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Tag Archives: mystic

Padre Pio’s Connection with Pope Francis and Pennsylvania

23 Friday Sep 2022

Posted by Brian in Parish Shrines, Saints

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

bilocation, capuchin franciscan, miracles, mystic, Our Lady of Grace Chapel, Padre Pio, Padre Pio Spiritual Center, Pio of Pietrelcina, Pope Francis, Saint Pio of Pietrelcina Museum, saints, The National Centre for Padre Pio

campus

Barto, Pennsylvania. Campus of The National Centre for Padre Pio. San Giovanni Rotondo replica on right.

Padre Pio was famous for bilocation.  He appeared in others dreams, by voice, by his presence, fragrance and bilocating in physical form.  Near Barto, Pennsylvania, Padre Pio bilocated into Vera Calandra’s life, asking her to come to Italy quickly (he was to die several months later) and see him, as her daughter’s health was deteriorating.  It was 1968 and doctors had surgically removed the child’s bladder, but after seeing Padre Pio in Rome, the child miraculously received a new bladder.

This became another of the known miracles attributed to Padre Pio, but not the miracle used for beatification or canonization. Later in life, Ms. Calandra went on to build The National Center for Padre Pio in Barto Pennsylvania, a true devotion to the saint.

jesus joseph and mary

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the original Holy Family at the National Centre for Padre Pio in Barto, PA.

Pope Francis and President Biden

The Connection: Pope Francis, St. Francis of Assisi, Padre Pio.

Although a Jesuit, Pope Francis has a strong devotion to St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan Order, as evident by taking the saints name.

Pope Francis has visited and prayed at the site of the original San Damiano Cross in Santa Chiarra (St.Clare) Church in Assisi, Italy.

Padre Pio, a Capuchin Franciscan is intimately familiar with St. Francis, and like Pope Francis, has also prayed at the San Damiano Cross.
san damiano cross
Here is the San Damiano Cross (in Barto, PA) that St. Francis of Assisi was praying, when asked by God to rebuild the Church. This Cross and St. Francis of Assisi is another connection between Pope Francis and Padre Pio. See the symbolism of the San Damiano Cross. 

Pope Francis visited the USA and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, roughly 50 miles from the National Centre of Padre Pio in Barto, Pennsylvania, where the miracle that made Padre Pio a saint originated.

Pope Francis will have the Jubilee of Mercy in 2016, to highlight the Catholic Church’s “mission to be a witness of mercy.” Jubilee for Padre Pio’s Prayer Group will take place Feb. 13, 2016, as the body of Padre Pio will be exposed in St. Peter’s Basilica Feb. 8-14, at Pope Francis’ request.

painting in Our Lady of Grace Chapel

Painting in Our Lady of Grace Chapel, Barto PA.

Padre Pio celebrated his final Mass the day before he died, on September 22, 1968. He is and will always remain a Capuchin Franciscan. Like St. Francis, Padre Pio was a stigmatic, he had on his hands, feet and side the wounds of Christ, starting in 1910 and ending a few months before his death. He performed thousands of miracles and could read the hearts of those who went to his confessional. Padre Pio’s feast day is September 23.

pio room

A replica of Padre Pio’s residence in Italy. A humble life. From the Saint Pio of Pietrelcina Museum, Barto, PA.

mary

Padre Pio’s strong devotion and love to the Blessed Virgin Mary during his lifetime and continues in Heaven.

“No matter how great the trial…never lose heart. Have recourse, with more childlike trust, to Jesus who will never be able to resist bestowing on you some little solace and comfort.” Padre Pio’s Words of Hope

padre pio painting
Painting of Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. Padre Pio Spiritual Center.

On June 25, 1950, Padre Pio was seen attending to the death of a fellow monk in Milwaukee. When asked about it he said, “If Christ multiplied the loaves and fishes, why cannot he multiply me?”

DSC_0177

Replica of San Giovanni Rotondo at the National Centre for Padre Pio in Barto PA, about 50 miles from Philadelphia Pa.

“Go Ahead! Courage! In the spiritual life, one who does not go forward goes backward.” – Padre Pio

padre_pio_b
Padre Pio met Pope John Paul II before he was pope in 1947 and prophesied his rise to Pope after hearing his confession.

pio church

Church at The National Center of Padre Pio. On right side of altar is Padre Pio. Due to Church infighting, no Mass is offered on the premises. They do have rosary prayers and Stations of the Cross.

Our Lady of Grace Chapel
Replica of Our Lady of Grace Chapel that Padre Pio prayed in each day. It is modeled after a 16th Century Capuchin Franciscan Friary Chapel.

“Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” – Padre Pio

hands in prayer

“Hands of Padre Pio”, stained glass, National Centre of Padre Pio.

Have courage and do not fear the assaults of the Devil. Remember this forever; it is a healthy sign if the devil shouts and roars around your conscience, since this shows that he is not inside your will.

DSC_0168
He’s with us now.

Padre Pio:

If the people of the world could only see the beauty of ones soul when it is in the grace of God, all sinners and unbelievers of this world would be instantly converted.

Padre Pio, Mystic

23 Friday Sep 2022

Posted by Brian in Parish Shrines, Saints

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

capuchin franciscan, mystic, Padre Pio, saints

Padre Pio celebrated his final Mass the day before he died, on September 22, 1968. He is and will always remain a Capuchin Franciscan. Like St. Francis, Padre Pio was a stigmatic, he had on his hands, feet and side the wounds of Christ, starting in 1910 and ending a few months before his death. He performed thousands of miracles and could read the hearts of those who went to his confessional.

padrepio

Padre Pio was famous for bilocation. In Barto Pennsylvania, Padre Pio bilocated into Vera Calandra’s life, asking here to come to Itlay and see him, as her daughter’s health was deteriorating. This would become a miracle in the beatification of Padre Pio. Ms. Calandra would then build The National Center for Padre Pio in Barto Pennsylvania, a true devotion to the saint.
DSC_0082

“No matter how great the trial…never lose heart. Have recourse, with more childlike trust, to Jesus who will never be able to resist bestowing on you some little solace and comfort.” Padre Pio’s Words of Hope

saint-padre-pio-blessing

On June 25, 1950, Padre Pio was seen attending to the death of a fellow monk in Milwaukee. When asked about it he said, “If Christ multiplied the loaves and fishes, why cannot he multiply me?”

DSC_0177

Replica of San Giovanni Rotondo at The National Centre for Padre Pio in Barto PA, about 40 miles from Philadelphia Pa.

padre_pio_b

Padre Pio met Pope John Paul II before he was pope in 1947 and prophesied his rise to Pope after hearing his confession.

pio church

Church at The National Center of Padre Pio. Pio is on right side of altar. Due to Church infighting, no Mass is offered on the premises, sad but true.

chapel replica
Relpica of chapel Padre Pio prayed in each day.
“Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” – Padre Pio

“Through the study of books one seeks God, by meditation one find him.” – Padre Pio

pio on deathbed
He’s with us now.

“If the people of the World could only see the beauty of ones soul when it is in the grace of God, all sinners and unbelievers of this world would be instantly converted.”

Byzantine Catholic Devotion: Mystical Energy

18 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by Brian in Eastern Byzantine Catholic, Saints

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Eucharist, Gregory of Nyssa, Mt. Tabor Monastery, mystic, saints

Mystical Energy from God: “Be Attentive”

eucharisticon_2

The Eucharist host of the eastern rite is shown above the chalice. The host is square compared to a round host in the Latin Roman Catholic rite.

Mystical energy starts with the Eucharist. The Eastern Church believes the mystical life is all around us, and asks us to “be attentive” to God’s word. During Divine Liturgy the religious and faithful say “Be Attentive”a prayer phrase repeated many times cumulating with the Eucharist.

IC XC NIKA Original

On each Holy Eucharist the prosphoron or loaf of altar bread, has “IC XC NIKA” is stamped.

The IC XC means “Jesus Christ”. The abbreviation is from both Greek and Slavonic languages.

NIKA means “conquers”. It is a Greek verb, closely related to “is victorious”.

 

 

 

The Eucharist According to Saints and Monks

“As we receive the Holy Eucharist, we are invited to share in his victory, we receive the victory into our bodies and souls, and we become victors, conquerors, insofar as we do the will of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.”

“Do you not believe that you too are a conqueror? St Paul takes us even further: We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37). – Abbot Joseph, Mt. Tabor Monastery

The victory that we celebrate is that of Jesus Christ over the world, the flesh, and the devil, over sin and death. For Him to conquer evil was essential to his mission, so much so that St John could even say: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1John 3:8). – Abbot Joseph, Mt. Tabor Monastery

gregory of nyssa HTC

St. Gregory of Nyssa, Holy Trinity Chapel

 

Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton were among the Roman Catholics who loved the Eastern Byzantine liturgy.

St. Gregory of Nyssa is one of the great contributors to the mystical tradition in Christian spirituality and monasticism. The word became incarnate “so that by becoming as we are, he might make us as he is”, said Gregory of Nyssa.

St. John Chrysostom prayer, “Receive me today, Son of God, as a partaker of your mystical Supper.”

“It is Gods body that deifies and nourishes me; it deifies the spirit & nourishes the mind mystically.” – St. John Chrysostom

Irene Chrysovalantou

St. Irene Chrysovalantou was granted the gift of clairvoyance. She knew thoughts of all she saw. St. Irene kept the feast of St. Basil especially holy because they both came from Cappadocia.

On one particular Divine Liturgy, Irene had a vision of countless radiant angelic beings entering the church: some with stringed instruments, singing beautiful hymns to God. Among these beings was a particularly majestic man, a face radiant like the sun, who was treated with devotion. He approached the altar and, taking the shroud offered to him by the other beings, covered the fragrant smelling altar.

The angel who stood by the altar, with great sadness, cried out to the majestic one, “Until when, O Lord?” to which a voice replied, “Until the second Solomon, when the heights will be united with the depths and all will be one. Then the Lord will be exalted and the memory of Irene will be glorified.” Irene took this as confirmation of her teaching that no one, whether herself or another of the sisters, could be glorified until they achieved the Kingdom in death.

To define God’s love is to limit it. It must remain unlimited, boundless, indefinable, unexplainable. The explainable has only limited value and transient interest.

Prayer is the elevation of the intelligence to God, not in order to learn about God but to discover God; not to know about Him but to know Him, to experience God in one’s own life.”

– From Introduction to the Byzantine Rite by Archbishop Joseph Raya.

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The Cover Art

Jan Van Eyck, “The Adoration of the Lamb” 1432 from the Ghent Alterpiece. Detail: The red altar where the lamb stands reads, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world” and “Jesus the way, the truth, and the life”, both quotes from Gospel of John. In this image and in the book of Revelation the Lamb is Jesus. Directly around the Lamb on the altar are angels who are carrying the instruments in the Passion scenes, like the cross and crown of thorns.

gichontree

There's beauty in sacred spaces; from the stories they tell in architecture, stained glass windows and icons; to the rituals and liturgy that arises our soul. Inside a shrine, the angels and saints praise God with us. I hope to relay the message for the kingdom, power and glory of God, now and forever.

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