St. Padre Pio
Pio of Pietrelcina (Francesco Forgione)
Francesco Forgione was born in 1887 in Pietrelcina, a small farming village in southern Italy. At fifteen he entered the Capuchin Franciscans and took the name Brother Pio, and in 1910 he was ordained a priest. In 1918, while praying before a crucifix, he received the visible wounds of Christ's Passion — the stigmata — which he bore for fifty years. Sent to the remote friary of San Giovanni Rotondo, he became beloved for hearing confessions for up to twelve hours a day, for his gentle counsel to the thousands who flocked to him, and for founding a great hospital for the poor. He often summed up his spirituality in three words: "Pray, hope, and don't worry." He died in 1968 and was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II in 2002.
Prayers
Stay with Me, Lord (Prayer of St. Padre Pio)
Stay with me, Lord, for it is necessary to have You present so that I do not forget You. You know how easily I abandon You. Stay with me, Lord, because I am weak, and I need Your strength, that I may not fall so often. Stay with me, Lord, for You are my light, and without You I am in darkness. Stay with me, Lord, to show me Your will. Stay with me, Lord, so that in the darkness of this world I may hear Your voice and follow You. Stay with me, Lord, because at the hour of my death I want to remain united to You, and with Your presence receive the strength to say with all my soul: I want to be with You. Amen.
Recipes
Pasta e Fagioli (Friar's Pasta and Beans)
A humble Italian soup of pasta and beans — the kind of simple, hearty food loved by the poor friars of San Giovanni Rotondo.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 2 carrots, diced; 2 celery stalks, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed; 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth; 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes; 1 tsp dried rosemary; 1 cup small pasta (ditalini or elbow); Salt and pepper; Grated Parmesan and fresh parsley, to serve
Instructions
1. Warm the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 8 minutes. 2. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook 1 minute more. 3. Stir in the beans, broth, and crushed tomatoes; bring to a boil, then simmer 20 minutes. 4. Mash a ladleful of the beans against the side of the pot to thicken the soup. 5. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes, adding water if too thick. 6. Season with salt and pepper and serve topped with Parmesan and parsley.
Activities & Resources
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