L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2016 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano Dear Readers, In June many saintly celestial superstars are venerated and celebrated. In Italy and in Italian American homes the "onomastico" or Name's Day is often cause for a party and celebration. Many of the favorite people in my life are named Anthony or Tony. "Buon Onomastico" and "Buona Salute" on June 13th to all the Anthonys among my readers and their families too. On June 13th all the Antonios, Tony and Anthonys of the world will celebrate the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, a priest and gifted preacher born in Lisbon, Portugal. His surname comes from the Italian city of Padua, where he lived the later part of his life and died on June 13, 1231 at the age of thirty-six. Enthusiasm for saint day celebrations among Italians and Italian Americans is not entirely religious in nature, but often is based on happy memories associated with colorful parades, processions, specialties, lighting, fireworks, music and good times. *** In June we can also celebrate the anniversary of Padre Pio's elevation to Sainthood on June 16th, 2002 in Rome, Italy. Padre Pio (1887-1968) minted as Saint Padre Pio, in a ceremony presided over by Pope John Paul II in Rome, June 16 2002, is literally a saint for our times. Unlike many saints who "did their thing" hundreds of years ago, Padre Pio, lived and worked most of his life in San Giovanni Rotondo (near Bari and Foggia), which means that many of us have parents, grandparents, friends, co-workers, old army buddies, relatives and readers of our L'Italo Americano Newspaper who have actually seen, met or talked with Padre Pio. My late father Vincenzo among them. *** Mario Avignone, my late penal, longtime "Fra Noi" columnist and L'Italo Americano reader, actually "did lunch" with Padre Pio at the San Giovanni Rotondo Friary, while serving with the U.S. Armed Forces in Italy during World War II. He met Padre Pio's father, affectionately called "Zi'Orazio" and Padre Pio's American benefactor Maria McAlpin Pyle, who helped Padre Pio's Casa di Sollievo e della Sofferenza Hospital "dream" come true. Mario and his army buddies Leo Fanning (later Fr. Fanning") and Joe Astarita continued to correspond with Maria Pyle until her death in 1968. Mario Avignone, Leo Fanning and Joe Astarita were just a few of the hundreds of American GI and British soldiers stationed in camps near San Giovanni Rotondo who met Padre Pio. Mario and his buddies were stationed in nearby Cerignola. American and British soldiers upon their return home, helped to spread the word about Padre Pio far beyond Italian borders. Up to the time of his death in 1968, Padre Pio had been receiving thousands of letters every month and thousands of visitors each year. Some were asking for physical ills to be cured, some were looking for spiritual healing, and some were just curious. But they all believed in the intense spirituality and holiness of Padre Pio. *** In the U.S.A. WWII was declared in December 1941. By January 1942, Mario Avignone had taken a leave of absence from Sherwin Williams Paint Co. in Pullman, Illinois (outside of Chicago) and was stationed in Casper Wyoming, He met and married Margaret "Peggy" Van Waus, sister of an army buddy from Belle Plains, Iowa, shortly before he boarded a Liberty ship in Newport Mews, Virginia and on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1945 sailed for Italy where he served with the 15th Air Force for two years as T/Sgt Avignone. Many GIs were stationed in towns near Foggia, a few miles from San Giovanni Rotondo, where during WWII there was the largest American airfield of all Europe. From Foggia many times a day on an almost daily basis, squadrons of B-24, B-25 and many other types of bombers took off for their bombing missions to north Italy, Germany and German-occupied territories as far as Vienna, etc. *** After the war, Mario returned to Chicago and began to correspond with Maria Pyle, Pio's American benefactor, who would give Padre Pio Mario's message and in return mail, Maria would give him Padre Pio's message and blessing. Maria Pyle and Mario wrote for many years, until she wrote her last letter, "I have gotten too old and can no longer keep up with all the letters" but, "I will be with you every time you receive Holy Communion". *** Mario Avignone left us at age 93 on Dec. 29, 2011. Army buddy corporal, Leo Fanning, went into the seminary almost immediately after arriving home from the war. Father Leo visited Mario almost every year. The first time Mario saw Father Leo after the war ended was in 1948. He was on his way home from a seminary in Kentucky. Corporal Joe Astarita, who could speak good Italian and especially the dialect of that region, did the interpreting as Cpl. Leo and Mario only spoke a few worlds of Italian. Joe did all the translating and when he returned home to New York, he married a lovely Italian American girl, Adeline Bellini, just as Padre Pio had predicted. He died in 1967. When Zi' Orazio Forgione, Padre Pio's father died in October 7, 1946, Padre Pio gave a prayer card to Maria Pyle and instructed Maria to mail it to Mario Avignone, and as Padre Pio always said it, "in Chicago". It said: Orazio Forgione, nato a Pietralcina il 22 Ottobre 1860, morto a S. Giovanni Rotondo il 7 Ottobre 1946. Trigesimo della morte. Mary Pyle added God bless you all! If I mention Joe or Leo to Padre Pio he adds "and Mario". He remembers his children!". *** Padre Pio di Pietralcina, Capuchin, born May 25, 1887 in Pietralcina, died at San Giovanni Rotondo September 23, 1968. Padre Pio, the Roman Catholic monk who bore stigmatic blood strains-stains recalling the wounds of the crucified Christ, died at his monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. He was 81. He was elevated to St. Padre Pio on June 16, 2002. *** For more info read Padre Pio and America, by Frank Rega. This book's focus is Pio's American connections. Call toll free 1-800-437-5876 or www.tanbooks.com Author Frank Rega weaves in the Saint's early work with L'Americana, Mary Pyle, his "foreign ambassadress", and then with the American GI's who came to visit them during WWII, when San Giovanni Rotondo was liberated from the Germans. Padre Pio developed a special love for Americans and America - to the point that he wished that all Americans would become his spiritual children. This book demonstrates Padre Pio's great love for his parents, his amazing sense of humor, his abstemious eating, his uncanny knowledge of people (even before they visited), and his profound supernatural awareness. Padre Pio and America is an inspiring book that will instill a profound awe in readers because it shows the impact a truly saintly priest can have on all who come into contact with him - and in Padre Pio's case, even on the whole world! LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE Padre Pio (1887-1968)

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