PADRE PIO AND CHEATING HUSBANDS

A grieving widow approached Padre Pio with a burning question. She was extremely distressed as to where her husband's soul had gone; had he been saved? Her dread was informed by the fact that he had left her and their two children and taken up with his mistress. Then a rapacious cancer swept through his body and carried him off to the grave. The widow begged of Pio, "Where is his soul, Padre? I haven't slept, worrying." Pio briefed her bluntly, "Your husband's soul is condemned forever."

But the widow couldn't quite accept this and she asked, "Condemned?" Pio revealed, "When receiving the last Sacraments he concealed many sins. He had neither repentance nor a good resolution." Pio enlightened her that her late husband had chanced his salvation; using his time to seek pleasure, and assuming he would have time to repent: "He was also a sinner against God's mercy, because he said he always wanted to have a share of the good things in life and then have time to be converted to God."

This is a very scary account; Pio presents in a way that gives his critics reason to call him insensitive, and he didn't (and had no reason) to give hope to the widow. Often when Pio was telling someone that a loved one had gone down, he said, "there's no hope". He took away the widow's doubt without cushioning her, but he also shone a light on the seriousness of infidelity, and how it can threaten a person's chances of eternal bliss and beatitude. The husband had betrayed her without repenting. 

There was a living, breathing husband who wanted to get Pio's approval for his extramarital activities. Mr. O.N. lived in America and was very wealthy, he'd involved himself, however, with a young woman. He was well known to Pio and his friars because he donated so much. He traveled to Italy and went to Pio's home village of Pietrelcina and sought out Padre Alberto D'Apolito. Padre Alberto had been a lifelong friend of Pio's, Pio had guided his vocation and he was the reason he had become a Franciscan. Now Alberto had a big responsibility; running the friary where Pio had been born and which had become a site of many pilgrimages.  

When Mr. O.N. approached Alberto with the request that they both take a trip to San Giovanni so that he could get Pio's blessing, Alberto was uneasy and conflicted because he wanted to keep Mr. O.N. on side; he'd poured money into Franciscan projects in both Pietrelcina and San Giovanni, but he knew Pio was going to have no time for Mr. O.N. But Mr. O.N. pushed harder, and Alberto relented, but warned, "You will see, when he meets us, he will throw us both out." Alberto reluctantly drove them to the stigmatist, who when he laid eyes on Mr. O.N. yelled, "Go away, I do not know you!" Then Pio alerted all listening to Mr. O.N.'s plans to divorce his wife, "You sent for the lawyer, go away, both of you!"

Mr. O.N. ran outside and tears sprang from his face. Alberto soothed him, but advised him to make a confession elsewhere and return to Pio. He did this, and came back to Pio who greeted him warmly as though nothing had happened. Pio hugged him and thanked him for being such a generous benefactor. When they parted, Pio said, "Now that you are going back to America be a good Christian, do you understand?" But alas, the man took up with the young woman again and caused such grief and heartache that his family were devastated. He had the temerity to write to Alberto and beseech him if he could take him to see Pio once again. Alberto ran interference and asked Pio, who said solemnly, "No." 

Only a few months later, the man ended the relationship for good, repented and his family life was harmonious and happy. He asked again if he could come to San Giovani, and Pio agreed. Stigmatist and prodigal embraced, Pio imparted his blessing on him and his family, and the man 

It may surprise you that Mr. O.N. wanted Pio's approval, admittedly he was a big donor and was maybe bribing for a blessing. But this was an isolated account, the cheating husband in The Truth about Hell went to Pio to ask for his support. Thanks be to God, there was a happy ending. 

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The first account is informed by Dorothy M. Gaudiose's Prophet of the People, Alba House, 2018, page 188

The second account is informed by Alberto D'Apolito's Padre Pio, Memories, Experiences, Testimonials, San Giovanni, 2013, pages 363 - 365

Dan Burke and Patrick O'Hearn's The Truth about Hell  is published by Sophia Press, you may pre-order now. I note that the release is January 21, 2025, just in time for Valentine's Day. Imagine if priests required dating couples to read this before tying the knot.