Vacation Rerun: Saints Alive! Padre Pio and the Stigmata: Sanctity on Trial

While choosing posts to re-visit on These Stone Walls, I decided to begin and end the month of May with tributes to our patron saints, St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Pio of Pietrelcina. Saint Padre Pio has shown himself behind these stone walls - the ones I live within - to be a Patron Saint for those who suffer injustice and choose to surrender that suffering to the transforming power of grace.An example of the subtle ways Saint Padre Pio has been an inspiration is this: I decided to end the month of May by asking readers to re-visit this post in his honor, but I had no idea at the time that today, 25 May, is also Saint Padre Pio's birthday. Francesco Forgione, who became the modern world's most beloved Saint Padre Pio, was born 124 years ago today on 25 May 1887 to Mario Forgione and Maria Giuseppa de Nunzio Forgione in Pietrelcina, Italy. On the next day, 26 May 1887, he was baptized.I invite TSW readers to join us in honoring Saint Padre Pio on his birthday. Click here to visit "Saints Alive! Padre Pio and the Stigmata: Sanctity on Trial.”