Saints: Role Models for Men- Sts. Peter and Paul

Yesterday was the Feast Day of Sts. Peter and Paul. Both are awesome and today I decided to highlight some of the incredible things we learn about these men from Scripture.

St. Peter

Made a Mistake/ Picked Himself Up

St. Peter seemed to kind of be the guy who spoke before he acted often during Jesus's ministry. He seemed to think he had the answer and knew what to do, and then through Jesus learned that he was wrong. However, during the Passion of Jesus Christ, we see Peter stumble the greatest. Even though Jesus warned him of the three denials before the cock crows, Peter seems to forget it as he quickly denies knowing who Jesus is three times. Big mistake!

St. Peter, however, becomes the Church's first Pope and one of the first martyrs. How? He admits that he was wrong, and works to set thing right. After Jesus' resurrection, Peter replies to Jesus three times "Lord, you know I love you". He takes on the role of leadership once Jesus ascends into Heaven and leads the early Christians through the beginnings of their evangelization and persecution.

Boss Speaker

During Pentecost, after the Holy Spirit came to the Apostles, they began speaking in various languages and preaching to the Jews. Many were confused, and others thought the Apostles were drunk. St. Peter replied with the first century equivalent of "Dude, it's only 9am!" before launching into an epic speech explaining why it was that the Apostles could speak in tongues and he taught the crowds about the truth of Jesus. At the end, St. Peter asked the people to be baptized in the name of Jesus, and 3000! people were added to the number of Christians that day.

Not to mention, during this time period, Peter and the Apostles were brought before the Pharisees. When the Pharisees would accuse them of crimes and blasphemies and attempt to have the Apostles dig themselves into a hole, Peter always came back with the best response to keep from falling into the Pharisees' traps.

Man of Faith

So one night the Apostles were sailing across the Sea of Galilee and a storm disturbs their boat. They see Jesus walking on the water, at first thinking that it was just a ghost or vision. Peter called out and Jesus invited him out onto the water. Because of his love for Jesus and his faith, Peter stepped out of that boat and walked on top of that rough sea water to join Jesus.

Granted, Peter eventually began to fall and Jesus had to rescue him and rebuke him for his little faith, but just think how amazing it is that, because of his love for Jesus and his desire to follow him, Peter was able to walk on top of the sea even for a short time.

St. Paul

Change of Heart

St. Paul was a strict and dedicated Jewish man before his conversion. He was so dedicated, that when Christianity first came into being, St. Paul (also named Saul) would capture and persecute any Christian person he could find. Just think about that. The man who wrote many of the letters found in the New Testament started out by imprisoning Christian people. However, after a miraculous encounter with Jesus, St. Paul converted and became one of the greatest evangelizers the Church has ever known.

Deep Conviction

St. Paul's characteristic dedication transferred well into his life as a Christian. Often times, when preaching about Jesus in various towns and synagogues, Paul would cause such trouble that mobs of people would gather to beat and stone him. There is one story in Acts that explains that Paul was injured so bad from one stoning that people thought he was dead and dragged him outside the city wells. However, Paul woke up, got to his feet, and walked right back into the city to continue evangelizing to the people like a boss.

Reaching Out

The early Christian movement before Paul was focused on the conversion of the Jewish people. However, it was St. Paul who began to reach out to the Gentiles, the non-Jewish, pagan members of society. At first, this caused a stir within the Christian community, however, St. Peter had a vision and agreed that it was the right thing to do to reach out to the Gentiles. It was St. Paul who was the primary evangelizer to the Gentiles and without him, it might have been some time before Christianity became its own entity that differed from Judaism.

Christianity in Harry Potter's Wizarding World: The Chamber of Secrets Part 1

Ottery St. Catchpole

In Chapter 3, after the Weasley brothers rescue Harry from the Dursleys, the readers first come to the Burrow, which is located in a town called Ottery St. Catchpole. This is a town with both a Muggle and a wizard community.

It turns out that Ottery St. Catchpole is a small town based on the real life Ottery St. Mary around Devon, England. That "St." does not stand for Street, but rather it stands for Saint.

I think the name of the town may reinforce a wizard's knowledge of who or what a saint is. For example, out here in my neck of the woods, city names include St. Paul, St. Charles, St. Peters, and St. Louis (among others). These are not just random names of cities, but also names of saints with a history and a past. Citizens of these cities have the knowledge of where the name of their town comes from. In the same way, wizards who live in Ottery St. Catchpole have the knowledge that the town is named after a Catholic person, thereby having access to info about what a saint is and what makes St. Catchpole a saint.  I think it is interesting that J.K. Rowling changed the name of the real town so that instead of a real saint's name, she used a fake name (there is no St. Catchpole in reality, at least not that I could find. Though in Harry Potter's world, St. Catchpole is a real figure).

Devil

In both the movie and the book, Gilderoy Lockhart describes Cornish pixies as "devilish". I think by examining the appearance and behavior of the pixies, we can better understand the wizard's concept of  the devil. At first, the pixies seem small and harmless. It's kind of a way for them to lure wizards into a false sense of security. As soon as the pixies are released, they wreck havoc throughout the classroom. They attack the students, they take Lockhart's wand, and they pick up Neville and hang him up on the ceiling. While the pixies are small, they are vicious.

All of these describe how the devil manipulates us through sins and temptations. He lures us into a false sense of security by making himself or something bad seem small and harmless and then attacks us after we fall for the trap. In this understanding, Lockhart correctly defines the pixies as devilish and by experience the student wizards also understand why the pixies are defined as devilish.

Bless

While Harry helps him answer fan mail, Lockhart is telling the boy about one of his admirers and says "bless her". This phrase kind of reminds me of the little old ladies who say "bless you" to people as a term of endearment. What does bless mean, according the wizarding world then? Most definitions of bless revolve around asking God to bring His grace down upon the person being blessed, but bless can also mean to bestow good upon someone. I think that the latter definition is how the word bless is used in the wizarding world. Though wizards like Lockhart most likely understand the Christian background behind the term, bless is used by wizards as a way of wishing good things upon someone, as this example from the book demonstrates.

Christened 

At the beginning of Chapter 14 "Cornelius Fudge", the book goes over Hagrid's liking for large creatures and, when it comes to the three-headed dog that we encountered in the first book, it says that Hagrid "christened" the dog Fluffy.

This is not an unfamiliar word, Christened. One of the definitions of christen is to give a name to something, as in "I christen you the U.S.S. Enterprise" or "I christen you Fluffy the three headed dog". However, other definitions refer to the receiving of one's Christian name, particularly during baptism. The word itself is derived from the ancient word for Christian. In the wizard world, if one uses the word christened, it is most likely being used according to the first definition, to name something, but with the understanding that Christ is there in the word, thereby linking the word to the Christian world.


This is only half of my findings from The Chamber of Secrets. Look for a continued examination of Christianity links from Harry's second year in the next installment of the series.

Christianity in Harry Potter's Wizarding World: The Sorcerer's Stone Part 2

Souls and Ghosts

-There are two phrases that Harry Potter hears his first day in the wizarding world that can be quickly missed at first. The bartender at the Leaky Cauldron, upon recognizing Harry as the famous Boy Who Lived, says "Good Lord" and "Bless my soul". First, the term "Good Lord". This is usually used as an address for the Christian God or Jesus Christ, which in today's world is used much more often in a lighthearted context. This term recognizes that God is both Good and that He is Lord. Meaning that at least this wizard, the bartender, has an idea of God as a "Good Lord".

Then there is the phrase "Bless my soul". Some definitions of bless include: to make something or someone holy by saying a special prayer, to ask God to take care of something or someone, and to provide someone or something with a desirable good.  Meaning that not only is the use of the word bless a positive statement, but it is also in a way a prayer, which makes it a spiritual statement. This reinforces the idea that there is a spiritual side to the wizarding world that is often quickly glossed over or seen under the surface value.

In this phrase we also are introduced to the concept of a soul in the wizarding world. Wizards throughout this series address the existence of souls (which is manifested in the existence of ghosts). Christians recognize that the soul is the spiritually eternal part of us that lives on even after we physically die on Earth. In the wizarding world, ghosts are proof of the soul.

-As the first year students await to enter the Great Hall, a group of about twenty ghosts enters the room. The ghosts are described as "Pearly-white and slightly transparent". Ghosts make frequent appearances throughout the Harry Potter series and they pretty much match what the modern concept of ghosts is in the terms of looks and abilities. However, we must quickly realize that these ghosts are the living souls of people who died. These are souls that interact with the physically living. Meaning that the wizard understanding of death and the afterlife is connected with the Christian understanding of Heaven (examined in the first post) as well as the soul.

-A major reason why the soul is important to Harry Potter is because of Voldemort. In the hospital after Harry's adventure to rescue the stone, Dumbledore tells Harry "Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort...". The connection between Voldemort and souls comes up throughout the series, but note that Dumbledore clearly speaks about the reality of souls and points out what connected Quirrell's soul and Voldemort's. Both wizards are connected by dark, wicked emotions and that connection leads them towards sinful actions. Speaking of sinful...

Sin

The engraving on the doors to Gringotts Bank begins with the phrase: "Enter, stranger, but take heed of what awaits the sin of greed". We have all probably heard of the seven deadly sins, right, and that one of them is greed? Well, what is sin?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that sin is first and foremost an offense against God and an abuse of the freedom that He gives us. Sin causes damage in one's relationship with God. It goes on to say that sin also damages one's relationship with the Catholic Church, though I think that sin can damage our relationships with all peoples, whether they are part of the Church or not. Sin is an act contrary to reason.

So, in the case of "the sin of greed" and its relation to Gringotts, being greedy could cause someone to try to steal something valuable or powerful. That act of stealing would be contrary to reason (especially with the special security at Gringotts). Greed at Gringotts would damage one's relationship with the people around them, whether it be the people that they steal from or the staff of Gringotts or the staff of Gringotts or anyone directly connected with the thief. And since the wizard's understanding of God, Heaven, and the afterlife has been addressed, acting upon the sin of greed would damage one's relationship with God and probably land them in the same area as Quirrell and Voldemort.

Christmas and Easter

The first of many times that Christmas is mentioned throughout the entire Harry Potter series begins in chapter 12 "The Mirror of Erised". This is the beginning of the Christmas holiday for Hogwarts.

This brings to the surface two interesting connections between the wizard's world and the Christian world. The first connection is the word holiday. In the modern English vernacular, holiday is more defined as vacation, which is how it is applied to Harry's experience in the wizarding world. However, the fact still remains that they use the word holiday. Break that down: holi-day, or rather holy day, as in Christmas-is-a-holy-day, as in "we're on break because we are celebrating a holy day". Christmas isn't the only holiday that the wizards celebrate. The mention of the Easter holidays is in chapter 14 "Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback".

The second connection is the word Christmas, which breaks down to Christ-mas (Christ-Mass). As stated in the first post, the wizards have an awareness of Jesus Christ and now we know that they even set a school break around the time that the Christian people celebrate Christ's birth. However, we never see wizards discussing Jesus Christ and we never see them going to church or even praying for that matter. Yet, they celebrate a holy day anyway, in the fashion of modern times of putting up decorations and giving each other presents on Christmas day.

Saints

While the main trio attempts to catch Snape in the acting of stealing the Sorcerer's Stone, Ron gets frustrated with Hermoine and says "Honestly, Hermoine, you think all teachers are saints or something". Saints can be taken in a couple different ways.

There is the Catholic understanding of saints, which is acknowledging that someone led a holy life of selflessness and charity by helping the poor and the needy and that person has become a part of a special community in Heaven by interceding in miraculous situations on Earth. There is also the more general Christian or worldly concept of saints, in which a saint is defined as a person who is virtuous, benevolent, and overall a good person, meaning that they can do no wrong and are always focused on the good and positive. I think in this case, Ron means to use the word "saints" in the latter understanding. Now, is Severus Snape worthy of being labeled a saint? That's for you to decide.

Now that many things have been defined through The Sorcerer's Stone, it's time to move on to The Chamber of Secrets in the next installment of the series

Saints: Role Models for Men- St. John de Brebeuf

I was first introduced to the legacy of this man by my friend Lee Brokaw, who was one of the FOCUS missionaries at Missouri State University during my first two years there.

St. John de Brebeuf was a missionary himself. He traveled with fellow French priests to the Canadian territory. He became one of the first Europeans to explore and chronicle the journey from Quebec to 800 miles west into mostly unfamiliar territory. There he became acquainted with the Huron people. He spent many years evangelizing to them, informing them of and showing them God and the Catholic faith, which they had never known before.

Just imagine the scene. Being far, far away from home or familiar civilization. Becoming part of a community that primarily speaks a foreign language and lives a lifestyle that is totally different than anything you experienced or grew up in, and trying to convert those people. Yet, St. John and his companions did just that in order to reach out to the Huron nation and help them develop their relationships with God. He lived among the people, got to know their customs, became fluent in their language, and wrote out a catechism for them.

St. John overcame obstacles in establishing his relationship with the people. They were, at first, very nervous about him because of his race and whenever something horrible like disease rampaged through, he would get the first blame. Yet, because of his perseverance, St. John managed to evangelize to the people effectively.

Eventually, members of the Iroquois tribe attacked the Huron and captured St. John de Brebeuf and his company. They were martyred in a very brutal, gory, horrific torture. Yet St. John persevered happily. He did not harbor harm or anger against his torturers and killers. He is said to have kissed the stake he was tied to while they slowly killed him and prayed during his torturous death.

St. John de Brebeuf, along with his company and other French missionaries, are great examples for those of us nervous of traveling to new places and unfamiliar territory. They show how to persevere whenever a situation proves difficult. St. John especially shows us how to treat all people with kindness and how to face death happily, rather than with anger in our hearts.

Christianity in Harry Potter's Wizarding World: The Sorcerer's Stone Part 1

This is the first part in the series of blog posts digging in to the references to Christian ideas and themes within the world of Harry Potter. In order to make things more succinct (i.e. not throw too much info out there at once), I will be breaking up each book into parts.

God and the Devil

-In the movie, Mr. Filch is escorting the main trio Harry, Ron, and Hermoine, along with Malfoy to detention with Hagrid. In 3 separate sentences within a couple of minutes, Mr. Filch says "God". However, he says it in a very casual, slang way each time. "God, I miss the screaming", "Good God, you're not still on about that dragon", and "Oh, for God's sake, man!"

That's a lot of mention about God, which would be pointless or not worth bringing up in a conversation if the wizarding world had no concept or knowledge of God. Through these sentences, we come to understand that God is some part of the wizarding world and that the wizards acknowledge God's existence. Granted, this is most likely a case of using contemporary slang and also, in an intense view, it takes the Lord's name in vain. However, it is important to realize that wizards have knowledge and awareness of God.

-One of the obstacles that the trio faces on their way to the hiding place of the Sorcerer's Stone is a plant provided by Professor Sprout. The plant is called Devil's Snare. I think this gives us a few insights into the wizarding world's understanding of the Devil. Notice I capitalize Devil, which is because it differentiates between the term devil, which can be applied to multiple things in a variety of ways, versus the Devil, which refers to the one singular being that is Lucifer the fallen angel.

First, wizards either know that there is such a thing as the Devil or think that something like the Devil exists. Just as God exists for wizards, so does the Devil. Second, the name of the plant tells us what the wizards think the devil does. The plant is a trick. At first, one thinks that it is soft, comforting vegetation then quickly it begins to wrap itself around you and restrains you. The more one struggles against the plant, the tighter it grips. Just as the devil traps people in sin through seemingly-appealing temptations, the plant ensnares its victims by appearing comforting at first.

Heaven

Early on in the story, we get a little glimpse into the wizarding world's concept of the afterlife. In the very beginning, on the night after Harry Potter becomes the Boy Who Lived, Professor McGonagall meets Professor Dumbledore outside the house of the Dursleys. As Professor McGonagall questions Professor Dumbledore about the true events that occurred at the scene where Voldemort failed to kill Harry, McGonagall says "but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?". At first glimpse, this may just seem like a nonchalant line full of British slang. In fact, a lot of the dialogue in this book seems to be full of modern slang, which is interesting since, as explained in the Introduction, the wizarding world tries its best to shut itself off from the Muggle world.

Anyway, McGonagall mentions heaven. This introduces us to the concept of the wizard's belief in life after death. McGonagall's brief mention of heaven can allow the reader to hypothesize that the wizard community does believe in a good, eternal resting place with God after life on Earth called heaven.

This mention of heaven is different from the mention of the plural form of heavens. For example, when Harry first enters the Great Hall of Hogwarts and looks up to the ceiling, the description states "It was hard to believe that there was a ceiling there at all, and that the Great Hall simply didn't open on to the heavens". This mention of heaven, heavens, is closer to the way that the centaurs use the term heavens. This is identifiable with the pagan phrasing of heavens, which is the cosmos, the universe, the stars in the sky that people of Earth look up to see.

B.C.

Now, here is a something that can be quickly overlooked. The sign over Ollivander's Wand Shop in Diagon Alley reads: "Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C." That B.C. at the end, as we all know, stands for "Before Christ". Meaning that wizards have some understanding or familiarity with the life of Jesus Christ and organize their timeline according to Christ's life.

Again, this goes back to and connects with the idea that the wizard world is separate from the Muggle world. The wizards could have their own way of telling time, marking days, and forming their own wizard calendars. Instead, they follow the Muggle format of 12 months that include October, December, and May and they mark their timeline based on B.C. and A.D.. They could have months like Gryfember, Merlinuary, and Percelvay, and they could mark their time according to some other major event in their history, but they follow the Muggle format (which was started by Catholic Christians).

At some point in history, Christians interacted with wizards enough to influence the wizarding world's calendar and track of the year. This is a huge influence, meaning that the wizards at some point in the past were greatly connected with the Christian community.

Friars and Monks

-One of the ghosts that everyone first meets at Hogwarts is the ghost known as the Fat Friar, the ghost of Hufflepuff House. In the next installment, I will discuss ghosts and souls, but the identity of this particular ghost is what most interests me. I think the character of the Fat Friar gives the reader some insight into the history of the wizarding world. At some point, wizards came in contact with Christian missionaries like monks. Meaning that the wizards have had direct contact with Christianity at some point in their history. This shows that religious men like friars have reached out to wizards. Now one of them, the Fat Friar, spends his afterlife as a living soul floating around Hogwarts, keeping that connection between wizards and Christians going to the present time.

-One of the potions ingredients that Snape asks Harry about on the first day of class is called monkshood. As in monks hood or monk's hood. While this is not a tremendous find, I think it shows that wizards have been connected with Christians long enough to know what a monk's hood or what a monk with a hood on looks like. Whoever had discovered this particular potion ingredient must have particularly been connected with an order of monks.

The next installment in this series will continue to explore findings from the first book in the Harry Potter series.

Christianity in Harry Potter's Wizarding World: Introduction

I think it was while reading the last Harry Potter book that I began to notice more and more references to Christianity in the wizarding world of Harry Potter. I also remember during my last year of college, running down to a friend's room as he was watching one of the Harry Potter movies (Sorcerer's Stone, I believe). It was a scene around Christmas time and I mentioned the fact that the wizards celebrated the season of Christmas without celebrating the reason for the season (with Christ right there in the name).

Here's the thing. It's explained in the books that the wizards really try to separate their world from the Muggle (non-magic) world as best as they can. That's kind of tricky to do when many wizards and witches at Hogwarts come from Muggle families. However, for the most part, wizards do not really understand Muggle money, transportation, occupations, and other references to the Muggle world because of that separation between the worlds. Yet, somehow the Christian religion and references to Christianity are still a part of the wizarding world, which is why they celebrate holidays like Christmas and Easter or they say things like "heaven" and "soul".

So, since it's summer time and there's supposed to be a lot more free time for fun things like reading and writing, I've decided to begin a sort of research project. The research is actually pretty fun. Read the whole Harry Potter series and watch the movies that go along with them. Along the way, I take notes at references to Christianity. This isn't focused on things like "Harry Potter as the Christ-like figure versus Voldemort the Devil" or "Which characters represent the seven deadly sins", but rather just how the society of wizards references Christianity and what that means for the Christian religion in the wizarding world. I put down these notes on the blog and expand upon them in order to fully grasp the Christian influence on Harry Potter's wizarding world.

Will I be reading too much into most things and probably digging deeper than necessary? Oh yeah, it's most likely that J.K. Rowling did not intend to make as many references to Christianity as I may find. However, if it's there in the books or it's in the movies, meaning it's a part of that world, then I will explore it as best I can. Besides, if people can write fan-fiction, then why can't I write research notes and put them up on here? Also, you may be wondering why I am focused so much on Christianity and not other world religions or just religion in general if I want to find religious influences in Harry Potter. Well, I'm a Catholic-Christian writer, J.K. Rowling is a Christian writer, Britain/ Europe has an extensive history of Christian influence, and seriously there are quotes from the Bible in the last book.

So, look for parts of the series to be posted soon and for new ones to be posted sporadically throughout the rest of this summer.

P.S.-It was super difficult to find a decent picture on Google Images. Most of it was either normal Harry Potter stuff or anti-Harry Potter images from Christian groups deeply opposed to Harry Potter. Why isn't there more good stuff available when one types "Harry Potter Christianity"? Also, last thought, I really hope this can help anti-Harry Potter people find something good or something to like about the series.

Saints: Role Models for Men- St. Anthony Claret & the Blessed Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro

It's a double header today. Mainly because I wanted to write about the martyrs from Barbastro, yet figured it would be good to introduce the founder of their order first, whom I also wanted to write about. So, here we go!

St. Anthony Claret

First off, no, this is not the St. Anthony that you ask to help you find lost items. St. Anthony Claret is a Spanish priest and bishop. At age 42, he established a religious institute of missionaries with five priests. This became the Claretian Order, members of whom I have met at Catholic Campus Ministry in Springfield. He lived back in the 19th century and became officially canonized in 1950. There are many reasons why I think St. Anthony Claret is a tremendous role model for men.

Jack of All Trades & World Traveler

He was a Weaver and Designer in textile mills in Barcelona. He learned Latin and Printing while working in the mills as well. He was mainly a Writer and Missionary after he became a priest. I'm always impressed whenever I come across men who are multi-talented, and St. Anthony Claret is definitely a man who had experience in a variety of areas. I also am inspired by people who enjoy writing.

This man helped establish Religious Publishing House, a Catholic publishing company in Spain, and wrote or published over 200 pieces of literature. He was able to write about something he is passionate about, which is something we should always strive for in any area of our work. He also traveled to places like Paris, the Canary Islands, Cuba, Madrid, and the Vatican for the First Vatican Council. What guy doesn't have an urge to go on a journey to far away places and experience adventures around the world?

Dedication of Faith

St. Anthony Claret always placed emphasis on the Eucharist and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, whether on mission or retreat or whenever. Both of these, the Eucharist and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, play a huge role in the life of Claretians today. It is said that the Rosary did not leave his hand. St. Anthony Claret also reformed the Archdiocese of Santiago, Cuba, as its bishop. He was known for hearing lots of confessions. He also became infamous in his diocese for opposing concubinage and instructing slaves. It takes courage to stand up for truth amid opposition, but St. Anthony Claret did just that in order to help his diocese grow closer to God.

Assassination Attempt

This man faced an assassin and lived! An assassin in Cuba was hired, but failed to kill St. Anthony Claret. The assassin managed to slash him across his face and wrist before being captured. However, when the assassin was on the verge of receiving the death penalty, St. Anthony Claret intervened and managed to get his would-be killer a prison term instead. He showed us how to be merciful and forgiving by helping save the life of a man who tried to kill him.

Queen

After returning to Spain, he was asked to become the Chaplain to the Queen. However, he did so on three conditions: He resided outside of the palace, he only came to hear the Queen's confessions or to instruct the children, and he would be exempt from court. I think this shows a great example for all of us because St. Anthony did not seek power and politics, but he still preached and did his duty wherever he was called.


Blessed Claretian Martyrs of Barbastro, Spain

I learned of these men when I came to Catholic Campus Ministry. At CCM, there is a beautiful mural that greets visitors. It is a painting of the 51 men, the seminarians, brothers, and priests that were killed in the midst of the Spanish Civil War.

Many of these men were between the ages of 21 and 25. Those that were not killed immediately were imprisoned and awaited execution.

Yet, every single one of them remained faithful to God! They all willingly accepted their martyrdom with joy. They were also very forgiving of their executors and shared their happiness to die for Jesus Christ in notes that they left for their loved ones on Earth.

All of us men, especially men my age, can learn from these martyrs how to joyfully accept God's will and be forgiving and loving towards all people, especially those who persecute or hurt us.

Saints: Role Models for Men-St. Padre Pio

Originally born Francesco Forgione in the southern Italian town of Pietrelcina (which is why he is also known as St. Pio or Pius of Pietrelcina), St. Padre Pio is one of the most modern saints. He was born in 1887 and passed away in 1968. As I mentioned in a previous post, I learned of this holy man after a group of friends in college named their house after him. Below, I have written various facts of his life and explain why St. Padre Pio is a great saint for men to look up to.

Young Model of Faith

At a young age, he began making devotions to God and start the path to priesthood. Part of his devotion was doing intense penances, such as sleeping on the stone floor and using a rock as a pillow. St. Padre Pio became a novice of the Capuchin Order at the age of fifteen and became a priest by 1910. It was after becoming a priest that he became known as Padre Pio rather than Francesco. It seems that he knew what his vocation in life was meant to be early on and began to develop habits and his faith life to help him after he became a priest.

Stigmata

This is one of the aspects of his life that he is most famous for. It was in 1918 that he received the stigmata, and was the first priest in the history of the Catholic Church to receive it. The stigmata is, in essence, the visible signs of the crucifixion on the body of someone who is not Jesus Christ. Although he considered it an annoyance at first, St. Padre Pio carried the marks of the crucifixion on his hands, feet, and his side for the rest of his life. When he died, 50 years later, the marks of the stigmata disappeared from his body.

Supernatural Abilities

St. Padre Pio had many other gifts which were spiritual in nature. He was known to have the gift of bilocation, meaning that he was in two different places at the same time. He was also known to be able to read and understand the hearts of the people who came to him in the confessional for Reconciliation. Majority of these people he had never met before, and yet he knew private, personal moments of their life. I think this shows St. Padre Pio's devotion to aiding those in need of God. He wanted to be in many places in order to help many people and he helped by absolving them in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, even if it was tough and painful for them to confession these sins.

Spiritual Advisor

In one of my previous posts, I presented one of St. Padre Pio's most famous quotes: "Pray, hope, and don't worry". I think this shows his philosophy towards faith and is a great bit of advice for those of us who worry a lot but need to pray more often (including myself).

Many pilgrims came to see him at the friary in order to have him hear their confessions. It is said that often St. Padre Pio would spend his whole day in the confessional, with only small breaks for times like Mass and sleep.

It is said that as a spiritual director, he had five key points of spiritual growth: weekly confession, daily Communion, spiritual reading, meditation, and examination of conscience. These are definitely parts of faith that I need to implement in my own life. Each of these points are different ways of being with God, listening to Him, growing closer to Him in order to be spiritually strong enough to take on the tasks that we need to complete, just like St. Padre Pio.

The Sick

One of the stories of St. Padre Pio is that Pope St. John Paul II once wrote to him in the 60s when the future pope and saint was just Archbishop Karol Wojtyla. The archbishop wrote on behalf of a woman who was dealing with throat cancer, asking St. Padre Pio to pray for her. The story is that, two weeks later, the woman was completely healed. St. Padre Pio was known for helping those who were sick and in need of his healing

He was known for overcoming illnesses as a child as well. Also, when he was drafted into the army during World War I, it was discovered that he had tuberculosis so that he was discharged, though he quickly healed and went back to life as a priest at a friary. Because of his desire to help the sick around him, St. Padre Pio inspired the construction of a hospital close to the friary.


St. Padre Pio truly modeled for all of us men how to care for the sick and needy. He showed us how to devote our lives to God and discern His will for our lives. St. Padre Pio endured his sufferings with faith and love, which is why so many people came to him for guidance. I would like to be the kind of man that people come to for aid and guidance. I would like to be the kind of man that helps people heal. Not to mention, St. Padre Pio also had a pretty sweet beard, which does not necessarily correlate with him being a spiritual role model, but definitely as a manly role model. I want to pray, hope, and not worry and devote myself to God similar to how St. Padre Pio did.