Good evening everyone.
Before I share some of today’s experiences with you, I want to share a few pictures that didn’t make it into my last post.

At the Friary in San Giovanni Rotondo, I saw this great saying painted above the door to an area where the Friars have meals. It translates to “If you think it’s not enough, remember poverty.”

Inside the room where we had lunch at the Friary, directly across from where I was sitting, there was a large painting on the wall above the door depicting a group of Capuchins eating a meal. I had to chuckle, because there, in the middle of the painting, was a Capuchin Cardinal…lol.

We saw spectacular mountain ranges on our drive back from San Giovanni Rotondo.

There was a “Secretaries table” at the Friary lunch. Sitting next to Fr. Brian is the Secretary to the Archbishop of the San Giovanni Rotondo region, Fr. Alessandro Rocchetti, and next to Fr. Alessandro is the Secretary to the Capuchin General.

On the way home from San Giovanni Rotondo, our driver Antonio pulled off to the side of the highway so we could look at the beautiful coastline and the greenish tinted waters of the Adriatic Sea.

Thinking about the thousands of people who came to the Padre Pio celebration over the weekend, it’s interesting to note that in addition to the many Italian pilgrims who travel to San Giovanni Rotondo, a large number of Irish travel to Padre Pio’s Shrine. For some reason, Padre Pio has been very, very popular in Ireland. Many Irish over the years, even when Padre Pio was alive, would come to San Giovanni Rotondo. There are many prayer groups in Ireland….thousands of Irish belong to Padre Pio prayer groups. It’s hard to explain why exactly. Ireland, traditionally, has been very Catholic. But, Padre Pio has captured their imagination and there is a connection. There are Capuchins in Ireland, but we are certainly not one of the larger communities there.