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Theology of the Heart- the Saints |
Padre
Pio and our lady of fatima
Padre Pio daily
expressed his special devotion to Our Lady of Fatima as he knelt and
prayed at Her shrine within the monastery, before a large picture
surrounded by burning candles. Indeed, he credited the Virgin of
Fatima with saving his life.
In 1959, the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima visited Italy. At
the same time Padre Pio became very ill and was diagnosed with a
fatal, cancerous tumor. On August 6, the statue of Our Lady arrived
in San Giovanni Rotondo. Rising from his sick bed, Padre Pio prayed
before the statue and kissed Her feet. As the statue left by
helicopter, he said: "O Mother of mine, when you came to Italy, you
found me with this sickness. You came to visit me here in San
Giovanni and found me still suffering from it. Now you are leaving
and I am not delivered from my illness!"
As Padre Pio spoke this prayer, a miracle occurred. High above the
monastery, the helicopter with Our Lady’s statue suddenly circled
the building three times. The pilot would later say that he could
not explain why. At the same time, Padre Pio felt a shudder
immediately run through him. His body was penetrated by a flow of
light and he felt the tumor burst. He cried out, "I am healed! Our
Lady has healed me!"
"Thank the Virgin of Fatima for me," he subsequently wrote. "On the
very day She left here, I felt well again. I have been back to
celebrate Mass since three days ago."
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the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary
