Padre Pio: Man of Hope

by Renzo Allegri

Beatified on May 22, 1999, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968) was a Capuchin monk and mystic whose life was marked with miracles and wonders, but who said that his only desire was "to be a poor friar who prays." Observes the author: "When people write about Padre Pio, they tend to dwell on the penitential aspect of his life, thereby giving a somewhat dark and medieval tinge to his personality…. Padre Pio was and is a man of hope. Throughout his life, in the midst of the most difficult trials, he always looked to the future with a spirit of optimism, faith, and love." In this intimate biography, you will see the results of this humble Capuchin's prayers and discover for yourself the Source of his great hope. A Servant Book.

Genres: Catholic, Biography, Religion, Nonfiction, Faith, Spirituality, Christian

270 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful read about Padre Pio, I love reading absolutely everything I can get my hands on about this wonderful Saint.

This book was really informative and I can't imagine anyone not getting something out of this book.

Happy Reading 📗📘📘📓📙📕📗📓📒📙📚📓📗📘📒📕📖📘📔📒📓📙📖

[Evandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este livro é uma jóia. Como se não bastasse a santidade e a enormidade do Padre Pio, que parece ser o maior de todos os santos da Igreja, o autor nos fascina com seu jeito simples, objetivo e didático de nos dar a conhecer essa vida maravilhosa, tão repleta de milagres que uma sua filha espiritual não hesita em compará-lo a Jesus. Sentimos realmente as emoções que a vida do Padre Pio suscita, principalmente a indignação ante os seus perseguidores, dos quais o maior foi o próprio Vaticano.

Os relatos de milagres e feitos sobrenaturais são tantos e tão óbvios que só nos resta lamentar nossa própria falta de fé e refletir sobre quão monumental foi o trabalho de Satanás pela destruição da cultura cristã na Idade Moderna, gerando-se um tipo de sociedade que oculta o sobrenatural para fazer parecer que o mundo é o que o noticiário nos mostra.

Se quisermos entender algo nesta vida, se quisermos compreender minimamente o seu sentido, penso que o passo inicial é ler livros como esse no lugar de jornais. Para cada notícia que deixarmos de ler, teremos lido um relato de milagre. Talvez assim, em trinta ou quarenta anos, a proporção entre os fatos físicos e os espirituais se fará correta em nossa mente.

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ordinarily, I give books like this higher ratings, but while I learned a lot about Padre Pio, I found the writing style rather frustrating and thought that some information was confusing or presented in a way that wasn't chronologically sensible. I also thought the book dwelled on some rather uninteresting facets of the monk's life - such as the whole political ordeal surrounding the House of Relief of Suffering and in some ways these worldly details detracted from Padre Pio's real message and mission. There wasn't a conclusion to speak of and the title wasn't very apt as "man of hope" was not an idea that carried through the text.

[Silvia · Rating 3 out of 5]

*radi stila pisanja koji je nezanimljiv i pomalo frustrirajuc

[Jen Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about my first Blessed Padre Pio. I highly encourage to take a glimpse of what his life was like. I believe since reading the book he has a special place within my family. My brother ended reading bits and pieces and he followed with a presentation .. In public school about Padre Pio. There are some other interesting similarities and I am glad the Lord helped guide me to read this book. I am fascinated that Blessed Padre Pio could bi locate, he is known as the great confessor and he endured the stigmata. Hope you find a moment to read up on this wonderful man!

[Brad Flaugher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not critically written, but worth reading if you want to know what Padre Pio is all about from a fanboy's perspective

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I agree that some parts could have been easier to comprehend had they been chronologically better organized, this work was still presented in an amazing fashion and has inspired me to read about other saints.

I never "chose" a saint when I was confirmed in my Catholic faith in college and now I believe I know why. Over the summer, my mother and I were blessed with the opportunity to venerate some relics of his in Charlotte, NC. I've been intrigued and obsessed with reading more about his life since.

Cardinal Siri: "with the stigmata which he bore throughout his life and with the other physical and moral sufferings he endured, Padre Pio calls our attention to the body of Christ as a means of salvation. Jesus died on the cross for us, and the entire theology of redemption rests on this truth, one of the principal tenets of our faith. This truth is so important that, throughout our history whenever men have forgotten it or have sought to find it, God has always intervened with events, deeds, and miracles. In our time the temptation to forget about the reality of the body of Christ is enormous. And God has sent us this man with the task of calling us back to the truth.”

That quote stuck out to me throughout the book. One cannot deny the accounts of hyperthermia, bilocation, miracles and conversions while reading. To do so, would make one no better than those that should have had faith yet chose to persecute Padre Pio most of his life.

[Lane Werth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.75. This was a fantastic biography of St. Pio. It really dives into the hardships that his life contained. The author does a great job of showing the humility with which St. Pio accepted these hardships. There was—naturally—a lot on the miracles associated with St. Pio’s life. The one thing I wish was a little different was the author’s emphasis on God performing the miracles THROUGH St. Pio. I think the author could’ve made a clearer distinction that it was God’s work through St. Pio, not St. Pio performing miracles.

Overall, would highly recommend for anyone interested in the life of St. Pio!

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect example of how the simplest and most modest man can be God's tool to change lives and save souls.

[Sarah Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Padre Pio pray for us!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As vezes, grandes vidas como a do Padre Pio são contadas de forma tão triste que não chegas a ter uma ideia real da pessoa destras da história, no entanto, Renzo Allegri nos conta a vida do padre de tal forma que sentes que tiveste a oportunidade de conhece-lo e de aprender com a sua fé. Gostei muito a forma em que organizou os capítulos do livro, fazendo sempre uma introdução para situar ao leitor, depois fala dos factos históricos, com muitas citações de pessoas que conheceram o padre, e depois uma pequena reflexão que explica estos factos. Final,ente cada capitula acabava com um conjunto de frases de coisas que o Padre disse e que outras pessoas disseram dele.

[Kait · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have not completed the book yet, but from the first quarter or so, this is my impression.

This book was written for middle school cradle catholics trying to write a report.

Very good information which was interesting but presented almost too simply. Also the author seemed to assume that anything that they said about Padre Pio was absolute truth and did not provide any argument supporting said assumption.

End review:
More of the same. Not what I was hoping for. We got very little of Padre Pios philosophy and a whole lot of “he was persecuted this way” and “this person was miraculously healed that way”.

I wouldn’t recommend this to most readers.

[Missy Funderburk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about the lives of saints never fails to inspire me. Padre Pio is no exception. Miracles, stigmata, bilocation, clairvoyance...it's all here and more. God is working through people and crashing into our lives in the most powerful way, if we will just take the time to notice.

The writing and organization of the book was not my favorite style, but I learned so much about this amazing man it was definitely worth it.

[Dawn Pisturino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend gave me this book at Christmas. I started reading it when I was going through a difficult time. I found it so inspiring, I passed it on to my husband. He found great comfort in the book, also. At Easter we went to confession, took communion, and began attending weekly Mass. Reading this book makes it very hard to disbelieve in miracles and miraculous people.

[Ernesto Giacomo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked Renzo Allegri's journalistic approach. Of course, I was already convinced of Padre Pio's blessedness before I read this book. Although if I were not convinced, I think this book would've made me think otherwise.

Allegri's writing is clean, crisp, and clear. It's no nonsense and all business. Molto bene Signor Allegri.

[Maria Yeager · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always heard of Padre Pio, but I really didn't know the details of his story. This book really opened my eyes to how amazing this man really was and how much abuse he had to take. I had no idea that he was able to bilocate, and the stories of his ability to do this were unbelievable! Allegri does a beautiful job of telling the story of this wonderful monk. I highly recommend this book!

[Stephen Duquaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read various books about St. Pio and he is one of my favorites. I learned so much from this book, especially the depth of his suffering at the hands of the hierarchy. He bore his sufferings so patiently. God bless St. John Paul II for cutting through the politics and elevating this man to sainthood. Definitely worth reading even if you’ve read other books on him.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frist book I read about a saint and it was fantastic. I would recommended anyone this copy if interested in this man's story.

[Fernanda Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una vida extraordinaria.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first was going to pass on this book without reading it, figuring it literally the type of hagiography that rarely holds something illumination, but then while reading Gomorrah I was intrigued by how many Italian gangsters revere the saint to the point of having his icons, etc. So, I picked this up since it was at hand. I found this a fascinating story of a man at war with papal, Capuchin and other Catholic establishment powers while worshipped and adored by the area populace and beyond. This went to the point of "Exclaustration": official authorization for Pio to live for a limited time outside his abbey while he fought the diabolical disease at this home. Actually, his visions and struggles with demons -- some may say hallucinations -- seems to have made inkpot-throwing Luther pale by comparison. Obviously the writer sides on the miraculous: He feels it obvious Pio could strive for a decade to secretly establish a hospital while considering ludicrous the several detractors that feel his stigmata came from hidden application of iodine or nitric acid or some other available caustic. Regardless, and I am sure I personally could never know the truth of these phenomena, yet still as a story of the growth and embattled success of a Catholic saint, this is a fascinating story crossing over both World Wars and with cameos from Gianbattista-Giuffre (an unscrupulous "God's Banker"), Pope John Paul II, and a sketchy entrepeneur named Emanuele Brunatto.

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

After finishing this book, one thing is immediately apparant:

Padre Pio was one miserable sod.

I mean, he couldn't even eat a plate of spaghetti that someone went through the trouble of making him. For Christ's sakes -- just be gracious and eat the spaghetti. Don't wonder about how to glorify Mary with a plate of spaghetti. Feeding one poor guy a plate of cold spaghetti is not a mark of saintliness. It's the mark of being a prick. Trying to look holier than thou in front of his fanboys.

Another thing that's readily apparant is that the Catholics have incredibly low standards for what qualifies as a miracle. Suffering from what seems to be self-inflicted stigmata is not a miracle. You know what would've been a miracle? Curing poverty. Discovering nuclear fusion. Suddenly transforming into a centaur. Now those are fucking miracles, folks.

There's absolutely no critical thinking in this book. No bibliography, no opposing point of view, no nothing. It was written by a fanboy who wanted to see his dead hero become a saint.

I only read this because Padre Pio is one of my Catholic mother's favorite saints. I wanted to see what new dumb shit she was getting into. And yeah, there's plenty of dumb shit here.

As a reading experience, the book goes by fairly quickly. The print is fairly large, and there is a lot if white space. The chapters are short. If you're not used to reading Italian names, it can be a bit difficult keeping track of who's who. Since it's not exactly an unbiased biography, I doubt it's in any way historically accurate.

[Jairo Fraga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livro excelente, que narra uma biografia de certa forma detalhada, sobre a vida de São Padre Pio.

São diversas situações mostradas, que nos fazem refletir sobre a nossa falta de amor a Deus, quando comparamos com Padre Pio, como uma vez que ele fez uma cirurgia só com um anestésico local, sentindo muita dor, disse para Jesus, pedindo desculpas por estar achando doloroso esse pequeno gesto em comparação com a Paixão de Nosso Senhor. Ainda se lamentou, dizendo que nunca sofreu nada por Jesus.

Padre Pio desde pequeno já tinha uma vida espiritual intensa, conversando com santos, anjos, Nossa Senhora, Nosso Senhor, etc. Durante a guerra, foi convocado e sofreu muito com o ambiente militar, repleto de blasfêmias e indiferença com Cristo.

Teve uma vida de sacrifícios por Deus, vivendo no confessionário, celebrando missas onde o povo vinha de todos os cantos do mundo para vê-lo. Sofreu grande perseguição do Santo Ofício, mas o que mais impressiona e nos dá de exemplo, é sua perfeita obediência, nas mais atrozes injustiças, onde falavam, por exemplo, que seus estigmas eram uma fraude.

Fundou a casa de alívio ao sofrimento, um hospital de referência hoje, e sempre se destacou pelo seu bom humor e humanidade, contando piadas e histórias.

Tempo estimado de leitura: 13 horas

[Adam‘’s book reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second edition of this book provides an updated look at Padre Pio, focusing on his childhood in the small Italian village of Pietrelcina. This relatable approach helps readers connect with the young boy who would grow up to be a saint, setting the stage for a better understanding of the Catholic Church’s influence on his life.

However, the audiobook assumes listeners have some prior knowledge of Catholic Church figures and their roles, which might be confusing for those unfamiliar with the Church’s history. A chart or brief explanations of these figures would have been helpful.

Despite this challenge, “Saint Padre Pio: Man of Hope” is still worth listening to. The narrative is engaging, and the focus on Padre Pio’s early years offers a unique perspective. If you’re interested in learning more about Padre Pio, this audiobook provides an insightful journey. Just be ready to do some extra research on Church figures to fully understand the historical context if you’re not familiar with Catholic history.

[Eskana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't ever read a book about Padre Pio, and honestly I knew very little about it. I'm glad this was the first book I picked up about him, because, as the back cover says, it is really focused on being a factual, historical look at his life. While it does mention anecdotes and stories about his sanctity, it focuses on his life itself, rather than letting these stories take the wheel for the majority of the book. There is also a very interesting chapter on his stigmata, and the several doctors who verified it.

Since I picked up this book, I have seen others about Padre Pio pop up, but all have been focused more on his miracles. I like that this book was focused more on his own life, so we could see what he accomplished and what he struggled through.
All in all, I would definitely suggest this book as a starting point for anyone else trying to find out more about Padre Pio.

[Cyril Danthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Padre Pio - Man of hope is interesting and inspiring book on the life of the great saint, who had the gift of stagmata . The book shares the suffering and obedience of the great saint. It is said saint padre pio was a bilocator, where he could be seen in two places.
The interesting part of the book that builds faith are the chapters on miracles. Super natural and science couldn't provide any logic for these miracles that happened by the prayers and intercession of the great saint.
Saint Padre Pio's body is uncurrupted and still fresh and venerated in his birth place. His suffering on the stigmata, the long hours of confession and love, devotion to mother mary.
An interesting read.
Padre Pio pray for us.

[Susannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Hoopla app there’s an audiobook in English that’s 10 hours long by the same author but the title is St Padre Pío Man of Hope. As this book is only 200 pages long, I’m thinking that the audiobook is more detailed. Anyhoooo, the audiobook gets 5 stars because it delves into the facts of this beloved saint’s life, which are a great lesson of humility and complete trust in God.

Even after the saintly priest’s death there’s another hour of insights into his incorruptible body and the process of canonization ushered through by St Pope John Paul II. Love this saint and highly recommend this and anything you can get your hands on to inspire you through his holy example.

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent and informative book about an intriguing figure. I do feel like the finished product could've been further edited down to create a more cohesive text, but all the details were relevant to the process of Padre Pio's life. There were some dry parts, but it was worth getting through them because those events were touched on in other chapters which eventually brought everything full-circle. I find Padre Pio fascinating, especially when it comes to the political motivations of the Catholic Church and how they became such an impediment to his work throughout his life. I recommend this book.

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve always wanted to learn about Padre Pio, and this book did not disappoint. Although it felt more academic in its writing style and at times I found it hard to keep people/places straight, it was still engaging and a wonderful introduction to this amazing saint. I’m definitely looking forward to learning more about Padre Pio.

[Riley Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. A very well written biography of a much beloved Saint. I definitely appreciate the author's approach to make St. Padre Pio look more human than other-worldly, despite Padre Pio's extreme holiness. I recommend this book to any Catholic or those interested in the lives of Saints.