Throughout 2023 the relics of Padre Pio have been on an extended tour of the United States. The tour is sponsored by the Saint Pio Foundation, because “The majority of those attending the tour of the relics of Padre Pio would never be able to travel to San Giovanni Rotondo or Pietrelcina to visit the places where our saint was born, lived, and died. For that reason, we sponsor a tour of the relics each year to give hundreds of thousands of the faithful an opportunity to have a ‘spiritual encounter’ with Padre Pio, to pray to him, and to ask for his intercession.” The relics have already been venerated by tens of thousands of Catholics in Texas, Maryland, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, Oklahoma, Illinois, Minnesota, and Massachusetts. On September 24, the relics will be venerated at the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, and its adjoining Porzincula Nuova, in San Francisco.
The day will include veneration; an exhibit of video and photographs documenting the life of the saint; a discussion, Meet Padre Pio, hosted by Father Robert (Bobby) Barbato, OFM Cap. (the Shrine’s rector) and Franciscan Capuchin Friars, a procession with the relics to the neighboring church of Saints Peter and Paul; a special Mass, followed by a concert and banquet.
From a conversation with Fr. Barbato:
Can you please share your thoughts about the event?
“I am delighted with this visit of the relics of Padre (Saint) Pio. It gives people a wonderful opportunity not only for prayer and veneration, but also to learn more about his life as a Capuchin Franciscan but especially his love of Jesus Christ and all His people, especially the poor and the ill.”
What do you hope for from Padre Pio?
“This visit will be a blessing for our city — after all, Padre Pio was a follower of St. Francis, who is our patron saint. I know they both bless and intercede for all of us in San Francisco, especially those seeking food, shelter, and respect. In North Beach we have celebrations of our Italian heritage (my grandparents were from Italy), and I think what better way to acknowledge that heritage than to acknowledge and celebrate the heritage of our Italian saints, especially Francis of Assisi and Pio.”
What does Padre Pio say to us here in 2023?
“I think Padre Pio says to us today what he said to the people around him in his lifetime: trust in God and not worry about the future, showing your love for others in concrete ways. He would tell us never to forget the help of our friends in heaven, especially our dear Mother Mary, Saint Francis and Saint Clare, and Pio’s own help for us. We invite everyone to visit the Shrine of St. Francis and of the Porziuncola Nuova and experience the grace of God in the heart of the City of St. Francis.”
The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi is located at the corner of Columbus Avenue and Vallejo Street in San Francisco. A full schedule for the visit of Padre Pio may be found here.
– By Gibbons Cooney
Padre Pio had many famous sayings: Pray, hope and don’t worry. Worry is useless. Our Merciful Lord will listen to your prayer. A couple of other famous insights by Padre Pio: Today’s society does not pray. That is why it is falling apart. Prayer is the best weapon we possess, the key that opens the heart of God. Saint Pio pray for us.
Divide up the relics and he can bilocate again, even trilocate or quarlocate. As many pieces as you have of him.
When he had to submit to investigations and restrictions in his priestly ministry, he accepted everything with profound humility and resignation. In the face of unjust accusations and calumnies he remained silent, trusting always in the judgement of God, of his immediate superiors and of his own conscience.
https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20020616_padre-pio_en.html
I’ve read his stigmata was fake. Anyone know?
Padre Pio himself accepted the Stigmata as a gift from God. A doctor sent by the Vatican concluded that the wounds were probably caused and maintained artificially. To test the hypothesis he bound the wounds and sealed the bandage to prevent it from being tampered with. But on examination a month later the doctor was nonplussed to find the wounds had failed to heal. Saint Padre Pio pray for us.
Padre Pio relics in San Francisco ??
They will likely walk out of that pit of demons on their own.
San Francisco needs Saint Padre Pio.
Padre Pio had many mystical gifts such as reading souls, the ability to bilocate and the ability to work favors and healings before they were requested of him. In addition he had the gift of prophecy, the gift of tongues and more. Padre Pio pray for us.
People would line up for hours to have Padre Pio hear their confessions. The most famous story involves a woman who went to confession to Padre Pio: Before giving the woman absolution Padre Pio said, “Try to remember the other sin.” Then Padre Pio said in a loud voice, “What do you mean, you don’t remember anything? Don’t you know he could have been a Priest, a bishop, even Cardinal?” She started to think and began to cry. Father she said, “I never knew abortion was a sin” That’s killing “but it’s a great sin,” said Padre Pio. For the complete true story by C. Bernard Ruffin Pages 296-297.
The name of the book about Padre Pio by C. Bernard Ruffin is: Padre Pio: The True Story Book
I am happy that his relics are coming to SF. Definitely going to venerate them; I hope the lines would not be as long as when St. Therese’s relics came to the Carmelite monastery near USF.
.The area of the National Shrine of St. Francis is always congested; better find parking outside of Chinatown and North Beach, then walk.
My favorite St. Padre Pio quotes:
“Be cheerful, Jesus will take care of everything •••• Let us pay NO attention to people who do not know what they are saying. Let us trust in Jesus and His heavenly Mother, and everything will work out well.”
“Trust in God’s plan. Offer up your sufferings.
Pray constantly. Seek the intercession of the saints.
Cultivate gratitude.”
“Don’t allow sadness to dwell in your soul. Sadness prevents the Holy Spirit from acting freely.”
St. Padre Pio, pray for us.
I wouldn’t feel safe parking or walking in San Francisco.
Maybe that’s exactly why San Francisco needs this tour of the Padre Pio Relics. Remember Padre Pio used to always say, Pray, Hope and don’t Worry. Saint Padre Pio pray for us.
North Beach and Chinatown are tourist areas and are always crowded, so if any thugs try to attack you, there will always be people around to see and a few may even help if you shout for help. At least that had been my experience.
Once I was window-shopping in Chinatown and a black young man was following me to every shop I went. I am Asian and was pleasantly surprised to see a black young man showing much interest in Asian artifacts, so I smiled at him, ready to answer any questions he might ask. Then, all of a sudden, he snatched my purse and ran out the store and across the street to an alley. I screamed and screamed and was so terrified that I peed in my pants. But four men walking on the sidewalk heard my cry, and in a flash, caught, beat up the thug and gave me back my purse. I was so shaken, but I thanked them profusely for helping. Whew.
Also, the fact that the sidewalks are crowded with people walking to-and-fro makes it impossible for the homeless to live on the sidewalks or they’d get trampled upon. I feel safer in that area than in the Tenderloin.
North Beach, just north of Chinatown, is where the National Shrine of St. Francis is located. The atmosphere around there is decidedly Italian and less exotic than in Chinatown. There you’ll find uppity young people dining al fresco and drinking chianti and cappuccino under colorful garden umbrellas.
The shrine itself is an old stone church that was rehabilitated by the Conventual Franciscans (they are friars who wear black habits, just like St. Maximilian Kolbe, instead of brown.) They have built an extension adjacent to the church building called the New Portiuncula (Porziuncola Nuova) where the Third Order Secular Franciscans hold their meetings. But It is in the shrine itself that the massive annual Walk-for-Life West Coast ends up every year with a high TLM. It is there where the relics of St. Padre Pio (who was a Capuchin Franciscan) will be set up for veneration.
There are two other churches you might want to visit nearby: the Notre Dame de Victoires French church and the Old St. Mary’s on California street. Just don’t go so far to the Bay side of Market street where the leaning millennium tower might collapse anytime. Warning: it leans to the left.
A good Catholic– and good Catholic website, too– with good manners and respect for others, and for the public — does not ignorantly write or speak rudely, crudely, coarsely, boorishly. We have decent words in English, to describe extremely offensive situations, such as body waste– defecation and urination. A good Catholic or Christian, or just a decent, civilized person– is well-mannered, polite, thoughtful, respectful, courteous, and considerate of others, with a good conscience towards others, and the public. San Francisco is obviously a place where both Christianity and civilization have been profoundly annihilated and lost. No one wants to live in filthy, disgusting, lawless San Francisco, anymore.