by Susan Hines-Brigger. Published by Franciscan Media
“Pray, pray to the Lord with me, because the whole world needs prayers. And every day, when your heart especially feels the loneliness of life, pray, pray to the Lord together, because God too needs our prayers!”—Padre Pio
The day after Padre Pio’s beatification, Pope John Paul II spoke to the pilgrims in Rome for the cer-emony. He spoke of the many blessings the friar bestowed upon people. One thing he highlighted was the prayer groups that Padre Pio helped to form. Pope Paul VI had asked people to gather and pray together; in response to this call, Padre Pio encouraged groups to do as the Holy Father was requesting. Suddenly prayer groups began to form and to this day there are Padre Pio prayer groups throughout the world. While they did encounter some resistance from Church authorities who saw them as more Padre Pio fan clubs than prayer groups, they persist to this day.
Praying with Padre Pio
St. Pio, join together with us in prayer for all so that they will come to know Christ and his mes-sage of love and spread it to others.