Hello Again, St. Padre Pio!

It's amazing.  It seems that ever since St. Padre Pio was chosen to be my special patron saint for 2013 (randomly chosen for me, using the Saints Name Generator), he has been stopping by often to say hello.  Giving me little nudges, little reminders that I should pray for his intercession.  Getting in touch with me more than I ever remember him doing before.

I realize that a lot of the "messages" I've been receiving from him come in the form of what would be considered "junk mail" by many; they are free gifts and prayer cards that have been sent to us (and probably addressed to my husband, in fact, rather than to me) via snail mail, from various Catholic charities.  They are exactly the sort of thing we get all the time--but I really don't ever remember being sent so many mementos of this particular saint--and certainly not this close together.

These days, when I go for long walks and say the Rosary, I'm using a metal Rosary ring that's easier to take along than traditional Rosary beads.  It has a small piece of cloth that was touched to a relic of St. Padre Pio on the back of its cross.  This beautiful sacramental made its way into our mailbox not that long ago (Heaven-sent, if you ask me), and I blogged about it in this post. Then yesterday, we received a mailing from the Capuchin Franciscans, and attached was a small plastic pouch filled with healing oil--oil that has been blessed with a relic of who else but...St. Padre Pio!  I am considering sending a small offering to the Capuchin friars, and in return, they will send us a larger bottle of this healing oil.

There is a prayer that came with the oil, and I thought I'd share it with you:

Prayer for the Intercession of St. Padre Pio:

Dear God, You generously blessed Your servant, St. Pio of Pietrelcina, with the gifts of the Spirit. You marked his body with the five wounds of Christ Crucified, as a powerful witness to the saving Passion and Death of Your Son.  Endowed with the gift of discernment, St. Pio labored endlessly in the confessional for the salvation of souls.  With reverence and intense devotion in the celebration of the Mass, he invited countless men and women to a greater union with Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.

Through the intercession of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, I confidently beseech You to grant me the grace of (here state your petition).  Amen.

Glory be to the Father...(three times).

If you'll excuse me now, I think I'll spend a few minutes with a special friend of mine.