I HAVE TO LEAVE FOR A WHILE AND GIVE ALL MY ATTENTION TO "THOSE TWO"

Most Cherished Soul, 

This coming December it will be 5 years since I began work on my book, Padre Pio and You which is 40 chapters long. I hope with all my soul to bring it to you as soon as possible, but quite a lot of work still needs to be done. 

It is humbling to admit that the first two biographical chapters are the worst chapters in the whole book and need a complete re-write. The other 38 chapters are apparently almost good enough; they need polishing but they are not in need of being re-written from scratch. The book is bookended by an introduction and an epilogue. Thankfully, the introduction has met with approval, it concerns my own mystical experiences with Padre Pio, especially those that occurred in my teens. 

But where I have failed so far is to create a vivid portrait of Pio's childhood. The first time my editor read the first two chapters, or what have come to be known as "those two" among my friends and loved ones, he said, "I've never had such a tough time reading anything you've written."

"Those two" are just a jumble of anecdotes and certainly not the stuff of good writing that would hold a holy person's attention, let alone a person who is indifferent towards Padre Pio.  As preparation for the re-write, I have had to see Francesco, the boy who would become Padre Pio through the eyes of his sainted parents, his mama, Giuseppa, "Mama Peppa" and Grazio, his father. I've had to translate from Italian the personal accounts that Giuseppa and Grazio gave of their little boy.  As I type, I am surrounded by 100s of pieces of paper where I transcribed in longhand the descriptions which "G &G" or Giuseppa and Grazio left of caring for little Francesco. 

The time has come to give all my time and attention to the re-write of the first two chapters. I will start today, May 25, which is Padre Pio's birthday. I had not planned it this way, but if I may be so bold, I am taking it as a type of gift that Pio is giving me because I had not thought I would be ready by now, so treacherous were the translations from Italian.  I will be retreating from this blog for a couple of weeks, but my hope is to be back some time in June.  

On a separate but intimately related issue, starting in July, Blogger will stop their subscription service, so if you subscribe to this blog, you will no longer receive posts via email. Over the years, I have encouraged many of you to subscribe so you will get an update the minute we know the publication date of Padre Pio and You. Never fear, I have been able to download all the email addresses of every single person who subscribes to Mary's Blog, and we are working on a new way to continue your subscription service, but I do not know what that will look like...  For now, if you wish to give me your email address, please subscribe, and I will keep your email address on file. 

Of your great love, please pray for me that this re-write of Chapters 1 and 2 will make the cut and meet with my editor's approval. May I request your prayers for my editor, too, he will be guiding me every step of the way and I hope not to tax his patience too much. I hope to do my very best by Padre Pio and by you, my reader.

Yours devotedly in Christ, 

Mary