September 23: PADRE PIO: Marked by Christ

Padre Pio carried the actual wounds of Christ's Crucifixion in his own body for fifty years — and spent his life hearing confessions.

In 1918, while deep in prayer, Padre Pio received the stigmata — real wounds matching Christ's Crucifixion that never healed for five decades. Embarrassed by the attention, he quietly offered his suffering to God while spending enormous hours hearing confessions, calling the sacrament "the soul's bath."

"The soul's bath."

Padre Pio's challenge doesn't have to end when the episode does. Our free Family Pack has a saint calendar, feast-day activity pages, and family discussion questions to keep it going at home — free when you subscribe: https://shop.catholicsprouts.com/pages/every-days-a-feast-day-follow-along