St. Padre Pio Photo Album Part 5

"A Christian soul never lets a day go by without meditating on the Passion of Jesus Christ."

- St. Pio of Pietrelcina

"By his life given wholly to prayer and to listening to his brothers and sisters, [Padre Pio] this humble Capuchin friar, astonished the world."

- Pope John Paul II

"May the Lord confirm with His blessings, these wishes of mine, for your happiness is very close to my heart and I work and pray continuously for this end."

- St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Padre Pio celebrated Mass with an innate dignity. During the Holy Sacrifice his face became ardent, pale, transfigured. Great silent sobs shook him from time to time and he would wipe his tears with a handkerchief. Everything about him spoke of how intensely he was living the Passion of Christ.

Padre Pio shares a joyful moment with Padre Eusebio Notte, his assistant and close companion for five years. Padre Eusebio said, "My favorite reflection of Padre Pio is the kind of life he lived. Not miracles or anything like that. You can find that in the lives of all the saints. . . He would get up very early in the morning, at two o'clock a.m. and say the rosary and meditate. Afterwards, Mass. Then for many hours he heard confessions. When he finally went to bed at night, he would break up his sleep to pray the rosary and other prayers. . . He was a priest in whom God was particularly alive. He was like a lamp to enlighten people and bring them on the right path to God."

In this photo, Padre Pio is visiting the sick in the hospital which he founded, "The Home for the Relief of Suffering." Today it is considered to be one of the finest hospitals in Europe. Padre Pio never took any credit for the success of the "Home" but referred everything to God. He said, "This is not my work but God's, just as He shows me." To the doctors who were employed there he said, "Bring God to the sick; this will help them more than any other remedy."

Padre Pio daily blessed many objects and images which were brought to him for that purpose. We see him kissing a statue of the Sacred Heart after having blessed it. Padre Pio prayed the novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus every day for all of the people who requested his prayers.

Padre Pio kisses the statue of Our Lady of Fatima. He said, "May Jesus always be the pilot of the little boat of your spirit. May Mary be the star which shines on your path and may she show you the safe way to reach the Heavenly Father."

"Live in such a way that your Heavenly Father may be proud of you, as He is proud of so many other chosen souls."

- St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Padre Pio embracing one of his spiritual sons. As a spiritual director, he was understanding and paternal and at the same time very strict. To one of his spiritual children Padre Pio once said, "You understand and are perfectly well-aware of the responsibility I have assumed before Jesus for you. If something evil takes place to your spiritual detriment, Jesus will ask me to account for it directly."