+ Francesco Forgione was born to peasant farmers Guiseppa and Grazio Forgione in the small Italian village of Pietrelcina on May 25, 1887. From his childhood, it was evident that he was a special child of God. He was very devout and at an early age felt drawn to the priesthood. He became a Capuchin (Franciscan) novice at the age of sixteen and received the habit in 1902. Francesco was ordained to the priesthood in 1910 after seven years of study and became known as Padre Pio.
On September 20, 1918, Padre Pio was kneeling in front of a large crucifix when he received the visible marks of the crucifixion, making him the first priest in church history to receive the stigmata. The doctor who examined Padre Pio could not find any natural cause for the wounds. Upon his death in 1968, the wounds were no longer visible. In fact, there was no scaring, and the skin was completely renewed. He had predicted 50 years prior that upon his death the wounds would heal.
In addition to the stigmata other graces were granted to Padre Pio. From his wounds came an odor similar to perfume or flowers; he had the gift of bilocation, and he had the ability to read the hearts of the penitents who flocked to him for confession, which he heard for twelve hours a day. Padre Pio always had just the right word of counsel or encouragement that was needed. Even before his death, people spoke to Padre Pio about his possible canonization. He died on September 23, 1968 at the age of eight-one. His funeral was attended by about 100,000 people.
On June 16, 2002, over 500,000 Padre Pio devotees gathered in Rome to witness Pope John Paul II proclaim Padre Pio, Saint Pio of Pietrelcina.
The first reading today speaks precisely of the reason why St. Pio received the stigmata of the Lord – the cross of the Lord Jesus, the mystery of his Passion and Death were the sole object of this great saint's meditation and love. He understood so perfectly that it was in the woundedness of Christ, and the self-sacrificial gift of his life that healing and transformation comes: the life of resurrection and hope and peace. St. Pio could distribute the healing and hope and peace of Christ so effectively, because he experienced very intensely what Jesus himself experienced. Peace and mercy flow from the wounds of Christ onto the whole world for any who want to be bathed in its splendor.
In the gospel passage, Jesus assures those who follow him very closely, those who are part of his little flock, that God his Father is pleased to give them his very Kingdom – so long as they either remain, or become poor – preferring nothing to Christ –and his words and his actions – and his Cross. An inexhaustible treasure awaits all of them in heaven if their heart is already there. Let our treasure and our hearts be in our heavenly homeland today – and with the example and prayers of St. Pio of Pietrelcina let us advance ever more swiftly and assuredly to our place there – a place reserved to those who repent and believe in the gospel and who prove their change of heart by willingness to help all others, in their most basic needs!
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