Monday, January 20, 2014

Padre Pio's Place -Giovanni Rotondo

Every year I come to thank Padre Pio for his intercession. I began this devotion to Padre Pio when i was in International College and one summer I came along with one Friar for two days. I immediately fell in love with the spirituality and personality of Padre Pio. I bought some books on his life and began reading them immediately. The love and devotion increased over the period of years for Padre Pio. I began to pray to him and would just ask him how was it possible for him to be so intimately connected and in communion with him. As i went on reading, i discovered that doing the will of God in our life puts us in communion with Him. When totally surrender to the Person of Jesus one becomes like Jesus to others. I was facinated by the spirituality of Padre Pio and at that time in 1995 i was studying Franciscan spirituality in Rome. I began to make comparisons between St. Francis and Padre Pio and i found that both had same inklings towards the Lord of the Creation. When i returned to Province in India and i came to know that in Bombay city there is a group of Prayer of Padre Pio. I attended one of their prayer meetings and was surprised that many people were healed through his intercessions. That day i spoke about the life and miracles in the Life of Padre Pio. I could not continue to instruct them as i was appointed far away from Bombay city. But the Lord brought me bad to Bombay as a pastor of our parish and i continued going to this prayer group. It was a good experience sharing with them the spirituality of Padre Pio.
 Padre Pio kneeling before the Crucifix of San Damiano. Praying intensely in order to feel one with him.
 A beautiful scenery of Giovanni Rotondo

 This year there is no snow. It is not even cold, it is about 11degree only.

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