Padre Pio

Padre Pio, someone, commanders, women (2), husband, father, son, abbot (boy), doctor, scientist, American bombers, People (2- including 'someone')

(Pio and someone on stage)

Pio was a monk who lived in Italy.  He lived his life as the best monk he could, praying and fasting, and saying Mass.  He was often sick, and would cough and wheeze when he breathed. 

One day he heard someone announce  "War!  All of Europe is going to war!  All monks have to join the army!"

(someone leave, commanders enter)

But when Pio went to join the army, the commanders laughed at him, saying "You're too sick!  Go home!"

(Exit Commanders, Enter women, husband, father, son)

With war came much suffering.  Women wept as they said goodbye husbands and fathers and sons.  They clung to their necks, and kissed them. But the men went off to war, many dying in the battlefield.

(Women, husband, father son all leave the stage)

Pio was very upset!  He went to the chapel to pray, and laid down on his face.  He trembled all over.  He said "Jesus!  Please let me suffer a little more, so the rest of Europe can suffer a little less!"

Suddenly Pio felt a searing pain in his hands and feet.  He screamed in pain.  Holes appeared like those which Jesus would have had from dying on the cross!

(Enter Abbot)

His Abbott ran in, and said "It's a miracle!  This is the stigmata!"

Pio said "What's Stigmata?"

The abbot said "Nothing- what's stigmatta with you?"

The audience groaned.

Then the abbot said "Call a doctor!"

(enter Doctor)

 The doctor examined Pio's hands, and said "There's is no scientific explanation for how these holes appeared!"

The audience gasped, and they all turned to each other, whispering "it's a miracle!"

But the abbot said "Let the Pope decide if it's a miracle!" 

(Enter scientist)

But the Pope couldn't make it, so he sent one of his best scientists instead. The scientist said "I cannot explain this... but I do not believe in miracles!"

(Enter people, women, exit scientist, doctor)

As word got out about the stigmata, Padre Pio's reputation for holiness grew. 

The abbot said "And we do mean Holiness..."

The audience groaned again.

Many people would come to Pio for confession.  One woman said in confession "I have not always been as loving as I should be." 

Padre Pio said "I'll say!  You're having an affair with a married man!"

The woman gasped, saying "How could you possibly know that!"

The audience whispered "It's a miracle!"

The abbot said "Hey, this is confession!  No audience allowed!"

(exit people, abbot)

Another time a woman was in downtown crying about her sick daughter.  Pio said "Don't cry!  Your daughter is healed!"

(enter abbot, exit Pio)

The next day the woman came to the monastery and said to the abbot "Please!  I must speak to Padre Pio!  His prayers have healed my daughter!"

The audience whispered "It's a miracle!"

The abbot said "I am sorry, you cannot see Padre Pio today.  He is sick in bed."

The woman said "Oh... but he was fine yesterday!"

The abbot replied "I'm afraid not-  he has been in bed for 3 weeks!"

The woman argued "But I saw him!  He was downtown!  He must have been in 2 places at once!"

The audience whispered "It's a miracle!"

The abbot yelled at the audience "That's enough!"

(Clear the stage, enter bombers)

During World War II, American Bombers were flying over the area, going to bomb Padre Pio's town.  Suddenly one of them yelled  'Look out!  There's a flying monk!"

(enter Padre Pio)

Padre Pio was standing in the clouds, and he said "Don't bomb here.  go somewhere else!"

The audience whispered "It's..."  But before they could finish the abbot yelled from offstage "Enough!"

(exit bombers, enter doctor)

Fifty years after getting the stigmata, one day the wounds disappeared all together.  The doctor said "Weird!  There's not even scar tissue" 

But Padre Pio said "But I can still feel the pain."

Shortly after that he died.

St Padre Pio-  Pray for us!