Padre Pio and America by Frank Rega

Author:Frank Rega [Rega, Frank]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781618901583
Publisher: TAN Books
Published: 2013-06-26T05:00:00+00:00

In the remainder of Joe Peluso’s first letter from the Coble manuscript, we gain more insight into the closeness of his relationship with Padre Pio. As a rule, Padre Pio did not deliver sermons during his Masses at Our Lady of Grace Friary; but in this account there is a brief mention of a sermon given by him at a very special Mass.

As the four of us, Pia, Mario, myself, and Padre Joseph Pius, sat in the living room by the warm fireplace, we relived the most beautiful and vivid memories with laughter and joy, of that day of May 25, 1945. It was Padre Pio’s 58th birthday, and the day Padre Pio united his niece and her fiancé in Holy Matrimony.

The story begins with Padre Agostino, my very dear and close friend. He and I met on my very first visit to Padre Pio. At that time, he was the Superior General of the southern dioceses of the Capuchins, which covered approximately one fourth of Italy. He was Padre Pio’s closest and dearest friend, was his spiritual director from the early days of the seminary in the year 1903 until 1922, and again was appointed his spiritual director from 1933 until his death in 1963. He knew Padre Pio better than anyone, and was with him in so many of those special events that took place in the life of the Saint.

Often Padre Agostino invited me to dine with the priests and brothers at the Friary. This is unheard of, since lay persons are not permitted in the dining room, but he was the superior and he could make the rules as well as change them, as he did so often for me. He invited me to dine with them this day, and to attend their little surprise party for Padre Pio’s birthday.

At the dinner table, I was always seated next to Padre Pio, on his right side. They always served him the same portions as the others, even though he would only eat very little of the servings. He never ate meat, and only a little piece of fresh fish on rare occasions. His total intake of food each day would only fill the cup of his hand.

When he was sick, the doctor advised him to eat to get better. With his sense of humor he replied, “If I eat I lose weight, and if I diet I gain weight,” which was factual. His broad shoulders made him look like he weighed 200 pounds or more, but his actual weight was from 160 to 165 pounds.

When I finished my servings, Padre Pio would take the food from his dish, place it on my dish, and say, “Dear Giuseppe, eat up!” And when my wine glass became empty he would refill it from his bottle of wine, saying aloud while saluting me, “Drink up, dear Giuseppe!” All of the priests and brothers enjoyed my appetite for good food, instead of the “C” and “K” rations I was living on.

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