A woman I was acquainted with who lived at San Giovanni Rotondo, had suffered badly from rheumatism for some time. One day, with great exertion, she dragged herself into church to go to confession to Padre Pio.
After confession she lamented over her pains and asked Padre Pio to help her.
He gave no answer. She was offended and said 'Ah Padre Pio, don't you have any compassion for me ? I suffer so much. Include me in your prayers!
Before he closed the grates of the confessional, Padre Pio said to her 'Don't feel sorry for yourself anymore'
A bit disappointed and also a bit offended, she left the confessional, but she had barely taken her first steps when she observed to her amazement, that she had no more pain and could walk easily.
"It is a tremendous responsibility to sit in the tribunal of the confessional."
"God runs after the most stubborn souls. They cost him too much to abandon them."
After a day of confessions: "Oh the souls! if you knew how much they cost!"
"The sight of so many souls who wish to justify their evil ways pains me, exhausts my brain, and tears at my heart."
"Before reproaching a soul, I suffer it first. But it is not I who act, but He who is in me and above me."
"Sin to confession to sin without repentance is a deception of conscience; in essence a sacrilege."
"Among you I am your brother, on the Altar I am your victim, in the confessional I am your judge."
"Confession is the purification of the soul."
Confession should be made no later than every eight days."
"Do not dwell on sins that have been already confessed. Jesus has forgiven them."
"Place a tombstone on the confessed sins, just as the Lord has done."
"I want to help Jesus in the tremendous task of man's salvation".
"The mercy of God, my son, is infinitely greater than your malice"
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