The Priest With Christ’s Stigmata – St. Padre Pio Of Pietrelcina Poem by Dr John Celes

A baby boy was born
to Catholic parents both –
Father, Grazio and mother, Maria,
On May25,1887,
In Pietrelcina, town in Italy.

Fourth amongst the seven children,
He was baptized next day as Francesco,
After St. Francis of Assisi,
At Castle Church.
He was a special child of God.

The Forgione family
Was pious to the core;
They were just peasants;

Although, they could not read or write,
They kept God above everything:
Attending daily mass;
Reciting Rosary,
And fasting quite often;
They told their children
Bible stories and Scriptures
By heart!

Strong faith in Jesus Christ
Was nurtured in Pio
When he was only five!

He spoke to Jesus,
Mother Mary,
And guardian angel,
And suffered temptations
From devils.

When only ten years’ old,
He yearned to be a friar
Of the Capuchin order.

He joined the order
And took the habit
When he was fifteen,
And the name, Pio
After Saint Pius V.

At twenty-three,
He was ordained priest,
And said his first mass,
Four days later.

A month later,
He got the stigmata
Of Jesus Christ;
Unable to bear
The annoyance,
He prayed;
The wounds vanished
For a while.
Pio desired to suffer
Secretly.

Due to illness,
Pio was sent home
But kept his friar life –
Said mass,
And taught at school.

He went to the friary
Of Our Lady of Grace,
And led a holy, simple life.

Ordered to work
In the Italian Medical Corps,
He was unhappy,
But was discharged soon.

Pio grew up in piety;
‘Prepare for battle in the morning;
Purify your soul in the evening;
Pray, hope and don’t worry.’ –
Were his keys to spiritual success.

Pio prayed for the end to the World War;
He saw Christ and got a wound on his side;
It showed his love of God and vice-versa.

In 1918, he saw the wounded Christ
And received the Visible Stigmata:
The five wounds of Jesus Christ
Forever – a gift of God!

The wounds were painful
And bled from time to time.
For fifty years, he bore
The stigmata of Christ!

The blood had an odor of perfume;
He could Prophesy and foretell;
Bilocation was his unique power.
He read the sins of persons
Who came to him to confess.

Padre Pio became famous
So, did the Friary and the Church;
People flocked to see and confess sins;
Pio became very busy;
He’d barely just two hours to sleep!

Spiritual fame brought detractors;
False accusations were leveled;
They tried to curb his work-schedule;
They tried to transfer him afar.

Undeterred, Padre Pio continued;
The ban on Mass was soon reversed;
His faculties were soon restored;
He was also allowed to preach.

More pilgrims flocked to visit him;
He heard their confessions promptly;
Pio started a Medical Center;
A larger Church was constructed.
He’s known now internationally!

With over-work, he became ill;
And bed-ridden in 1968.
He died in the early morning;
As he’d foretold, he lived sick
But died healthy, at 81 yrs’ of age,
on September 23,1968.
With the stigmata,
All healed!
A lakh of people attended
His holy funeral!

His yoke though heavy,
In Christ became easy;
And his burden light,
When borne with faith in Christ.

The crucified Christ
Had chosen the lad
To be a priest,
And make Him glad.

He was declared ‘Blessed’
On May,2,1999,
And Saint, on June 16,2002
Both by Pope John Paul II.
He’d drawn a lot of souls,
Closer to God!

Padre Pio loved to repeat:
‘I’m a poor Franciscan who prays;
Prayer is the best weapon, we have –
A key that opens the Heart of God! ’

Copyright by Dr John Celes 5-19-2008