Kerry’s shows its warm devotion to St Padre Pio

KILLARNEY and indeed Kerry’s devotion to St Padre Pio was in full view on Monday night at the Church of the Resurrection, Cork Road, as a fingerless glove worn by the Italian Saint made one of its regular journeys to Killarney – to much fanfare.

The Killarney St Pio Prayer Group holds a meeting at the Church on the third Monday of each month, and it is usually a well-attended event. But the Monday just gone was a particularly special occasion due to the presence of the famous Saint’s glove, and the usual gathering of 70 to 90 people therefore grew well into the hundreds.

Michael Clifford, now living in Kildare but very much a Killarney man at heart, said that the prayer group is steeped in his family and explained how the regular visits of a Saint Pio glove.

“My mother had an enormous dedication to Pio and founded the group around 45 years ago,” he said. “She passed away around eight years ago, but we’ve kept the prayer group going, and our meetings draw big crowds of around 70 to 90 people.

“We have built up links with Fr Bryan Shortall and a Capuchin Monastery in Dublin, who are the custodians of many gloves that St Pio wore to cover his stigmata. It’s through this that we bring a glove down here maybe once or twice a year.”

The Saint’s popularity was reflected in the huge attendance from just after 7pm. The night began with Rosary, followed by Mass and Benediction, before Blessings using the glove took place. Fr Kieran O’Brien (pictured, right) and Fr John Kerin led proceedings. Michael remarked that the crowd was made up of people young and not so young, and he feels the large crowd reflected the fact that Kerry people feel a strong connection to the Saint; and also the fact that St Pio, who died 52 years ago, is seen as a relatively ‘recent’ Saint.

“There is a great devotion to him in the county,” he said. “We [the prayer group] also organise an annual pilgrimage around September, October, taking in different parts of Italy linked to St Pio, and religious sites elsewhere. But while the itinerary changes from year to year, we always visit San Giovanni, where Pio lived much of his life.”

This year’s pilgrimage takes place in October and will begin in Lourdes before taking in numerous sites in Italy, not least Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, a hospital renowned for its research and founded by St Pio. If interested in being a part of the prayer group or finding out more, one can phone Michael at (085) 130 9835.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Fr Kieran O’Brien with Padre Pio’s Glove blessing Mary O’Sullivan Killarney in Church of the Resurrection, Killarney on Monday.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin Fr John Kerin and Fr Kieran O’Brien with (left) Michael Clifford and (right) Jimmy Dennehy at the Mass with Padre Pio’s Glove in Church of the Resurrection, Killarney on Monday.