Over these more than 36 years of involvement with Padre Pio, we have weathered many storms together and have always, by the grace of God, endured. Together, our efforts and our prayers and sacrifices, have realized this great monument here in Barto, PA, to one of the best known saints in our time: Our Lady of Grace Chapel and Padre Pio Spirituality Centre where you have come to pray since 1999 and the forthcoming Saint Pio Museum and Cultural Centre, slated for completion this coming June.

     My heart goes out to you, for the hundreds of letters, over 1,000 emails and countless telephone calls that The Centre has received in recent weeks. You express your sorrow and pain, dismay and disbelief over the decree issued by Bishop Cullen on December 17, 2003, suspending the celebration of sacraments here at The Centre. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your outpouring of love and support and for expressing all that Padre Pio and his home in the USA, mean to you; words can never sufficiently express. The Centre has taken the next appropriate step in the appeal process according to canon law and has forwarded its petition of appeal to authorities in Rome.

     Please know that everyone who works at The Centre, those you have come to know over the telephone or through visits, all of The Centre's volunteers, my family and even the priests who have served you faithfully these many years, share your sad sentiments. However, once again, as we have before in all the trials of our lives, we turn to the life and example of the great servant of God, Saint Pio. He gives us the strength and conviction to accept this situation as God's holy will, and understand that our heavenly Father's purpose in allowing this situation will one day be made clear to us.

     I think of Padre Pio, and can only imagine what he must have suffered when Pope Pius XI, because of damaging innuendo and rumor, issued a decree on June 11, 1931 suspending Padre Pio from his faculties, except to offer mass in private. This ban lasted until May 12, 1934, when the Holy Father was told that the information he received about Padre Pio was totally untrue. When Padre Pio was asked why did he and all his followers have to suffer that ordeal, his reply was "It was done for the good of both your soul and mine." And this is my reply also: It is done for your soul, dear devotees and mine. This situation, if accepted with peace, love and trust in God's infinite goodness, will raise us up another step in our quest for a deeper spirituality and relationship with God.

     Padre Pio prayed day and night during those times, for all of the souls, who felt abandoned and scandalized by this unjust decree against him. He renewed his offer of victim hood to almighty God and abandoned himself to his holy will.

     My dear friends, let us follow the example of Padre Pio. Let us trust in the infinite goodness of almighty God and allow his grace to work. But most of all, let us continue to pray and to hope. Do not neglect to remember in your prayers, bishops, priests and religious and let us be insistent as Padre Pio said "Insistence denotes faith." God will hear our prayers and do what is best for his beloved children.

     Also, we must not forget words that Padre Pio spoke only shortly before he departed this life when he assured his spiritual children that he would make more noise when he arrived in heaven and that he would do more for them in heaven than he could on earth. Again, having had the joy and privilege of working with the capuchin friars and for Padre Pio these past 36 years, I trust his words implicitly. Woe to those who question or deny him.

     Again, thank you for your continued prayers for our work and for your generous support. Be sure to contact us whenever we can be of further assistance to you in any of your needs concerning Padre Pio, for it is our pleasure and our privilege to serve.

     May almighty God continue to bless you and all who are dear to you through the powerful intercession of our beloved Padre Pio.