PADRE PIO

Dear Readers,
Saint Padre Pio was elevated to sainthood in June 2002 by Pope John Paul II, who himself had once turned to the humble Italian monk seeking a cure for an ailing friend.

Padre Pio (1887-1968) was born of simple, hardworking farming people on 25 May, 1887 in Pietralcina, Southern Italy. He was tutored privately until entry to the novitiate of the Capuchin Friars at the age of 15. Of feeble health but strong will, he completed the required studies and was ordained a priest in 1910.

In September 1918, the five wounds of Our Lord's Passion appeared on his body, making him the first stigmatized priest in the history of the Church. Countless numbers were attracted to his confessional and many more received his spiritual guidance through correspondence. His whole life was marked by long hours of prayer and continual austerity. His letters to his spiritual directors reveal the ineffable sufferings, physical and spiritual, which accompanied him all through life. They also reveal his very deep union with God.

Worn out by over half a century of intense suffering and constant apostolic activity in San Giovanni Rotondo, he was called to his heavenly reward on September 23, 1968. After a public funeral, which attracted almost 100,000, his body was entombed in the crypt of Our Lady of Grace Church. Increasing numbers flock to his tomb from all parts of the world and many testify to spiritual and temporal graces received.

The steps taken in the Process of Padre Pio's Beatification were the following: March 20, 1983, the Diocesan Process was begun; January 21, 1990, the aforesaid Process was closed; December 18, 1997, the reading of the decree on the heroicity of the virtues. December 21, 1998, the publication of the decree on the miracle; Sunday, May 2, 1999, John Paul II declared Padre Pio Blessed, then, on June 16, 2002 he was raised to sainthood.

Unlike many saints who lived hundreds of years ago, Padre Pio lived and worked most of his life in San Giovanni Rotondo, (near Bari and Foggia) which means that many of us have parents, grand-parents, friends, co-workers, old army buddies, relatives and readers of our L'Italo-Americano Newspaper who have actually met or talked with Padre Pio.

One of them is Mario Avignone, my "pen-pal", longtime "Fra Noi" columnist, Pullman historian and L'Italo-Americano reader. Mario "did lunch" with Padre Pio in Italy at the friary. Serving with the U.S. Armed forces in Italy, during World War II, he met Padre Pio's father, affectionately called "Zi' Orazio" and Pio's American benefactor Maria McAlpin Pyle who helped Padre Pio's Casa di Sollievo e della Sofferenza hospital "dream" come true.

Mario and his army buddies Leo Fanning (later Fr. Fanning) and Joe Asiarita continued to correspond with Maria Pyle until her death in 1968. Mario Avignone, Leo Fanning and Joe Astarita, were just a few of the hundreds of American GI and British soldiers stationed in camps near San Giovanni Rotondo who met Padre Pio. Mario and his buddies were stationed in nearby Cerignola.

In the book “Padre Pio, the True Story” by C. Bernard Ruffin, the chapter titled “Padre Pio and the GI's”, mentions Mario, Leo and Joe by name and relates how American soldiers upon their return home, helped to spread the word about Padre Pio far beyond Italian borders.

Padre Pio, the True Story (revised and expanded) by Rev. Bernard Ruffin. Published by Our Sunday Visitor Inc., Huntington, Indiana 46750, tells some of the experiences that Joe Astarita, Leo Fanning and Mario had, meeting and knowing Padre Pio.

Rev. Bernard Ruffin, a Lutheran Minister, became very devoted to Padre Pio. In a phone conversation with Rev. Ruffin, Mario said "it seems odd that a Lutheran Minister is so devoted to Padre Pio, that he wrote a book on his life." Rev. Ruffin replied "Padre Pio belongs to everybody."

Gordon T. Walker of the Washington Times wrote of Rev. Ruffin's book on Padre Pio. "Intriguing, mysterious and faithful are just a few words that describe this beloved Italian priest who bore the wounds of Christ. Up to the time of his death in 1968, Padre Pio had been receiving thousands of letters every month and thousands of visitors each year. Some were asking for physical ills to be cured, some were looking for spiritual healing, and some were just curious. But they all believed in the intense spirituality and holiness of Padre Pio.

There have been many claims of miracles and supernatural capabilities of Padre Pio and this captivating hook represents them in full details." WW II was declared in December 1941, by January 1942 Mario Avignone had taken a leave of absence from Sherwin Williams Paint Co. in Pullman, Illinois (outside Chicago) and was stationed in Casper Wyoming. He met and married Margaret "Peggy" Van Waus, sister of an Army buddy from Belle Plains, Iowa, shortly before he boarded a Liberty ship in Newport News, Virginia and on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1945, sailed for Italy where he served with the 15th Air Force, for two years as T/Sgt Avignone.

Many GIs were stationed in towns near Foggia, a few miles from San Giovanni Rotondo, where during WWII there was the largest American airfield of all Europe. From Foggia, many times a day on an almost daily basis, squadrons of B-24, B-25 and many other types of bombers took off for their bombing missions to Northern Italy, Germany and German-occupied territories as far as Vienna, etc.

Mario returned to Chicago at the end of the war, and began to correspond with Maria Pyle. She would give Padre Pio Mario's message and in return mail, Maria would give him Padre Pio's message and blessing. Maria Pyle and Mario wrote for many years, until she wrote her last letter, "I have gotten too old and can no longer keep up with all the letters" but, as she put it, "I will be with you every time you receive Holy Communion."

Army buddy corporal Leo Fanning went into the seminary almost immediately after arriving home from the war. Father Leo visited Mario almost every year. The first time Mario saw Father Leo after the war ended was in 1948. He was on his way home from a seminary in Kentucky.

Corporal Joe Astarita, who could speak good Italian and especially the dialect of that region, did the interpreting as Cpl. Leo and Mario only spoke a few words of Italian. Joe did all the translating and when he returned home to New York, he married a lovely Italian-American girl, Adeline Bellini, just as Padre Pio had predicted. He died in 1967.

When Zi' Orazio, Orazio Forgione, Padre Pio's father, died on October 7, 1946, Padre Pio gave a prayer card to Maria Pyle and instructed Maria to mail it to Mario Avignone, and as Padre Pio always said it, "in Chicago". It said: Orazio Forgione, nato a Pietrelcina il 22 Ottobre 1860, morto a S. Giovanni Rotondo il 7 Ottobre 1946. Trigesimo della morte.

In 1949, Father Joseph Chiminello, CS, former pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in Chicago, traveled to Italy to visit his brother and sister; and traveled to San Giovanni Rotondo to see Padre Pio. While in San Giovanni Rotondo Father Joe visited and met Maria Pyle. Below is the letter Maria Pyle wrote to Mario that told of Father Joe's visit:

San Giovanni Rotondo 14-7-49
Dear Mario plus wife and babes, all of whom l hope to know some day,
You cannot imagine how I have enjoyed meeting the good Father who brought me news of you, Mario and who has told me what a very fine wife you have, God bless you all! If I mention Joe or Leo to Padre Pio he adds “and Mario.” He remembers his children!

Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, Capucin, born May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, died at San Giovanni Rotondo September 23, 1968. Padre Pio, the Roman Catholic monk who bore stigmatic blood-stains recalling the wounds of the crucified Christ, died at his monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. He was 81.

Book website info also available, Frank M. Rega a Third Order (secular) Franciscan has written a book that is a real gem, “The Holy Man on the Mountain” that focuses on Padre Pio and the Americans who discovered him.

He also hosts the web site www.sanpadrepio.com

 

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