A Friend in Francesco: Celebrating St. Padre Pio
“Friendship, as has been said, consists in a full commitment of the will to another person with a view to that person’s good” (Pope St. John Paul II).
There are so many days when I miss my youth. The moments of laughter with friends and carefree summer afternoons without a true care in the world were irreplaceable. Life in adolescence is lived day to day, focusing on all of the simple joys that adults forget so easily and replace with responsible thoughts of our week’s routine.
What many don’t realize is the world’s youth is thirsty for knowledge to grow closer and know Christ—even if they don’t always say it. Their hearts are ready to be set on fire and shaped in beautiful ways by His perfect hands. We, as faithful adults, have to start by spending more time with the people who are the future of the Church.
I always find myself drawn to Pope St. John Paul II and St. Pio of Pietrelcina often, especially when I’m around young hearts. Maybe it’s because my grandmother always prayed for the intercession of both fervently as I was growing up, and I believe they had their hand in many moments throughout my youth and into adulthood. I believe that we all have saints who intercede for us in different seasons or various times in our lives; they were in the front seat for me into young adulthood.
My two beloved companions throughout my teens (which is such a rocky time for most of us) also had a beautiful devotion to our Blessed Mother — and I know she, too, has a hand in pushing the future of our Church in the right direction. Maybe that’s another reason John Paul II and Padre Pio come to mind so often when we think of young people.
Young Hearts
Over a year ago, I gave a talk to high school students on the life of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, born as Francesco Forgione. My talk was part of a series reflecting on the virtues and lives of the saints. My talk on St. Pio of Pietrelcina, or Padre Pio, as most know him, was one I prayed a lot about and was excited and nervous to share. It was almost similar to the feeling you have before a fancy dinner or celebration. It was special to me.
At the time, Shia LeBouf was in the process of filming a movie on Padre Pio’s life, so I used a lot of mainstream media references and an eye-opening interview with Bishop Barron for part of my presentation. I wanted to grab their attention so they would hear every single word. Shaping hearts is always the goal with teens, and I was determined, through the intercession of Saints Pio and John Paul II, to make an impact on at least one.
My talk continued by discussing how Shia LeBeouf’s life was transformed by studying the life of Padre Pio. LeBeouf is known in the media for outlandish behavior. Then, I shifted the focus from his conversion to how we can view suffering in light of Padre Pio’s life. Sharing all that he endured through his stigmata and other challenges throughout his life put our day-to-day complaints and inconveniences into a different perspective.
So often, we find ourselves feeling overwhelmed or irritated in moments that seem completely out of our control, as if God gives us too much to handle or places roadblocks to make our path difficult. The morning of my talk, I groaned internally because my coffee was cold. What a silly thing to prompt negativity before prayerfully reflecting and preparing to speak on a life of ultimate sacrifice!
My goal was to provide insight and illustrate a small corner of Padre Pio’s brilliant, humble portrait—but it was also a reminder for me. Relating our lives to the saints helps us all, no matter our age, to realize that when we live a life dedicated to the Lord, we are capable of things beyond our imagination.
Padre Pio’s Life
Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione on May 25, 1887. He was an Italian Capuchin friar, priest, stigmatist, and mystic, and we celebrate his feast day on September 23.
As a child, Francesco had visions and was drawn to the life of a friar. Throughout his humble life, he experienced suffering in the form of Christ’s wounds, bleeding on his palms and side. Many Catholics know him for these stigmata. This visible cross, along with his failing health, made him an outcast to many. He was restricted from publicly celebrating Mass during a portion of his life, so he celebrated from a small bedroom window. Padre Pio was devoted to the Lord, His passion, and His Blessed Mother, and his love for the faith persisted through obstacles and hardship.
Saintly Friendship
Drawing parallels with the saints is oftentimes hard, especially with saints who lived lives like Padre Pio. However, when we compare our own lives, even in small ways, to the lives of these saints, we can grow closer to understanding our faith. We can also draw parallels between saints, even if they lived in different times or circumstances.
What we often don’t think about are saints who were friends while they were alive—such as Padre Pio and John Paul II. I learned of their connection recently, while reading Jason Evert’s book “St. John Paul II: His Five Loves.” How powerful it must have been for them to pray for one another and the world!
It is rumored that John Paul II (then Bishop Karol Wojtyła) wrote a letter to Padre Pio requesting prayers for a woman with cancer and that she was healed as a result. It was also said that Padre Pio received visions of Wojtyła’s becoming pope. The two were also rumored to have been friends after Wojtyła spent time in Padre Pio’s convent, San Giovanni Rotondo, after he read about Padre Pio. I’m sure many young hearts and minds were transformed because of their friendship and intercessory prayer.
Padre Pio was beatified and canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 19, 2002, a little over three years after his beatification. I believe the two continue to work together as saints.
Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry
My hope for anyone who seeks to continue the work of Christ today is to spend time seeking friendship with St. Pio by praying for his intercession, just as St. John Paul II did during his life. Not only should we look to St. Pio while spreading the good news, but we also should look to young people within our communities. We can learn so much from them in the way they love others and live their lives. Our saints work hard to help form them into the people they are called to be, and it’s worth every moment of time we share with them.
St. Pio said, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” I believe that he, like St. John Paul II and other saints, knew in his lifetime the power of youth—the future of the Church. Prayer is powerful, and detaching ourselves from everyday worries, routines, and tasks will bring us all back to the way we lived when we were children.
St. Pio of Pietrelcina, pray for us.
Christina Sabo is the social media manager at Catholic Women in Business and the director of marketing and communications for Mount de Sales Academy in Macon, Georgia. She strives to take in every moment of the day with a joyful heart, loves spending time with her family, and enjoys the great outdoors during her free time. You can follow her on social media or connect through LinkedIn.