In my homily, last weekend, I ended with a quote from St. Padre Pio, a Capuchin monk from Italy who died in 1968 (50 years ago) and was canonized by then Pope John Paul II on June 16, 2002.  I would challenge you to find out more about this modern day saint who so longed to be united with Christ, that he was miraculously given the "stigmata" (the woulds of Christ in his hands, feet and side) and suffered the effects of those wounds for fifty years until they disappeared close to the time of his death.  He was a powerful intercessor before the throne of God in his life and after his death as well.

I want to quote from a book, Padre Pio's Spiritual Direction For Everyday" by Gianluigi Pasquale which gives a different quote from the writings of Padre Pio for every day of the year.  The March 6 quote that was written to his spiritual director says this:  "I am experiencing a very strong desire - without ever attaining it most of the time - to live every moment of my life loving the Lord.  But I say, with a heavy heart, with consternation in my soul, and with shame on my face, my desires do not in fact correspond to the reality.  It takes only the least little thing for me to get agitated."   This humble statement, written in 1917, shows us that this future saint, who was close to Christ, still, at times, gave in to the temptations of the devil.  Though he was renowned as a great "Confessor," it is clear that he also went to Confession throughout his life in humble and confident surrender to God's mercy.  I hope you do the same and will come to the mercy of God and receive his powerful grace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation in Lent and/or in the Easter season, especially leading up to Divine Mercy Sunday, April 8.

Our parish Lenten Reconciliation Service is coming up on Tuesday, March 20, at 6:00 p.m.  We will hopefully have at least eight priests on hand to reconcile us individually with God and His Church.  Mark your calendar and plan to join us.  Padre Pio knew how much he needed to encounter God's mercy, and I pray all of us do as well.  Look on the front of the bulletin for other times for Reconciliation and know that I will offer more times, especially on Good Friday morning.