“We can say that Padre Pio was a servant of mercy. He did so full-time, practicing, at times in exhaustion, the apostolate of listening,” the Pope said Feb. 6.
Makes him sound like Winnie the Pooh!
Do the Jesuits make up their own history books?
Padre Pio, the gruff, brisk, prickly priest with zero tolerance for sin, who could read souls and was known to deny improper use of the Sacrament of Confession?
True enough he was "listening", in the SACRAMENT OF CONFESSION. Absolving sin. Up to 19 hours a day!
"By Padre Pio’s explicit wish, women must enter his confessional wearing skirts at least eight inches below the knees. It is forbidden to borrow longer dresses in church and to wear them for the confessional.” Shorts, and short sleeves, even on children, were anathema.
What do you think his thoughts would be about telling priests to wash women's feet on Holy Thursday?
"The sight of so many souls who wish to justify their evil ways pains me, exhausts my brain, and tears at my heart."
"Before reproaching a soul, I suffer it first. But it is not I who act, but He who is in me and above me."
"Sin to confession to sin without repentance is a deception of conscience; in essence a sacrilege."
Among you I am your brother, on the Altar I am your victim, in the confessional I am your judge."
What do you think his thoughts would be on who am I to judge?
Let's pause to contemplate a few accounts of Padre Pio's idea of mercy:
A spiritual son of Padre Pio who lived in Rome omitted out of shame to make his customary small reverence when he passed near to a church in the company of some friends. Suddenly he heard Padre Pio’s voice saying: “Coward!” After a few days he went to San Giovanni Rotondo, where he was reproached by Padre Pio: “Be careful! This time I have only scolded you; next time I will give you a slap.”
A certain man had the reputation of being a good Catholic, admired and esteemed by all who knew him. Actually he was living in sin. He had neglected his wife, and was now compensating for his loneliness by a relationship with another woman. On one occasion he went to confession to Padre Pio. In order to justify himself, he started talking about a "spiritual crisis." But he had not counted on facing an "extraordinary" confessor. Padre Pio stood up at once and shouted, “What spiritual crisis? You are a litterbug! And God is angry with you. Go away!
A lady came from England to have her confession heard by Padre Pio. She went to his confessional but Padre Pio closed the window saying: “I am not available to you.” The woman stayed for several weeks and during this time, daily returned to his confessional and daily was turned away. Finally, Padre Pio consented to hear her confession. She asked the Padre why he made her wait so long to be heard. Padre Pio answered: “And You?” “How long have you made Our Lord wait?” You should wonder how Jesus could welcome you after you committed so many sacrileges. You have delayed your judgment for years, besides sinning against your husband and your mother you have received Holy Communion in mortal sin. The woman was stunned and reformed. She cried when she received absolution. She returned to England a few days later, very happy.
What do you think his thoughts are on 'a god of surprises who wants people to receive communion in a perpetual state of mortal sin'?
Before the mercy comes the kick in the backside. The eviction. The judgment. Leading the soul to repentance and the ABSOLUTION OF SIN in the Sacrament of Confession.
It isn't sappy feelings.
Saint Padre Pio was a powerful mystic with the gift of bilocation, reading souls, levitation and bore the wounds of Christ. He has been standing at the Gates of Paradise since his release from Purgatory until each of his spiritual children have entered.
“Rabbit's clever," said Pooh thoughtfully.
"Yes," said Piglet, "Rabbit's clever."
"And he has Brain."
"Yes," said Piglet, "Rabbit has Brain."
There was a long silence.
"I suppose," said Pooh, "that that's why he never understands anything.”
3 comments:
Can you imagine what Padre Pio would say to Pope Francis?!
Padre Pio's views concerning Confession and confessors do not mesh well with a Maltese bishop pontificating on the Sacrament of Penance in L'Osservatore Romano:
Maltese bishop rues ‘privatization’ of Confession
Catholic World News - February 09, 2016
Writing in L’Osservatore Romano, a Maltese bishop called upon confessors to be merciful and to see themselves more as doctors than as judges.
Noting that the Second Vatican Council called for a revision of the rite and formulas of the Sacrament of Penance “so that they more clearly express both the nature and effect of the sacrament,” Bishop Mario Grech of Gozo asserted that in doing so the council fathers “recognized that the praxis” of the sacrament “no longer responded to the needs of the people of God.”
Bishop Grech lamented that the first rite of penance—individual confession—overshadows the second rite (a penitential celebration followed by individual confession) and the third rite (general absolution). The prelate recommended a more widespread use of the second rite.
“With the privatization of auricular confession,” he said, “we have lost the social and ecclesial dimension of sin and the communitarian dimension of the Sacrament of Penance.”
Mike, no I can't!
He is one Saint I wouldn't want to make mad!
Post a Comment