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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=372410" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>The Priest with Christ’s Stigmata – St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0">A baby boy was born <br>to Catholic parents both –<br>Father, Grazio and mother, Maria, <br>On May25,1887, <br>In Pietrelcina, town in Italy.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Fourth amongst the seven children, <br>He was baptized next day as Francesco, <br>After St. Francis of Assisi, <br>At Castle Church.<br>He was a special child of God.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The Forgione family<br>Was pious to the core; <br>They were just peasants; </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Although, they could not read or write, <br>They kept God above everything: <br>Attending daily mass; <br>Reciting Rosary, <br>And fasting quite often; <br>They told their children<br>Bible stories and Scriptures<br>By heart! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Strong faith in Jesus Christ<br>Was nurtured in Pio<br>When he was only five! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">He spoke to Jesus, <br>Mother Mary, <br>And guardian angel, <br>And suffered temptations<br>From devils.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">When only ten years’ old, <br>He yearned to be a friar<br>Of the Capuchin order.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">He joined the order <br>And took the habit<br>When he was fifteen, <br>And the name, Pio<br>After Saint Pius V.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">At twenty-three, <br>He was ordained priest, <br>And said his first mass, <br>Four days later.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">A month later, <br>He got the stigmata<br>Of Jesus Christ; <br>Unable to bear<br>The annoyance, <br>He prayed; <br>The wounds vanished<br>For a while.<br>Pio desired to suffer<br>Secretly.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Due to illness, <br>Pio was sent home<br>But kept his friar life –<br>Said mass, <br>And taught at school.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">He went to the friary<br>Of Our Lady of Grace, <br>And led a holy, simple life.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Ordered to work <br>In the Italian Medical Corps, <br>He was unhappy, <br>But was discharged soon.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pio grew up in piety; <br>‘Prepare for battle in the morning; <br>Purify your soul in the evening; <br>Pray, hope and don’t worry.’ –<br>Were his keys to spiritual success.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Pio prayed for the end to the World War; <br>He saw Christ and got a wound on his side; <br>It showed his love of God and vice-versa.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">In 1918, he saw the wounded Christ<br>And received the Visible Stigmata: <br>The five wounds of Jesus Christ<br>Forever – a gift of God! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The wounds were painful<br>And bled from time to time.<br>For fifty years, he bore<br>The stigmata of Christ! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">The blood had an odor of perfume; <br>He could Prophesy and foretell; <br>Bilocation was his unique power.<br>He read the sins of persons<br>Who came to him to confess.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Padre Pio became famous<br>So, did the Friary and the Church; <br>People flocked to see and confess sins; <br>Pio became very busy; <br>He’d barely just two hours to sleep! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Spiritual fame brought detractors; <br>False accusations were leveled; <br>They tried to curb his work-schedule; <br>They tried to transfer him afar.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Undeterred, Padre Pio continued; <br>The ban on Mass was soon reversed; <br>His faculties were soon restored; <br>He was also allowed to preach.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">More pilgrims flocked to visit him; <br>He heard their confessions promptly; <br>Pio started a Medical Center; <br>A larger Church was constructed.<br>He’s known now internationally! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">With over-work, he became ill; <br>And bed-ridden in 1968.<br>He died in the early morning; <br>As he’d foretold, he lived sick<br>But died healthy, at 81 yrs’ of age, <br>on September 23,1968.<br>With the stigmata, <br>All healed! <br>A lakh of people attended<br>His holy funeral! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">His yoke though heavy, <br>In Christ became easy; <br>And his burden light, <br>When borne with faith in Christ.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">The crucified Christ<br>Had chosen the lad<br>To be a priest, <br>And make Him glad.</div><div style="margin:10px 0">He was declared ‘Blessed’<br>On May,2,1999, <br>And Saint, on June 16,2002<br>Both by Pope John Paul II.<br>He’d drawn a lot of souls, <br>Closer to God! </div><div style="margin:10px 0">Padre Pio loved to repeat: <br>‘I’m a poor Franciscan who prays; <br>Prayer is the best weapon, we have –<br>A key that opens the Heart of God! ’</div><div style="margin:10px 0">Copyright by Dr John Celes 5-19-2008</div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><br />poem by <a href="http://en.citatepedia.ro/by.php?a=John+Celes">John Celes</a><div class=q>
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<script type="text/javascript" src="//s7.addthis.com/js/300/addthis_widget.js#pubid=citatepedia" async="async"></script><div style="display:inline-block" class="addthis_sharing_toolbox" data-url="http://en.citatepedia.ro/comments.php?id=372410" data-title="The Priest with Christ’s Stigmata – St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina de John Celes" data-description="A baby boy was born 
to Catholic parents both –
Father, Grazio and mother, Maria, 
On May25,1887, 
In Pietrelcina, town in Italy.

Fourth amongst the seven children, 
He was baptized next day as Francesco, 
After St. Francis of Assisi, 
At Castl..."></div>
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