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Padre Pio Prayer Groups
Dear Spiritual Children and Friends of Padre Pio, The Lord grant you his peace! My name is Fr. Francis A. Sariego, O.F.M Cap. Presently I am Pastor of the Parish Family of St. Ann in Hoboken, New Jersey. I have been here in Hoboken since August 1st, 1998. At the beginning of 2002, I was officially appointed the National Director for the Padre Pio Prayer Groups in the United States. I accepted this awesome and unmerited privilege and responsibility with gratitude for placing me in contact with so many of my sisters and brothers in the faith who, as I, seek to come closer to God. And now, I believe, an important task begins for us to strengthen our commitment and our presence in these United States as a united spiritual family, officially recognized and canonically established within the Church Universal. We have accepted the grace to be prophets to a waiting world, just as our spiritual Father, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, was and still is through his spiritual children. God acts dramatically at times to get our attention. This happens when we insanely lose sight of our spiritual realities. The seductions we allow to distract us in life’s journey have to be revealed for what they really are: instruments of the Evil One that lead us away from God. Prophets are God’s messengers called to encourage us and awaken within us a renewed hope that if God is for us, what or who can prevail against us. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina was just such a prophet. A sign of contradiction called to challenge a world to awaken from its indifference to God and be rekindled in the Spirit by the fire of Divine Love. As with all prophets, Padre Pio was a sign of contradiction. Thousands still flock to San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy to breathe in the spirit of this friar-priest who bore the marks of the Passion of Christ on his body. He is still an enigma to those who cannot understand what is attracting literally millions to the tomb of a simple priest who died more than 30 years ago (September 23rd, 1968). He was a consecrated Capuchin-Franciscan friar detached from the world, and a priest who accepted to be one with the Lamb of Sacrifice for the sake of the world. He rekindled hope in the hearts of those who confided in his prayers. His simple reminder, “Pray, hope, and don’t worry”, is the simple Gospel message of trust in Divine Providence. Padre Pio was a loyal son of the Church. He never pulled back or criticized the Church and her leaders, even when they were misled to place Padre Pio under severe restrictions to his ministry for a number of years. His trust in God’s wisdom and love made him take these restrictions as an opportunity to prepare for a ministry that would touch millions of hearts over the course of half a century. Padre Pio’s love for the Eucharist and his personal immersion into the mystery he celebrated each day at Mass were visibly seen by all. Those who assisted at Padre Pio’s Mass lost all track of time. They would find themselves not lost but found in the mystery of God’s Love. The Eucharist was his life. Christ Whom he consumed, would consume him with the power of His Spirit each time he ascended the altar as the living image of the Eternal High Priest and Lamb of Sacrifice. The Padre’s love for our Heavenly Mother was so strong that he would never be seen without the Rosary in his hand. His tender expressions regarding Mary were signs of his unlimited love for her. He instilled this love in others and expected it from all who sought his spiritual guidance. During Padre Pio’s lifetime he spiritually adopted, and promised that after his death he would consider as his spiritual children, those who would follow a simple way of life based on a profound reverence and love for the Eucharist, a childlike trust and love for our Mother Mary in Heaven, and a deep committed fidelity to the Church and our Holy Father. Originally encouraged by His Holiness Pope Pius XII, the groups of prayer would become Padre Pio’s Militia of Prayer answering the Holy Father’s call for conversion, and spreading throughout the world as spiritual power-centers challenging themselves and others to return to the Lord and to live a more authentic personal relationship with God. The Padre Pio Prayer Groups, officially recognized as such, are listed with the International Headquarters at the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza in San Giovanni Rotondo in Italy. It is my sincere hope that I will be able to keep in contact with all of you on a regular basis to strengthen the unity that should exist among us all. Enclosed is information concerning the formation of new Prayer Groups and all the addresses of already existing Prayer Groups listed in our files. There is a certain procedure that must be followed. In keeping with Padre Pio’s spirit and directives, the Prayer Group is to have a Lay Leader, a Priest Spiritual Director, a definite place to gather, at least monthly, for prayer, and, before all this, the express permission of the Local Ordinary to form Padre Pio Prayer Groups in the (Arch)Diocese. Hopefully, the enclosed material will help make the process a little easier. If there are any difficulties, please do not hesitate to inform me. Let us love more deeply that simple prayer - the Rosary - that helps us to see Jesus through the eyes of His Mother, as we reflect on that divine moment when heaven and earth were united in the virginal womb of Mary. May she who, in the name of all humanity, allowed God to become one with us, protect us with her motherly love and lead us closer to God through her almighty intercession. As we journey from life to Life may we praise God for the gift we all share. Let us pray that those challenged by a permissive society that reduces life to a matter of personal choice and opinion rather than a sacred gift from God, may be assisted by our prayers to discover the wonder and beauty of life at all its stages, and see every life as God’s gift to the world. May the Lord bless and keep you; may He show His face to you and have mercy on you; may He look on you with kindness, and grant you all of His peace. | |||||||||
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Peace and Blessings,
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