Today is the feast of this great priest and in this Year of the Christ I encourage all priests and everyone who prays for priests to renew their relationship with St. Padre Pio, or if he is not already one of your Heavenly Companions, then I urge you to get to know him.
There are many excellent books available about his life.
Today I also wish to encourage use of what is known as the Chaplet of St. Padre Pio.
While an actual chaplet, consisting of a Crucifix, medal and three sets of beads can be aquired, the Chaplet can also be prayed without the particular beads.
It is a simple yet powerful prayer, especially in this troubled times.
Prayed 9 times, after, as in all prayer, indeed in at the beginning of everything we do as Baptized persons, signing ourselves with the Sign of the Cross, we pray:
O Jesus, full of grace and charity, Victim for sinners, so impelled by Your love of us that You died on the Cross, I humbly beg You to glorify in heaven and on earth St. Padre Pio who generously participated in Your sufferings, who loved You so much and laboured so faithfully for the glory of Your Heavenly Father and for the good of souls.
With confidence, I beg You to grane me, through his intercession………………..which I ardently desire.
In conclusion are prayed: 3 Our Father, 3 Hail Mary, 3 Glory be….