Pilgrimage to Padre Pio relics

Many pilgrims brought religious items to touch to one of these relics.  Stella Hatch for South Texas Catholic

Sister Teresa Diaz, PCI receives a blessing from a lady in Brownsville who assists pilgrims with the relics at the Basilica de la Virgen de San Juan. 

Stella Hatch for South Texas Catholic
 

Pilgrims from all over south Texas and northern Mexico traveled to see, venerate and touch the relics of St. Padre Pio at the Basilica of Our Lady of  San Juan de Valle on Oct. 9. 

Many devotees brought their own religious items to touch to the relics so that their items would become third class relics.

Father Don Downey, Chaplain of Pax Christi Chapel, celebrated Mass for pilgrims at 6 a.m. that morning at Pax Christi Chapel in Corpus Christi. Afterward three bus-loads including two priests; 10 Pax Christi sisters and 143 Padre Pio devotees made their way to San Juan with envelopes filled with petitions; intentions; rosaries; Padre Pio prayer cards and medals. 

Upon arrival and seeing the long lines of worshippers, hearts raced with joy and anticipation. Though the lines were long, the movement was constant, and pilgrims were in the Basilica shortly. The six relics available for public veneration included Saint Pio's glove; Saint Pio's crusts of the wounds; Cotton-gauze with Saint Pio's blood stains; A lock of Saint Pio's hair; Saint Pio's mantle; Saint Pio's handkerchief soaked with his sweat hours before he died.

Six relics available for public veneration. The relics include Saint Pio's glove; Saint Pio's crusts of the wounds; Cotton-gauze with Saint Pio's blood stains; A lock of Saint Pio's hair; Saint Pio's mantle; Saint Pio's handkerchief soaked with his sweat hours before he died. Stella Hatch for South Texas Catholic

The Padre Pio Relics Pilgrimage left the faithful with full hearts, faith and hope as they left their petitions, prayers, worries and burdens at the foot of the Cross.  As Padre Pio said: “Prayer is the oxygen of the soul.”

The PAX Christi Sisters felt honored to have Father Downey and Father Jaison Mathew of St. Peter Prince of the Apostle church concelebrate the 11:30 a.m. Mass at the Basilica. Pilgrims joining us came from Annaville, Calallen, Corpus Christi, Robstown, Banquete, Alice, Orange Grove, Odem, Sinton, Kingsville, Portland, Beeville, George West, and Three Rivers.

The Saint Pio Foundation sponsored this historic tour of the United States, celebrating the 50th commemoration anniversary of his passing. 

Padre Pio, a friar, priest, stigmatist and mystic was known for his piety and charity and the gift of the stigmata.  He was recognized for his gifts of levitation, bilocation, the ability to perform miracles and his special ability to read the souls of individuals in the confessional.  

At the age of 31, Padre Pio became the first stigmatized priest in the history of the Catholic Church.  The painful wounds and marks of the stigmata that he bore on his hands, feet, and side for 50 years appeared on Sept. 20, 1918, while he was praying before a crucifix.

Surrendered to death on Sept. 23, 1968, at the age of 81, Padre Pio died as he had lived, with a rosary in hand.  He loved to pray the rosary and encouraged other people to do the same. He felt that through prayer and meditation the soul could be brought into union with God.

Saint Padre Pio was canonized on June 16, 2002, by Pope Saint John Paul II.  
 

The altar at the Basilica of Our Lady of  San Juan de Valle. Stella Hatch for South Texas Catholic