an inspiration for people around the world to seek union with Christ and to embrace suffering as a means of drawing closer to the Divine View more information » (ANS – San Giovanni Rotondo) – From 30 August to 1 September the Youth Pastoral Conference of the Province of Southern Italy will mark the beginning of the new pastoral year 2024-25 which will be inspired by the SYM Proposal "Awaited by his love Joyful in Hope" and to the upcoming Church and Salesian events such as the Jubilee and the 150th anniversary of the first Salesian mission which will take place this year in San Giovanni Rotondo at the Hotel Gran Paradiso through which the Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry the laity and the young people whohave significant roles in the EPC  in coordinating pastoral sectors the programmatic and pastoral elements useful for starting activities at the local level missionary spirit and attention to the EPCs will be the key coordinates of the Salesian mission to the South in the new year To offer the participants of the Conference valuable insights in this regard catechetical and pedagogical-pastoral addresses by two speakers: The central moments of the three days will be the synodal discussion tables which will urge the conference participants to exchange points of view and reflect on the vocational dimension in the areas of Parishes There will also be a presentation of the provincial planning for 2024-25 and the open dialogue of the Assembly with the Provincial The full programme of the event can be found on the website donboscoalsud.it  ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007 This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements For the centenary of the appearance of the stigmata of St Pio of Pietrelcina and on the 50th anniversary of his death on Saturday 17 March Pope Francis will make  a pastoral visit to Pietrelcina in the Diocese of Manfredonia-Vieste-San Giovanni Rotondo On Thursday the Vatican Press Office published the updated program of the journey of Pope Francis to the central places in the life of Padre Pio The Pope will arrive by helicopter in Pietrelcina at 8 am: first there will be a brief prayer stop in the "Saint Francis" Chapel then a meeting with the faithful in the square in front of the liturgical hall of Piana Romana Finally he will greet the Capuchin community of Pietrelcina The first appointment is a hospital visit to the "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza"  From the square in front of the hospital the Holy Father will greet and bless the sick from his car then he will meet sick children.  The Pope will then travel to a Marian sanctuary where he will greet  the Community of  Capuchins and venerate the body of Saint Pio and the Crucifix of the Stigmata Then there will be the Eucharistic Concelebration in the churchyard of the Church of Saint Pio Pope Francis is due back in the Vatican at around 2pm Italian time Padre Pio was there to stop them.In the midst of World War II Italy was invaded by Nazi Germany and Allied forces made many attempts to liberate the country intelligence reported a cache of German munitions near San Giovanni Rotondo the town in which stood the monastery of St at the beginning of the war Padre Pio reassured the people that no bomb would touch their small city Padre Pio reportedly went out of his way to make this happen According to author Frank Rega in his book Padre Pio and America “none of the Allied planes sent to bomb the San Giovanni Rotondo area were able to complete their missions successfully causing the bombs to drop harmlessly in the fields or mechanical failures which caused the planes to veer off course.” Most remarkable of all were the stories of a “flying monk.” An American pilot was just about to bomb the city when the pilot saw in front of his plane the image of a monk in the sky gesturing with his arms and hands for the plane to turn back When he returned to the base and told his story his commanding officer decided it was best to put this pilot in a hospital under observation for mission-fatigue.” The pilot couldn’t get the image from his mind and after the war he made inquiries to find this monk He eventually made the journey to San Giovanni Rotondo and recognized the “flying monk” as St While the accounts might appear to be fictitious tales what is true is that San Giovanni Rotondo was spared during World War II and multiple pilots reported seeing a “flying monk” in the sky over the spot where they were ordered to unload bombs it further attests to the remarkable sanctity of Padre Pio and how he was given extraordinary graces during life He was united to God so intimately that he could be in two places at once extending himself to another location because of his deep relationship with God Padre Pio certainly did not do any of these amazing feats from his own power but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26) Articles like these are sponsored free for every Catholic through the support of generous readers just like you Please make a tax-deductible donation today Help us continue to bring the Gospel to people everywhere through uplifting Catholic news Pope Francis on Saturday visited Pietrelcina and San Giovanni Rotondo in southern Italy on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the stigmata and 50 year of the death of St simplicity and poverty,  was born on 25 May “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza,” (Home for Alleviating Suffering) Perhaps the highlight and the most poignant moment of the Pope’s 17 March pastoral visit was when he entered the children’s cancer ward of  the “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” one of the most advanced medical facilities in Italy.  In his insatiable urge to reach out to the poor Pope Francis went about the ward embracing Here are glimpses of some of the touching moments of this visit.  Pope Francis on Saturday makes a pastoral visit the southern Italian towns of Pietrelcina and San Giovanni Rotondo in the footsteps of Padre Pio explains the significance of his mosaics decorating the crypt chapel "Padre Pio wasn't just a spiritual father ... For me, he was my dad!" says Elia Stelluto, talking to Aleteia about his very special bond with Padre Pio the almost-90-year-old Stelluto still has vivid memories of his childhood near the Capuchin convent he formed an affectionate bond with the friar who already enjoyed a reputation for sanctity during his lifetime when I became an altar boy at the age of 7 and accompanied him at Mass,” he recalls returning to San Giovanni Rotondo for good he benefited from the active help of the Italian consul in Buenos Aires Not only did he facilitate the administrative procedures to enable Elia to return to his native country the diplomat himself took it upon himself to convince his parents to let him return to Italy Elia would not see his family again until 30 years later His relatives would eventually return to San Giovanni Rotondo as well still alive today and celebrating his 100th birthday in a few days' time Elia Stelluto resumed photographing Padre Pio in his everyday life "The first time I tried to photograph Padre Pio during the celebration of Mass he got annoyed and asked for the carabinieri to come and arrest me I went to see him after the celebration to ask his forgiveness," he recalls amused by the mixture of firmness and benevolence that emanated from the friar despite working without flash and with candles as the only lighting Elia managed to "show the saint in all his simplicity." Despite the dark atmosphere of the convent which logically should have rendered the photos unusable due to the silver technique of the time a strange light emanates from the saint's face Fifty-six years after photographing him at his last Mass, Elia Stelluto continues to watch over an extraordinary archive, from which these 10 new photos have been extracted and made available to the public on the ilverosanpio.org website. This is thanks to the initiative of the president of the Saint Pio Foundation a US-based organization chaired by Italian opera singer Luciano Lamonarca Lamonarca attributes to Padre Pio's intercession the birth of his and his wife’s child Sebastian The child was naturally conceived after doctors had told them there was no cure for their infertility the Italian tenor has set to music the "Song of Saint Pio," composed at the time of his death in 1968 He travels the world to raise awareness of this saint there are many people who will never be able to come to Pietrelcina and San Giovanni Rotondo but it's up to us to make the saint accessible to them," he reflects to Aleteia Luciano Lamonarca points out that the Capuchin friar "also invites us to reflect on our relationship with suffering." we seek to ward off the slightest headache Padre Pio teaches us instead to suffer with decency Pio to help Catholics and non-Catholics alike to live with dignity.” The presentation of these photos took place at the Vatican on the 10th anniversary of the canonization of John Paul II and who had a close relationship with Padre Pio after meeting him at San Giovanni Rotondo in 1948 Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of Vatican Media Archbishop Wojtyla would ask Padre Pio for prayers and graces," explained the Italian journalist He added that this link was not self-evident in a context of great mistrust in the Vatican towards the Capuchin friar He shows that holiness also means accepting decisions that may seem difficult and incomprehensible," said Andrea Tornielli John Paul II put an end to the debate by beatifying Padre Pio in 1999 and canonizing him in 2002 Pio is thus "an ever-present saintly figure who has entered the collective imagination." This link between Karol Wojtyla and Padre Pio was decisive "There was a lot of opposition to him within the Church Padre Pio wouldn't have been made a saint," says the man who remains one of the last witnesses to this extraordinary spiritual adventure “Padre Pio,” starring Shia LaBeouf one of the most popular saints of the 20th century was “enormous,” Shia LaBeouf told CNA in late May The new film “Padre Pio,” starring “Transformers” and “Fury” star LaBeouf aired in theaters June 2 and portrays the Italian friar in his early 20s immersed in the suffering of the residents of San Giovanni Rotondo rated R for some explicit violence and language portrays powerful scenes of Padre Pio ministering to the townspeople and enduring his own spiritual battles with the devil amid the chaos of a violent political clash between the mainly impoverished socialists and the wealthy ruling class called the killings a “nightmare event” and added that all of it came together in the film “There’s not a political story and a Padre Pio story And those people are very interconnected to him,” Ferrara said Brother Alexander Rodriguez — who plays a real Franciscan Capuchin in the film — and Ferrara also addressed a scene in the film that shows the devil in the form of a naked woman as well as the saint’s use of profanity in another scene When asked what the message of the film was Ferrara said that there was nothing specific but added that St Pio’s message is “compassion and love in the day-to-day life LaBeouf told CNA that playing the role of the saint while being immersed in his monastery and town added to the intensity “There are scenes where we’re running Mass and these aren’t actors in the seats These are God-fearing people who love Padre Pio and you feel it Many of the extras in the film were from the area surrounding San Giovanni Rotondo been on a set where the film felt easier to make.” Whenever the filming team ran into technical or legal issues LaBeouf didn’t panic but turned to the saint’s famous motto: Pray And I think we made a beautiful film as a result of following his teachings and really leaning into the pragmatic way in which he dealt with the world,” he said LaBeouf said that he “experienced disordered freedom for so long like an anarchist” and that the film changed his life Padre Pio receives the stigmata while in prayer “It’s easy to think that because he was holy The First World War and the social political turmoil in San Giovanni Rotondo were the context in which the saint received the stigmata “Padre Pio was looking at all of this and saying ‘I want to take this all upon myself as a suffering servant to help them.’ He didn’t know that the stigmata will be the purpose to help these people out The stigmata didn’t just happen on its own Padre Pio is harassed by the devil several times in the film in the appearance of a naked woman disrespecting an image of the Virgin Mary Ferrara told CNA that the scene was taken out of Padre Pio’s private letters to his spiritual director Rodriguez added that demons would appear in Padre Pio’s room as naked women to harass him we’re trying to embody when he’s talking about temptation in a real way,” Ferrara said “A lot of what you see in the movie is pretty accurate,” Rodriguez said adding that he wrote the letters to his spiritual director in confidence and “would not have wanted the letter to be out.” Rodriguez told CNA in 2022 that the film’s depiction of the saint is about 90 percent accurate and is largely based on the saint’s letters to his provincial and spiritual director from 1911 to 1918 who became close with LaBeouf during the actor’s preparation for the role of Padre Pio said that “I know for a fact that God wanted this movie to be made.” He noted how the film came together at a providential moment in LaBeouf’s life which put the actor on the path to join the Catholic Church LaBeouf recently told ChurchPOP that he is currently in RCIA and is on track to be confirmed in seven months Another scene in the film shows the devil appearing as an androgynous person coming to Padre Pio in confession and being unrepentant for sins even to the point of denying the existence of God and hell this is Abel’s take on showing the world that Padre Pio He added that in Padre Pio’s letters to his spiritual director he would write about struggling to deal with his passions of anger and his temper he is “a saint in the working,” Rodriguez said Rodriguez questioned what the world will think of the film’s portrayal of St but I just hope for the best that the world accepts the movie as it is And to see why did Padre Pio receive the stigmata These are the circumstances in which he got the stigmata and the suffering that he went through,” he added LaBeouf told CNA that “if you’ve ever read Little Flowers of St ‘if the devil approaches you stuff s*** in his mouth.’” this idea that saints — and there is no greater a saint than St “These are human beings before they’re sainted,” he added LaBeouf said that he “walked in (the movie process) a wounded man in full-blown suffering I came out of my little shame cave and walked back into the world and I was saved through the love of Christ,” he said and I’m able to show up for my kid in a way I never would have been able to had this not happened for me,” he said Arlington Catholic Herald200 N. Glebe Rd.Suite 615Arlington, VA 22203703-841-2590800-377-0511 Website Design and Development by New Target The relic of St. Pio (better known as Padre Pio) of Pietrelcina’s heart will once again be displayed on his liturgical feast next September 23 as stated by the new rector of the Capuchin Shrine of San Giovanni Rotondo The precious relic, after canonical recognition and subsequent conservation treatment, is kept in a reliquary that was blessed by Pope Benedict XVI on June 21 during his pilgrimage to San Giovanni Rotondo The reliquary is currently placed in cell No 5 of the Convent Santa Maria delle Grazie – the cell in which the beloved saint lived for 30 years and which remained at his disposal even after his later move to cell No His spiritual director explained to him that the supernatural experience was to be considered an act of divine grace and that the wound in Pio’s body was a visible sign of his union with God Last June, the relic of Padre Pio’s transverberated heart was displayed at the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation in Pula, on the annual regional convention of Padre Pio Prayer Groups of Sardinia, Avvenire explains who was presiding over the solemn celebration not only of feelings; it is certainly the place and organ of love.” From the 16th to 19th October the 10th week of Guardian Formation for COMPI-South was held at  San Giovanni Rotondo (FG) with the subject being: “Deviance and dependency in the use of media” In the opening talk of the conference entitled “Entangled in the Web Social Media and Ethics in Religious Life” given by Prof Moral Theology teacher at the Theological Faculty of Puglia attention was immediately focused on the problem of the so-called Internet Addiction or rather that tendency to use the web in conformity with our status with evident consequences in the relational Ample space was given to the psychological and physical modifications that the continual use of social media inevitably comports and it was highlighted how these modifications can lead to an overexposure on the media which is not in synchronization with our vocation Michele Sardella OFM Dean of the Faculty of Canon Law at the Antonianum who placed the emphasis on the canonical consequences connected to an improper use of the internet in the private intimate and emotional ambits of social media psychologist and lecturer at the Salesian Pontifical University entitled “Deviances and addiction in media use in consecrated life” allowed us to reflect on the link between deviance and digital media from a psychological standpoint Developing further the concept of addiction we evaluated some clinical and behavioral evidence in order to identify useful criteria to recognize the symptoms: untrustworthiness in roles and tasks mood changes that are always present in manifesting a dependency and can be valid indications of a dangerous situation in being.  The lecture then helped those present to identify the possible old wounds at the base of addictive behavior and the risk factors linked to consecrated life for those who find themselves in difficulty: perfectionism The third and last contribution was given by Prof sociologist and lecturer of communicational science at the Redemptor Hominis Pastoral Institute of the Lateran Pontifical University centred his talk on the definition of a social and cultural framework in which to give a context to the “social life” phenomenon which has grown exponentially since the beginning of the year 2000.  Padula wished to present to the audience of Guardian how as we cannot limit the use of digital media to spread the Gospel: the challenge consists in succeeding in “integrating” the good news in “the new (communication) culture” which prefers narration and communication to be mediated through sounds and pictures We are therefore called to exercise a service to culture overcoming the temptation to self-centredness and projecting ourselves in a charitable dimension.  the conference contributed in clarifying and giving a new insight into the relationship of social media and possible deviance while at the same time giving the go-ahead to a process of discernment which will help to take into account of the difficulties that are emerging presently in our religious life enabling us to push forward towards new models of evaluation for our initial formation curriculum and good discernment for that of permanent formation as well in our lives as brothers and minors.  Nicola Gildi of the Province of the Sacred Heart of Naples for his choice of venue and his organization.  Italy (AP) — Pope Francis on Saturday traveled to southern Italy to honor a hugely popular Italian saint praying silently before a glass display case holding the mystic monk’s body in a shrine town that draws millions of pilgrims each year Francis took a helicopter from the Vatican early Saturday morning to visit Pietrelcina There he told faithful that Padre Pio “loved the holy church … and its sinner children.” a mountain town in the southeastern region of Puglia and his popularity began to spread in 1918 when he bled from his hands is considered the first priest in centuries to display signs of the stigmata or the wounds suffered by Jesus at crucifixion Francis made the half-day visit to the south to mark the 50th anniversary of the saint’s death and 100 years since the stigmata was seen The phenomenon is said to have caused the monk much physical torment in his life Padre Pio was made a saint in 2002 by Pope John Paul II had journeyed to Puglia from Poland in 1947 to see him for confession Francis visited a chapel where the monk’s body is kept in a see-through glass case and He also cheered up child patients in the oncology department in the hospital that Pio founded in San Giovanni Rotondo He wrote a message on a drawing the children had made for him In his homily at an outdoor Mass attended by thousands of faithful Francis spoke about those needing help in life “Whoever takes care of the little ones is on God’s side and wins over the throw-out culture which privileges the powerful and considers the poor useless,” Francis said Doubted and rejected by many in the Vatican for much of his life and accused by detractors of being a fraud Padre Pio persisted in his lifetime labor of prayer while his popularity among rank-and-file Catholics soared Many Italians display photographs or paintings depicting him in their homes each as rough-hewn and fragmentary as the other Abel Ferrara’s Padre Pio is a fusion of two souls Set in the immediate aftermath of World War I in the Italian village of San Giovanni Rotondo and filmed on location it’s partly a biopic about the Catholic saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Shia LaBeouf) for whom every waking moment seems a dark night of the soul But it’s also a dramatization of the struggle between the landed gentry and the soldiers who return disillusioned from the war culminating in violence after a stolen election instead of treating Catholicism and Marxism as antagonistic their shared valorization of the downtrodden and the zeal of their adherents—as well as their crises of faith It isn’t heresy to say that Padre Pio is a spiritual successor to Pier Paolo Pasolini’s The Gospel According to St anyone looking to Padre Pio for a complex narrative of class struggle in the interwar period is bound to be disappointed over the question of reform or revolution goes undeveloped are caricatures of the sort depicted by the most vulgar propaganda Pio’s characterization is somewhat more nuanced thanks to voiceover narration and a few hallucinatory sequences in which the friar holds a conversation with the devil he himself is assailed by doubt as to whether he’s a saint or a fraud admitting to a fellow friar that “sometimes it feels like the Lord has abandoned me In a scene of seemingly minor significance an illiterate peasant (Ignazio Oliva) confesses to Pio that in the wake of his sons being killed in the war he can’t comprehend the will of God in keeping him and his wife alive to suffer Pio tells him a story about how he would watch his mother working at her embroidery when he was a child Because he was small and seated on a low stool where only the “knots and the confused threads” were visible She’d lower the frame to his level “and I would see,” he says besides illustrating the opacity of divine providence gestures toward a Marxist conception of society The parable may also supply a clue as to what this perplexing film aspires to be Offering visceral immediacy over meticulous construction Alessandro Abate’s cinematography makes much of the stark contrast between San Giovanni Rotondo’s white stone walls and the drab clothes of its inhabitants set off with the odd blood-red flag or handkerchief Also of note is a malefic cameo from Asia Argento ominously credited as “Tall Man,” as well as a scene where Pio inspires a mentally and physically disabled man to take a few steps these images often feel disconnected from those around them Ferrara prefers to plunge his audience among the “knots and the confused threads” of his characters’ lives while holding a grander narrative design—if there is one—at arm’s length Ferrara and Braucci shun the screenwriting dictate that two separate storylines must not only converge but influence one another they do so only briefly and obliquely—and in no way resolving one another This puts the onus on the audience to detect their thematic symmetry as if the filmmakers have dumped two shattered pots out on a table and asked us to do the work of gluing them together into a single pot Whether this comes off as a refusal to condescend to their audience will likely depend on the temperament of individual viewers Deliberate flouting of conventions or a byproduct of a troubled production tethers an anti-democratic massacre to Pio’s symbolic martyrdom Ferrara hammers home his theme of authoritarianism versus democracy as a Manichean struggle If such a good-versus-evil worldview is appropriate to Catholicism which interprets politics as a matter of history and economics as a sort of Kiplingesque “How the Saint Got His Stigmata” fable Padre Pio should not be dismissed as a patchwork that it seems to be at first blush William Repass’s poetry and fiction have appeared in Bennington Review, Denver Quarterly, Fiction International, Bending Genres, and elsewhere. For links to his published writing, click here document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a3965b717823d4470b23a265380a66d2" );document.getElementById("facec42938").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Pope Francis chose three words from the biblical texts proclaimed during Saturday’s liturgy and expanded on them in his homily The Gospel text from Matthew 11:25 presents Jesus praying Lord of heaven and earth.” Pope Francis describes his prayer as one that flowed spontaneously and was not optional The Lord regularly went off by himself in solitary places to pray because “dialogue with the Father was a priority.” Jesus’ disciples asked the Lord to teach them how to pray (Lk 11:1) because they saw that his prayer was natural and important for him This leads the Pope to ask a question: “Do we Christians pray enough?” Instead of making so many excuses and forgetting “the better part” (Lk 10:42) we should remember that without the Lord we can do nothing (cf Jn 15:5) Pope Francis reminds us that Padre Pio used to recommend: “Pray often never get tired of praying” (words from the Second International Congress of the Prayer Groups Jesus “does not say ‘I need this and that,’ but ‘I praise you.’ The Father cannot be known unless we open ourselves to praise to remaining with God in order to bring the world to him Pope Francis asks us who will entrust people to the Lord unless we do This is why Padre Pio founded the prayer groups to whom he said that renews consciences … that heals the sick that gives moral strength… that spreads the smile and blessing of God on the fainthearted and the weak” (words from the Second International Congress of the Prayer Groups “The heart of these little ones is like an antenna that captures God’s signal.” Referring to the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (the House for the Relief of Suffering) Padre Pio used to call it the “temple of prayer and science,” Pope Francis says He continued saying that “Jesus is found in those who are sick And the loving care of those who bend over the wounds of their neighbor is the way of encountering him.” comes from the first reading taken from Jeremiah 9,22: “Let not the wise boast of his wisdom nor the strong boast of his strength.” Pope Francis explains that “Charity animated by faith is the only wise and invincible arm because it has the power of disarming the strength of those who do evil.” Like Jesus Padre Pio battled wisely against evil his entire life—“humbly offering the pain out of love.” Everyone knows this and admires Padre Pio for this “Many people are ready to click ‘like’ on the pages of the great saints Because the Christian life is not an ‘I like,’ but an ‘I give.’ ” Padre Pio decided to give himself to others especially as a Confessor It is in the Sacrament of Reconciliation that we “begin to live a wise life … that is where the healing of the heart begins,” Pope Francis says And it is to this Sacrament that Padre Pio invites us to return today To him who saves you or to your own dejection that would exclude you from his mercy” (Padre Pio quoted by Pope Francis) The Saint Pio Foundation presented a dozen previously unseen photographs of Padre Pio at the Vatican Film Library on the tenth anniversary of its establishment Unpublished photographs of St. Padre Pio were unveiled during a press conference at the Vatican Film Library on April 29. They are the work of Elia Stelluto, a photographer who was acquainted with the famous Franciscan friar since childhood. These photographs are made available free of charge by the Saint Pio Foundation : https://therealsaintpio.org/ "Padre Pio is a figure still relevant today (he is) a saint of the people because he comes from the people," said Andrea Tornielli editorial manager of the Dicastery for Communication "The selected photographs," added Archbishop Felice Accrocca of Benevento the archdiocese where Padre Pio lived during the early years of his life "depict the saint of Pietrelcina as a simple brother celebrating mass or even blessing a rosary." Stelluto spent his childhood near the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo where Padre Pio resided he began taking photos of the future saint gave the young man permission to photograph him on the condition that it be done without flash the thousands of flash-free photos reveal the daily life of Padre Pio alongside his Capuchin brothers during various celebrations and in intimate moments "I still can't understand the mystery of these photos," said the photographer who was called the "photographer boy" by the saint Stelluto shared some memories of his years spent alongside Padre Pio He particularly remembers his teachings: "Thinking to pray and reciting the rosary," as well as emphasizing that "his weapon was the Rosary." entered the Capuchin Order at the age of 15 and was ordained a priest at the age of 23 he had an intense life of prayer and engaged in daily dialogue with Jesus he spent between fifteen and nineteen hours in the confessionals of the churches of San Giovanni Rotondo Padre Pio could be harsh when he felt that the penitent was hiding things or arranging them to avoid confronting the truth of their actions he bore the stigmata of the Passion – miraculous wounds on his hands that resembled the wounds of Jesus Christ Padre Pio always refused to speak about his mystical experiences Pope John Paul II beatified Pio in 1999 and canonized him on June 21 During his homily at the canonization Mass the pope emphasized that "Padre Pio was a generous dispenser of divine mercy making himself available to all by welcoming them by the administration of the sacrament of Penance." The pope recalled also having “the privilege of benefitting from his availability for penitents." During a homily at San Giovanni Rotondo on June 21 Pope Benedict XVI emphasized that Padre Pio had "become prayer a continuous meditation and assimilation of Christ's mysteries in spiritual union with the Virgin Mary." Pope Francis made a pastoral visit to Pietrelcina on the occasion of the centenary of the appearance of Padre Pio's stigmata and to San Giovanni Rotondo for the 50th anniversary of his death he reflected on the saint’s spiritual life: “Thus Padre Pio immersed himself in prayer to comply ever better with the divine plans which daily constituted the heart of his day and the fullness of his spirituality he reached a high level of union with the Lord he received special mystical gifts from above which preceded the manifestation of the signs of the Passion of Christ in his flesh.” has released ten previously unseen photographs for free offering a deeper look into the saint's life and capturing his joyful and spiritual essence through candid moments and public celebrations The Vatican hosted a presentation of 10 new photos of the Capuchin saint April 29 VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A foundation that promotes devotion to St is making 10 never-before-seen photographs of the saint available to the devout for free The images provide personal insight into the life attitude and spirituality of 20th-century saint Some photos show Padre Pio solemnly celebrating Mass while in others he is smiling while surrounded by his confreres stood proudly -- camera in hand -- before posters of the 10 new images for the presentation of the photos in the Vatican movie theater April 29 "It's enough to look at one image of his face" to understand Padre Pio "With that you can understand so much; each photo has its own story one must at them look one by one and that way you see so much more in his expressions." editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication said the new photos highlight Padre Pio's identity as someone who was close to those around him and was filled with joy He said that although it was not customary to smile in photos at the time candid photos taken by Stelluto show the saint beaming broadly as he was huddled in a group founder and CEO of the Saint Pio Foundation which promotes devotion to the Italian saint and organized the publication of the photos said many people would come to Stelluto requesting his photos for articles and books "I never saw any kind of availability for the people" to see the photos directly said since many people with a devotion to Padre Pio are unable to visit the areas where the saint lived and ministered Lamonarca said he hoped that by "looking at the image of a greatly suffering father who could also laugh," people would think to themselves Stelluto described the images he had taken of Padre Pio as "mysterious," since they always came out clearly despite dark lighting conditions He recalled the challenge of taking photos in a dark convent coupled with Padre Pio's distaste for the flash of a camera and exclusive use of dim candles to light the altar "It's not that I was talented in doing this I still don't understand the thing," Stelluto said during the photo presentation "The truth is that he was the source of light." Access to the photos can be requested by following the link: www.therealsaintpio.org Catholic News Service has been providing complete in-depth coverage of the popes and the Vatican for more than 70 years faithful and informed connection to the Holy See Cardinal Gugerotti urged electors to draw on Eastern Christian humility and let the Spirit A Rome tailor is hoping the new pope will appear on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica wearing a cassock he sewed himself Cardinal Fernández said contempt for the poor can be masked in refined language and warns against false meritocracy that distorts.. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB’s) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy ©2025 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Made possible by funding from  It is said that one cannot fully know someone else without visiting the place where he or she grew up This is one of the reasons why Christians go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land There is something powerful about walking where Jesus walked and touching his land St Jerome is credited with saying: “Five gospels record the life of Jesus […] Read the fifth gospel and the world of the four will open to you.”  Like Christ who was formed in his humanity in his hometown of Nazareth and spiritualities were all influenced by a variety of social I made Pietrelcina my base and visited two or three sites each day Padre Pio’s native village is the singularly most important site related to his early life he returned to his hometown on numerous occasions for health reasons (1909-1916) to enter the Capuchin Order in the Province of Sant’Angelo (now renamed the Province of Padre Pio and Foggia) Before his permanent assignment to San Giovanni Rotondo (1918) he was assigned to 10 friaries for studies or health reasons The first thing I realized was just how large Padre Pio’s province was (and is) It comprises three Italian regions including Puglia I drove more than 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) I was struck by the locations of the friaries The Capuchin Order was founded in the 16th century as a Franciscan order based on hermitage and penance Capuchin friaries were originally located in remote – sometimes mountainous – sites (though many today have been encroached by modern many roads in rural Southern Italy are not in good condition All this made my daily outings quite adventurous vastly outweighed the challenges of getting there All the cells where Padre Pio lived have been preserved with vintage furnishings to make them look exactly like they were in the early 20th century when he was there each site has a small museum with relics and artefacts from his life But the real highlight of my visits was the friars All had stories to tell – mostly from the oral tradition One friar even knew Padre Pio personally and was in San Giovanni Rotondo when he died Their testimonies are the highlight of the book As I concluded my pilgrimage to the friaries of Padre Pio I realized just how much Padre Pio was the progeny of a people as well as the friars of the Capuchin Province of Sant’Angelo Visiting the sites personally and getting to know the Capuchin friars who carry on his legacy in each site was a blessing I will cherish for a lifetime.  Following Padre Pio: A Journey of Discovery from Pietrelcina to San Giovanni Rotondo is available on Amazon in paperback, hardbound, and ebook formats. there are 2,800 shrines in our country where about 20 million pilgrims were counted each year before Covid but today although the emergency is largely behind us the numbers have plummeted and are far from the heights.Devotion to saints and places linked to the figure of Our Lady has generated mass phenomena that in 1998 the Vatican quantified with a record ranking far from today’s levels: at the threshold of two thousand in fact there were “7.5 million faithful who had visited San Giovanni Rotondo Pompeii and Loreto.” More than the poverello of Assisi and St more than two very important Marian places like Pompeii and Loreto the 1998 Vatican ranking included Guadalupe in Mexico (14 million) “In the course of time,” we read in Repubblica “Medjugorje came into its own: the pope never recognized the apparitions which would reach three million a year.” Numbers that after the pandemic have been greatly reduced and that saw in recent years about “three million pilgrims a year arrive at the shrine of Pompeii the same figure approximately for San Giovanni Rotondo these were the estimates before Covid: the pandemic has brought down attendance president of the National Coordination of Sanctuaries are in ’excellent recovery: we are going back to pre-pandemic times.’” A point on Italian san ctuaries will be made in November at a conference in the Vatican organized by the dicastery for the New Evangelization led by Monsignor Rino Fisichella who is entrusted with the supervision of sanctuaries The most surprising figure of all is the decline of San Giovanni Rotondo given the devotion to Padre Pio in Italy which has taken on massive increases over the years and a television channel dedicated to the fixed shot of the Saint’s remains for the recitation of the Rosary “sanctuaries are like milestones placed to mark the times of our itinerary on earth: they allow a pause of refreshment in the journey to restore to us the joy and security of the journey While the shrine is primarily a holy place pilgrimage is the preferred way to reach it in a holy way in Christianity there is no obligation to do so It is done out of devotion to ask for intercessions and graces at a specific place and time “Here you find the possibility of having a special faith experience where the poor parish priest cannot do everything spiritual fathers available who listen to you,” Father Mario Magro tells Repubblica Small villages or towns that thanks to the saint or Marian devotion have been transformed and adapted to the great flow of pilgrims who become like tourists to be welcomed by generating attached and related services and also rediscovering and enhancing the very paths that lead to the places of devotion which like the Via Francigena become journeys to be made even outside of faith but linked to spirituality contact with nature or the athletic aspect an escape from the monotony of ordinary life James is traveled by 200 thousand people a year influencing the places of its passage with all segments of the tourism supply chain a country that has in every territory a religious landmark to visit and has hundreds of diocesan museums is preparing to be a destination for pilgrims for the Jubilee of 2025 and the celebrations for the 800th anniversary of the stigmata of St To orient ourselves on the volume of business related to religious tourism in the world, we take the data presented at the International Religious Tourism Exchange held in Rome in 2017 where the estimate made by the WTO-the World Trade Organization-was presented, which estimated about $18 billion and 330 million people peryear according to research presented on that occasion by Isnart (National Institute on Tourism Research) and Unioncamere religious tourism was estimated to generate 3 million tourists for a total of 8.6 million presences (overnight stays) In February 2023, the Religious Tourism Exchange was held in Vicenza (in 2026 there will also be the Monte Berico Jubilee designed to enhance Vicenza’s Monte Berico Shrine on the occasion of the sixth centenary of the first apparition of the Virgin Mary) where the diocese expects 5 million visitors With the word ’tourism’ next to ’religious’ seems to juxtapose the sacred with the profane but often both travel and actual pilgrimages are a mixture of motivations where the main motivation for travel is faith to go to places where relics are kept Places where there is often an artistic-cultural beauty built around that devotion that is to be appreciated and visited It is not for nothing that the Italian Religious Hospitality Association has more than 1,200 managers for a total of 100,000 beds This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page I flew from Foggia in southern Italy to Klagenfurt as a homage to my Uncle Jack who died on a bombing mission between those two points with 70 Squadron RAF in July 1944 my eye was caught by one of the most extraordinary building sites to be found on any flight path Halfway between the highest mountains in the Gargano I circled above what promises to be one of the most striking and popular pilgrimage shrines ever Designed by the Genoese architect Renzo Piano the massive new basilica of San Giovanni Rotondo is to be the centre of the global cult of Padre Pio the legendary Capuchin friar canonised by Pope John Paul II before half a million devotees at St Peter's Rome in June Not that there is anything particularly special about saint-making these days the Pope has created 283 saints - almost as many as all his predecessors since official Vatican records began 400 years ago the five bleeding wounds that marked Christ's body as he hung on the cross at Calvary Investigated twice by the Vatican for alleged fraud and sexual misconduct and banned from saying Mass in public at one point in the 1930s This last meant that he could appear in two places at once Allied pilots claim to have seen the face of the saintly friar appearing in the clouds beseeching them not to bomb San Giovanni Rotondo The sight of a giant bearded monk looming up in front of the cockpit of a Wellington or Liberator might have prompted their pilots to take evasive action San Giovanni Rotondo has been a place of cult religious worship since the first temple of Apollo - and later Vesta and Janus - was built there 2,500 years ago has been home to countless hillside shrines and grottoes over the centuries During Padre Pio's lifetime Catholic penitents came to confess their sins to the famous stigmatic In 1947 he heard the confession of the young Polish priest who would declare him a saint 55 years later Today 7.5 million pilgrims make their way to the village of San Giovanni Rotondo each year in his final years Padre Pio railed against Vatican II and took to checking that the skirts of fashionable young women were properly modest Offenders were sent away to let down hemlines or borrow coats What on earth would he make of the choice of Renzo Piano as architect of the great shrine that will have penitents coming in their millions along the 18 miles of winding road from Foggia one of the most inventive and accomplished of today's architects "Beaubourg," he says of Paris's iconoclastic Pompidou Centre which he began designing with Richard Rogers and Peter Rice a year after Padre Pio's death "is a double provocation: a challenge to academicism but also a parody of the technological imagery of our time." It is a creature that might have come from a Jules Verne book or an unlikely looking ship in dry dock." Parody for a penitential pilgrimage shrine dedicated to the memory and spirit of the self-flagellating Padre Pio among the thinly inhabited mountains of Puglia when approached in 1991 by Padre Gerardo from the monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo blessings from Padre Gerardo and the monks were faxed daily to his studio in Genoa designed not only one of the most popular shrines to alternative modern religion a celebration of Italy's principal religion Piano knows how to make big buildings beautiful how to ennoble rather than demean mass movements of people His design for Kansai International Airport on an artificial island in the Bay of Osaka is proof of this yet its construction was never meant to be hurried but the fact that the new basilica was to be built of local stone Would this impose limits on the architect's imagination Piano has thought long and hard about how to reinvigorate the tradition of building in stone He is succeeding at San Giovanni Rotondo in quietly spectacular fashion The main span of the low-lying church's shallow central dome designed to enfold congregations of 6,000 under its great sloping roof possibly the longest supporting arch ever built out of stone "This is not an attempt to get into the record books," says Piano "It is simply a desire to find out what can be done with stone today almost 1,000 years after the Gothic cathedrals were built but meets the needs of a precise formal choice The church at San Giovanni Rotondo springs out of the stone of the mountainside We have deliberately insisted on a single material as the expressive key to the design." Despite the daring of its construction and its immense size "it will not be visible until visitors are very close." A simple glass front stands in for the monumental facades we expect of major churches This demure entrance faces a gently sloping courtyard capable of holding up to enthusiastic people The first thing visitors will see is a large stone wall running alongside the road leading up to the church This will support 12 huge bells to summon the faithful to Mass "and the great size of the wall - 25 metres at its highest point - will make it a clear landmark from a great distance." supported by stone arches arranged in a radial pattern to create one of the most unexpected domed spaces of all times: powerful An invention extending Piano's canon of airport terminals the Padre Pio church will draw people from every (or no) creed for whom inspiring architecture is its own spiritual reward the new church is a very long way away from Padre Pio's cell in the nearby Convent of the Capuchin Friars Facing a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary San Giovanni Rotondo has become an astonishing aggregation of religious building It is little short of miraculous that the Church has commissioned Renzo Piano to design and build such a powerful and populist monument Whatever you make of the cult of the canonised Padre Pio - his bearded face beams over Renzo Piano's desk - Foggia will be a place to return to whatever your mission as his exhumed body went on display for the first time since his death almost 40 years ago More than a million people are expected to file past a transparent casket holding his restored corpse between now and September 2009 Catholic practice allows for the remains of saints to be exhumed checked for their state of deterioration and exhibited as relics for veneration Padre Pio's body is unusually central to the cult that surrounds him For believers the visible evidence of his sanctity was the stigmata - the wounds of Jesus on the cross - that first appeared in 1910 But according to a book published last year Padre Pio acquired carbolic acid from a local pharmacist that may have been used to create his wounds "When I asked the doctors for an explanation they told me it was up to me to provide an answer A team of biochemists and other experts has worked since the exhumation to get the body into a fit state to be shown Padre Pio's face was covered with a lifelike silicone mask of the type used in wax museums This prompted a circle of Padre Pio devotees to ask last night for an autopsy to establish that the remains were authentic Forensic scientists who took part in the exhumation and attended yesterday's conference denied his face was badly decomposed They said it had been decided to use the mask to protect the sensibilities of those who visited the crypt where the body is to go on show whose Vatican department oversees the making of saints celebrated mass for the faithful in the vast church built to Padre Pio's memory at San Giovanni Rotondo near the Adriatic coast Among those present was one of two people whose apparently inexplicable cures led to the friar's canonisation recovered from a ruptured lymph duct when she was 45 years old The Capuchin friar was made a saint by the late Pope John Paul II He was credited by his fellow friars with more than 1,000 miraculous cures and interventions Until his death in 1968 the church authorities remained deeply sceptical of the claims made on Padre Pio's behalf It was only the momentum generated by his devotees that prompted a rethink Another adherent to the cult surrounding the mystic friar emerged this week said he sometimes prayed to the saint from the bench who arrived in San Giovanni Rotondo from Trapani on Sicily told the Ansa news agency: "My 37-year-old son is sick I pray - I have always prayed to Padre Pio And now I am here to pray some more." Italy - The body of one of the most popular Roman Catholic saints began an overland journey in a crystal coffin on Wednesday to go on display at the Vatican The Capuchin monk who died in 1968 and is said by the Catholic Church to have had the "stigmata"—the bleeding wounds of Jesus on his hands and feet—was exhumed in 2008 in San Giovanni Rotondo southeastern Italian town where he spent most of his life His body was partially reconstructed with a life-like silicone mask and preserved in a large temperature-controlled glass reliquary so the faithful could view it Pope Francis wanted the body of the man who spent most of his life hearing confessions and who was declared a saint in 2002 to be displayed in St Peter's Basilica during the Catholic Church's current Holy Year on the theme of mercy But not all of the locals in this small town whose economy revolves around the pilgrim trade were happy that the saint was going on the road "Personally for me it is a sad day," said Auro Mizza one of the hundreds of people who turned out to see the coffin off it is the others who go on pilgrimage to the saint." The shrine draws close to a million people yearly less famous saint that is being transported to Rome from northern Italy will be displayed in a Rome church before both are moved in procession to St They will return to their regular locations later this month Many people said the brown-robed Padre Pio was able to predict events in their lives and knew what they were about to confess There are thousands of "Padre Pio Prayer Groups" around the world Padre Pio was dogged during his life and even after his death by allegations that he was a fake but Church investigators cleared him each time {{gallery.imageDetails.images.0.description}} I LEARNED about Santo Padre Pio during the Sangguniang Laiko ng Pilipinas (Laiko) Pilgrimage to Italy in October 2012 on the occasion of the canonization of San Pedro Calungsod we landed at Fuimicino Airport around 1:00pm We immediately boarded a tourist bus and travelled to San Giovanni Rotondo in Southern Italy enjoying the scenery in the bright sunny afternoon sleeping every now and then during the long travel then proceeded to the Sanctuary of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (also called Padre Pio Pilgrimage Church or the Shrine of St Padre Pio) and the Church of Our Lady of Grace (Santa Maria Delle Grazie) We had Mass presided by Bishop Jesse Mercado of Paraňaque then the Spiritual Director of Laiko and the Chairman of CBCP Episcopal Commission on the Laity attended by thousands of pilgrims from other countries I considered myself blessed to be selected by the Capuchin friar to be the lector/reader during the Mass; and also had the opportunity to sing the offertory song “Panunumpa” by Carol Banawa It was that day in October when I had my first encounter with Padre Pio It was in that Church of Our Lady of Grace where I saw and venerated the incorrupt body of Padre Pio queuing to touch the glass encasement where the body of Padre Pio is Our tour guide told us that the chapel was constructed through the donations by mostly Filipinos we proceeded to the rooms where Padre Pio stayed during his lifetime the confessional box and the many big baskets containing the 2nd class relic (Padre Pio’s clothings) where the pilgrims can get as many as they want so that they can promote Padre Pio in their countries It was really a very heartwarming experience when you touched the relics and the things which Padre Pio touched during his lifetime for the first time I got the opportunity to visit the Shrine of Padre Pio in Sto I planned to visit the Shrine two years ago Then last year’s plan did not also push through on the eve of the Feast of San Padre Pio last September on the occasion of the centenary of the appearance of stigmata (5 wounds of Christ) on Padre Pio the very first Shrine of Padre Pio I visited after my first encounter with him in San Giovanni Rotondo the Incorrupt Heart Relic of Santo Padre Pio arrived in the Philippines and had scheduled visit at the University of Sto I promised to Padre Pio that I must see him again touch him and kiss him now that he visited the Philippines Michaella Lagniton of the Office of Public Affairs of UST for granting my request to allow the Social Communications Group of the Diocese of Kalookan to cover the visit of the Incorrupt Heart Relic of Padre Pio Due to the many people at Plaza Mayor hearing Mass we were not able to touch and kiss the relic We were happy that we were prayed over and blessed by the Incorrupt Heart Relic through Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan Since the Relic will be at Manila Cathedral for less than three days I again promised that I will have my second encounter with Padre Pio and I prayed hard to him to allow me to touch and kiss him again it seemed impossible considering the ten of thousands devotees queuing for 5 to 6 hours to touch and kiss the Relic; I even decided to go to Manila Cathedral between 2am to 3am Diocese of Kalookan to accept the invitation of Msgr Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Manila to concelebrate with him during the 6am Farewell Mass I know we will be able to venerate the relic surrounded by fresh white flowers but no relic beside it I looked at the left side portion of the Cathedral where to relic was for the last 2 days My dream seems to crumble when the ushers told us that the veneration was stopped at 3am to prepare for the 6am Farewell Mass I prayed to Jesus and to the Immaculate Conception to allow us to venerate the relic of Padre Pio Romy was in his clerical outfit); he told Fr Romy and waited at the sacristy where another priest was praying We said our prayers; I prayed hard that I can kiss the relic the Franciscan Capuchin friars walked into the sacristy one by one: first the one carrying the metal base the second carrying the top cover (roof) of the reliquary the third carrying the Reliquary with the Incorrupt Heart Relic one could hear the sound of the proverbial dropping of the needle I was ready with my cellphone to take pictures Then the third friar placed the Incorrupt Heart Relic on top of the reliquary and once there in awe at seeing the relic right in front of me The priests were allowed to venerate the relic first; I was so star-struck that I was not able to take picture of Fr allowed the ones in wheel chair to venerate the relic first When I touched the Relic and kissed the base the Holy Spirit and the Immaculate Conception for making my dream come true to have the second encounter with Padre Pio Ignacio blessed all of us Mass goers and our love ones with the Incorrupt Heart Relic of Padre Pio the Capuchin friar thanked the Filipino people for the devotion to Padre Pio for staying in long lines for so many hours either under the heat of the sun or under heavy rains The Mass goers were again blessed by the Capuchin friar with the relic Happy Feast of Nuestra Seňora Dela Paz y Buen Viaje Christmas Song Aims to Inspire Peace in the Holy Land Pope’s Message of Hope Launched into Space to Orbit Earth Here is Pope Francis’ Schedule for World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon Marian Apparitions Must Always Point to Jesus Pope Francis places a stole on a glass case containing the body of St Pio in the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie at the Shrine of St Pio of Pietrelcina in San Giovanni Rotondo By Junno Arocho Esteves • Catholic News Service • Posted March 19 the sick and those who modern culture treats as disposable Pope Francis said during Mass at Padre Pio’s shrine “Many are ready to ‘like’ the page of the great saints but who does what they do?” the pope asked March 17 “The Christian life is not an ‘I like,’ but an ‘I give myself.'” Pope Francis celebrated the Mass outside the Shrine of St Pio of Pietrelcina with about 30,000 people after visiting children in the cancer ward of the hospital St Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (House for the Relief of Suffering) the pope reflected on three words that both summarized the day’s readings and calls to mind those whose hearts who are humble poor and needy like the young patients cared for in Padre Pio’s hospital and those who in today’s world are unwanted and discarded Pope Francis said he remembers being taught in school about the Spartans “when a boy or girl was born with malformations they would take them to the top of the mountain and throw them over.” The little ones are not wanted today.” “Those who take care of children are on the side of God and defeat the throwaway culture prefers the powerful and considers the poor useless,” he said “Those who prefer the little ones proclaim a prophecy of life against the prophets of death of every age.” Pope Francis receives a kiss on the cheek from a patient as he visits children in the cancer ward of the hospital St Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (House for the Relief of Suffering) March 17 in San Giovanni Rotondo Christians aren’t called simply to admire great saints like Padre Pio but rather to imitate their way of fighting evil wisely “with humility is “a gesture of love” that is often stifled by excuses and leads to Christians forgetting that without God “we can do nothing.” “We must ask ourselves: do our prayers resemble that of Jesus or are they reduced to occasional emergency calls Or do we use them as tranquilizers to be taken in regular doses to relieve stress?” the pope asked Padre Pio recognized throughout his life that prayer “heals the sick elevates healthcare and gives moral strength,” he said Pope Francis began his day of tribute to St Pio with an early morning visit to Pietrelcina Thousands waited outside the square of the Chapel of the Stigmata which houses a piece of the elm tree Padre Pio sat in front of when he first received the stigmata — wounds on his feet hands and side corresponding to those Jesus suffered at the crucifixion — in September 1918 Pope Francis entered the chapel where he prayed privately for several minutes before making his way to the square to greet the faithful Standing in front of an iconic image of a young Padre Pio bearing the wounds of Christ’s crucifixion in his hands the pope said that it was in Pietrelcina that the future saint “strengthened his own humanity where he learned to pray and recognize in the poor the flesh of Christ.” with all its sins — because we are all sinners; we feel shame — but the spirit of God has brought us here to this church which is holy And he loved the holy church and its sinful children Recalling the time in Padre Pio’s life when he returned to Pietrelcina while he was ill the pope said the saintly Capuchin “felt he was assailed by the devil” and feared falling into sin the pope asked the people if they believed the devil existed he told them it didn’t seem “they were totally convinced.” “I’m going to have to tell the bishop to give some catechesis,” he said jokingly “Does the devil exist or not?” “Yes!” the crowd responded loudly should follow the example of the Capuchin saint who did not fall into despair but instead found refuge in prayer and put his trust in Christ abandon yourself in Jesus’ arms,” the pope said Padre Pio are seen at a shop March 17 in San Giovanni Rotondo That day Pope Francis celebrated Mass outside the Shrine of St Pio of Pietrelcina with about 30,000 people CatholicPhilly.com works to strengthen the connections between people families and communities every day by delivering the news people need to know about the Catholic Church you and hundreds of other people become part of our mission to inform form in the Catholic faith and inspire the thousands of readers who visit every month Please join in the church's vital mission of communications by offering a gift in whatever amount that you can ― a single gift of $40 Your gift will strengthen the fabric of our entire Catholic community and sustain CatholicPhilly.com as your trusted news source NEXT: Vatican releases full text of contested letter from Pope Benedict USCCB: Statement of USCCB on Vatican’s Document Addressing Pastoral Blessings Pope Francis’ May 2023 Prayer Intention | Watch Video Catholic Charities of Philadelphia Returns to Roots Dan Tarrant Brings God to the World Through Catholic Filmmaking But for his devotees - it is estimated there are 15 million worldwide - he will always be Padre Pio an ill-educated Capuchin (Franciscan) friar with supernatural powers who bore the marks of Christ's crucifixion his global cult acquired a shrine of appropriate size and splendour when a huge basilica designed by the Genoese architect Renzo Piano was consecrated on the mountainous promontory where Padre Pio lived his simple The new church of San Giovanni Rotondo can hold a congregation of 7,000 has been met entirely by contributions from the faithful Mr Piano said he had tried to arrange the vast spaces and surfaces in such a way that the gaze of visitors "can be lost between the sky That theme was echoed by Pope John Paul in a message read to the congregation yesterday He said: "The limits of the cult to this humble son of St Francis have become the ends of the earth." San Giovanni Rotondo in Puglia has become the world's second-most visited place of pilgrimage after Guadalupe in Mexico the number of visitors soared by more than a third after the Pope announced that pilgrims qualified for a total remission of their sins The cult of Padre Pio has generated a £35m tourist business in a once-poor area It has also given rise to an ugly sprawl of cheap hotels and trinket shops that Mr Piano's elegant Celebrated for his designs for the Pompidou Centre in Paris and Osaka airport Mr Piano initially turned down entreaties from the Capuchin friars "It's a mixed-up world that surrounds Padre Pio," he said "There is confusion between the sacred - himself and his miracles - and all the commercialisation that surrounds him." and hostile to the traditional faith he represented He was twice investigated by the Vatican in the 1930s and at one stage was banned from saying mass He was said to have received the stigmata - the five wounds of the crucifixion - in 1918 by which time he was in his early thirties His followers claimed he had about him the "odour of sanctity" Padre Pio has rarely been out of the news since his death in 1968 he was claimed to have interceded in the release of three Italians held hostage in Iraq One of the men was at yesterday's ceremony 2017A pilgrim venerates the body of Padre Pio in a part-glass coffin in the crypt of the old Church of St Mary of Grace at San Giovanni Rotondo in the Apulia region in southern Italy on April 24 In his life the saint bore the stigmata (wounds of Christ) and stated “”The pain was so intense that I began to feel as if I were dying on the cross.” He has been credited with thousands of miraculous healings and intercessions is is considered by many to be the most “prayed to” Saint “I have made a pact with the Lord: when my soul has been purified in the flames of purgatory and deemed worthy to be admitted to the presence of God I will take my place at the gate to paradise but I shall not enter until I have seen the last of my spiritual children enter.” “Keep close to the Catholic Church at all times for the Church alone can give you true peace in the Blessed Sacrament.” – Saint Pio of Pietrelcina See more photos here