073 Trey Ramirez: Devotion to St. Padre Pio

On Wednesday, June 13, 2018, host Gene Wilhelm interviewed College Station listener Trey Ramirez about his personal devotion to St. Padre Pio. St. Pio of Pietrelcina (1887–1968) was canonized in 2002 after a young Italian boy's miraculous cure in 2000 was established as due to to the saint's heavenly intercession. Padre Pio received the stigmata in 1918 and for the next 50 years lived in great suffering while at the same time hearing enormous numbers of confessions (even intuiting the thoughts of the reticent) and healing with his touch. Reports of the phenomenon of his bi-locating also grew apace. By the time of his death large numbers of Catholics had developed a genuine affection for the priest. This following grew prodigiously in the ensuing decades as his cause for sainthood was opened and numerous biographies and spiritual books made their way into the hands of the laity. One of these books, Padre Pio: Man of Hope, set Trey's life on a completely different track and began his own personal journey of friendship and trust in the saint. Listen as Trey talks about how Padre Pio has been a spiritual companion to him and his wife through their years of challenge and perserverance with their son's muscular disease.  Enjoy the show, like RED-C Catholic Radio on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter at @REDCRadio. And remember, when choosing between the values of heaven and the values of earth, always round up!