Devotion for today: Feast of the Archangels

Today’s devotion is taken from “Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours” for Sept. 29^th, the Feast of the Archangels.

Morning Prayer Selections

Hymn: Praise the Lord, Ye Heavens Adore Him (vs. 3, by Edward Osler, 1836)

Worship, honor, glory, blessing, Lord, we offer unto thee;
Young and old, thy praise expressing, in glad homage bend the knee.
All the saints in heaven adore thee; we would bow before thy throne,
As thine angels serve before thee, so on earth thy will be done.

Ant. 1: Let us join the angels in praising the Lord, as the cherubim and seraphim sing: Holy, holy, holy.

Ant. 2: Angels of the Lord, sing praise to the Lord forever.
Ant. 3: All the angels in heaven praise you, O Lord, and with one voice they say: To you we owe our hymn of praise, O God.

Canticle of Daniel (3:57-88, 56) Let all creatures praise the Lord

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, you heavens; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, all you waters above the heavens; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, all you powers of the Lord; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, sun and moon; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, stars of heaven; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, all rain and dew; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, all you winds; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, fire and heat; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, winter cold and summer heat; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, dews and falling snow; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, nights and days; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, light and darkness; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, ice and cold; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, frosts and snows; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, lightnings and clouds; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Let the earth bless the Lord; let it sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, all that grows in the ground; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, you springs; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, you whales and all that swim in the waters; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, all birds of the air; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.

Bless the Lord, all wild animals and cattle; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Bless the Lord, all people on earth; sing praise to him and highly exalt him forever.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endures forever. All who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods, sing praise to him and give thanks to him, for his mercy endures forever.

Reading: Genesis 28: 12-13

Jacob had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground, with its top reaching to the heavens; and God’s messengers were going up and down on it. And there was the Lord standing beside him and saying: “I, the Lord, am the God of your forefather Abraham and the God of Isaac.”
 

Responsory

An angel stood by the altar.
__an angel stood by the altar
And held a golden censer
__by the altar.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.
__an angel stood by the altar.

Intercessions:

With one voice the choirs of angels sing their unceasing praise of the Lord. Let us join in their worship as we proclaim:
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You commanded your angels to guard us in all our ways,
---keep us from sin as you lead us in your path this day.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Father, the angels stand for ever before your face,
---nourish in us a never-failing hope of coming at last into your presence.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Your angels will be like the angels in heaven,
---grant us chastity in both mind and body.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Send Michael, the prince of the heavenly hosts, to the aid of your people,
---may he defend them against Satan and his angels on the day of battle.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Our Father…

Prayer

God our Father, in a wonderful way you guide the work of angels and men. May those who serve you constantly in heaven keep our lives safe from all harm on earth. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devotion for today: Tomorrow is the Feast of the Archangels (Sept. 29)

To prepare for tomorrow’s great feast, let us spend time today learning about the Archangels: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. The following instruction is taken from http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/ANGNAME.htm (by the way, check out the EWTN website for information on their novena for the USA which starts tomorrow)

ANGELS WITH NAMES

Pat Bartos

Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are the only angels to have come down through the ages with names and strongly defined images. Invisible beings of light, carrying out God's will among mankind, angels’ cries-cross through the stories in Scripture. The Bible is filled with these mysterious, anonymous presences. St. Gregory the Great said that "almost all the pages of the sacred books bear witness to the existence of angels and archangels." They are so numerous that God is known as "Lord of hosts." Yet just three have come down through the ages with names and with strongly defined images, assumed through their roles in carrying out God's mandates. Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael—all of their names ending in "el," a Semitic name of God—are accorded a special liturgical feast day, celebrated on Sept. 29 each year. Michael, the fearless warrior, Gabriel, the angel of the Incarnation, and Raphael, known as the angel of prayer, were joined together liturgically just 25 years ago(article written in 1996) from their separate feasts and given the date, which for centuries had honored Michael alone. Venerated since ancient times, Michael is known in the Old Testament as the "Guardian of the Hebrew Nation," and by other titles, "Viceroy of Heaven," and "Prince of the Heavenly Hosts." He stands as the most prominent of the three. His name translates as "Who is like God?" and his image of bravery traces to the text in Revelation where he leads the angels in heaven in battle to oust the seven-headed dragon. He has long been synonymous with defending the Church. Defined by his heroism and unquestioning faithfulness to God Michael is thought to be the angel who guided the Jews on their wanderings in the desert, and the angel who fought with Satan over the soul of Moses. The Emperor Constantine attributed his victories in battle to Michael, as did Joan of Arc who also credited her vocation to him. It was St. Augustine who devised the concepts of honor and love as the proper approach to venerating angels, and the earliest devotions to angels centered on Michael. Medieval knights often consecrated themselves to him, and devotions in his honor play prominent roles in many countries. He was the sole angel honored in liturgical feasts in the Church before the ninth century. In Eastern tradition, this devotion traces back to the fourth century. In the East, Michael is depicted in art in imperial purple, in the West, in a long tunic or the armor of a medieval knight. He appears in scenes of the Last Judgment battling the dragon or the forces of Satan. He has often been depicted in literature, and Milton in "Paradise Lost" predicts Michael will blow the trumpet, announcing the Final Judgment. Both Gabriel and Raphael appeared in Scripture in the guise of human form, speaking audible words. Gabriel (whose name translates as "God's fortitude" or "God is powerful") is depicted as the angel of the Incarnation, for his joyful announcements to Mary and to Zacharias foretelling the births of Christ and John the Baptist. He is also thought to be the angel who announced Christ's birth to the shepherds in Bethlehem. Appearing to Zechariah as the priest is offering incense in the temple, he announces, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. And I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news." His profound greeting to Mary lives on, repeated daily in popular prayer. "Hail Mary! Full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women." Gabriel had appeared to a troubled Daniel some 500 years earlier, in the Old Testament. As Daniel's prayer ascends, one biblical scholar explained, the angel descends. Gabriel, "in rapid flight," touched Daniel and explained his vision. Each of his four appearances in Scripture deals with the coming of the Messiah. He is depicted in a fifth-century mosaic of the Annunciation at St. Mary Major in Rome, in what is the oldest known illustration of an angel with feet and two wings. In Jewish lore, he foretold the birth of Samson. In Islam, he dictated the Koran to Mohammed. Gabriel is the patron of workers in communications. Raphael is called the angel of prayer by Tertullian because of his words to Tobias: "I have offered your prayers to God." His name means "medicine of God," or "God heals," and he is called upon to aid travelers and members of the medical profession. He is said by scholars to embody the ability of angels to intervene in the affairs of mankind while never ceasing to contemplate the face of God in heaven, and is thus seen as a model for the integration of the outward and interior life. "How can I repay him?" Tobias asks his father Tobit in the Old Testament, after he returns from his long journey, on which he had unknowingly been accompanied by Raphael, disguised in human form as Azarias ("God helps"). This companion, Tobias explains, "...led me back to you safely, he cured my wife, he obtained the money for me from Raphael, filled my parents with joy. He protected me from the fish that was going to eat me, he has healed your blindness, how could I possibly repay him?" The Book of Tobit is seen as depicting life as a journey and reflecting God's design to help mankind. Veneration for Raphael has been infrequent, and the earliest church honoring him dates to the 7th century. He is depicted in art works as walking with Tobias, accompanied by a small dog and carrying a fish. Raphael is regarded as the patron of light, love, health and joy. Pat Bartos writes from Pittsburgh This article was taken from the March-April 1996 issue of "Catholic Heritage".

 

Devotion for today: Jesus is a friend who walks in when the world has walked out.

We will take a little detour from our normal type of reflection today…

Scripture for reflection: John 16:33

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

 I found this little inspiration in the book “God’s Little Devotional Book” and I thought I would share it with you today: Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs during his baseball career, but on this particular day toward the end of his career, the Braves were playing the Reds in Cincinnati, and the great Bambino was no hero. He fumbled the ball and threw badly. In one inning alone, his errors were responsible for most of the five runs scored by Cincinnati. As the Babe walked off the field and headed toward the dugout after the third out, a crescendo of angry cries and boos rose to greet him. Then…a boy jumped over the railing and ran out onto the field. With tears streaming down his face, he threw his arms around the legs of his hero. Ruth didn’t hesitate for a second. He picked up the boy, hugged him, then set him down and patted his head. The cries from the crowd abruptly stopped. A hush fell over the entire park. In that brief moment, the fans saw two heroes on the field: Ruth, who, in spite of his own dismal day in fielding, cared about the feelings of a young fan; and a small boy, who cared about the feelings of another human being. No matter your performance on the playing field of life today, the Lord has a hug awaiting you at the day’s end. He is your Number One Fan! (Honor Books, Inc. 1995)

Prayer: Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Song for today: You’ve got a friend (and just remember his name is Jesus)

Sit back relax, close your eyes and enjoy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SxToTUoWGM

When you're down and troubled and you need a helping hand
and nothing, whoa, nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be there to brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call and I'll be there, yeah, yeah,
you've got a friend.

If the sky above you should turn dark and full of clouds
and that old north wind should begin to blow,
keep your head together and call my name out loud.
Soon I will be knocking upon your door.
You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call and I'll be there.

Hey, ain't it good to know that you've got a friend? People can be so cold.
They'll hurt you and desert you. Well, they'll take your soul if you let them,
oh yeah, but don't you let them.

You just call out my name, and you know where ever I am
I'll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall, all you have to do is call, Lord, I'll be there, yeah, yeah,
you've got a friend. You've got a friend.
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend. Ain't it good to know you've got a friend.
Oh, yeah, yeah, you've got a friend.

Devotion for today: Teach the young love

Scripture for meditation: Colossians 1:28, 29

We proclaim Christ, admonishing and teaching our children with all wisdom, so that we may present all of our children perfect in Christ. To this end we labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in us, their parents.

Scripture for reflection: Psalms 78:2-4
I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.

Blessed John Paul II tells us: It is necessary to teach (young people) love. Love is not something that is learned, and yet there is nothing else as important to learn! As a young priest I learned to love human love. This has been one of the fundamental themes of my priesthood – my ministry from the pulpit, in the confessional, and also in my writing. If one loves human love, there naturally arises the need to commit oneself completely to the service of “fair love,” because love is fair, it is beautiful. After all, young people are always searching for the beauty in love. They want their love to be beautiful. If they give in to weakness, following models of behavior that can rightly be considered a “scandal in the modern world” (and these are, unfortunately, widely diffused models), in the depths of their hearts they still desire a beautiful and pure love. This is as true of boys as it is of girls. Ultimately, they know that only God can give them this love. As a result, they are willing to follow Christ, without caring about the sacrifices this may entail. As a young priest and pastor I came to this way of looking at young people and at youth, and it has remained constant all these years. It is an outlook which also allows me to meet young people wherever I go…. And not only in Rome, but anywhere the Pope goes, he seeks out the young and the young seek him out. Actually, in truth, it is not the Pope who is being sought out at all. The one being sought out is Christ, who knows “that which is in every man” (John 2:25), especially in a young person, and who can give true answers to his questions! And even if they are demanding answers, the young are not afraid of them; more to the point, they even await them. (Crossing the Threshold of Hope, published by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1994)

Prayer: Mary, Help of Those in Need

Holy Mary, help those in need. Give Strength to the weak, comfort the sorrowful, pray for God’s people, assist the clergy, intercede for religious. May all who seek your help experience your unfailing protection. Amen

My thoughts: I wonder a great deal about the hesitancy I see in so many parents to speak the truth to their children about the true value of pure love. Pope John Paul II tells us to teach young people love. Most of us feel we have shown love to our children; we have given them opportunities to love others; but have we actually taught them love. Judging from the attitudes of casual sex, frequent partners, and cohabitation before marriage,  I am not sure we have. Parents say they don’t want to impose their own beliefs on their children. I have also heard parents say that their job is done: they have told their children what is right and wrong, and now it is up to the kids to decide. I have heard this one from parents of high schoolers!!! This is part of the big lie presented in society today. True love is pure, and fair. True love is God’s love. He is not duplicit. His love hurts no one. He gave himself freely for us on the cross. His love brings forth life and beauty and goodness. Young people know this in their hearts. They know in their hearts that allowing themselves to be used as objects of pleasure is not pure, nor is it fair, nor is it free. They ultimately want a love that is true, and constant, and beautiful. In other words, they want God in their lives. His love should be their goal. Once filled with the love of God, no other false love will do. Pope John Paul II knew that he had to get this message out to the young people of the world, and he spent his pontificate doing just that. Young people loved him, and not because he told them what they wanted to hear. He told them what they needed to hear, and that made all the difference. Be brave and bold adults. Speak the truth to the youth of today.  Help to raise them to a high standard of living by believing that they are so special, so loved by God, that only a true and pure and lasting love in their relationships with others will bring them the peace and joy they desire. Speak the Truth to our youth, and the Truth will set them free. 

Devotion for today: Whose wavelength are you on?

Scripture for meditation: Mark 9:31-32; Mark 10:35-37, 41-45
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise”. But the disciples did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him.” Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” He replied, “What do you wish me to do for you?”They answered him, “Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left.” When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Scripture for reflection: Isaiah 55:8

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.

Pope Benedict XVI’s Sunday Angelus Message on September 23, 2012: In our journey through the Gospel of Mark, last Sunday we entered into the second half [of the Gospel], the last journey towards Jerusalem and towards the culmination of Jesus’ mission. After Peter, on behalf of the disciples, professed faith in Him, recognizing Him as the Messiah (cf. Mark 8:29), Jesus began to speak openly about what would happen in the end. The Evangelist reports three successive predictions of the death and resurrection, in chapters 8, 9 and 10: in them, Jesus proclaims ever more clearly the fate that awaits Him and their intrinsic necessity. The passage for this Sunday contains the second of these announcements. Jesus says: “The Son of Man,” – an expression that designates Himself – “is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise” (Mark 9:31). But the disciples “did not understand the saying, and they were afraid to question him” (v. 32).

In fact, reading this part of the story of Mark, it is clear that between Jesus and the disciples there is a deep interior distance; they are, so to speak, on two different wavelengths, so that the discourses of the Master are not understood, or are understood only superficially. The apostle Peter, after having shown his faith in Jesus, was permitted to reprove Him because He predicted that He must be rejected and killed. After the second announcement of the Passion, the disciples began to discuss who was the greatest among them (cf. Mk 9:34), and after the third, James and John asked Jesus to be able to sit at His right hand and at his left, when He was in glory (cf. Mk 10:35-40). But there are several other signs of this distance: for example, the disciples were not able to heal an epileptic boy, that afterwards Jesus heals with the power of prayer (cf. Mk 9:14-29); or when some children were presented to Jesus, the disciples reproved them, while Jesus, indignant, made them stay, and affirmed that only those who were like them could enter into the Kingdom of God (cf. Mk 10:13-16).

What does all this say to us? It reminds us that God’s logic is always “other” with respect to our own, as God Himself revealed through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways” (Is 55:8). For this reason, following the Lord requires of every person a profound conversion, a change in his or her way of thinking and living, it requires an opening of the heart to listen, in order to allow oneself to be enlightened and interiorly transformed. A key point in which God and man are different is pride: In God, there is no pride, because He is absolute fullness, and is completely given to love and to give life; in us, on the other hand, pride is deeply rooted and requires constant vigilance and purification. We, who are little, desire to appear great, to be the first, while God, who is truly great, does not fear to humble Himself and make Himself the last. The Virgin Mary is perfectly “in tune” with God: Let us invoke her with confidence, that she might teach us to faithfully follow Jesus along the way of love and humility.

http://beforeitsnews.com/christian-news/2012/09/pope-benedict-xvis-sunday-angelus-message-on-september-23-2012-2450844.html

Prayer: Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine.

My thoughts: I never feel too badly about myself and my relationship with God after I read the above passages regarding the apostles’ attitudes toward Christ. My pastor, Father Fisher, said it is like the mentality of politics today: “If my man gets in office, I am going with him, and I will have a great position in his cabinet!” So it is with the apostles. “If this is the Son of God, and we are His best buds, then, oh man, are we going to have a great spot in heaven!” Pope Benedict tells us that we never do get it right because we are always coming from a vision of pride, and pride does not exist in God. We do something good for someone and expect an ounce of gratitude in return. Jesus tells the apostles He will die for mankind, and we know how many people are not grateful for that. We do something that we feel is praiseworthy for our fellow man, and we expect the praise. Jesus tells us that the best we should expect is to be ranked least among everyone. Pride will get us every single time. It got the apostles and it will get us. We must remember to strive to live our lives as Pope Benedict tells us: "following the Lord requires of every person a profound conversion, a change in his or her way of thinking and living; it requires an opening of the heart to listen, in order to allow oneself to be enlightened and interiorly transformed." Instead of telling God how much He should appreciate what we do for Him, let us begin today to be still, and let Him tell us how much more He needs us to do. His world is hurting, and we have the cure. We just need to put ourselves aside and let Christ shine through us. Mary, our Mother, guide us in the ways of humility and love.

Devotion for today: St. Padre Pio, pray for us.

Yesterday was the feast day of St. Padre Pio, one of my favorite saints. Let’s take a little time today to review what we know about this extraordinary saint of our time.

Scripture for meditation: Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants.  Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.  All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Franciscan Media tells us: In one of the largest such ceremonies in history, Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio of Pietrelcina on June 16, 2002. It was the 45th canonization ceremony in Pope John Paul's pontificate. More than 300,000 people braved blistering heat as they filled St. Peter's Square and nearby streets. They heard the Holy Father praise the new saint for his prayer and charity. "This is the most concrete synthesis of Padre Pio's teaching," said the pope. He also stressed Padre Pio's witness to the power of suffering. If accepted with love, the Holy Father stressed, such suffering can lead to "a privileged path of sanctity." Many people have turned to the Italian Capuchin Franciscan to intercede with God on their behalf; among them was the future Pope John Paul II. In 1962, when he was still an archbishop in Poland, he wrote to Padre Pio and asked him to pray for a Polish woman with throat cancer. Within two weeks, she had been cured of her life-threatening disease.

Born Francesco Forgione, Padre Pio grew up in a family of farmers in southern Italy. Twice (1898-1903 and 1910-17) his father worked in Jamaica, New York, to provide the family income.

At the age of 15, Francesco joined the Capuchins and took the name of Pio. He was ordained in 1910 and was drafted during World War I. After he was discovered to have tuberculosis, he was discharged. In 1917 he was assigned to the friary in San Giovanni Rotondo, 75 miles from the city of Bari on the Adriatic. On September 20, 1918, as he was making his thanksgiving after Mass, Padre Pio had a vision of Jesus. When the vision ended, he had the stigmata in his hands, feet and side.

Life became more complicated after that. Medical doctors, Church authorities and curiosity seekers came to see Padre Pio. In 1924 and again in 1931, the authenticity of the stigmata was questioned; Padre Pio was not permitted to celebrate Mass publicly or to hear confessions. He did not complain of these decisions, which were soon reversed. However, he wrote no letters after 1924. His only other writing, a pamphlet on the agony of Jesus, was done before 1924.

Padre Pio rarely left the friary after he received the stigmata, but busloads of people soon began coming to see him. Each morning after a 5 a.m. Mass in a crowded church, he heard confessions until noon. He took a mid-morning break to bless the sick and all who came to see him. Every afternoon he also heard confessions. In time his confessional ministry would take 10 hours a day; penitents had to take a number so that the situation could be handled. Many of them have said that Padre Pio knew details of their lives that they had never mentioned.

Padre Pio saw Jesus in all the sick and suffering. At his urging, a fine hospital was built on nearby Mount Gargano. The idea arose in 1940; a committee began to collect money. Ground was broken in 1946. Building the hospital was a technical wonder because of the difficulty of getting water there and of hauling up the building supplies. This "House for the Alleviation of Suffering" has 350 beds.  A number of people have reported cures they believe were received through the intercession of Padre Pio. Those who assisted at his Masses came away edified; several curiosity seekers were deeply moved. Like St. Francis, Padre Pio sometimes had his habit torn or cut by souvenir hunters.  One of Padre Pio’s sufferings was that unscrupulous people several times circulated prophecies that they claimed originated from him. He never made prophecies about world events and never gave an opinion on matters that he felt belonged to Church authorities to decide. He died on September 23, 1968, and was beatified in 1999.

Comment:
At Padre Pio's canonization Mass in 2002, Pope John Paul II referred to that day's Gospel (Matthew 11:25-30) and said: “The Gospel image of 'yoke' evokes the many trials that the humble Capuchin of San Giovanni Rotondo endured. Today we contemplate in him how sweet is the 'yoke' of Christ and indeed how light the burden are whenever someone carries these with faithful love. The life and mission of Padre Pio testify that difficulties and sorrows, if accepted with love, transform themselves into a privileged journey of holiness, which opens the person toward a greater good, known only to the Lord.”

Quote:
"The life of a Christian is nothing but a perpetual struggle against self; there is no flowering of the soul to the beauty of its perfection except at the price of pain" (saying of Padre Pio). All of the above material is taken from americancatholic.org.