Is it still possible to say something original about Padre Pio? Far from being an expert about the Padre, I thought it would be better to deal with some of the aspects of the life of Padre Pio that are common with what we are doing in the Society of St. Pius X, that is to firmly uphold Catholic Tradition, in spite of all the persecutions we have to bear from the "Official Church".

Many books have been written about the new Blessed, and I really cannot compete with them, However, it seems that most authors stress the extraordinary side of life: his particular charisma, and the incredible physical sufferings he endured throughout his life with his stigmata. In short, Padre Pio is often quoted as a saint more to be admired than imitated.

This seems to be a problem with a number of books written about the life of the saints, in which the authors are giving a very high standing picture of the saints. Readers will be amazed, when they see everything looking so beautiful and so perfect, from the day these saints were born, till the day of their departure for heaven. But such books don't give much spiritual food to the readers, who will think: "It's nice, but it is too much for a poor sinner like me. Really, I cannot make it."

It may happen that such books, instead of encouraging readers in their spiritual life by good examples, may have the opposite effect, and even lead some souls to discouragement, when they feel unable to follow such examples of sanctity. That is why, I will try to deal with an aspect of the life of Blessed Padre Pio that can be really helpful for our Traditional Catholic faithful.

Blessed Pio, like all the saintly people, was a very humble man. He was not the kind of person to complain about his crosses, in particular when these crosses were sent by those who were supposed to be his brothers within his religious order, or when such persecution was coming from high ecclesiastical authorities. Conscious of the importance of the vow of obedience, Padre Pio was always showing an example of true religious obedience and respect to his superiors. For him, the superior was the image of Christ, and obeying him was obeying Christ. But it happened that God used Padre Pio's superiors as instruments for him to suffer from the Church, and for the Church. Padre Pio was honest. It was not for him to compromise with faith and morals. Twice in his life, it happened that unworthy superiors tried to get him to go along with their betrayals.

When the Padre refused to cooperate with their evil doings, they persecuted him. In that regard, we can see a great similitude between the life of Blessed Pio, and the one of our venerable founder, Archbishop Lefebvre. In a spirit of revenge for Padre Pio's virtues, his persecutors spread all kinds of calumnies against the humble monk. If it had been only for the Padre, we would have no idea of what happened? However, we may thank the dedicated friends of Padre Pio who, for the sake of the defense his memory, gave us a report of events of what he had to suffer from his superiors.

Before going into detail of Padre Pio's persecutions, let me stress the profound integrity of life of Blessed Pio. A simple story taken from the childhood of Blessed Pio reveals his great integrity of life. When the young Francesco Forgione, the future Padre Pio, was II years old, he was being taught by Don Domenico, a religious who had left his convent, and was not leading a good life. Francesco was not doing too well in his studies. To his parents who were worried about the future of his studies, young Francesco answered: "if my mind is slow, it is because he (the teacher) has a sick heart." While Orazio, his father was away to gain extra money to pay for Francesco's studies, it was up to Giuseppa, his mother, to find a better teacher for her son. It meant more money and more sacrifices. Later on, during class, he was falsely accused of having given a note to a girl from that school. Being accused publicly by the author of the transgression, Francesco stayed silent, and was punished by the teacher. Later on, the real culprit was discovered and punished. Later on Francesco said:

"How much the teacher felt sorry about it!" Throughout his life, Francesco was conscious that his mission was to live like Jesus crucified, and to offer himself as a voluntary victim in reparation for sinners. At the beginning of his religious life, he said: "I would prefer to be chopped in pieces than to make the least offence to God."

A first campaign against Padre Pio was launched in 1919, not even a year after he had received the visible stigmata of the passion of Our Lord in his flesh. It came from a group of canons from the area of San Giovanni Rotondo. The most insinuating accusations against the Padre were spread all over the region. For example, it was said that Padre Pio was pouring nitric acid on his wounds, in order to produce fake stigmata, and that he was using perfume to fool the people with so-called heavenly odours, while really he was possessed by the devil. Such calumnies were willingly forwarded to Rome by Archbishop Gagliardi, the bishop of the diocese to whom belongs San Giovanni Rotondo. Archbishop Gagliardi actually became Padre Pio's worst enemy. From 1923 through 1931, the saintly monk was condemned by five different decrees coming from the Holy Office, in Rome. From the very start, the faithful were warned to stay away from Padre Pio. Then, to make sure people would stay away from Padre Pio, he was forbidden to say Mass in public. Faithful were not allowed to see or to write to the Padre. Now, who were the people who were persecuting Padre Pio? Let me remind you that the leader of that campaign against Padre Pio was Archbishop Gagliardi, a man whose personal life was unworthy of such a high office. It has now been proved that Archbishop Gagliardi had a few affairs with some women, while he was bishop of his diocese, and that he managed to get Rome to condemn two priests of his diocese who had reported him to the Holy See.

An accomplice of Bishop Gagliardi was found in Mgr. Prencipe, parish priest of San Giovanni Rotondo, who was living common law. He was helped by a few other canons from the area whose main worry was to indulge themselves with the pleasures of life. As a result of these persecutions, Padre Pio was jailed for ten years in his convent's cell, from 1923 to 1933. One can report that, while Pope Benedict XV was always an advocate of Padre Pio, it was under Pope Pius XI that the Blessed Pio was condemned by the Holy Office. The affairs of the government of the Church, along with the worries coming from the international situation (growth of Communism in Russia, persecution of the Christeros in Mexico, civil war in Spain, and the emergence of Hitler in Germany); all these worries did not allow Pope Pius XI to look personally after the case of Padre Pio.

The Pope relied on the reports that were sent to him by the bishop of the diocese to whom belonged San Giovanni Rotondo, and that bishop was Archbishop Gagliardi. How did such a persecution end in 1933? Here, we can thank the friends of Padre Pio, in particular Emmanuele Brunatto, his first convert for the good work done in defense of the virtues of Padre Pio. Brunetto made a thorough inquiry, and published it in 1926: precise names, places and dates were brought up to denounce the slanderers. But the Holy Office was compromised. It was left with a dilemma: to strike a humble monk who was spending his life in prayer, or fight against an Archbishop leading a gang of canons. That is why, in spite of the hard work of Brunatto, it took so long for the Holy Office to rehabilitate Padre Pio. Finally justice was made, and the slanderers got punished. In the summer of 1933, the Holy Office canceled its previous decrees, and Padre Pio was Office canceled its previous decrees, and Padre Pio was able to say Mass in public.

Throughout the pontificate of Pope Pius XII, Padre Pio received a good support from that great Pope. Pius XII held Padre Pio in very high veneration, and believed in his stigmata. Then came a man whose name was John: Pope John XXI II, and a second persecution was launched against Padre Pio. As a young man, Padre Pio was persecuted by ecclesiastical authorities, because he could not condone the breach of morals; as an old man, he suffered from his fellow members of the Capuchin order, who were jealous of the money that was coming to support the Padre's charitable works, especially his huge hospital.

Briefly, let me explain the beginning of the story: during the 1950's, the Capuchin order in Italy knew a time of outstanding financial prosperity. How did this happen? They had found a generous help in the person of Giuffre, a banker, who was financing the Capuchin order in Italy. Giuffre had promised the superiors of the Capuchin order up to 90% interest per annum as a return of their investments. To honour the annual payments, Giuffre was simply borrowing more money, and promising more interest in return. Finally, in 1958, the crooked banker had to declare bankruptcy. In order to avoid the scandal, the Vatican forced the head house of the Capuchin order to assume full financial responsibility for Giuffre's debts.

To avoid a court case against the Capuchin order, the Vatican had paid the debts, but recorded the said amounts as debits in the accounts of the Capuchin order. Being deeply in the red, the Capuchins were looking with envy to the stream of money that was coming in steady to the humble monk of San Giovanni Rotondo. Their dream was to deviate that stream, in order to pay off their debts. How was it possible? By the vows of religion, a religious cannot own any property on his own, but his belongings belong to the order. So, technically speaking, it would not have been a problem for the Capuchin superiors to take over the mountain of gold in San Giovanni Rotondo. In 1957, being aware of the jealously of the Capuchins against Padre Pio, Pope Pius XI I gave to the Padre a personal dispensation, that gave him the right of full ownership over the assets of the Home for the Relief of the Suffering, the famous hospital built by Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo. Padre Pio was not released from the vow of poverty, but from undue meddling from his superiors. But the superior of the Capuchins was determined to take over the Padre's goods.

Padre Pio said that these alms had been given for a special purpose and, without an explicit consent from the donor's, they could not be used for something else. Meanwhile, the superior of the Capuchins was putting pressure on Pope John XXIII to reverse the 1957 indult. It was a matter to convince John XXIII that Pius XII was mistaken when he took Padre Pio for a saint. Without any scruple of conscience, the Capuchins launched a campaign to make Padre Pio pass for a bad manager, an immoral person, a disobedient monk, a rebel, a fanatic, a heretic and a schismatic. Meanwhile, the Provincial had given orders that all the incoming mail of Padre Pio would be opened. A good number of the cacaos destined to Padre Pio's works were simply removed, and put for deposit on the account of the Capuchins. But, it was not enough for the Capuchins: they had to make Padre Pio pass for an immoral and revolted man. Like Jesus, who was betrayed by Judas, who gave him a sign of friendship, the saintly monk of San Giovanni Rotondo was betrayed by someone who was supposed to be a friend to him. Padre Gaston was the "guardian angel" of Padre Pio.

He was in charge of the personal care of Padre Pio, who was in need of help because of his infirmities. So, that Padre Gaston installed microphones inside the confessional of Padre Pio. After some adjustments, the recordings were sent to the Holy Office, where it was used by some enemies of Padre Pio. These sacrilegious recordings lasted for three months, till Padre Pio discovered it. On that day, Padre Pio cried bitterly. Was Padre Gaston alone? No, he had received orders from the local superior, the Provincial, and the Superior General of the Order.

They had friends among the staff of the Holy Office, who made sure the tapes were used to serve their purposes. Cardinal Ottaviani, who was then the prefect of the Holy Office, was not aware of these little games. He entrusted Mgr. Crovini, a perfectly upright man, to investigate and search for the truth. The results of that inquiry were completely in favour or the stigmatized monk. As a result, Cardinal Ottaviani signed in June of 1960, a decree to rehabilitate Padre Pio and dismiss the superior of the convent. Meanwhile, the Superior General of the Capuchins met personally with Pope John XXI II, to complain about the decree from Cardinal Ottaviani, "that was condoning the Charismatic Schism of Padre Pio' s faithful". . . and Pope John XXIII canceled Cardinal Ottaviani's decree! A new apostolic visitor was sent to inquire on Padre Pio. As a result, the Padre was forbidden to go out of the convent, and to talk with the faithful. Very restrictive conditions were set up for his confessions.

The noble old man was treated like dirt by his own fellow brethren from the Capuchin order. Finally, on November 17, 1961, the Superior General of the Capuchins brought to Padre Pio a paper signed by a Cardinal, to tell him that the indult of 1957 was reversed. The titles of the Home for the Relief of the Suffering were handed over by Padre Pio to the bank of the Vatican, and credited to the head house of the Capuchins.

When the Capuchins got the money from Padre Pio, one would think that the persecutions were to end. But with all the widespread slanders against the Padre and his friends, it was not easy. Bishop Bortignon, the bishop of Padua, was dead against the Padre and his disciples. Under the influence of his bishop, a priest from that diocese answered to the request for a Mass stipend for the intentions of Padre Pio: "If you were to ask me to say Mass for a pig, I would do it, but for your Padre Pio, no way!"

However, the friends of Padre Pio were working hard for the defense of his case. A white book was published in June of 1963, while Pope John XXIII was dying. With the new Pope, Paul VI, the persecution against Padre Pio softened, but did not disappear. For instance, the Capuchins were trying to discourage the people from coming to see the Padre: "Why are you coming here? There is nothing, but just an old man who is loosing his mind." On September 20, 1968, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his stigmata, there was no official representative, either from ecclesiastical authority, nor from the Capuchin order. On September 22, the Padre said that he was not feeling well enough to say Mass. It upset the superior, who, angrily, gave to the almost dying Padre the order to say Mass. Not even 24 hours later, God came to take this holy soul.

When will the rehabilitation of Padre Pio come? After the death of the saintly monk, his friends kept working hard for the rehabilitation of the Padre. Thirty-one years later, all the enemies of the Padre departed from this earthly life, and have been judged by God. It was time that justice would be given to the servant of God. With the Beatification of Padre Pio, on May 2, 1999, an important step was made, but other steps will have to be taken for a complete reparation of the injustices of the past. For us, let us pray to Blessed Pio so that following his example, we will stay faithful to Tradition, even if we have to suffer for the Church, and from the Church.