The Last Mass of Padre Pio

He is my favorite saint and I already have a number of books about him, but I can't get enough of this great saint, so I had to buy this book! That being said, I really enjoyed this book. It's a pleasant read for anyone. Not too theological. Not too philosophical. Just right.

I just want to add the title is a bit misleading. I was under the impression this book was going to focus mostly on his "last mass", but was surprised to find out it's basically a book full of interesting Padre Pio stories. The "last mass" is covered in the beginning of the book, but from there it goes off into all kinds of other Padre Pio stories. Very enjoyable read. Any fan of the Padre will enjoy this! Highly recommend!

When I first opened “The Last Mass of Padre Pio, public Masses were being halted due to the COVID-19. I confess, Padre Pio did not make my list of prefer-to-talk-to saints. My appreciation of this pious father has changed, and this book has changed it. The book begins as a Bellocian pilgrimage to understand this Saint who was marked with the passion of Christ (the only priest with the stigmata), who wrestled daily with the devil, and whose Masses and confessional drew thousands.

While the book is a biography of Padre Pio, it is so much more than that. It is about the Mass as the Sacrifice of Calvary, seen through the torments and the tortures that Padre Pio would suffer in the Mass. But it is more than that. It is also about the importance of confession and what a good confession means, as heard through the long hours that Padre Pio, with his gift of insight into souls, spent in the confessional. But it is even more than that! It is, if the book may be summed up in a few words, about the priesthood.

Padre Pio is a priest’s priest, who, like two other Pius’s, epitomized the priesthood: the victim that is sacrificed for man on the altar, in the confessional, and in every aspect of his life. This is what the book is about: how a priest is truly a victim-soul—at least spiritually. It is nearly impossible to walk away from this book without a deeper understanding of this modern Saint, but also a renewed reverence for the Mass, for the Sacraments, for the Priesthood.

Fabulous book!
"The world may survive without the sun, but not without the Holy Mass." Thus the Holy Mass is targeted for destruction by the devil, and Padre Pio defended the Tridentine Mass with his intense sufferings united to those of Christ, especially during the Holy Sacrifice.

This is a book you will want to share with family and friends, and your priest. Probably even strangers!

Padre Pio’s body was not found to be in it’s three tonne Italian marble tomb, which had been cemented to the floor of Capuchin church of Santa Maria Della Grazzie, when exhumation was attempted Om May 2, 1999 in preparation for his beatification. This story was reported in Italian media and re-reported on Catholic Family News in October 2002.
The only items found in the tomb were Padre Pio’s robe, white cincture & sandals.
As related by Padre Pio’s close friend Mr John McCafferty, Padre Pio said that he would not be in his tomb when the vast numbers of pilgrims came to venerate his remains, such was his humility.
In context of ‘the last Mass of Padre Pio’ this is an important fact as Padre Pio did not say the Novus Ordo in life so why would he give witness in death by being present in the (grotesque) Sanctuary of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina in San Giovanni Rotondo where the Novus Ordo is said?