WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM PADRE PIO ON ABORTION?

September 23rd marks the feast day of St. Padre Pio. He is a stigmatist, a humble priest, and most importantly a prophet of the 20th Century.

One of the topics that he prophesizes about is abortion. Since 1978, abortion has been legal in Italy. As a result, more than six million babies have been aborted.

Father Pellegrino Funicelli, who assisted Padre Pio for many years, once confronted the saint on the sin, asking him:

“Today you denied absolution to a woman because she had voluntarily undergone an abortion. Why have you been so rigorous with this poor unfortunate?” (Padre Pio would sometimes refuse to give absolution to a penitent if they showed insufficient contrition; often they would return, and he’d give absolution if they were sincere).

Padre Pio responded: “The day that people lose their horror for abortion will be the most terrible day for humanity. Abortion is not only a homicide but also a suicide. Shouldn’t we have the courage to manifest our faith before those who commit two crimes within one act?

“Suicide?” asked Father Pellegrino.

“The suicide of the human race will be understood by those who will see the earth populated by the elderly and depopulated of children: burnt as a desert,” Padre Pio replied.

The friar instructed Fr. Pellegrino to run to the woman he had counseled that morning and take back what he had said regarding abortion. Fr. Pellegrino complied and told the woman that Padre Pio said she would save her child. A few months later, the woman gave birth to a beautiful girl. Eight years later, this girl returned to Padre Pio, who was just months from death, and received her first Communion from him.

For 50 years, America has committed not just suicide to its nation with low birth and fertility rates but also genocide. 63 million lives were lost. Thankfully, Roe was overturned by the Supreme Court of the United State, yet pro-lifers have much work to do to make abortion unthinkable.

Let’s take the first step in helping women find better healthcare for themselves and the precious life they carry in their wombs.