Dear Parishioners:                    

St. Padre Pio

On Friday of this week, we celebrate the Feast of St. Pius of Pietrelcina, more commonly known as St. Padre Pio. He was an Italian Capuchin Friar who was ordained a priest in 1910. On September 20, 1918, deep in prayer, he experienced a vision of the wounded Christ and received the Stigmata, the five wounds of our Lord’s Passion appearing on his body. He drew many people to Confession, and many more received his saintly counsel and spiritual guidance through correspondence. His whole life was marked by long hours of prayer and continual austerity. Padre Pio suffered physically and spiritually all through his life. He had a deep devotion to the Blessed Eucharist and Our Blessed Lady.  

   Worn out by over half a century of intense suffering and constant apostolic activity in San Giovanni Rotondo, Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968. Thousands of pilgrims flock to his tomb from all parts of the world, and many testify to spiritual and temporal graces received. On June 16, 2002, over 500,000 people gathered in Rome to witness Saint Pope John Paul II proclaim Padre Pio, “Saint Pio of Pietrelcina.”    

  A new movie entitled “Padre Pio” was recently released. The movie is set in the 1920s during an uprising of fascism in Italy while the now-saint, born Francesco Forgione, is in the early years of his priesthood. The star of the movie, Actor Shia LaBeouf, who plays the role of Padre Pio, recently announced in an interview with Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and Word on Fire Ministries that his involvement with the film led him to embrace the Catholic faith after reaching a low point in his life.   

 Considering LaBeouf’s checkered past, which includes serious allegations of assault, he seems an unlikely choice to play such a beloved saint. However, it seems that St. Pio of Pietrelcina interceded to bring LaBeouf home to the Church. Although LaBeouf made his bar mitzvah as a 13-year-old boy, he never fully embraced his mother’s Jewish faith. He says he was agnostic before finding God. LaBeouf suggests that after much turmoil and controversy in his life, he was drawn to the Catholic Faith while making the movie.  

Actor Shia LeBeouf with Bishop Barron

   The actor immersed himself in the life of the Capuchin Friars and began to study the faith. He prepared by imitating the way St. Padre Pio celebrated Mass, prayed, sought and dispensed God’s mercy in Confession, dealt with suffering and rejection, prayed from dawn to dusk, challenged others to holiness, and lived his Capuchin vocation with humility and love. He was so deeply affected that he says the experience “saved my life.” 

   The movie trailer looks like it is a movie well worth watching. Capuchin Brother Alexander Rodriguez, who became close with LaBeouf during the actor’s preparation for the role of Padre Pio, recommends the film for anyone to see. He suggests the film’s depiction of the saint is largely accurate and based on Padre Pio’s letters to his provincial and spiritual director between 1911–1918. 

We give God thanks for Shia LaBeouf’s conversion to the Catholic Faith and pray for his continued growth in the faith. We also pray that his conversion might lead many others to the Catholic faith and help all Catholics grow in their faith and deepen their devotion to Holy Mass. Let us turn to St. Padre Pio, asking for his powerful intercession. St. Padre Pio wrote: “My past, O Lord, to Your mercy; my present, to Your love; my future to Your providence.”

  We celebrate St. Padre Pio on Friday, but next Saturday, we celebrate our parish patroness as September 24 is the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. We begin our Feast Week of Mercy with the Patronal Feast Day Mass at 5:00 pm next Saturday. Join us at Holy Mass as we honor Our Lady and seek her intercession. The Mass kicks off our week of parish celebrations! The other events of our Mercy Feast Week include the Saints and Scholars Golf Tournament, A Holy Hour of Mercy, and An Act of Mercy. We finish up on Friday, September 30, with our Annual Oktoberfest. Fun, faith, and fellowship! So mark your calendar and celebrate Mercy Week! 

Be well. Stay safe. Do good. God Bless. Get ready  to celebrate  the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy. Go Pats!???!!