By Jamie O’Brien
The life of Italian Saint Pio of Pietrelcina – also known as Padre Pio, touched the lives of thousands of Perth Catholics, following the visit of his relics to St Mary’s Cathedral in October this year.
Cathedral Dean, Monsignor Michael Keating, said more than 8500 people had passed through St Mary’s Cathedral at some 13 events over five days, from 22 October to 26 October.
The relics – which included Padre Pio’s hair, a piece of his nails and a pair of his gloves – were brought exclusively to Perth at the request of Mgr Keating by Father GianMaria Digiorgio, who is from Padre Pio’s Order of Friars Minor Capuchin and had studied and worked with the internationally renowned saint.
St Mary’s Cathedral parishioner, Patrizia DiStefano and her parents Cesare and Maria also contributed significantly to bringing the relics to Perth.
In an interview with The Record Magazine, Mgr Keating said the visitation by the relics held particular significance in [October] 2016, as the Jubilee Year of Mercy was drawing to a close.
The visitation of the relics to Perth was also heightened by the celebration of a special Mass that included the rite of the Anointing of the Sick on Saturday 22 October.
“For many people, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience, in faith, the life of Padre Pio,” Mgr Keating said.
Mgr Keating also spoke about when he met Padre Pio (personally) in 1965, following a visit to the town of San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy.
Speaking about the life of Padre Pio, Fr Digiorgio noted that in February this year, Pope Francis promoted Padre Pio appropriately, as a saint of mercy.
“Padre Pio was a man of suffering for many, many years. So he understood deeply the sufferings of people who were physically and spiritually in torment,” Fr Digiorgio said.
“He also received that very special gift of the stigmata, the five wounds of Jesus which were imprinted on his body. He became in that way, a kind of photocopy of Jesus hanging on the cross, with the same sufferings.”
For more than 50 years, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina reported stigmata which were studied by several 20th century physicians.
The observations were reportedly unexplainable and the wounds never became infected and disappeared after his death in 1968.
From page 29 from Issue 5: ‘Christmas 2016 – Looking forward to the Birth of Christ & Reflecting back on the Year 2016?’ of The Record Magazine