Triple Novena Triple Post for Padre Pio's Feast (part 1)

It's our darling father Padre Pio's feast day - the day he entered into the joy of our Father and saw Jesus face to Face at last! Hooray and Alleluia! But before we forget, let's say the closing prayer in our novena to him, which ends today, just before we say our opening prayer in Therese's novena, which starts today! If you think we're having too much fun, you're absolutely right, but it's hard to know what else to do with so many saints surrounding us with God's love! Here we go then:

O Blessed Padre Pio,
holy bearer of the wounds of Christ,
accept us this day as your spiritual sons and daughters
and keep us always on the Little Way by your intercession.
And do thou, O our Spiritual Father,
relieve our suffering and the suffering of those we love, and then
stay there at the Gates of Heaven, as you promised,
until all of your spiritual children have entered through,
even and including us and all those we love.
Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
And while we're in such a prayerful state, we can begin again:

St. Thérèse, you who promised to make fall a shower of roses, see what confidence I put in you and receive my intentions. Ask the Lord to grant my prayers and obtain for me the grace to always love Him and make Him to be loved. Amen.

And just because I can never get enough of this prayer (and our sweet Mother Mary), let's finish our pious offerings with:

Blessed Mother of those whose names you can read in my heart, watch over them with every care. Make their way easy and their labors fruitful. Dry their tears if they weep; sanctify their joys; raise their courage if they weaken; restore their hope if they lose heart, their health if they be ill, truth if they err, and repentance if they fall. Amen.

And now, don't you think, as I know Marcel does, that on such a happy feast, we need some pictures to enjoy along with the words?

Here is a photo just taken today, a photo of a gorgeous church in Rome (Italy! really!), a church called San Salvatore in Lauro (which means "Holy Savior at the Laurels"). Our Rome correspondent Lizzie took it for us, and in a moment you'll find out why. I can't wait to tell you! But first, the church:

And the reason for the season? Or rather the reason for this photo in this season?? Well . . . we can offer another photo to help you understand why we are, with dear Lizzie, in this church today . . . 

Can you guess what you are looking at?

These are Padre Pio's relics in this lovely church! And lovely Lizzie went there today, to represent all of us, to bring our hearts and our intentions to Padre Pio on the day when everyone in heaven, especially the Holy Trinity and Blessed Mother, just HAVE to give him whatever he asks for because it is his birthday there!!!

So then, here is the beautiful statue that will explain the life of Padre Pio - and explain the connection between part 1 of our Triple Novena - ending on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross - and part 2 to our dear Padre:

Yes, there is our True Love, adorable Jesus, and Padre Pio is helping Him carry His cross to save us! Thank You Jesus! Thank you dear Padre!

But if you think we're not having too much fun, I will let you know why I, for one, am almost out of my mind with delight. I have found a little way to fool the internet today! Did you notice something? This post is Part 1 and .... below will be (is already for I'm writing backward today!) Part 2, and then below that again is Part 3! Yes, for once no one need read backwards to go in order (or upside down). So read on, going from top to bottom as any sane literati would, and find out what exactly Lizzie was doing (for us!) in this church of Our Holy Savior in Rome today . . . you will be as thrilled as I am because God's Limitless Love is pouring forth through the kindness of Padre Pio and his friends - to us!

Ah, dearest Jesus,
we won't forget to ask you three times today (and the first right now):
​Draw me, we will run!!!