St. Padre Pio

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Born: 25 May 1887 Pietrelcina, Benevento, Kingdom of Italy

Died:
23 September 1968 (aged 81) San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy Resting place Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

Venerated:
in Catholic Church

Beatified:
2 May 1999, Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II

Canonized:
16 June 2002, Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II

Major shrine:
Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy

Feast:
23 September

Patronage:
Pietrelcina, Italy; civil defense volunteers; adolescents; stress relief; January blues

Born to a southern Italian farm family, the son of Grazio, a shepherd. At age 15 he entered the novitiate of the Capuchin friars in Morcone, Italy and joined the order at age 19. Suffered several health problems, and at one point his family thought he had tuberculosis. Ordained at age 22 on 10 August 1910. 

While praying before a cross, he received the stigmata on 20 September 1918, the first priest ever to be so blessed. As word spread, especially after American soldiers brought home stories of Padre Pio following WWII, the priest himself became a point of pilgrimage for both the pious and the curious. He would hear confessions by the hour, reportedly able to read the consciences of those who held back. Reportedly able to bilocate, levitate, and heal by touch. Founded the House for the Relief of Suffering in 1956, a hospital that serves 60,000 a year. 

In the 1920’s he started a series of prayer groups that continue today with over 400,000 members worldwide. 

His canonization miracle involved the cure of Matteo Pio Colella, age 7, the son of a doctor who works in the House for Relief of Suffering, the hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo founded by Padre Pio. On the night of 20 June 2000, Matteo was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital with meningitis. By morning, doctors had lost hope for him as nine of the boy’s internal organs had ceased to give signs of life. That night, during a prayer vigil attended by Matteo’s mother and some Capuchin friars of Padre Pio’s monastery, the child’s condition improved suddenly. When he awoke from the coma, Matteo said that he had seen an elderly man with a white beard and a long, brown habit, who said to him: “Don’t worry, you will soon be cured.” The miracle was approved by the Congregation and Pope John Paul II on 20 December 2001. 

Prayer for the Intercession of St. Padre Pio

Dear God, You generously blessed Your servant, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, with the gifts of the Spirit. You marked his body with the five wounds of Christ Crucified, as a powerful witness to the saving Passion and Death of Your Son. Endowed with the gift of discernment, St. Pio labored endlessly in the confessional for the salvation of souls. With reverence and intense devotion in the celebration of Mass, he invited countless men and women to a greater union with Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Through the intercession of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, I confidently beseech You to grant me the grace of (here state your petition). Glory be to the Father… (three times). Amen.

Prayer for the Intercession of St. Padre Pio

O God, You gave Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, Capuchin priest, the great privilege of participating in a unique way in the passion of Your Son,
grant me through his intercession the grace of …which I ardently desire;
and above all grant me the grace of living in conformity with the death of Jesus, to arrive at the glory of the resurrection. Glory be to the Father… (three times)

Prayer of St. Pio of Pietrelcina after Holy Communion

Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You.

Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my life, and without You, I am without fervor.

Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You, I am in darkness.

Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will.

Stay with me, Lord, so that I hear Your voice and follow You.

Stay with me, Lord, for I desire to love You very much, and always be in Your company.

Stay with me, Lord, if You wish me to be faithful to You.

Stay with me, Lord, for as poor as my soul is, I want it to be a place of consolation for You, a nest of love.

Stay with me, Jesus, for it is getting late and the day is coming to a close, and life passes; death, judgment, eternity approaches. It is necessary to renew my strength, so that I will not stop along the way and for that, I need You. It is getting late and death approaches, I fear the darkness, the temptations, the dryness, the cross, the sorrows. O how I need You, my Jesus, in this night of exile!

Stay with me tonight, Jesus, in life with all its dangers. I need You.

Let me recognize You as Your disciples did at the breaking of the bread,
so that the Eucharistic Communion be the Light which disperses the darkness, the force which sustains me, the unique joy of my heart.

Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death, I want to remain united to You, if not by communion, at least by grace and love.

Stay with me, Jesus, I do not ask for divine consolation, because I do not merit it, but the gift of Your Presence, oh yes, I ask this of You!

Stay with me, Lord, for it is You alone I look for, Your Love, Your Grace, Your Will, Your Heart, Your Spirit, because I love You and ask no other reward but to love You more and more.

With a firm love, I will love You with all my heart while on earth and continue to love You perfectly during all eternity. Amen.

St. Padre Pio’s prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, ask and it will be given you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.’ Behold, I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of…

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

II. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, He will give it to you.’ Behold, in Your name, I ask the Father for the grace of…

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.’ Encouraged by Your infallible words, I now ask for the grace of…

Our Father… Hail Mary… Glory be to the Father…Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us poor sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of You, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate heart of Mary, Your tender mother and ours.

Hail, Holy Queen… St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us

Prayer of Pope John Paul II to St. Padre Pio

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

St. Padre Pio’s Prayer for Trust and Confidence in God’s Mercy

O Lord, we ask for a boundless confidence and trust in Your divine mercy, and the courage to accept the crosses and sufferings which bring immense goodness to our souls and that of Your Church. Help us to love You with a pure and contrite heart, and to humble ourselves beneath Your cross, as we climb the mountain of holiness, carrying our cross that leads to heavenly glory. May we receive You with great faith and love in Holy Communion, and allow You to act in us as You desire for your greater glory. O Jesus, most adorable Heart and eternal fountain of Divine Love, may our prayer find favor before the Divine Majesty of Your heavenly Father.

St. Padre Pio’s Prayer to the Guardian Angel

Angel of God, my guardian, to whom the goodness of the Heavenly Father entrusts me. Enlighten, protect and guide me Now and for ever. Amen.

St. Padre Pio’s prayer to Jesus

Oh my Jesus, give me Your strength when my weak nature rebels against the distress and suffering of this life of exile, and enable me to accept everything with serenity and peace. With my whole strength I cling to Your merits, Your sufferings, Your expiation, and Your tears, so that I may be able to cooperate with You in the work of salvation. Give me strength to fly from sin, the only cause of Your agony, Your sweat of blood, and Your death. Destroy in me all that displeases You and fill my heart with the fire of Your holy love and all Your sufferings. Clasp me tenderly, firmly, close to You that I may never leave You alone in Your cruel Passion. I ask only for a place of rest in Your Heart. Amen.

Novena to St. Padre Pio

First day

Beloved Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, who bore on your body the signs of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, you took the Cross to the ends of the world while enduring the physical and moral sufferings that scourged your body in a continuous martyrdom. We beg you to pray to God for us, that each of us may accept the crosses of our lives, great and small, so that everyone may turn their own suffering into a safe bond that binds us to eternal life.

Padre Pio, pray for us! Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

Second day

Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, who are now with Our Lord Jesus, you who knew how to resist the temptations, blows and oppression of the evil one who sought to induce thee to abandon the path of holiness, we implore you to pray to God for us so that, with your help and the help of all the angels and saints, we may find the strength to turn away from sin and to persevere in the faith till the day of our death.

Padre Pio, pray for us! Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

Third day

Most virtuous Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, you who really love Our Lady, from
whom you received daily graces and consolations: we implore you to pray to the Blessed Mother for us while placing in her hands our sins and faithless prayers so that, as happened at Cana in Galilee, her Son may heed His Mother and have our names written in the Book of Life.

Padre Pio, pray for us! Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.


Fourth day

Most chaste Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, who so loved and taught us to love the Holy Guardian Angel that served you as companion, guide, defender and messenger, to you the angels bring the prayers of your spiritual children. Intercede with God for us so that we too may learn to speak with our Guardian Angel, so we may obey him at all times, as he is the living light of God, the one who delivers us from the misfortune of falling into sin. Our Angel is always ready to teach us the right path and dissuade us from doing evil.

Padre Pio, pray for us! Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.


Fifth day

Most prudent Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, who so loved and taught us to love the souls in Purgatory; you who offered yourself as a victim to atone for their sins; pray to God Our Lord to place in our hearts feelings of compassion and love for these holy souls. We too will help the souls in Purgatory and will reduce their time of banishment and great distress. With sacrifices and prayers, we will obtain the eternal rest of their souls and the holy indulgences required to obtain their release from that place of suffering.

Padre Pio, pray for us! Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.


Sixth day

Most obedient Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, you who loved the sick even more than yourself by seeing Jesus in them; you, who in God’s Name have wrought miracles of healing and the full restoration of health in body and soul, pray to God for all the sick, through the intercession of Mary Most Holy, so they can experience your strong help, and through their bodily healing they may find spiritual benefits and be always thankful to God.

Padre Pio, pray for us! Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.


Seventh day

Most blessed Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, you who have accomplished God’s plan of salvation and have offered your sufferings to free sinners worldwide from the claws of Satan, pray to God for unbelievers so they may acquire a great and true faith and be converted, repenting from the depth of their hearts; for people with little faith to improve their Christian life; and for the righteous to continue on the path of salvation.

Padre Pio, pray for us! Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.


Eighth day

Most pure Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, you who so loved your spiritual children as to buy many of them at the cost of your blood: grant also those of us who did not know you personally to be considered your spiritual children so that, under your fatherly protection and with your holy guidance and strength, at the moment of our death we and all the children of God may find you waiting for us at the gates of Paradise.


Padre Pio, pray for us! Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.


Ninth day

Humble Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, you who are truly loved by Holy Mother Church, pray to God, the Lord of prosperous harvests, to send out workers into His harvest so that we may have holy priests with strength and divine inspiration. We also beseech you to intercede with the Blessed Virgin Mary so that she will lead all men to convert to the one true religion of the One True God, the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Padre Pio, pray for us! Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.

Categories: P, Saints