Background: St Padre Pio was born into a peasant farming family at Pietrelcina, Italy. By the age of five, he had already decided to give his life to God and began doing penances. The devout Catholic family attended daily Mass, abstained from meat three times per week and said a nightly rosary. In 1903 he took the Franciscan vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and in 1910, despite poor health, was ordained a Priest. St Padre Pio believed that suffering was inseparable from loving God. He had many visions and received the painful stigmata, of our Lord’s wounds from his crucifixion, on his hands, feet and side. These caused him great embarrassment, scorn and questioning; he prayed only that the visible marks be removed but not the pain. His Feast Day is 23rd September.
(Novena Dates: 12th – 20th September)
Almighty God, you generously blessed your servant, St. Padre Pio, with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You marked his body with the five wounds of Christ Crucified, as a powerful witness to the saving Passion and Death of your Son.
St Padre Pio, endowed with the gift of good judgement, you laboured endlessly in the confessional for the salvation of souls. With reverence and intense devotion in the celebration of Mass, you invited countless men and women to a greater union with Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.
Through your intercession, I now humbly ask you to seek for me the grace of:
(Share your request…)
With the words of Saint John Paul II, I pray:
“Glorious, humble and beloved Padre Pio:
– Teach us, we pray, humility of heart, so that we may be counted among the little ones of the Gospel to whom the Father promised to reveal the mysteries of His Kingdom.
– Help us to pray without ceasing, certain that God knows what we need even before we ask Him.
– Obtain for us the eyes of faith that will help us recognize in the poor and suffering, the very face of Jesus.
– Sustain us in our hour of trouble and trial and, if we fall, let us experience the joy of the sacrament of forgiveness.
– Grant us your tender devotion to Mary, mother of Jesus and our Mother.
– Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage toward the blessed Homeland, where we too, hope to arrive to contemplate forever the Glory of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Say: Glory be… (Repeat 3 times.)
… St Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, Pray for Us …
