In the spring of 2000, Gene was in poor health. Pain racked his body and he was suffering from heart and kidney problems. His strength was failing him. He had been declared unfit to continue working as an airplane mechanic – a job he had performed for decades. Even the simple task of mowing the lawn took him hours to complete. Gene and his wife had signed up for an Easter pilgrimage to Italy. He embarked on their journey with much trepidation, worried about his physical ability to keep going. One of their stops was the shrine of Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo. Little did Gene know that he was about to experience the power of prayer.
While his wife visited the gift shop, Gene went to pray in the crypt where Padre Pio’s body was buried at the time. When their group boarded the bus, his wife gave him a Padre Pio relic coin that she had purchased. As the journey continued, Gene suddenly realized that he no longer felt any pain! At first he feared that it might only be a temporary reprieve and dared not mention it. Over the next few days Gene started feeling stronger and he helped other pilgrims carry their heavy suitcases. His wife eventually became suspicious when he climbed on the upper bunk onboard the ship that was taking them to their next destination and asked: “Are you feeling better?” He admitted to her that he had been pain free since their stop in San Giovanni Rotondo.
Upon his return home, Gene underwent a series of test that had been scheduled before the pilgrimage. He anxiously waited to be given the results as he watched the doctor flip through the medical charts for half an hour and continuously shaking his head. Eventually, the doctor spoke: “Can you prove to me that you really are who you say you are?” The old chart and the new chart appeared to be two completely different patients and the doctor simply could not believe this utter reversal in Gene’s health. After Gene convinced the doctor of his identity, the doctor threw his hands in the air and declared: “I give up! There’s nothing wrong with you.”
Thrilled with his miraculous recovery, Gene had himself re-examined by his workplace physicians who were equally puzzled and declared him fit for work again. Now 18 years later, Gene is retired, but healthy and still proudly wears his Saint Pio relic medal.
We love to hear stories of Padre Pio’s intercessions because we know he is active in our daily lives. So please, share your stories with us here. Fill out the form below and let us know if you have any questions.
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“I have a strong connection to Padre Pio after being confronted with Stage 3 vulvar cancer I met a woman in the waiting room of my first exploratory cat scan. She was so nice and we talked for about 40 minutes or so. When they called me up I realized I never got her name. I turned and said how nice it was having her there with me and wanted to know her name. Her name was Mary, which happened to be my Mimi’s name whom I have had such a strong heavenly connection to. I teared up, gave her a hug and knew my mimi was with me. The next week I received a packet from Padre Pio Foundation from Mary. Since that day I have referred to my dynamic duo, Padre Pio and Mimi!!!! Been cancer free for 4 years”
This is an email we received in October 2018. She has given us permission to share this beautiful story with you all.
“Hi Samira—- This is my story-
I was raised in a large Irish Catholic home. As I got older I was not as diligent in going to Mass as I should have been. Over the years, however, I split my time between attending Mass with my mother and attending my husband’s Baptist church. In 2015 I moved from Maryland to Ohio. My mother was not well and so I was driving back and forth for many months. She died in 2016. I had just returned from Maryland when my sister called to tell me she had passed.
A few days later I was woken up in the middle of the night. I sat up in bed and saw a man standing at the bottom of the bed and he said, I am Padre Pio. I went back to sleep but the first thing in the morning I went to my computer to see if there was any such person. Even though I was a Catholic, I did not know of Saint Padre Pio. I was stunned to see there was such a person, and he looked exactly like the man I had seen.
That same morning I received a call from my sister—I told her what had happened and she mentioned they had been cleaning out my mother’s house and had found books about this Saint Padre Pio. She said I will save them for you. That same afternoon I had a client I needed to reach but her e-mail kept bouncing. So I called her on the phone and at the end of our conversations she said, “Jane, By the way, do you know who Saint Padre Pio is?” I answered that I did know and had made his acquaintance recently. She went on to tell me she was planning to visit your organization in Connecticut on a trip to New England.
So after the vision and two additional confirmations the same day, I said a prayer to Saint Padre Pio and asked him to be a part of my life. I don’t believe in accidents! I pray to him often and have a bowl of prayer cards I give to clients who are struggling. I don’t take my Catholic faith for granted any more and I believe Saint Padre Pio is still actively working in the world to support many souls.”
The following is a poem written in loving memory of David Giles Jefferson, written by his mother, Viola, as dawn broke the day that he died at the very young age of five. As she sat by David’s bedside, she prayed and asked God, “Why? Why? Suddenly, as if a recording was turned on, the following words filled her head. She grabbed a scrap piece of paper and began writing because she did not want to forget God’s answer to her “Why?” Viola and her husband Cliff know that these words came from God and knowing that has helped them through the years and they hope they will help someone else. They have been kind enough to share it with you.
Too good for this earth —
my son walked a short but difficult path.
His little feet took him over mountains
too high for most of us to climb.
He left on each he met a happier and purer heart,
and he loved the Lord so deeply for being just five.
Those he loved and who will always love him
are better for being there at his side.
Though all of us knew very early in his life
that he was too good for this earth –
so on to be with Christ!
Here you go. Please share my story.
“My name is Joanne and I have a wonderful story of Padre Pio and his intercession for me to God our father.
In June 2015, my father Angelo Antonio passed away. I love my father very much and it was very difficult for everyone. My grandparents Celestina and Sante were from Vieste. My husbands family are from San Severo. I say this because both of our families were from the area where Padre Pio lived. My sister suggested that I read the book on Padre Pio hoping that the book with ease my sadness. I read Padre Pio’s book and I shed many tears. As we all know our friend Padre Pio suffered so much for us. I also said many prayers for Padre Pio‘s intentions. I have to say that my grandmother taught me the love of our Blessed mother. Padre Pio also showed me our Blessed mother’s love. He also brought me to know The love of Jesus and his most sacred heart. I finished Padre Pio‘s book on September 5. September 5 is also the anniversary of my grandfather’s passing.
I have to say that September 5 was a very emotional day for me. I now have to back up to September 2001. My husband and I were going to Italy. We were going with friends and we were going to stay at a what we would call a dude ranch. I am afraid of horses so before going to Italy I took horseback riding lessons. Because of that awful day in September we did not go to Italy. I did not know that the horseback lessons injured my pelvic nerve. Not to go into detail but I began to suffer a great deal but also did not know what caused my pain. I went to BW and MG for years. I was missed diagnosed and treated incorrectly. In 2012 I had surgery unfortunately it did not do what I hoped it would do. I have to say that it was a very long 14 years of suffering and doctors that I saw were not listening. During those years of suffering my faith is what kept me strong. Had plenty of time to pray for others.
Many of us pray for so many other people but very few times do we pray for ourselves. So on this day of September 5, 2015 as I finished padre Pio‘s book I gave a heart felt prayer asking Padre Pio to intercede for me that I was tired so tired of the horrible excruciating pain that I suffered. When I finished my prayer to Padre Pio I knew in my heart and in my mind that I was cured. I have confirmation from my doctor that when she finished a procedure on me the following Friday she found that my bladder was in great condition Padre Pio I thank you again from the bottom of my heart for your intercession I am able to play with my grandchildren which makes me so very happy and so blessed May God bless you all and know that our prayers are always heard and answered.
Jesus Mary and Joseph I love you.”
“My wife was diagnosed with Colon Cancer in June of 1999. She has had two major operations, one radiation treatment and two bouts with chemo. After the last surgery and radiation treatment the doctors felt they had gotten it for sure, this time. However, to make sure they recommended a final and very severe regiment of chemo. She had just started the latest cycle of chemo when she got very sick. I took her to the emergency room.
The doctors said she had a blockage in her small intestine and would probably have to operate. This was devastating to my wife, family and me – by the way it all started on the evening of the 24th of April – the day Fr. McQueeney passed away. On Saturday the doctors were going to operate but said they would wait one more day to see if this problem would resolve itself.
That Saturday I went to Mass. Before Mass started I went to the vestibule of our Church, St. Andrew’s, in Reston, VA, where there is a life size statue of Padre Pio. I asked him to pray for my wife to get better. I repeated over and over to myself Padre Pio’s words, “Pray, Hope, and don’t Worry!” – needless to say I was doing a lot of worrying. As Mass started I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders until it came time for the Homily. Fr. Fasano, our parish priest, who celebrates the 5:30 PM Mass gave an unusually short Homily – let me say here that Fr. Fasano’s are some of the most spiritually moving I have heard in my life! The last words of his homily were – “…as Padre Pio says, Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry!” – Needles to say I got goose bumps and then a great calm came over me. That night my wife started to feel better – the pain went away and she started to eat again.
Her improvement was so great that they sent her home on Monday – she has no pain and is eating again. One more point I should mention – we will celebrate her birthday on the 16th of June – the same day Padre Pio will be canonized. I want everyone to know that Padre Pio can help you too.”
The following story is from a friend who responded to our request to send us your Angel stories. We thank her for allowing us to share this beautiful story with you.
“The White Feather
I was reading how Padre Pio believed people could send their guardian angels to others to help them. And how he told his friends they could send their angels to him with a message and he would help as much as possible.
My mother-in-law was dying of leukemia. She had such a hard life. It was sad that she had to suffer. I asked my guardian angel, whom I pictured sitting across from me at my kitchen table, to go to Padre Pio. My message was to either heal her or take her peacefully to heaven. I then waved goodbye to him
I was looking out my window, imagining my guardian angel flying off and feeling very peaceful. I asked him, “By the way, do you think you could leave me a big, white feather, from your wing, on the kitchen chair where you were sitting, to prove you were really here?” I got up and looked on the chair, but there was no feather. “That’s okay, I still believe.” I proceeded to go into the living room and there, in the middle of the floor was a tiny, fluffy feather! He left it on his way out the door!! Not that guardian angels need a door to go through, but……….why not?
Mom died a few days later. Her suffering was over. I was walking on the boardwalk, watching the most beautiful sunset, thinking of Mom and thinking of the feather. Right in my path, sticking straight- up in the slat of the boardwalk, was a large white feather! “Dear Guardian Angel, you knew I really wanted that large white feather all along, didn’t you? Thank you …… but wait, ……….Mom, was it from you?” And ………………. why not?”
The following story was mailed into our foundation.
“Two days ago I was suffering with a bout of diverticulitis. The pain was unbearable.
I remembered seeing a show about Padre Pio. I don’t know why his image came into my mind – I’m not a catholic – but I called for his help. I said the Lord’s Prayer and asked Padre Pio to help me. Then the most amazing thing happened. My whole body began to cool down, I broke out in a sweat and the paid disappeared. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. It was a miracle! There is no doubt in my mind that this man’s spirit came to me and blessed me.
As I said, I am not a catholic however I wanted to make a donation to his foundation for answering my prayers. I don’t know why he came to me, but I am grateful. – Lori”
Painting of “Our Lady of Purity” that hangs over the foot of Padre Pio’s bed. He didn’t want it to hang there because he considered it too rich for his cell, but his superiors insisted, so there it is. And that was good because he could lay in bed and look up to her during his hours of sleeplessness; he only slept about two hours a night.
As you look into his room from the door, you see that to the right of his bed is the window from which he would wave and bless people who came to visit. Directly in front of the window is the armchair on which Padre Pio was sitting when he died. It will be 28 years next September. He was 81 years and four months old when our Lord called him home at the end of his extraordinary mission of suffering.
He had prophesied endless things during his lifetime, including his own death, nine years before it happened, to the exact day. Seeing that moment coming, he got up from his bed, put on the habit, confessed, sat down in the chair and whispered “I see two mothers!” An hour later he was in Heaven. His was a calm and peaceful death.
Alongside the chair, on a little table, are the things that were in his habit when he died: a relic of the true cross which he always carried on his person, and medals that he would give to the faithful as he would go through the crowds. There were a few little white mints that someone gave him and they happened to be in the pocket of his robe. The table was such that he could nibble at something during the middle of the day.
During the last years of Padre Pio’s life Padre Joseph Pius would bring him his food. He was continually amazed to see how little was eaten. More than half the food would be left on the plate. One day his doctor friend was at the door of the cell. Padre Joseph showed him the tray. Of course the doctor didn’t have to be shown the tray. He’d been around Padre Pio for years. But Padre Joseph asked him: “Could he live on what he eats?” The doctor replied straight out, “Not even a one-year old child could!” So how do you explain the existence of this man – not eating enough to sustain the life of an infant, but still bleeding daily from five holes in his body for half a century; sleeping only two hours a night; in fifty years not taking a day’s vacation because he didn’t want one.
Sometimes he would have fevers so high that the doctor had to use a horse thermometer because normal thermometers would shoot the mercury right through the top, so excessively hot was his body. His whole being was such a great operation of God that it was completely without the bounds of human possibility. As a matter of fact when he was twenty- one years old he had been given a month to live because of an infection in his lungs.
In the manner of the saints who do so much to grab souls back from Satan’s clutches, Padre Pio himself could suffer even physically at the hands of evil spirits.
In July of 1964, at about 10 o’clock one night, the monks heard a crash; they came in and found him dumped on the floor. He had been thrown from his bed; his forehead had been split so deeply that a doctor had to be summoned to stitch it up. His eyes were blackened; his whole upper body, front and back, was covered with contusions. So badly was he beaten, in fact, he couldn’t say Mass for several days.
The cushion that was placed under his head is still in the cell. Blood from his head wound stained it. You can still see the marks of blood that ran from his head the night Satan came to beat him up.
On the wall, opposite his chair are faded photos of his home in Pietrelcina, of his mother and father and a small memorial card of Mary Pyle. She was an American lady, a convert from the Presbyterian Church who lived in San Giovanni for four decades and was a very holy Third Order Franciscan. On his little desk below the pictures are his books of meditation and the Rosary which he was never without. He took it to bed with him at night, so that the minute he woke up he could start praying Our Lady’s beads. He used to refer to them as his WEAPON.
Next to the Rosary is a tiny box containing black fragments. They are actually crusts of blood that would fall from his hands when he would take off his gloves; a pair of his socks are there with the blood stains clearly visible, and there is also a piece of linen used to cover the cross-shaped wound that penetrated his heart. The spiritual lance of mystical love went in the front, through the heart and out his back.
Seeing these things marked with his blood, you can see why his confessor wrote to Padre Pio when he was still a very young man, “Your mission is a mission of co-redemption.” How right he was, because Padre Pio became a living crucifix for fifty years!
Think of us when we have a headache! Then think of him limping around his monastery in those half steps filled with pain from his swollen feet. (And you understand how swollen his feet were when you see the width of his specially designed sandals.) The crown of thorns which he said he never took off; his body flagellated; his hands cut open; his body (and heart) lanced open from front to rear; yet he had time to talk to you, listen to you, even joke with you.
Padre Pio’s charity was extraordinary even in all the annals of virtue. When he was very young he offered himself to God as a “victim soul: ‘That is, he took on his suffering willingly, but for others.
In 1959, he was so seriously ill he was thought to be dying. At that time the Fatima Virgin Statue, with the Blessed Mother’s message, was passing through San Giovanni. Padre Pio prayed to Our Lady, “Are you going to leave me here like this when there is so much to do?” He was instantaneously, miraculously cured and died of a different cause some nine years later.
Even in death there was a similarity to the suffering Christ, whom he loved so much. When the doc- tors examined the dead body in the cell, they found it to be without a drop of blood left in it. He literally spilled it out in imitation of Our Lord on Calvary.
Another marvelous thing found by the doctors was that the wounds, through which you could touch your fingers, were completely healed and no scar was left whatsoever – a sign of the resurrection that was taking place following the end of the crucifixion.
and then