Words From Padre Pio
Written on a holy picture to Signor Salvateci Natale of Bologna:
"The cross does not oppress: if its weight makes us stagger, its strength raises us up."
On another holy picture:
"Don't abandon your soul to sadness, says the Holy Spirit, because joy of the heart is the life of man, it is an inexhaustible treasure of sanctity, whereas sadness is the slow death of the soul and quite useless."
Written in the book by Mary Pyle in October 1923, just before Padre Pio was forbidden to write:
"The good-hearted is always strong, he suffers, but hides his tears and consoles himself by sacrificing himself for his neighbor and for God."
It was decided at the Police Headquarters of Foggia that Padre Pio was a public menace because of the great crowds that came there, and the Chief Constable sent a Carabinieri to San Giovanni to arrest him, but on seeing just a humble friar who was peacefully and charitably doing his duty he went back to Fogggia saying that he did not have the courage to arrest someone who did nothing but good.
Another was sent with the same result. Rather irritated the Chief Constable decided to go himself saying that he was not sentimental and he put some handcuffs in his pocket. He arrived at the friary when there was practically no one, just a poor woman with a child. He was relieved because he thought that a crowd could have turned against him if they had seen him arrest Padre Pio as he intended. Padre Pio came in and went straight to the poor woman without looking in his direction, asking her what she wanted.
Sobbing, the woman said she wanted the grace for her child who was dumb and had never spoken. Padre Pio said to the child: "Child, what is my name?" and at once the child replied with a clear voice: "Padre Pio." The mother began to shout with joy and the police officer to shake with fright. Then with the greatest calm Padre Pio turned to the Police Officer and asked what he wanted, he replied: "To confess myself." He confessed himself without saying the reason for his visit but accompanying him to the door Padre Pio put his hand on his shoulder and said with a sweet smile: "When you put your hand in your pocket be careful not to hurt yourself with the handcuffs."
In the year of the earthquake, Signor Torre from Barletta was going back to Barletta in the bus of Domenico Santoro and before leaving one of their group went to ask Padre Pio for his protection during the journey. The Padre replied: "Do not fear the journey, you should rather fear the anger of God." They did not understand what he meant by this reply until they arrived at Barletta where they found a relative buried under the debris which was the consequence of a strong earthquake.
A peasant from Pietrelcina came to confess to Padre Pio. He had been in America where he committed a crime, having killed a man, but he had managed to escape without being discovered. He confessed to Padre Pio without saying anything of the murder. The Padre asked if he had done anything else, and the man said "no."
Then the Padre told him to look behind him. He looked and saw the whole scene of the crime he had committed in miniature. The room and the place where he had done it, the man dead on the ground and himself in the act of killing. What was even more terrifying still was the fact that he saw the devil who was behind him, ready to take him. Seeing all this he fell on the ground in a faint and after being revived he made a proper confession. He himself told this to the father of Padre Pio, affectionately known as Zi' Grazio.
Source: The Voice Of Padre Pio.