This was the first year that we had a Padre Pio prayer group in our Church. So the celebrations for the annual feast day were prepared with a novena, prayers of the Vespers, a special Mass at 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 23. Tears were shed, prayers were answered and conversions took place. We did not attract a large crowd but the faithful ones were all there even from the neighboring parishes, and they were not few.

The new pastor, Bro. Vittorio Boria, ofm cap., presided over the concelebration and with Fr. Henry Alva, ofm cap., alternated in leading the prayers in English and Italian.



A blessing with the special relic of the saint an authenticated piece of cloth that the saint used to wipe the blood from his side wound and which was exposed for the veneration of the faithful.

Actually, considering that on that day so many celebrations in honor of P. Pio were being held in different Churches, like the big procession at the St. Francis' parish in College, the traditional celebration at St. Philip's on Jane Str., the laying of the cornerstone for a new P. Pio's Shrine in Woodbridge, we can say that that turnout at our parish was not small. A wishful dream is that our prayer group one day will travel to the very tomb of P. Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo, in Italy . In the meantime we continue to be faithful to the monthly prayer meetings, and may his blessings and protection accompany us and bring a renewal in our parish.

A fraternal sharing and an agape in the hall of the Parish brought us closer to the Communion of the Saints which we pray will be part of in its fullness in heaven in the Company of Jesus and the saints.