In praise of Pio

We just completed the annual novena at my parish in honor of St. Pio—more popularly known as Padre Pio. Our church includes a life-sized statue of the saint, which is an object of great devotion and affection. So as we prayed for Pio’s intervention over the last few days, I was reminded of this piece of news that has been sitting in my “to do” file for a few weeks.

The St. Pio Foundation, which works to promote the charism of this great saint, has expanded its roster of advisors and supporters. CEO Luciano Lamonarca (show on the left below) has expanded its religious advisory board to include bold-faced names like Cardinal Raymond Burke, Cardinal Edward O’Brien, Archbishop Jose Gomez, Bishop William Vann—and now a boy from Brooklyn, Bridgeport’s Bishop Frank Caggiano.  He will serve as vice chair for the group’s Religious Advisory Board.

Meanwhile, Your Humble Blogger is delighted to announce a small role in this great group, too. I’ve accepted an invitation to serve as a “Friend” of the organization, to help spread the word of what the St. Pio Foundation is doing.

The foundation’s vision is described on its website:

The goal of the Saint Pio Foundation is to support educational, social and cultural projects that enhance the awareness of Saint Pio and his charism nationally and internationally. The funds raised by the Saint Pio Foundation are used primarily to establish faithful Catholic medical facilities, medical schools and shrines in the United States of America, in the charism of Saint (Padre) Pio: “Clinics for the body & the soul” to serve the “Twice Jesus in the poor and wretched” for those in need of “Relief of suffering”. An important goal of the Saint Pio Foundation is also to commit a percentage of the funds it distributes as donations, to support the Hospital “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” in San Giovanni Rotondo, founded by Saint Pio in 1956, and currently owned by the Holy See.

I hope to have more news about the foundation and its work in the months ahead. Watch this space! Meantime, visit their website for more.