St. (Padre) Pio of Pietrelcina is universally acclaimed as one of the most venerated contemporary saints of the Catholic Church. He was a friar of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin, born in a little town in the South of Italy (Pietrelcina), and later moved to the town of San Giovanni Rotondo, in Puglia, at the age of 29.
There, then Padre Pio (now Saint Pio, proclaimed a Saint on June 16, 2002) lived until his death (September 23, 1968) and received millions of people from all over the world in search of miracles to cure their bodies and healing for their souls. Saint Pio was in fact a friar of many spiritual gifts, including those of prophecy and bilocation.
On September 20, 1918 he received the five wounds of Jesus Christ’s passion (the stigmata), making him the first stigmatized priest in the history of the Catholic Church. Countless people were attracted to his confessional where he frequently spent 18 hours a day, and many received his saintly counsel and spiritual guidance through correspondence.
However, Padre Pio considered the founding of the hospital “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza“ his greatest “Work” on earth. Today his “Casa” is an international referral hospital with over 1,000 inpatient beds, renown both in Italy and abroad. The hospital provides the highest quality medical care, scientific research and training with the aim of promoting and protecting the integrity of the whole person according to the principles of Christian Charity and Catholic Morals. The hospital was entrusted to the Holy Father by Saint Pio, and is now owned by the Holy See.
In the United States of America Saint Pio is also very well known thanks to several thousand devotees. This includes a large network of over 100 U.S. Padre Pio Prayer Groups, part of an international network of prayer groups formed by Padre Pio in his lifetime to provide continuous prayers and support for the mission and vision of the Casa hospital.
The Saint Pio Foundation was founded in April 2014 to expand and promote the work of the great Saint. This new Foundation is a national Catholic charity dedicated to evangelization through the promotion of the spiritual charism of Saint Pio. The creators of this inspired Foundation, Mr. Jere Palazzolo (President of Catholic Healthcare International) and Maestro Luciano Lamonarca (acclaimed Italian Tenor recently established in New York), both share the same passion and devotion for the great Saint, and have both been involved in numerous initiatives in the health and socio-humanitarian fields.
The funds raised by the Saint Pio Foundation are used primarily to establish faithful Catholic medical facilities, medical schools and shrines in the United States of America, in accord with the charism of St. (Padre) Pio: “Clinics for the body and the soul” to serve the “twice Jesus in the poor and wretched” for those in need of “relief of suffering”. Another important goal of the Saint Pio Foundation is to commit part of the funds it distributes as donations to support the Hospital “Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza” in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.
The activity of the Saint Pio Foundation is led by the Board of Directors, and guided by members of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, Elected Officials, leaders of the US Armed Forces, and supported by the talents and efforts of leaders in many fields, including well-known personalities of Cinematography, Music and Entertainment.
The Saint Pio Foundation is structured in a very unique way, to encompass the support of important authorities and personalities at both national and international levels. In addition to the Board of Directors, with Mr. Jere Palazzolo its President and Maestro Luciano Lamonarca its CEO, the Foundation is guided by a Religious Advisory Board chaired by His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, Prefect of The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura; a Military Advisory Committee chaired by His Excellency Timothy P. Broglio, Archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, US; an Elected Officials Advisory Committee chaired by Hon. Robert Astorino, Westchester County Executive (NY); and Goodwill Ambassadors with leadership support provided by the acclaimed international Hollywood Actor Joe Mantegna. Mr. Mantegna is also currently working with the Saint Pio Foundation on the production of a Hollywood film on the life of Saint Pio.
The Saint Pio Foundation counts on raising funds to achieve its goals through a variety of initiatives and cultural events. Priests, families and individual donors have the opportunity to support the great work of the foundation by actively participating in three unique initiatives called “A Priest for Saint Pio“, “United for Saint Pio” and “Singing for Saint Pio“.
Other important ways of supporting the Saint Pio Foundation are becoming a Sponsor of the Foundation, and/or a Spiritual Son or Daughter, for the most heroic and generous donors. The most significant event of the Foundation, The Saint Pio Award Ceremony, will recognize their selfless and outstanding contribution to the Catholic Church.
For more information about the Saint Pio Foundation, please visit www.saintpiofoundation.org, or call (636) 220-6550 or email to info@saintpiofoundation.org
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