Not a Padre Pio fan.

[WarriorAngel]

Another Saint who could read hearts.

Its actually easier to read them, Lion, online in pieces than in books. imho.

 

[marciadietrich]

Been a while since I read the accounts pro and con, but yes, I believe the doctor could have been in on a deception or fooled somehow. To my knowledge he (Padre Pio) was never examed by someone totally independent and the same doctor involved before still carried on working in the shrine (?) and so still personally involved even after Pio's death.

I also tend to not believe in bleeding/crying statues and other similiar phenomenon. If these things are true they should be easily verifiable by multiple investigators regardless of their faith or lack of faith. I don't believe things become tainted for having some independent researchers have a real go at investigating these things and have many unrelated people be able to confirm or deny.

That people somehow are drawn to these things and perhaps it helps them, ok ... but I also believe some people are led by God through strange paths to faith that aren't necessarily pure saint within the Church paths. Including some Catholics leaving the faith for years and years to return with a new perspective. A gentleman who was important when I was converting who went from Catholic to atheist, to theist, various protestant denominations, minister and back to Catholic. His perspective helped me, he was a better Catholic for that long winding path and could better explain his faith and reasons for his faith than many or most others. That atheist/theist/faith path also very like CS Lewis' path. Prodigal sons I guess.

 

[WarriorAngel]

Been a while since I read the accounts pro and con, but yes, I believe the doctor could have been in on a deception or fooled somehow. To my knowledge he (Padre Pio) was never examed by someone totally independent and the same doctor involved before still carried on working in the shrine (?) and so still personally involved even after Pio's death.

I also tend to not believe in bleeding/crying statues and other similiar phenomenon. If these things are true they should be easily verifiable by multiple investigators regardless of their faith or lack of faith. I don't believe things become tainted for having some independent researchers have a real go at investigating these things and have many unrelated people be able to confirm or deny.

FWIW...
The Church was also skeptical of the wounds.
As we know the Church is always slow to react or
believe.

But as St Pio was obedient to the Church primarily, he underwent inspections....and photographs.

Padre Pio: His Life and Mission - Mary F. Ingoldsby - Review - The ...
The phenomena of the stigmata is dealt with in detail in the book, and Mary Ingoldsby goes to great lengths to show the many times these wounds were inspected by both members of the medical profession, and by independent observers. This was to ensure that there was no fraud or trickery involved, either on the part of Padre Pio himself, or by collusion with other members of his order.
On one occasion an eminent Italian doctor visited the monastery, and concluded that the deep wounds were self-inflicted. To “prove” his assertion, bandages were placed over the wounds in Padre Pio’s hands and feet, which were then “sealed” with sealing wax in order that they couldn’t be tampered with by either Padre Pio himself, or by any other party. Imagine his consternation and total amazement when the bandages were removed eight days later, only to reveal the wounds in pristine condition, and with no sign of either scabbing or healing!
As a consequence, the doctor underwent a total change of heart, and from being a professed atheist, became a staunch and devout Roman Catholic.
This is only one of many instances where people did their level best to prove that the stigmata were explainable by science, only to be amazed when they realised that there was, in fact, no viable scientific explanation.
On many occasions, the blood from these permanently open wounds would be visible to the public when Padre Pio was serving his customary 5AM mass each day. The blood would soak through both his bandages and the pair of woollen mittens he habitually wore, and run down his arms and feet onto the altar.
What makes the stigmata even more incredible is that within two hours of Padre Pio’s death in 1968, the wounds that had been with him for over 50 years of his life miraculously disappeared, and his flesh was restored to complete normality. Later examination by medical experts showed that there was no sign whatsoever of ANY type of wound ever having been on his body, although the deep wounds had been clearly visible to all observers at his death bed.


You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can never fool all of the people all of the time.
His Masses were always filled to capacity and lasted a duration of 2-3 hours.

IF he was fake...he fooled all of the poeple who saw or knew him, all of the time.

Insight Scoop | The Ignatius Press Blog:


[SIZE=-1]This site has 2 dvd's on St Francis [stigmatist] [/SIZE]
And Padre Pio [stigmatist]...

Padre Pio: Miracle Man (DVD)

This movie captures the Capuchin friar's intense faith and devotion, and deep spiritual concern for others, as well as his great compassion for the sick and suffering. It reveals the amazing details and events in Padre Pio's life as a boy and throughout his 50 years as a monk, dramatizing the frequent attacks of the Devil on him, as well as the persecution he suffered at the hands of people, including those in the church.


I should put this on my Birthday wish list.

 

[JoabAnias]

So I've been reading up on Padre Pio. I got a handy booklet from those most holy family monastery folks, and I have to say I don't like the guy much. His primary ministry was hearing confessionals, and the way he treated people really turned me off. I can't imagine even Christ Himself being as rude and objectionable as Pio+.

Your thoughts?

My thoughts are that Saint Padre Pio is a wonder worker and was given extraordinary gifts from God both by virtue of his devout service.

I guess you haven't read what Jesus did to the money changers or how He the challenged the Pharisees. The state of our hearts won't be misunderstood by the Lord and they weren't by Saint Padre Pio either.

St. Pio had the gift of reading souls, the stigmata and was even thought to have bi-located. All very extraordinary gifts. His ministry has resulted in Hospitals and Basilicas being built. Pilgrimage to Petralcina has increased since his death and his miraculous stigmata was never better explained by all the secular sources that examined them than he must have somehow manifested them with his own mind.

I have no doubt he is a great intercessor in Heaven and know I have had prayers answered through his intercession that were just to coincidental to be accident.

I am not about to read this whole thread but there is another good thread on other Protestant views of Saint Padre Pio here if your interested.


Peace.

 

[WarriorAngel]

hmmmmmmmmm.....
interesting link Joab.

 

[JasonV]

Well I finished the book on Padre Pio I got from MHFM. I found a few things that redeemed him in my eyes, but especially this comment he made about the Eucharist:

"Every holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual and material graces which we, ourselves, do not know. It is easier for the earth to exist without the sun than without the holy Sacrifice of the Mass."

Thought that was a pretty cool quote and wanted to share.

 

[Dominus Fidelis]

Well I finished the book on Padre Pio I got from MHFM. I found a few things that redeemed him in my eyes, but especially this comment he made about the Eucharist:

"Every holy Mass, heard with devotion, produces in our souls marvelous effects, abundant spiritual and material graces which we, ourselves, do not know. It is easier for the earth to exist without the sun than without the holy Sacrifice of the Mass."

Thought that was a pretty cool quote and wanted to share.

I'm sure he is concerned about being redeemed in your eyes, being in Heaven and all.