Florida Catholic | Padre Pio In Miami

Padre Pio in Miami

Rare first- and second-class relics of saint are displayed at Our Lady of Lourdes.

DANIEL SOÑÉ | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 12.14.07

Father Ermelindo DiCapua, OFM, blesses George Marmolejos with first and second class relics of St. Padre Pio at our Lady of Lourdes Parish Nov. 16.
DANIEL SOÑÉ | FC

KENDALL | Padre Pio, the famous Italian saint of the 20th century, visited Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Miami — so to speak — when Franciscan Father Ermelindo DiCapua displayed extremely rare first- and second-class relics of the saint and shared firsthand memories of life with his fellow Capuchin friar.

“The 8 million pilgrims who visit the shrine of Padre Pio annually do not get to see this,” Father DiCapua told the nearly 1,200 people who filled the church for the Mass and cenacle hosted by the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, an archdiocesan religious community.

The shrine of Padre Pio in Italy is the second most popular Catholic shrine in the world, trailing Mexico’s shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe by 4 million visitors annually.

Father DiCapua lived with Padre Pio from 1965 to 1968, and served as an interpreter for the saint’s English-speaking visitors. He also helped answer the English-language letters Padre Pio received.

“Sometimes he was blessed with the gift of languages. However, he spoke almost no English. So I would translate the letters he would get from the United States and Britain,” Father DiCapua said.

Although his 50-year-long stigmata are considered a trademark of the saint, Padre Pio was also known as an excellent, yet tough, confessor.

ABOUT RELICS
The use of relics for spiritual and miraculous purposes is found in Scripture and Catholic tradition. For example, St. Paul’s handkerchiefs and aprons were said to cure the sick and exorcise demons
(Acts 19:11-12).

“He would spend around 12 hours a day hearing confessions. He was also not afraid to scold sinners if necessary. He was particularly hard on boys who disobeyed their mothers because he loved the Blessed Mother so much,” Father DiCapua said.

The hours he spent hearing confessions were only part of Padre Pio’s holy life. The saint was very involved with the people and did not seclude himself from his brothers or the townspeople. Even his long days in the confessional did not hinder his prayer life, Father DiCapua said.

“He prayed about 40 rosaries a day. His love for the mother of God was astonishing. ‘If you love Christ, you must also love his mother,’ he would say.”

Father DiCapua brought with him a glove and scabs from Padre Pio’s stigmata. The glove, considered a second-class relic, was worn by Padre Pio over the bandages which covered his stigmata. The scabs, encased in a little golden cross, were from the stigmata on his hands.

With the relics, Father DiCapua blessed the well and sick alike and prayed for their intentions. He also blessed a basket containing the prayer intentions of those who could not attend.

“Padre Pio walked in our midst, body and soul. We’re having a taste of heaven right here,” said Father Eric Zegeer, associate pastor at Our Lady of Lourdes.

However, the true power of the experience went beyond rare relics. Padre Pio’s immense global popularity may be due to the simplicity of his spiritual relationship with God.

“He was a man of prayer and involved with the people. He did not spend most of his time in solitude. He was with the people,” Father DiCapua said.

“I look for something simple — a spiritual life that I can emulate. Padre Pio was an everyday man. So I can follow some of the things he did,” said Jeff Zirkle, a parishioner at St. Raymond in Miami.

“The saints give us hope. This is what you can see on the faces of the people here tonight. If we keep our eyes on Christ, we can make it to heaven just like they did,” said Father Fernando Isern, Our Lady of Lourdes’ pastor.

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Padre Pio in Miami

Rare first- and second-class relics of saint are displayed at Our Lady of Lourdes.

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