"I FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM"
I had the time of my life talking with Dr. Gavin Ashenden, former chaplain to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, who swam the Tiber and of all those who I have met is among the most passionately devoted to Padre Pio. Dr. Gavin says unabashedly, "I fell in love with him."
Hi Mary
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the various interviews on YouTube regarding this book on Saint Padre Pio. I'm reading it now & learning new things about Saint Padre Pio. My Dad had a love for Saint Padre Pio and would often go to his outdoor shrine in New Jersey. pray / talk a lot to Saint Padre Pio. My daughter who is away from the Catholic faith, her birthday is May 5th which i learned by reading your book was the day he was given the name Pio. I also loved in the book where you mentioned his "more, more" regarding saving souls. I pray always "not one soul lost." I pray for the Holy abd Forgotten Souls all the time and have Masses offered for them when financially possible and also for my daughter to return to the faith. I have so many questions regarding my relationship with Saint Padre Pio and if he actually wants me as a Spiritual Child or to not bother him. I know I'm struggling with a spiritual dryness/darkness and I need to do better. The other morning I was praying & I heard "Trust Me" but I don't know where it came from? I also found it interesting that Saint Pio's mom was born in '29 & died at 69. I was 29 when I had my daughter (Grace) and I was born kn 69. My maternal grandmother who raised me because my parents worked, we all lived together, her middle name was Felicia, which stuff like that w Saint Padre Pio's favorite sister. There are so many more things I'd like to ask including more about being assigned Souls to pray for, as I dream of desd people often, those I know & loved & people I have no idea who they are & sometimes dead famous people & idk why. If Saint Padre Pio wants it, maybe one day I will be better able to ask my questions? I would just love to know if Saint Padre Pio hears me with his heart, sinner that I am and how to hear him or feel him as I've yet to experience his presence in the last several years. The day before I got the call my dad died (my mom died 3 months layer & i am an only child like Guiseppa)my car smelled like lilies and on the way home (it was a Saturday and the 3 of us my husband daughter abd I were going to Mass) on the way home ny daughter and I smelled incense. Then a year later, I smelled lilies and thst night got a call my brother in law was dying, pretty much gone from an abdominal aneurism & my paternal uncle also died that night. The lilies freaked me out as it meant death, & if a gift, gave it back bc i didn't and don't fully understand it. If I unintentionally offended our Good God snd Saint Padre Pio, I'm sorry. Anyway, thanks for reading all thid & the book.
My daughter's name is Grace, bc of my Dad's oldest sister, she was my grandparents 1st child. She was born on Saint Pio's bday & died 3 days later. I used to bring her pennies and toys to the cemetery. I promised I would name my daughter after her.
DeleteThis August I was in the hospital. When I came home I would pray & hold onto my Padre Pio Rosary. The day before my surgery in September, I woke up & couldn't find it. I searched that morning as I was meeting a priest to receive an anointing before surgery. I have looked multiple times and can't find my Padre Pio Rosary. Shortly after I lost mine, my husband lost his Padre Pio Rosary. I bought my husband another one, I just haven't replaced mine yet. Mary, your book is wonderful. Again, so many things come to mind. Idk if my things are connected or strictly coincidence or I'm just wishing because I want to be Saint Padre Pio's Spiritual Child - i told him last week or so that if he needs to smack me so I get the message loud and clear.
The scent of roses, the rose garden of Guiseppa is interesting as was his admiration for Saint Therese. My childhood parish was OLMC and it is my current one. My dad always wore his brown scapular. In the months before he died suddenly, bhe gave his scapular to a neighbor who was suffering with severe mental illness. My dad died without his scapular or the last Sacraments as he was alone because my mom was in the hospital. I pray constantly for their souls and because they had no final arrangements planned, I pray they were pleased with the arrangements i made.
God bless you
Dear Theresa,
DeleteThank you for your detailed comments and for the great honor you have done me by reading my book so thoroughly and thoughtfully that you can make such lovely and inspired connections between your life and those of Padre Pio and his loved ones.
Yes - dear Theresa - I believe with every sinew of my soul that you are Padre Pio's spiritual daughter. So, greetings dear Sis! Pio keeps you on his shoulder, as he promised, and so he hears you loud and clear as you can speak to him, pray to him and ask him to help in any and all matters.
I will include your intentions, all the various ones you mentioned in your comments in my Rosaries going forward.
Your love and zeal for souls is truly admirable and after Pio has welcomed you into Heaven, no doubt you will meet many who will be exceedingly grateful for your petitions on their behalf.
May Our Lady, Queen of Purgatory, intercede so very, very much for you, Mary