Yes God sometimes keeps his saints hidden. I visited the first grave of St Therese some years ago. The grave was in the public graveyard as the anti religious authorities had insisted that no longer would religious communities be allowed to bury their dead within their own walls. Therese was the first nun to be buried in the public plot. Less than a dozen people attended. Within a short time the miracles began to happen at her grave. Her body was returned to Carmel some 13 years later and 50,000 people processed her body back to Carmel. Many miraculous cures happened that day. What really amazed me was the basicilica built in her honour. It's beautiful and the largest basicilica built in the 20th century. This for a young nun of 23 that the some of the nuns wondered what could be said about her. Proves it's all grace. If she had been buried within Carmel the public would not have been able to visit her grave and all the miracles may not have happened.
After I was converted for the first few years I had and still have a very great devotion to converting sinners, to saving them from hell not through evangelisation but through prayer. I can't think of a greater work than this to save souls from hell; what could be more wonderful, more important than this. I also had and still have a great love for the souls deepest in hell, the ones forgotten about. So I sed to pray for the soul most in need of conversion and the soul deepest in purgatory. The ones most in need of help if you like. I was a very old fashioned Catholic. I came from a Traditionalist Catholic family background an so the books I read were kind of ancient Tan reprints of classical Catholic literature. reading and spirituality that concentrated on events such as Fatima and the writings of people like St Brigit of Sweden. I loved the promised and indulgences connected to prayer like the 15 promises connected with saying the Holy Rosary. I understood and was given to understand through Our Lady the very immense power of prayer . The enormity of saying even just one Hail Mary, said properly to change the world and the entire Universe. I understood very well the effects my prayers were having in the world around me. I was very,very well aware how they were truly shaken things up. But the day eventually came round when Our Lady came to me and asked if I would be ready to give this awareness of the good obtained by my prayers up? If I would walk in darkness of the good they did? So I agreed and since then all those many years ago I see none of the good my prayers do. Instead of walking on the mountain in bright sunshine enjoying the views I now walk in darkness and in deep mist and can see nothing at all. But whether we can see or not see the good that we do in this life the good still continues anyway. But in a much more powerful way because we do not get to pat ourselves in the back. Now I would say if God sent two angels from heaven, one to accuse you and one to praise you and you got to pick which one got to act, I would always say pick the angel who accuses and punches you in the face, never the one who pats you on the back. Like a rose our souls are always better being pruned. In either case our self love is so great that we give ourselves quite enough pats on the back without anyone else doing it for us. But at the beginning of the spiritual life some encouragement and pats on the head are quite in order. But later on good, solid kicks on the ass are far more helpful.
I would say it is far safer to stay hidden and unknown. One time a young Irish religious visited Padre Pio and passed a message from his Novice Master that he felt so sorry for Padre Pio being so famoos and considered a miracle worker and a saint. But Padre Pio relied, 'Ah these Novice Masters!' What he meant was that nailed totally to the Cross as he was he was safe from pride. But even so, hiddeness is best.
I think it all depends on the young man's disposition. Would he be astonished by miracles? Would he like a role model? Does he like some particular time in history? I don't know why, but St. Joseph just popped into my head. He is so often overlooked and yet such a powerful intercessor. Perhaps as he reads about whatever Saint you decide, both you and he could also pray to that Saint as well for guidance.
Ah, yes, Padraig, I've done it so many times I have callouses on my fingers! Lord have mercy! Safe in the Flames of the Sacred Heart!
I think , Terry, we are a little like little seeds, best left buried in the darkness of the fertile earth, hidden to grow and sprout. The sunlight of heaven can wait till the new season of our New Life. This is the complete opposite of the Way of this World and the Way of the Prince of this World which seeks , seeks the sunlight of the admiration of the world and all the riches and power of this life. But the children of the Cross seek only to embrace it.
How kind, but hardly. I am only doing what everyone else here would do. We have something good and we want to share it. Talking about our faith is exciting!
Thankyou all for your imput. Last night I suggested for him to buy Padrea Pio The True Story. I will buy a copy too. Then after we read this book, I will see if he is interested in reading about another saint that has been recommended here. Thanks Miker for your message in conversation. Sorry I dont seem to know how to reply on conversation.
Bernadette, If you go to the very top of this page you will see to the right the word inbox on the blue strip. Click on that and it will take you to the conversation Miker started with you. Safe Under Mary's Mantle!
Doing little things with great love. Just love her!!!!! What St Therese did in my opinion was just do regular things, even the ones that didnt want to, without complaint even when treated unfairly. Things that we should be able to do. But it isnt as easy as it looks.
Today I recieved my copy of this book. The young man I am helping is still waiting for his copy to arrive in the post. I look forward to opening this book in the next couple of days. Thanks!
Well it took me a while, but I have finished reading St Pio His true story. I loved it. Gave a good insight about a man who was very human as well as very saintly. What sat with me was. His sister who lived an immoral life stayed that way all her life despite the prayers and sacrafices Pio made for her. He seemed to accept that not all can be saved. This saddened me. I hope she was saved through his prayers as this is the hope I have for my loved ones who live in this world. I often remind God of His promise to us. ''Ask and you shall recieve.'' Maybe this was just another suffering the Lord allowed for Pio and she was saved but he was unaware of this on earth? It is very sad to read how jealous priests/bishops can hurt such a saintly man. How terrifying the attacks he endured by satan. The real ''WOW'' moments were when he celebrated the Mass. It was such a reminder of Jesus' Passion as Pio suffered the pains of the crucified Lord during Mass and his wounds bled heavier during these times. It was good to read my confirmation on Pio's thoughts on Garabandal. He certainly did not give his approval like many proclaim he did. Above all. The young man who is searching our faith really enjoyed reading this book too. He said he was taken by his humble ways. Thankyou very much for the recommendation. Should St Francis of Assisi be the next book? Is that quite different or similar?
Isn't it wonderful the way God choose the Reverend Bernard Ruffin, a Lutheran Minister, to write a book about such an out and out Mystical , Supernatural Italian Saint like Padre Pio? I was very amused during the interview with the Minister on EWTN an old gentleman quizzed Bernard on why with such a devotion to Padre Pio he did not become a Catholic Fr Groechel tried to diplomatically deflect the question but it made me smile. I often find it helpful when reading one topic or saint to read several more on the same subject. It allows the reader to go much deeper and form a much deeper bond, or Devotion. By, 'Chance' , I discovered another old book on Padre Pio on my bookcase just the other day and am now reading it for the umpteenth time with delight and joy. Here it is here: https://www.capuchinfriars.org.au/product/send-me-your-guardian-angel/
This concerns Padre Pio's extraordinary relationship with his Guardian angel. I have been praying like crazy to mine since I started reading it. Anything that causes deeper devotion and prayer like this can only be a very good thing indeed. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2567221196?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1 'This anthology of stories centering around St. Pio, his spiritual children, and how he helped them through their personal angels came highly recommended. It is a charming collection—uplifting, intriguing, humorous—if you are a Padre Pio devotee or fascinated by our angelic cousins, you will want to check this out. That said, it is not especially well-organized. There are numerous typos and misspellings; the book overall could do with a good editor. However, if those sorts of things don’t bother you and learning how others have successfully employed their Guardian Angels in both spiritual and practical situations, Fr. Alessio’s book provides many examples. He was the companion of Padre Pio during the final years of the saint’s life. He relates events personally witnessed, as well as those from letters, and the testimonies of other’s, during St. Pio’s life and even after his death.'
If you want to watch a really good movie, "Karol", about St. (Pope) John Paul II. It's great, interesting, kind of long but worth the watch. I get it out once a year to rewatch it . . .
I watched it several times. Pope St John Paul always cheers me up; he never put a foot wrong really. Sigh, just watched EWTN there, so depressing it would make you want to put your head in the oven.
Reading about Padre Pio and his Guardian Angel at the moment has me praying like crazy to my Guardian Angel, feeling guilty for not paying enough attention to him. The other night I got into work and found I had lost my mobile phone, which I really need during the night. Looked everywhere kept ringing it, no joy. I had my poor Angel guardian tortured to find it for me. Finally I was over in the children's hospital and meant a poor little girl walking the corridor in the early morning ,very thin and sick looking , bald from chemo and it suddenly struck me how important loosing a phone really was. At the exit doors I suddenly felt this huge assurance that my phone would be found and sure enough when I got back I got this feeling to search my car and there it was. Many thanks to my angel. Many thanks to Padre Pio. Those poor, poor children with cancer. So many of them..and their poor parents. Prayers.
