St. Bede the Venerable Parish in Holland will host its third annual Padre Pio Festival the weekend of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14-16, in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of St. Pio of Pietrelcina and the 100th anniversary of his miraculous stigmata.
Relics of Padre Pio, which are normally housed in the Philadelphia Monastery of the Carmelite Sisters, will be on public exhibit. The private collection includes Padre Pio’s glove, tunic, blood particles from his stigmata and a cushion he used to kneel when praying for the sick.
Special Masses will be celebrated on Saturday evening, Sept. 15 at 5:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, Sept. 16 at 12:30 p.m. with Father Keith Chylinski as homilist.
A street procession and healing service, with confessions and blessing with relics, will follow the Sunday Mass. Buses are welcome. Plenty of free parking, food vendors, live free entertainment, tents and tables will be available.
The festival weekend starts off with a Teen and Young Adult Holy Hour on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m., followed by games, music and food vendors. Father Jason Buck, parochial vicar for St. Eleanor Parish in Collegeville, will be the homilist at the holy hour.
For more details on the festival visit padrepiofestivalhollandpa.com or call 215-357-5720.
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The fascination of Catholics with St. Pio makes me wonder if they realize that we worship God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and NOT St. Pio.