PADRE PIO HAS A SPECIAL HEART FOR PARENTS WITH SICK CHILDREN

May 1981, James and Barbara Doyle's little baby boy, Darren was struck down by bacterial meningitis. The little mite was only 13 months old, and when they rushed him to hospital in Clonmel, Ireland, the doctors discovered that Darren's veins had collapsed and it was impossible to set up an IV for him. It looked bleak for baby Darren, until his Mammy and Daddy were given a prayer card with the Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a relic of Padre Pio. James and Barbara said the prayer many times at their son's side. One day, James was praying it, when he beheld a little blue light descend from the ceiling to the prayer card in his hands and then it zoomed from the card to Darren's back and he was instantly cured of most malign meningitis. He left hospital one week later. Darren is now 42. 

This is one of the remarkable stories found in Susan De Bartoli's beautiful book Welcoming the Christ Child with Padre Pio. The book concentrates on miracles rewarded parents who prayed to Pio for their children, while telling of Padre Pio's fantastic love of the Christ Child. Oh, that we would love the Christ Child as Pio! Padre Pio was given the extraordinary honor of holding the Christ Child, and there were several people who saw Baby Jesus appear in Pio's arms. Pio was given one of Our Lady's privileges, she who was Our Lord's mother, cradled Him and held Him to her breast, and Pio was given the Christ Child to caress in his arms. The role of Christ's mother was shared with Pio, and this book has a fine collection of stories of Pio's intercession with human children in the arms of their parents.

Kimberly was a toddler of 2, traveling by car with her parents in San Antonio, Texas when they were involved in a horrible car accident. Kimberly sustained horrific head injuries. Their car accident was reported on the radio, and someone heard the report, and went to the hospital with a relic of Padre Pio. Kimberly's parents, Dora and Silvano had never heard of Padre Pio or seen a picture of him, but they placed the relic on Kimberly's forehead. They said the novena all day long, while they received more diagnoses. Kimberly was paralyzed on her left side, her left eye was badly injured and she started to have seizures. It was doubtful if she would ever be able to walk or talk again. One night, Dora and Silvano decided to go home to get some rest, and the next day a nurse told them that a man came to see Kimberly in the middle of the night. This man fitted the description of a man who had suddenly appeared at the scene of the accident and had covered Kimberly with his coat, then they suddenly realized that it was Padre Pio! Miracle after miracle took place, 'til Kimberly's health was mostly back to normal. Her eye doctor had warned she could be blind in her left eye, the optic nerve was so impaired, and he planned an experimental procedure. But the next time Kimberly saw him, the doctor was "shocked", because her optic nerve had "corrected itself". 

There is also a story of a grieving mother, Camille Loccisano who lost her son Frankie when he was only 17.  Frankie was named for Padre Pio whose baptismal name was Francesco, and like his patron, Frankie suffered horrendous agonies. He was diagnosed with bone cancer, had his leg amputated, and then developed leukemia. His mother, Camille, never gave up praying to Padre Pio, even though her son's condition worsened, Frankie's faith grew more and more, while his body disintegrated. When Frankie passed, Camille was given a special strength to get through the excruciating pain. She was awarded a vision of her son in Heaven, and he was in a state of bliss, and she asked him if he'd met Pio. Frankie gave this astounding reply, "Padre Pio was there to meet me when I arrived." Pio had honored his promise to wait at the gates of Heaven for all his spiritual children. And while Camille lost a living son, she gained an intercessor.  

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You have still time to get your copy of Welcoming the Christ Child with Padre Pio, and I'd really advise you to get two books, you will want to give one to someone you love who needs the joy of making a home for the Christ Child in their hearts.