Fr Paul Gooley reads from the Gospel of Luke (8: 16-18) in which Jesus says ‘no one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so people may see the light when they come in’. Afterwards Fr Paul shares a little about St Padre Pio, whose memorial we celebrate today.

Fr Paul says St Padre Pio was born in the small village in southern Italy and joined the Capuchin friars at the age of 16. He became a priest seven years later and spent fifty years at the monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo, where he was very much sought after as a spiritual advisor, confessor, and intercessor. Many miracles were popularly ascribed to him during his lifetime. He died a few days after the fiftieth anniversary of his receiving the stigmata (the wounds of Christ), and over 100,000 people attended his funeral.

So today, Fr Paul says we remember him and ask, ‘St Padre Pio…Pray for us!’