[NYer]

During World War I, Padre Pio was drafted into the army, though due to his health, his service was minimal and did not last long. Upon his discharge, Padre Pio returned to his Order and served as a spiritual director at the seminary at San Giovanni Rotondo. His days were occupied by meditation, hearing confessions, and the teaching and spiritual direction of the young seminarians. It was here, while praying before a crucifix, that Padre Pio received the wounds of the stigmata, the wounds of Christ crucified. He would bear these wounds for the next 50 years, until the end of his life in 1968.

[Salvation]

For those who do not know about stigmata.

Padre Pio's Secret: His Shoulder Wound
What is the Stigmata? [Ecumenical]
Details of first investigation into Padre Pio’s stigmata revealed [Catholic Caucus]
The Stigmata of St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis of Assisi -- The Wounds of Christ
Message, holiness of saint with stigmata more relevant now than ever, 'Padre Pio' author says
Update on Little Marie Rose Ferron(1936) stigmata of the Catholic Faith
Saint Gemma Galgani
The Miracle Of Damascus[Our Lady Of Soufanieh]- APPROVED By Catholic And Orthodox Bishops

[fatima]

"On that rainy gray day, March 7, 1997, Mr. Fuina, now 67, a retired N.Y.C. firefighter, drove down Division Avenue, Massapequa, when he noticed “what appeared to be a bum” waving at him. Mr. Fuina pointed to himself, as if to say, ‘me?’ The stranger, who had a long beard and was dressed in a speckled white outfit, nodded and asked, “Will you give me a lift, please?” He said he had waited all morning for a ride. Although Mr. Fuina never picked up hitchhikers, for some reason he agreed to take the man to Maria Regina Church, Seaford, as requested. “You have a sickness, would you like to discuss it with me?” said the man, when he was settled into the car, Mr. Fuina recalled." http://www.stwilliam.org/fuina_story.htm

[Citizen Soldier]

The monsignor at the parish I attend told us last year about meeting Padre Pio as a young priest. He was in Rome with some other priests and one of them suggested they take a train down to San Giovanni. He said he had always been sceptical about the frangrance of flowers that some stigmatics or saints had He kept thinking he was smelling some wonderful fragrant cologne while he met him. Later on the train back to Rome did he realize Padre Pio had the scent of flowers radiating from him.

[AnAmericanMother]

That pictures shows St. Padre Pio with some American soldiers -- aside from the uniforms, look at their faces!

Padre Pio always welcomed American soldiers to San Giovanni Rotondo, the American chaplains used to bring them up to visit. He sometimes heard their confessions . . . even when they didn't speak Italian (and he didn't speak English). He said his Guardian Angel translated for him, and some of the soldiers said that was absolutely true . . . . he was indeed a remarkable man.

He had the gift of 'reading hearts' - he could discern a penitent's sins even before they confessed or when they omitted a sin. "Haven't you forgotten thus and so?" he would ask, and name the very sin they had forgotten.

There's also the story of Allied bomber pilots encountering a Franciscan priest flying in the air and diverting them from various targets . . . . but that's never been confirmed.