Rev. Fr Alfonso Picone
Rector/Founder

Pia Ramadanovic
President

Armando Cerquozzi
Vice President

Qua Le
Treasurer

Theresa Petrone
Book Keeper

Rose Gresh
Secretary

Father Gian Domenico Flora
Vice Rector/Rosary

Emilio DeAngelis
Choir Director

Francesco Forgione was born in the small southern town of Pietrelcina, Italy on May 25, 1887 to Maria Giuseppa de Nunzio Forgione and Grazio Mario Forgione. His parents named him Francisco in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. Other children in the family were an older brother, Michele; three younger sisters: Felicita, Pellegrina and Grazia; and two children who died as infants.

Because religion was the center of life for the Forgione family, at an early age, Francisco felt a strong devotion to follow Christ and to the priesthood. So at the age of fifteen years old, he entered the Capuchin Friars. In 1902, he received his habit and in 1910, Francisco was ordained to priesthood with the name of Padre Pio.

On September 20, 1918, while praying, Jesus and Mary appeared to him and gave him the visible wounds of Christ’s crucifixion, the Stigmata. For Padre Pio’s doctors, the wounds created much confusion. He asked Jesus to take away "the annoyance," adding, "I do want to suffer, even to die of suffering, but all in secret." He bore the stigmata for fifty years until his death. The blood from the stigmata gave off a scent of perfume. Padre Pio was the first priest in the history of the Church to receive the stigmata. (St. Francis was a Deacon).

For over 50 years, Padre Pio endured indescribable sufferings, both physical and spiritual. He was deeply devoted to God and the Blessed Eucharist and Blessed Lady and knew that there is no problem, material or spiritual, national or international, that cannot be solved by the holy Rosary and our sacrifices. During the day he recited several dozens of Rosaries. A few hours before he died, as those around him urged him to speak a few more words, all he could say was: "Love the Blessed Virgin and make Her loved. Always say the Rosary!

He heard confessions ten or twelve hours a day because he had the ability to read what was in people’s hearts. Padre Pio used the confessional to bring both sinners and devout souls closer to God and many more received his saintly and spiritual guidance through correspondence. On September 23, 1968, Padre Pio was called to heaven. God used Padre Pio – especially the news of his stigmata – to give people hope as they began to rebuild their life after the war. Padre Pio and his spiritual gifts of the stigmata, perfume, prophecy and bilocation was a sign of God in their midst and led people back to their Faith. On March 20, 1983 the Diocesan Process began to make Padre Pio a Saint. The process was closed on January 21, 1990. One May 2, 1999 Pope John Paul II declared Padre Pio Blessed and on June 16, 2002, Pope John Paul II declared Padre Pio a Saint. E viva Santo Padre Pio!