The National Shrine of Saint Padre Pio in Saint Mary of the Angel's Church, Church Street, Dublin. Saint Pio, pray for us.
Seraphic Mass Association is offering 900 Masses in honor of St Pio You can go to the website and enroll yourself and others. 900 Masses!
The friar that assisted Padre Pio at the time of his passing wrote about it Source: http://www.pellegrinodipadrepio.it/...ltimi-momenti-in-una-testimonianza-esclusiva/ THE Death of Padre Pio – San Giovanni Rotondo ( Foggia ) By Padre Pellegrino Funicelli – Thus begins the story of the testimony of Father Pellegrino Funicelli, Friar Cappuccin who at the time of the tranquil death of Padre Pio was next to him. “Shortly after 9 pm on September 22, 1968, when Father Mariano had left cell no. 4 and I had entered, Padre Pio called me to his room via the intercom: he was in bed, lying on his right side. He only asked me for the time marked by the alarm clock on his bedside table. From his red eyes I dried some small tears and went back to room no. 4 to listen on the intercom. Padre Pio called me again five or six times until midnight; and he always had red eyes of tears, but of a sweet, serene cry. At midnight as a scared child Padre Pio pleaded with me: ” Stay with me, my son “; and began to ask me very frequently for the time. He looked at me with eyes full of ’ pleading, shaking my hands tightly. Then, as if he had forgotten the time, continuously, he asked me: ” Uagliò, a company in Messe? “ I answered smiling: ” Spiritual father, it is too early now for Mass “. And he replied: ” Well, this morning you will say it for me “. And I: ” But every morning I say it according to your intentions “. Later he wanted to confess and finished his sacramental confession he said: ” My son, if today the Lord calls me, ask for forgiveness for me from the confreres of all the annoyances that I have given; and ask the confreres and spiritual children for a prayer for ’my soul ‘“. I replied: ” Spiritual father, I am sure that the Lord will make you live for a long time, but if you are right, I can ask you for a last blessing ’ for the confreres, for spiritual children and their sick? ”. And he: ” Yes, I bless them all; on the contrary, ask the Superior to give this last blessing for me “. Finally he asked me to renew the ’ act of the religious profession’. It was 1:00AM when he said to me: ” Look, my son, I am not breathing well here in bed. Let me get up. On the chair I will breathe better “One, two, three were usually the times when he used to get up to prepare for Holy Mass, and before sitting in the armchair he used to take four steps down the corridor. That night I noticed to my amazement that he walked straight like a young man, so much so that there was no need to support him. Arriving on the entrance of his cell he said: ” Let’s go a little out on the terrace “. I followed him holding his hand under his arm; he himself turned on the light and arrived near the armchair he sat down and looked around the terrace looking around: he seemed to be looking for something with his eyes. After five minutes he wanted to go back to the cell. I tried to lift him, but he said to me: “ I can’t do it.” In fact, he felt too weighed down. ” Spiritual father, don’t worry “, I said, encouraging him and immediately taking the wheelchair that was a stone’s throw away. From under his arms, I lifted him from the armchair and placed him to sit on the wheelchair. In the cell I placed Padre Pio on the armchair, he pointed to the wheelchair with his left hand and said to me: ” Take it out “.” Take it out “.” Take it out “. Returning to the cell, I noticed that the Father was beginning to turn pale. On his forehead he had a cold sweat. I was frightened, however, when I saw that his lips were beginning to become bruised. And he repeated continually: ” Jesus, Mary ” with an increasingly weak voice. I moved to call a confrere, but he stopped me saying ” Don’t wake anyone up “. I started running away from his cell a few steps when he called me back again. And I thought he didn’t call me back to tell me the same thing I went back. But when I heard myself repeat: ” Do not wake anyone up “, I replied with an act of imploration: ” Spiritual father, now let me do ”. And in a hurry I went to Father Mariano’s cell, but seeing the door of Fr. William open, I turned on the light and shook him: ” Padre Pio, he is sick.” In a moment Fr. William reached the Father’s cell and I ran to call Dr. Sala. He arrived after about ten minutes and as soon as he saw the Father he immediately prepared an injection. When everything was ready between William and I we tried to lift Padre Pio, but failing to do so we had to lay him on the bed: The doctor gave medicine while the Father repeated with an increasingly faint voice and with the movement of the lips more and more imperceptible: “ Jesus, Mary “. Meanwhile, I called Mario Pennelli, nephew of Padre Pio, the health director of the Casa Sollievo Dr. Gusso, and Dr. Giovanni Scarale, Dr. Sala, the guardian father, the Marian father and other confreres had already arrived. While doctors gave oxygen first with the cannula and then with the mask, Father Paolo da San Giovanni Rotondo administered to the spiritual Father the Sacrament of the Sick while the other confreres kneeled praying around his bed. At about 2.30 am he gently bowed his head over his chest: he had expired.” Father Pellegrino Capuchin Funicelli
