When Padre Pio died on September 23, 1968, believers across the world were sure that the Capuchin friar would one day be declared a saint. The official investigation into his cause did not begin until 1982, and he was not canonized until 2002; by that time, however, there were already thousands of people who were living spiritual friendships with Padre Pio – fulfilling the desire that he once expressed in prayer: “If only I could help you to help others, Jesus.”
How then to begin such a friendship? Here are four suggestions:
1
LEARN
As you develop a relationship with someone, it is only natural that you will want to learn about that person’s life, experiences, and outlook on things. Becoming friends with a saint follows the same dynamic. So, if you want to become friends with Padre Pio, a good starting point would be to learn something about his life.
Fortunately there are a number of good biographies written about the saint from Pietrelcina. Padre Pio: The True Storyis considered by many to be the best general account of his life. One book that I personally love is Padre Pio Under Investigation: The Secret Vatican Files. It details one of the most difficult moments of his life, through the eyes of an inquisitor who investigated the young priest who was the focus of so many extraordinary claims and jealous accusations. The book features many depositions that Padre Pio gave under oath, providing an intimate look at his life during a time of trial.
You can also check out some of the many articles written about Padre Pio on Aleteia, featuring many quotes from him and highlighting different aspects of his spirituality.
2
ASK
An important part of any friendship is knowing that you can ask the other person for support and help – and that is particularly important when building a relationship with a saint. Padre Pio is known for being an especially powerful intercessor. St. John Paul II understood this and wrote a beautiful prayer asking for aid in times of trouble that he recited at Padre Pio’s canonization.
The prayer begins:
St. Pio, Teach us, we ask you, humility of heart so we may be counted among the little ones of the Gospel, to whom the Father promised to reveal the mysteries of his Kingdom.
The prayer is wonderful because it doesn’t just ask Padre Pio to do us favors, but to help change our hearts so that we can become the persons that God intends us to be. That’s the definition of true friendship!
3
IMITATE
As we become closer to Padre Pio, we will hopefully learn to pray with his simplicity and intensity, as well as becoming more focused and prayerful during the sacraments. When we have a friend whom we admire, it’s only natural that we try to emulate them.
We can also try to imitate how Padre Pio acted in the world, showing love to others. A book that I think is particularly striking in this regard is Cry of the Heart, by the late Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete. (I should add that I wrote a short biographical chapter for the end of this book, so I may be biased!)
In the book, Monsignor Albacete writes about a visit that he paid to the hospital at San Giovanni Rotundo, which was founded by Padre Pio himself. His short visit with the doctors and nurses there completely changed how Albacete understood illness and suffering. Albacete was especially struck by an address that St. Pio once gave to those same professionals:
“You have a mission to look after the sick, but if to the sick bed you do not bring love, I don’t believe that medicine will help much. How could you express love if not through words which bring spiritual relief to the sick person. Bring God to the sick.”
Albacete felt inspired to try and look at suffering as Padre Pio did. It helped him understand that while human suffering will never be eliminated in this life, we can join Christ in embracing those who suffer as they cry out for meaning.
As your own relationship with Padre Pio grows, he will hopefully open your eyes and help you look at the world in a more beautiful and Christ-centric way, just as he did with Msgr. Albacete.
4
SHARE
There is one final aspect of friendship that is sometimes forgotten but is quite vital. A healthy friendship is never closed in on itself but opens itself to others – especially to those who feel isolated and marginalized. Imagine that you and a close friend visit the same restaurant every week, and every time you go there is someone sitting at the next table who is always by themselves and looking lonely. Hopefully at some point, one of you will have the heart to invite that person to your table – opening up the possibility that your one-on-one friendship becomes a circle of friends.
How does this apply to your relationship with Padre Pio? Well, if you find help and comfort in that friendship, then you should invite others to “join your table.” That’s especially true for those you see who are lonely, feeling like outcasts, or who are struggling personally or spiritually. You might give them a prayer card of Padre Pio and explain how his friendship has helped you. Maybe you want to share a book or article about St. Pio that you found helpful. Or if your parish has a Padre Pio statue, you could invite the person to join you in prayer.
Whatever gesture you choose, keep it simple and respect for the other person’s freedom, treating them with the same love and consideration that Padre Pio showed to others.
And today we celebrate...