Preparing to Celebrate the Feast of St. Pio of Pietrelcina

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Padrepio

“Pray, hope, and don’t worry! Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer. Prayer is the best weapon we have; it is the key to God’s heart. You must speak to Jesus not only with your lips but with your heart. In fact, on certain occasions, you should speak to Him only with your heart.”--St. Pio

Padre Pio is one of those saints who found me when I was pregnant with Sarah Anne. Someone suggested to me that I beg his intercession for Sarah's safe delivery and mine. When I started looking for a "Padre Pio" novena to pray before his late September feast, I learned that he prayed the Sacred Heart novena daily for the intentions of all who asked his prayers. So, I began that devotion nine days before his feast.

On the Feast of St. Pio, I hemorrhaged, and ended up in the hospital on total bedrest, anti-contraction medications being pumped furiously into my body. By baby was 28 weeks in utero. Needless to say, Padre Pio and I were off to a bit of a rocky start. But I had several novenas going simultaneously at the time and I truly did have a sense of peace that this was all part of the grand plan. The NICU nurse practitioner who ultimately ended up caring for Sarah said that she was sure I was going to deliver that night. I never thought it a remote possibility.

September 23rd, the feast of Padre Pio, is also the day that the Saint Therese novena begins. For me, that's a beautiful connection.

We'll pray the Sacred Heart novena in preparation for the feast.

Padre Pio was a Capuchin, a whimsical reason we include cappuccino in our tea time treats. Usually, I blend some bottled Frappucino with ice and serve with straws or I mix ice and instant espresso and milk in the blender. And "cappuccino" cookies make a nice accompaniment.

  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons instant coffee powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Beat the shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, vanilla and milk until fluffy.
  3. Dissolve the coffee powder in a little water (just enough to get rid of the granules). Add to the wet ingredients.
  4. Stir the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, spices.  Add to sugar mixture and mix thoroughly.
  5. Chocolate chips can be added here. Just saying;-)
  6. Shape dough in 1 inch balls. If it's too soft, chill it for a while. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Flatten to 1/8 inch thickness with fork or glass dipped in sugar.
  7. Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees CV) for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned.

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart

O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, ask and it will be given you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.’ Behold, I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of... Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

II. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, He will give it to you.’ Behold, in Your name, I ask the Father for the grace of... Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, You have said, ‘Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.’ Encouraged by Your infallible words, I now ask for the grace of... Our Father... Hail Mary... Glory be to the Father... Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us poor sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of You, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate heart of Mary, Your tender mother and ours.

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!Our life, our sweetness, and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley, of tears.Turn, then, most gracious advocate,thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus; O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us  

Icon available at Bridge Building Images.