Saint Padre Pio: Part Ten

Last week I began sharing with you about St. Padre Pio's childhood, his personal history. Using the words of author Dorothy M. Gaudiose, who worked for Padre Pio in his monastery in Italy for three years, I now continue for you, dear friend in Christ:

"The desire of young Francis Forgione [the future Saint Padre Pio] to become a monk posed a hardship for his parents," wrote Dorothy, who was a personal friend of mine. Southern Italy--where Francis grew up, in the late-1800s and early-1900s--was poverty stricken. People sometimes had to resort to killing starlings in order to feed their families. "So," continued Dorothy, "Francis' father immigrated to America and worked as a laborer in Long Island, to help educate his son Francis to the priesthood. Orazio Forgione's weekly letters to his wife Giuseppa contained nine American dollars. That small amount helped to alleviate the family's financial burden by feeding and clothing their five living children and by educating Francis. Due to his poor health, Francis was privately tutored until the age of fifteen.

"Francis Forgione was fifteen years of age when he left home and entered the Capuchin order on January 3, 1903," said Dorothy. "Here was to begin a life of prayer, fasting, and diabolic attacks on the road to the priesthood."

Next week, dear friend in Christ, I will continue with Part Eleven of St. Padre Pio's life, as told by Dorothy M. Gaudiose who knew him well.

Until then, "Pray, hope, and don't worry," as St. Padre Pio always said.