The Diary of Lucia Fiorentino For those familiar with the story of Padre Pio, Lucia Fiorentino is most widely known for a vision she had regarding the coming of Padre Pio to her native village of San Giovanni Rotondo. In 1906, ten years before Padre Pio arrived, Jesus revealed to her an immense tree planted in the atrium of the Capuchin friary up on the mountainside. Then she heard a voice: “This is the symbol of a soul who is now far away but will come here. He will be strong and well-rooted like this tree and will cover the entire world with its umbrage.” At the time, seventeen-year-old Lucia did not understand the meaning; she assumed it referred to a local friar who happened to be out of town at that moment. When Padre Pio arrived in San Giovanni Rotondo on September 4, 1916, she understood. “Indeed, the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). Her Life Lucia was born in San Giovanni Rotondo on June 20, 1889, two years and one month after Francesco Forgione—the future Padre Pio—was born in Pietrelcina. She was the second of five children born to Giuseppe and Emanuela Fiorentino. She had two sisters—Giovanna (the firstborn) and Paolina—and two brothers—Felice and Cristoforo. From a young age, Lucia was a lively girl. She enjoyed going to school and was enthusiastic about learning, although she did not have a particular proclivity for school work. By the fourth grade, she was struggling with her lessons so much that she was forced to withdraw. Her mother then sent her to learn to be a seamstress. However, her life would not be easy. Life was difficult in much of Italy in her milieu, and, like other families, she was not spared from hardship. Her brother Felice, who had entered a minor seminary, died of nephritis in 1902 while still an adolescent. She wrote in her autobiography, “With his illness, suffering entered our house.” Her mother died of cancer three years later. Ten years after that, her other brother, Cristoforo, was killed in World War I, and the following year, her father died. After her younger sister, Paolina, married, Lucia was left alone in the house with her older sister, Giovannina, who acted as head of the household. Lucia suffered from health ailments, beginning in early childhood. At the young age of two, she was struck with a severe ear infection. She wrote, “Then I began to suffer. I had to go to the doctor due to the pain and swelling, but I never recovered.” She nearly died in the summer of 1905. Her condition was so dire that the priests were called to administer the Last Rites. She continued to suffer from various unnamed ailments for the rest of her life. However, in her sufferings, Lucia discovered her unique spiritual path and particular vocation—that of victim soul. That is, she was called to unite her sufferings to those of Christ on the cross for the benefit of others—either souls in Purgatory or in the world. Specifically, Lucia was called to offer her sufferings for priests and consecrated men and women religious. Spirituality From her earliest years, Lucia had a deeply contemplative and religious spirit. She prayed constantly and was deeply drawn to the sacraments, including Reconciliation and the Eucharist. She was repulsed by sins and felt greatly offended when her peers used foul language or spoke “indecent things.” Exhibiting signs of scrupulosity, she suffered terribly at the thought that she had sinned, when, in fact, she had been exposed to temptation. As a child, Lucia considered becoming a nun. However, she doubted which state she was called to since she “was neither so much for the world nor so much for the Lord.” Her confessor suggested she enter the Third Order of St. Francis as a tertiary (today known as the Secular Franciscan Order), whereby she could live Franciscan spirituality in the home. On May 12, 1904, the Feast of the Ascension, Lucia made her profession in the Franciscan Third Order. At the same time, she began receiving Communion daily. Shortly thereafter, she was assailed with spiritual attacks. She wrote that Satan “began to go to war against” her by subjecting her to terrible temptations. Lucia was just fifteen years old, had little education, and did not have proper spiritual guidance to help her confront these spiritual battles. She continued to believe that she was sinning, as she did not understand the difference between feeling and consent. Through prayer and “divine enlightenment,” she was led to certain holy books in which she learned about spiritual direction, temptations, and aridity of spirit. With this, she became more equipped to “repel the enemy.” However, the spiritual battles continued. After she successfully faced her temptations, she was struck with aridity, or dryness of spirit. Finally, after three years, Jesus relieved her spirit, “and without realizing it, he freed me from the terrible ordeal.” When Lucia reached the age of twenty-one, she finally “became serene in spirit.” At that point, she realized two things: she was not called to be a nun (due to her poor health), and she was called to offer her sufferings to God in “resignation” (that is, total trust and abandonment). Though she had peace spiritually, her physical and moral sufferings were constant. She wrote in her autobiography that she had to resign herself “to suffering at home because the Lord allowed it.” Her sufferings were mostly physical and included “pains in the heart, shallow breathing, and shortness of breath.” In 1905, her illness became so severe that she was bedridden. During this period, she began praying and reading the lives of the saints more. It was at this point that she began to discern her particular vocation: offering her sufferings for others. Jesus began to reveal himself more to her in the form of “inspiration.” One day, she heard him ask her what she wanted him to do for her. She responded, “Lord, I want what You want!” Then, all the confusion ceased, and she began to feel joy in suffering. The following year, in 1906, she had the vision of the tree at the Capuchin convent. Lucia had been under the guidance of two spiritual directors—both diocesan priests in San Giovanni Rotondo. The first helped her by way of Confession, though he was inexperienced in discerning the particular spiritual battles with which she was struggling. She later changed to another parish priest, Don Massa. Likely sensing the work the Lord was doing in Lucia’s spiritual life, Don Massa suggested she begin keeping a diary. She began writing in the autumn of 1916. On July 4, 1916, Lucia received the call to offer herself as a victim of reparation. After the feast of the Sacred Heart, the priest gave all the zealots (members of a prayer movement) a beautiful image of the Sacred Heart—everyone, that is, except her. Though she had always felt “treated with indifference and adversity,” she was particularly affected by this slight and worried she might commit a “fault.” Instead, she offered it up. Then she heard Jesus speak to her. “Daughter, do not be disturbed; suffer everything for love of Me; indeed, from this moment on, offer yourself a victim for reparations.” From that day on, Lucia began to suffer with “patience and resignation, doing everything to make reparations for my sins and those of creatures, always uniting myself with the suffering Jesus.” During the illness of her father in 1915, Lucia began to experience greater consolations from the Lord. She wrote that “Jesus gave me many beautiful inspirations, but not every day. I felt a new life within me, entirely spiritual.” She also experienced raptures. In her diary, Lucia revealed many other mystical and even charismatic spiritual experiences and extraordinary graces. She was often the recipient of visions. More frequently, she experienced locutions. She heard Christ’s voice often, as well as others, such as that of her guardian angel, certain saints, and her deceased niece. At one point, her guardian angel told her that she could discern who was speaking in that the voice of Jesus is “more imperious and gentler” than his. Padre Pio Lucia met Padre Pio for the first time in the middle of July 1916. He was twenty-nine years old, while she was twenty-seven. She knew him, as he had been stationed in nearby Foggia (forty kilometers [25 mi] from San Giovanni Rotondo), and his reputation as a holy priest and enlightened spiritual director was well-known. Some of the faithful from San Giovanni Rotondo had been to Foggia to confer with him, though Lucia never had. The Capuchin priests regularly visited Lucia’s father while he was sick. One day, the guardian (superior) of the community, Fr. Paolino da Casacalenda, told the family that he was bringing Padre Pio to San Giovanni Rotondo, and he would bring him to their home. Lucia was overjoyed. After Padre Pio visited her father, he stepped into one of the rooms so that all the members of the family could confer with him. On that occasion, Lucia received his counsel for the first time. After Padre Pio returned to San Giovanni in September and settled definitively in the beginning of October, Lucia had the opportunity and joy to visit him more frequently and talk about her spiritual life. He soon became her spiritual director. Surely, Providence had a hand in bringing Padre Pio to San Giovanni Rotondo and uniting him with Lucia. Lucia had an extraordinarily vibrant spiritual life but lacked proper direction. Padre Pio was an exceptional director. She had finally found her spiritual shade, the guide perfectly suited to her unique spirituality and vocation. He was the perfect umbrage for Lucia Fiorentino to sit beneath and bask in. The two were like kindred spirits. The daughter, who had received the calling of Christ to be a victim soul, united with the Father, who also had the same calling. Padre Pio, too, was a victim soul. In 1910, shortly after ordination to the priesthood, he received the stigmata. The next day, he and the parish priest prayed that they would be removed. They did, though they remained “invisible.” After Padre Pio settled in San Giovanni Rotondo, he experienced the wounding again. On September 20, 1918, as he was praying in the choir after Mass, he received the stigmata. Lucia also experienced similar supernatural phenomena in her body. In her autobiography, she described how a cross appeared on her arm on the exact spot a poor person touched. It remained for a year, around 1915-16. She showed it to Don Massa, who confirmed it. Remarkably, on another occasion, in 1919, Lucia received the invisible stigmata. Padre Pio and Lucia Fiorentino had a deep spiritual love for one another. A cursory read through Lucia’s diary reveals her intense devotion. He was her spiritual father, guide, and teacher. He frequently consoled her, confirmed her, and quelled her doubts. Sometimes, the Father (the way locals spoke of Padre Pio) rebuked her. Padre Pio once asked her how late she stayed up at night to pray. After she said that she sometimes stayed up until 4:00 a.m., Padre Pio said, “You mustn’t do this anymore. The bow that is too tense breaks. You can bring forward the hour of adoration because all hours belong to Jesus.” More than with words, it was his example that struck her. She saw him as an Alter Christus, Another Christ. When she sat with him, she felt she was in the presence of Christ himself. Sadly, Lucia’s newfound direction would be tested and eventually limited. By the middle of 1919, it was already difficult for the first spiritual daughters to confer with Padre Pio because there was so much demand to see him. The guardian intervened, and in July, he began a system of scheduling appointments for Padre Pio’s spiritual daughters from San Giovanni Rotondo. Worse, in 1923, religious authorities began investigating Padre Pio. There were rumors that he had faked the stigmata. Medical examinations were ordered, and studies were conducted. He was also slandered, including by some of his spiritual daughters. Gossip and salacious accusations abounded. Due to the crowds and “hysteria” surrounding his persona, the Capuchin authorities considered relocating him. Finally, in 1931, the Holy Office intervened. He was forbidden from celebrating Mass publicly, hearing confessions, blessing the faithful, or having any contact with his spiritual sons and daughters. Lucia Fiorentino, like the other early spiritual daughters and sons of San Giovanni Rotondo, experienced this dark, painful period personally and directly. The trials of Padre Pio thoroughly inform Lucia’s thoughts and diary. In fact, most of her writings are about Jesus and not Padre Pio. Her spiritual director often appears in the background—almost like a secondary character in a film. The protagonist is God himself. Yet, this is what makes a fine spiritual director. The role of the director is to discern the work God is doing in a soul and to provide counsel, wisdom, and direction. It is not to take the place of God. In an entry written on August 13, 1923, she heard Christ speak to her and tell her: You must love the Father [Padre Pio], but ordered to Me. He is the captain who unites you with Me. You could come straight to Me, but Padre Pio, who draws everything from Me and is attached to My Heart, gives [Me] to you and to others who are aided by him. During this period, Lucia had a specific role in Padre Pio’s tribulations. He told her that “You will obtain grace by way of prayers and sacrifices, but not grace according to your whims, nor simple grace as you imagine; instead, you will obtain a great grace for your Father [Padre Pio]. So pray.” The Diary Lucia Fiorentino’s diary offers invaluable insight into the early life of Padre Pio, as it was written by a native of San Giovanni Rotondo who was there at the time of his arrival in her hometown and throughout all the dramatic events that unfolded in the early years. Her thoughts and descriptions are incomparable in their descriptions of the mystique and profundity of this extraordinary priest and friar. Moreover, given that Lucia had just a third-grade education, her diary is extraordinary, given that so many of her entries are filled with lofty words and sublime thoughts. Indeed, it is rich in spirituality and Christian teaching. It narrates the spiritual life of a soul very much in love with God and painstakingly committed to living the Christian life in the home and family. While many great saints wrote with the intention of converting souls to God, Lucia did not. Instead, she only thought about interceding with God by offering her many sufferings to God. The teachings contained within her visions and locutions can be of benefit to anyone seeking comfort amid their suffering and seeking to grow in their Christian lives. More specifically, Christ told her that some of the messages were addressed not just to her but to everyone who “desires to live the perfect spiritual life.” Epistolary Correspondence Maria Preziosi, Lucia Fiorentino’s niece, wrote in her edition of Lucia’s diary that “Lucia had an intense exchange of letters with Padre Pio.” Unfortunately, all that remains of the “intense exchange of letters” between Padre Pio and Lucia Fiorentino are six letters that were discovered in Lucia’s house. She destroyed all the rest. On August 26, 1923, she wrote in her diary that she “offered a sacrifice to Jesus: I burned many letters of spiritual correspondence [between me and Padre Pio] that I kept with holy affection. Thus, I detached myself and felt freer. God alone is the Master of my heart.” While she did not refer to this external event, she destroyed the letters shortly after Padre Pio was ordered not to have any contact with his spiritual sons and daughters. Thus, the decision can be interpreted in accordance with obedience, in addition to humility and a desire for detachment. All the same, it was an irreparable loss for posterity, as Padre Pio’s letters are rich in spirituality and wisdom. Her Death In a Diary entry written on March 1, 1929, Christ spoke to her. He said: Think only about today, for tomorrow is in My hands. Detach yourself more and more from the world, which you will soon have to leave, and turn your thoughts to the Heavens—to Me, your Creator, your Redeemer, and I will be your Sanctifier. Do not lose yourself in the useless and vain things of the world, which you will soon have to leave without realizing it, and say, ‘I am a pilgrim in this land of exile, and I aspire to the Heavenly and Blessed Homeland.’ Five years after this entry, in February 1934, Lucia became seriously ill. Sensing the end was near, she told her sister-in-law, Filomena Fini: “When you go to Confession, tell the Father that I offered myself as a victim in the cave of St. Michael (the sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel on the Gargano) for his liberation. My life is not worth as much as his; he can do more good for souls than me.” On February 16, at the age of forty-four, Lucia Fiorentino died after a brief, unnamed illness. During that period, Padre Pio was still forbidden from appearing in public, hearing confessions, and celebrating Mass in public. It appears that Lucia’s self-sacrifice was heard by God. Less than three months later, Padre Pio was given back his full freedom to continue his apostolate. Perhaps it was due to her intervention. Conclusion
The life and writings of Lucia Fiorentino are remarkable. Like Jesus and Mary in Nazareth, she lived a hidden life within the home, occupied with domestic chores and family obligations. She placed herself under the obedience of her older sister in worldly matters and went about her business in San Giovanni Rotondo quietly without anyone noticing her. Her spiritual life, under the obedience and direction of Padre Pio, was known only to him. Now, almost a century after her death, the remarkable life and writings of Lucia Fiorentino have come to light. The importance of her work is not so much in its erudition as in its imitation. It contains within its pages the exhortation to live the “perfect spiritual life.” This extraordinary diary—translated for the first time ever in English—reveals an extraordinary soul beautifully devoted to Padre Pio. It can be of immense benefit to all those seeking comfort amid their suffering and striving to grow in the Christian life. "The Diary of Lucia Fiorentino: Mystic, Visionary, and Early Spiritual Daughter of Padre Pio" is available in English for sale. A portion of the proceeds of sales of this book will be donated to the Capuchin Province of Foggia and Padre Pio.
0 Comments
“The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). The Greek word translated as “dwelt” (ἐσκήνωσεν; “eskēnōsen”) means, more literally, “put up his tent among us,” or “tabernacled, sojourned.” Drawing on Old Testament imagery (see Ex 25:8–9), within this tent or tabernacle, God would “dwell in our midst.” Using poetic imagery, St. John’s message is that the Word is the new mode of God’s presence among his people. The tent is the world, which is now indwelt by Jesus. Christ is begotten as a man and has fully informed the world. The specific place where Jesus dwelled most of his earthly life was his hometown of Nazareth. Scripture reveals that most of Jesus’ early life was ordinary. In Nazareth, he grew up and “was obedient to [his parents and] advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man” (Luke 2:51-52). Even during his ministries – in which he began publicly performing miracles and healings – he did ordinary things. Within these mundane events and happenings, extraordinary things occurred. It is said that one cannot fully know someone else without visiting the place where he or she grew up. At the affective level, for those who love Christ, there is something moving about walking where Jesus walked and touching his land. One feels a special closeness to Jesus after seeing the vistas his eyes gazed upon. As anyone who has been on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land can attest, visiting the places where Jesus lived leads to a more profound understanding of the Scriptures. Indeed, after a visit to the Holy Land, one never hears the Gospels in quite the same way. Like Christ who was formed in a very human way in his hometown of Nazareth, the saints, too, led human lives. They were not formed in a vacuum. In their own hometowns – among parents and relatives, educators and catechists, friends and companions – their personalities, minds, and spiritualities were formed. They are people, and they have their personal story. Padre Pio was no exception. In Following Padre Pio: A Journey of Discovery from Pietrelcina to San Giovanni Rotondo, author Bret Thoman takes a look at the life of the great stigmatized saint in a novel way: by personally exploring all the friaries where he lived. The reality is that Padre Pio was the progeny of a people. He was formed by those of his native town, as well as the friars of the Capuchin Province he entered. Just as Christians explore the Holy Land to know Christ more intimately, by visiting Padre Pio’s friaries, one can understand him better. Combining scholarship, studies in Franciscan spirituality, and personal experience, Thoman has created a fresh, new narrative about Padre Pio. Drawing on the Letters of Padre Pio, the early Italian sources, and updated biographies, this book generously adds to the repertoire of works on the Capuchin saint from San Giovanni Rotondo. But this book is more than another “Life of Padre Pio.” With Pietrelcina as his base, Thoman sets out each morning to all the friaries where Padre Pio lived. In the “Footsteps” sections, he accompanies the reader into these special places with captivating storytelling and detailed descriptions of what he encounters. The province of Sant'Angelo and Foggia (currently renamed, Padre Pio and Foggia) is vast. It covers three regions. For the drafting of this book, the author followed Padre Pio’s life from his birth and childhood in Pietrelcina, through his entrance into the Capuchin Order and various assignments throughout the vast Province of Sant’Angelo and Foggia, and finally to San Giovanni Rotondo where he lived for five decades. The first excursion begins in Morcone, where the future Padre Pio entered the novitiate in 1903. After making first vows, he was sent to Sant’Elia a Pianisi to begin his studies. The next ten years were spent among various friaries throughout the vast Province interspersed with stints back home at Pietrelcina for health reasons: the Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Monti in Campobasso (1905); San Marco la Catola (1905-1906); Serracapriola (1907-1908); Montefusco (autumn-winter, 1908); Gesualdo (1911); Venafro (October-December 7, 1911); and Foggia (1916). Finally, he ascended the Gargano Promontory where he would live in the rural friary outside of San Giovanni Rotondo. There he would remain for fifty years until his death on September 23, 1968. All the cells where Padre Pio lived have been preserved with vintage furnishings to make them look exactly like they were in the early twentieth century. Additionally, each site boasts a small museum with relics and artefacts from his life. Numerous photographs are included in the book. The journey throughout the vast Province of Padre Pio was not easy. The author logged over 1,500 kilometers (930 mi) on his vehicle to reach the sites spread out across three southern Italian regions. Many are in remote mountain locations making them difficult to find and hard to reach. But the difficulties were countered with rewarding visits among the friars, sisters, and laypersons the author met along the way – including some who knew Padre Pio personally. Their testimonies and stories are the highlight of the book. In Gesualdo, for example, the author met Fr. Emidio Cappabianca, who was with Padre Pio when he died. Friars like him - and others the author met along the way - were the highlight of the journey in the footsteps of Padre Pio. Walking in the footsteps of Padre Pio brought to life this great saint of the twentieth century in a remarkable way. The author's faith was strengthened as he came to know Padre Pio more deeply. For those who will never be able to visit the friaries of Padre Pio personally, this book is like a pilgrimage that can be taken from one’s armchair at home. It is worth the trip. St. John the Evangelist begins his Gospel with an exhortation from the other St. John – the Baptist. When asked who he was by the priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem to interrogate him, he responded, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord” (1:19-23). He was quoting the prophet Isaiah, who said, “A voice proclaims: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God!” (40:3).
This phrase of the Baptist is richly drawn on in liturgies during this period of Advent. It is a calling to prepare oneself for the coming of the Messiah. It is an exhortation to repent. St. Matthew adds a phrase to John the Baptist’s plea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (3:2). He is calling his listeners to have a change of heart and conduct – to turn their lives from rebellion to obedience towards God. The Baptist’s plea is both literal and figurative. He spent most of his life as an ascetic preaching in the desert. He was in the lower Jordan Valley when this exchange took place. Those who have been on pilgrimage to the Holy Land know that the land surrounding the Jordan River to the east of Jerusalem is arid and lifeless. On the obligatory excursion down to the Dead Sea, a good guide will point out Bedouins who still live in the area. Other than them, there is not much there. But the biblical meaning is more profound. St. John’s reference to the wilderness suggests that he was calling his listeners to come into the desert. The spiritual meaning of the desert is that it is a place of temptation, but also an oasis for allowing God to speak. I experienced this voice recently. However, I was not in the wilderness of the Judean Desert. I was in a place quite the opposite: the crowded, metropolitan city of Florence – a veritable cultural and artistic mecca. And a secularized desert. International Travel Is BackAfter nearly three years of lockdowns, travel restrictions, vax requirements and documentation, PCR and Antigen tests, TRAVEL IS BACK.
All pilgrimage destinations are open with no restrictions. Italy, the United States, Israel, France, Spain, and Portugal are all welcome visitors! Today there is no lack of spirituality despite the scourge of Coronavirus. On the contrary, the internet is booming with articles, blogs, and YouTube videos offering spiritual guidance or purporting to explain the pandemic.
I know because I’ve been there myself. Frequently. I’ve also reached out to spiritual directors, attentively followed the homilies and reflections during the extraordinary papal events, and fervently asked God in prayer… all to make sense of what’s happening right now. But, to be honest, I don’t have much clarity. Italy, where I live with my family, was hit early and hard. When we went into lockdown forty-six days ago (at time of publication), we were the first country in the western world to do so. All businesses, factories, and shops were shut down with the exception of a narrow range of “sectors” considered vital related to food or medicine production or distribution. Most Italians are forbidden to leave their homes with only a few exceptions (grocery shopping or the pharmacy). Violating the decree can result in a steep €5000 ($5500) fine, confiscation of vehicle, and up to 90 days in prison. Perhaps the most dramatic part of the decree – for those of us accustomed to an active faith life -- is the restrictions on the Church. Church doors can remain open, but the ban on “assembly of persons” necessitates the suspension of all Masses and the reception of sacraments in any form. There is no exception even for baptisms, weddings, or funerals. Following are testimonies written by participants of our pilgrimages from Fall, 2019“The pilgrimage experience you organized was totally wonderful. […] and I will highly recommend it to anyone considering a pilgrimage to Assisi. I think we were blessed with being able to share the experience with our Filipino and Japanese brother and sisters and it was a living example of the universality of our faith and our commonality. Father Frank was a special blessing also as a liturgist, homilist, experienced pilgrim and a fun fellow traveler. I was so impressed with Magdelena's historical knowledge and also her spirituality which was inspiring. Your presence and hospitality and concern for our comfort and needs were greatly appreciated. Our accommodations were comfortable and convenient. The restaurant meals were well chosen. […] The return travel effects have now worn off and I am now able to process and re-live some of the important parts of the pilgrimage within myself. I am so very grateful for having made the trip and for being connected with Saint Francis and Saint Clare in a deeper way, for making great friendships with my fellow pilgrims and for a meaningful preparation for my Profession in Dec. With Gratitude and Love, Gayle, North Carolina.”
“Thank you for all the time, planning and loving energy you and Katia put into making our Pilgrimage special and an experience of my lifetime. Francis's spirit continues to live through me. I wish you and your beautiful family many unexpected blessings. With gratitude and love,” Mary Marinucci, North Carolina "I recently returned for the pilgrimage led by Fr. Peter O'Brien to Italy. It was a great experience! Father was a good spiritual guide and a very kind and friendly person. Our guide Loredana was terrific. She seems to really love her job. Our driver Fabriggio (sp?) did a fine job, and I never felt unsafe when we were on the road. The itinerary was thorough. Hotels were very good, […]. Meals provided were tasty and bountiful. […]. I hope all is well with you and your family now, Brett. Take care and God bless you." Matt Crowley, Grants Pass, Oregon “Ed and I enjoyed our pilgrimage. We have travelled extensively, occasionally with tour groups, but had not been on a pilgrimage trip before. I found the pilgrimage to be spiritually beneficial and I do think that the experience will continue to bear fruit going forward. I found the daily mass to be very nourishing. Being able to attend daily mass in such beautiful, profound places was probably the biggest highlight of the trip for me. Thank you for your efforts in arranging those. Confession during the trip gave me the opportunity for spiritual growth as well. The fellowship with the other members of the group was a positive factor as well. Fr. Peter did a great job on the trip as spiritual director. Loredana did an outstanding job as tour guide. She was knowledgeable, very personable, and always, always went the extra mile to try to arrange whatever anyone asked for.” Jamie & Ed Diehl, Portland Oregon “I am really grateful that I was able to go on this beautiful pilgrimage to Southern France. I find there are many parallels of the pilgrimage to my (or anyone) spiritual life. The hardships, the joys, the work, the disappointments, the pains, and the blissful moments were experience on this journey as they are usually occur in our normal life back at home. An example of that parallel: when we arrived in Toulouse, some of our luggage had not followed us to our destination. I, with some of the others, was without some of essentials for a couple of days. That was one of the hardships of being deprived which was no different in my non-traveling life. For a delightful, blissful moment: one of my favorite highlights is the hike up to St. Mary Magdalene Grotto. The effort of the journey to get there was epic from the bus driving up there to the actual hike. Once to the top with the view and the cool church, I felt that I earned it after the hot and arduous hike. One can make the comparison to our pilgrimage to a foretaste of Heaven with all the hard work before our rest in the end if, in God's grace, we make it there. Thank you for organizing this wonderful pilgrimage.” Thomas Rousseau, Portland Oregon "Fr. Frank, you were a light and an inspiration to our pilgrimage. Thank you to all my fellow pilgrims and to Bret. Ours was a unique experience composed of the lives, spirituality, faith, and love of each of us individually. There will never be another exactly like it. We came as individuals, each bringing along our own personal journey. We shared, we laughed, we cried, we celebrated, ourselves and each other. We were changed. We created something new and unique. As I transition back into my daily life, I bring a piece of each of you with me. I pray for you and ask Our Lord to bless you as you continue your personal journey which now contains a piece of each of us. Peace and love, with God’s blessings always, until our paths meet again.” Brenda Harris, North Carolina I recently went to Israel on two pilgrimages. My experiences in the Holy Land have led me to consider Francis and reflect on his experience there, how he related to people of different faith.
Last year, 2019, marked the eighth centenary of the legendary encounter between St. Francis and the leader of the Muslim army, Sultan Malek al-Kamil. It took place sometime between spring and summer, the year 1219. He arrived in Acre, the port city on the Mediterranean Coast. This was the same city where St. Paul landed after departing from Tyre (Acts 21:7). In the thirteenth century it served as the capital of the Latin Crusader Kingdom. To this day, tourists in the Old City can still visit the quarters of the Franks, Venetians, Pisans, and Genoans recalling their past military and trading presence. Today the city is referred to as Akko by both Jews and Muslims. It is mostly Jewish, as it lies just to the north of Israel’s third largest city, Haifa. But it is only twelve miles to the southern border of Lebanon, and is roughly one third Arabic. There is only one Catholic church in Akko today. Dedicated to St. John and under the Custody of the Franciscans of the Holy Land, it serves the small Latin Christian community that still survives. Saint Pio of Pietrelcina and a Spiritual Son “After my death I will make more noise. My real mission will begin after my death.” Saint Pio of Pietrelcina From April 25 through May 5, I had the joy and honor of accompanying to the United State and interpreting for one of the last living spiritual sons of Padre Pio of Pietrellcina. Adolfo Affatato, now 82 years old, met Padre Pio when he was just sixteen years old and spent the last fifteen years of the saint’s life by his side. Padre Pio was born in 1887 to a poor family on the small town of Pietrelcina (in the region of Campania near Benevento). His baptismal name was Francesco, after St. Francis of Assisi. As a child he wanted to become a priest and friar, however, his parents lacked the money to teach him to read and write. Therefore, his father emigrated to the United States in order to earn money to send his son to seminary. There Padre Pio began to experience extraordinary graces and supernatural phenomena. However, he was frequently sick which forced him to return home. Back in Pietrelcina, he received the invisible stigmata when he was 21 years old. When his state improved, he returned to the community near Benevento. Yet, his health – in particular his lungs – remained ill. When a fellow friar suggested he go to the hill-town of San Giovanni Rotondo, where the air might do good for his health, Padre Pio knew he would remain there for the rest of his life. The year was 1916 and Padre Pio was 29 years old. Two years later, on September 20, 1918, before a crucifix above the ancient church in San Giovanni Rotondo, Padre Pio received the five wounds of Christ. Shortly before that, he had experienced “Transverberation” or the piercing of his heart. Soon, word of these miracles and his reputation as a mystic and healer spread. Countless souls who confessed to him described how Padre Pio could “read their souls” and how he knew their sins before confessing them. There are stories of bi-location where Padre Pio would appear simultaneously in two places at the same time. Friars who lived with him recount hearing strange noises at night from within his cell in which the holy friar was struck by demons who left bruises and scrapes on his body. When asked about these phenomena, Padre Pio answered that he did not understand them and that they were a mystery even to him. Given Padre Pio’s extraordinary popularity, Church authorities exercised prudence, and for a period of time he was forbidden from hearing confessions, celebrating Mass in public, and from corresponding with his spiritual sons and daughters. This caused him immense suffering. Later, the order was lifted by the pope himself. Despite the many miracles attributed to his intercession, perhaps Padre Pio’s greatest work was the construction of the hospital called, “Sollievo della Sofferenza” (Relief of Suffering) which Padre Pio had built entirely through donations. Having borne the stigmata, which caused him great physical suffering, Padre Pio always had great empathy and compassion for the sick. Padre Pio retained the stigmata for fifty years until his death on September 23, 1968, when the wounds mysteriously healed. Countless people continue to testify to this day being visited by Padre Pio in dreams or through the fragrance of roses and violets. Saint Padre Pio was canonized on June 16, 2002. |
Bret ThomanCatholic. Franciscan. Married. Father. Pilgrim guide. Writer. Translator. Pilot. Aspiring sailor. Archives
April 2024
|