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St. Pio of Pietrelcina, better known as Padre Pio (photo: Padre Pio / EWTN)
By Shaun McAfee, National Catholic Register,
Mr. Shaun McAfee, O.P. is the author of Reform Yourself! and other books, is the founder and editor of EpicPew.com, and contributes to many online Catholic resources. He holds a Masters in Dogmatic Theology from Holy Apostles College and Seminary. Shaun has made his temporary profession as a Lay Dominican and temporarily lives in Italy.
St. Pio’s life of holiness stands as a powerful testimony to the redemptive nature of suffering.
St. Pio of Pietrelcina, born Francesco Forgione on May 25, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Italy, is one of the most revered saints of the Catholic Church. From a young age, he demonstrated a deep devotion to God, often experiencing visions and spiritual phenomena that set him apart from his peers. He joined the Capuchins at 15 and took the name Pio in honor of Pope Pius I.
In 1910, he was ordained a priest, but it was in 1918 that he received the stigmata, a rare phenomenon where one bears the wounds of Christ. This event marked the beginning of his extraordinary life as a mystic and healer. He once said, “Jesus himself wants my sufferings; he needs them for souls.” Over the next decades, he became known for his spiritual gifts and miracles, including bilocation. He also had the ability to “read souls” and perceive unconfessed sins. ….
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