Padre Pio, Confession and the Rosary

Last year I attended the Syracuse Catholic Women’s Conference with a friend and it was a fantastic experience. There were engaging speakers, time for prayer and devotions, Confession, and Mass with the bishop.

I remember sitting and waiting my turn for Confession. There were a number of diocesan priests hearing confessions and many good nuns assisting to make the wait easier for us. I quickly noticed that a number of ladies didn’t mind waiting for a certain priest. I was curious about that. From a distance the priest’s side profile reminded me of Padre Pio.

When it was my turn one of the nuns pointed to the confessional of the priest that looked like Padre Pio. At once I felt very comfortable because the priest was very attentive, genuinely kind and easy to talk to. As the priest was granting me absolution he gently touched my forehead. It was such a warm gesture. As I was thanking the good-hearted priest I asked his name. He told me, “I’m Father Dellos from Utica.” There was a joy that he radiated.

I remember feeling so much gratitude that day. I told my friend that I felt like I was being showered with so many blessings all day long.

The following quote is by Padre Pio. This is one of my favorite quotes about the Blessed Mother and the Rosary.

“Go to the Madonna. Love her! Always say the Rosary. Say it well. Say it as often as you can! Be souls of prayer. Never tire of praying, it is what is essential. Prayer shakes the Heart of God, it obtains necessary graces!” - St. Pio of Pietrelcina

Pictured is a statue of Padre Pio given by my sister in law as well as a children's Rosary she got from a pilgrimage to Fatima, Portugal. Beside Padre Pio is a sleeping St. Joseph statue and on the other side is a picture of my paternal grandmother (a devout Catholic who helped convert her husband and many of his family members to the Catholic faith). St. Pio of Pietrelcina, please pray for us!

Ash Wednesday

It's very rare for me to be up by 6:00 or 6:15 in the morning.  I've never been an early bird.  But yesterday morning was different because it's the start of the Lenten season and my family and I attended Mass for Ash Wednesday.  Even our five year old had to get up! 

There were two takeaways from the priest's homily.  He said, "You are dirt!"  We are reminded of Original Sin and that we are a sinful people.  Our bodies will die but our souls will live forever.  

I really resonated with the second takeaway.  Father said, "Prayer is like breathing.  It is necessary."

Prayer really needs to be our everything and I think it's the perfect Lenten activity to start again with God if someone's been away from the Church or feels like they're just going through the motions because they have to.  One young lady who I am health coaching picked the word "prayer" for her word theme for 2018.  Prayer is the best way to tighten our relationship or lack of relationship with Jesus.    

The saints can teach us how to pray.  Not only did St. Pio of Pietrelcina and St. Jean Baptiste Marie Vianney spend countless hours in the confessional reconciling people to God, these two holy priests had such a deep, rich, unwavering relationship with Jesus and Mary.  

I love this beautiful quote by St. Jean Vianney.

My little children, your hearts, are small, but prayer stretches them and makes them capable of loving God.  Through prayer we receive a foretaste of heaven and something of paradise comes down upon us.  Prayer never leaves us without sweetness.  It is honey that flows into the souls and makes all things sweet.  When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun.

Doesn't that sound so poetic?  Let us open our hearts to our loving Father and let us do all that we can to make this Lent the best Lent ever so that one day we may enter into His everlasting embrace.

“You are dirt!”

“Prayer is like breathing.  It is necessary.”

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