THE BODY OF PADRE PIO WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING during the exhumation on May 2, 1999

[Nestor Carvalho]

THE BODY OF PADRE PIO WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING during the exhumation on May 2, 1999.

http://motheofgod.com/threads/tales-of-padre-pio.282/

Here is an article written in Catholic Family News in 2002 on this subject.The following article states that THE BODY OF PADRE PIO WAS FOUND TO BE MISSING during the exhumation on May 2, 1999.

Saint Padre Pio's Body Not Found in His Tomb?
Catholic Family News
October 2002
Anne McGinn Cillis

An astounding piece of news has recently come to light, which very well might be the most spectacular of all the miracles attributed to the now-canonized Saint Padre Pio. [Padre Pio was canonized on June 16, 2002. His feast day is September 23.]

Reportedly, an exhumation was conducted by order from the Vatican, preparatory to his Beatification in Rome on May 2, 1999, and overseen by Silvio Cardinal Oddi [+ June 23, 2001] and other required canonical witnesses.

Padre Pio's tomb is encased in Italian marble weighing three tons, originally lowered by a crane over the casket of the Saint, and then cemented to the concrete floor of the crypt in the Capuchin church of Santa Maria della Grazie, attached to the monastery where Padre Pio lived for over fifty years, and who died there in his cell. When the coffin in which his body had been laid to rest after lying in state in the church sanctuary, was opened in the presence of witnesses, it was found to be completely empty, except for three notable items.

These items were: his robe, his white cincture and his Franciscan sandals. There was no dust, nor residue of deteriorated remains. Nothing. Only the above mentioned items.

John McCaffery [R.I.P.], the author of The Friar of San Giovanni: Tales of Padre Pio, was a close friend of Padre Pio. John was also a dear friend of this writer.

Once he told me a fascinating story. "I am only a poor monk who prays," Padre Pio used to say to John, and the sight of vast throngs milling about outside his monastery, truly consternated and perplexed him, so great was his humility.

"Oh Padre " said John "I know that thousands do come. But after you die, pilgrims coming here will be in the millions!"

Apparently, Padre Pio looked at him with a strange expression. "John," he said slowly, emphasizing every word, "Let them come! I will not be here!"

I was to have on occasion over the many years that would pass, to ponder, and wonder what these strange words of Padre Pio to my friend, John McCaffery might mean.

This writer has interviewed three prominent and credible traditionalists regarding the origin of this amazing story of the empty tomb in the crypt of Padre Pio's church, in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy.

All three agree that at the time of the exhumation, "Nothing was said, except they closed the coffin and told everyone nothing."

Father Carl Pulvermacher, OFM, Cap., well-known in the United States and Canada, and who will celebrate his Golden Jubilee of Fifty Years of Priesthood on September 3 of this year, has corroborated this story, and referred me to Robert and Christine di Cecco in Connecticut. I have spoken to both these persons, and apparently the late Cardinal Oddi related the facts to a priest named Chamoine de Porta from France who was the Cardinal's close friend. Chamoine de Porta is also a close friend of Christine di Cecco's family, and told the di Cecco's this story.

Witnesses were evidently told to remain silent as it appears the monks now occupying Padre Pio's monastery did not want this news to be known. If true, one wonders why.

San Giovanni Rotondo is now totally Novus Ordo [against everything that Padre Pio stood for]. Saint Padre Pio is a hero of the restoration of true Catholicism. He wanted nothing to do with the post-Conciliar liturgical revolution and said the Tridentine Mass until the last day of his life.

Readers are encouraged to write to Catholic Family News if they have any information that either challenges or confirms this remarkable story.
Below are two quotes from articles taken on the exhumation done in March, 2008. Now if the article above is true- if the body was missing in 1999, then whose body was found in March of this year, 2008? And if one is to believe that the body has been missing, then the quotes in red would lead one to believe that the "powers that be" are trying to disguise another man's body for that of Padre Pio. This could then be the reason why there may be truth to an impending punishment coming on San Giovanni Rotundo. But why the cover-up????

Body of controversial saint Padre Pio exhumed for public display 40 years after his death http://www.padrepio.org.au/StPadrePio.htm
By NICK PISA - Last updated at 16:19pm on 4th March 2008

The exhumation was authorized by the Vatican in January and was granted so that Padre Pio's body could be "prepared" when it is put on public display next month to commemorate the anniversary of his death 40 years ago. Local Archbishop monsignor Domenico D'Ambrosio, who was present at the exhumation, said: "The upper part of the skull was skeletal while the forehead was in perfect condition. "The rest of the body is also well preserved. You can clearly see the beard, knees, hands, the nails - if Padre Pio will forgive me it's as if he has just had a manicure.

Popular Italian Catholic saint exhumed 40 years on

Mon 3 Mar 2008, 9:48 GMT By Philip Pullella

ROME, March 3 (Reuters Life!) - The body of the mystic monk Padre Pio, one of the Roman Catholic world's most revered saints who died 40 years ago, has been exhumed to be prepared for display to his many devotees. The body of the Capuchin friar, who was said to have had the stigmata -- the wounds of Christ's crucifixion -- on his hands and feet -- is to be conserved and put in a part-glass coffin for at least several months from April 24.A Church statement said the body was in "fair condition", particularly the hands, which Archbishop Domenico D'Ambrosio, who witnessed the exhumation in the southern Italian town where Pio died, said "looked like they had just undergone a manicure". A spokesman for the monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo said he believed morticians would be able to conserve the face of the bearded monk well enough for it to be recognisable. The body, which had been buried under marble in a crypt, was exhumed during a three-hour service that ended after midnight.

In conclusion, we would like to say that we just spoke to Ann Cillis, and she again declares that all of the information in the above article is true to the best of her knowledge. She also reminded us that there has never been a First Class Relic of Padre Pio made available to the public either. Time is the best teller of the truth