#11 OF 25 - THIS HAPPY BOOK REPORT ON PADRE PIO
IN PURSUIT OF THE TRUTH- HTTP://WWW.CINOPSBEGONEBLOGSPOT.COM - SUN. MAY 26/18
CHAPTER 3- AN EXAMPLE TO ALL - 47 -52
"Capuchins, to this day, are generally known only by their Christian names (that is Father John, Brother Paul), but for purposes of distinguishing one religious from another who had the same name, the friars were, at least in Italy, generally identified by their birth place. Thus,. Francesco Forgione was known "in religion" as Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, Seldom if ever did he ever answer to "Padre Pio Forgione....
Every night except on Sundays, a bell awakened the friars half an hour after midnight to prepare for Divine Office. The sleepy friars made their way through the corridors of the house to the "choir," or prayer chapel of the church, there to prepare the Divine Office. In "devotion, recollection,mortification, quiet, and silence," as the Constitution specified, the strove to "remember that they are in the presence of God and employ themselves in the angelic exercise of singing the divine praises." The they recited the first two hours, Matins and Lauds. After that they were permitted to go back to bed.
Their repose did not last long, for they had to arise again at 5 A.M. Each friars made his bed and placed a crucifix on it to make it look like a coffin. Then they went to the choir to pray the Angelus, a prayer to remind themselves of the Lord's Incarnation. This was followed by the Litany of the Saints, in which the Virgin Mary, the archangels, patriarchs, prophets, apostles and more than thirty other saints were called upon to intercede with God for deliverance from evil. Then the community meditated for half hour, spending time in mental prayer for the pope, the salvation of souls, the conversion of unbelievers, and the impartation of wisdom to cardinals, bishops, prelates, kings, bishops and superiors. This period was followed by a Mass known as Orazione, after which the canonical hours of Prime and Terce were recited. This Mass was followed by another, the community Mass, known as Messa Conventuale. At last it was time for the community to be rewarded by a breakfast of boiled bread and oil, after which the friars went back to the chapel to pray the Divine Office of Our Lady. ...
After the midday meal, the community took a brief siesta. At 2:30 P.M. they recited Vespers in the choir and then spent some time doing chores, including manual labor. Even while scrubbing the latrine in the basement, the friars were to recite the Rosary aloud or sing hymns. When chores were over, the community recited the vespers of Our Lady, after which the novices had another conference with Padre Tommaso. Then they were allowed to recreate in the garden but were strongly encouraged to speak only about the lives of the saints or Rule of St. Francis. At 7 P.M. they said the rosary in the choir....
It was truly a life of great austerity but Fra Pio and his confreres embraced it willingly, even joyfully, with the conviction that it enabled them to grow in love for God. Except for cases of necessity, the friars were allowed to converse freely only about two hours in a day, during periods of recreation in the garden and immediately after meals, but even then, the Evangelical Silence was in force: that is, conversation was discouraged on any but holy and edifying subjects....
Strict obedience to superiors was considered an essential trait for anyone aspiring to the highest state of spirituality. It was part of giving up one's will, dying to oneself. The Capuchin was at all times expected to try to learn and carry out as diligently as possible the will and desire of his superiors. "Obedience is everything for me<: a="" against="" amp="" as="" been="" designated="" even="" exterior="" forbid="" go="" has="" i="" in="" interior="" judge="" knowingly="" late="" life.="" my="" od="" padre="" pio="" should="" slightest="" span="" superior="" that="" way.="" who="" wrote="">...
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