Welcome to the St. Pio Prayer Group – the group meet each Monday at 2 pm in St. 
Helen’s Church for a Holy Hour of prayer with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. This is an intercessory prayer group and everyone is welcome to come along and join in prayer. Refreshments are available in the Centre afterwards, giving the opportunity to ‘catch up’ with those we know and to make new friends. To find out more, just come along any Monday afternoon, or contact the Parish Office.
PLEASE NOTE: There are no meetings during August. The Prayer Group recommences on Monday 2nd September.
Saint Pio was born of simple, hardworking farming people on the 25th May, 1887, in Pietrelcina, Southern Italy. He was tutored privately until his entry into the Capuchin Friars at the age of 15. Of feeble health but strong will, with the help of grace he completed the required studies and was ordained a Priest in 1910.
On the 20th September, 1918, the five wounds of Our Lord’s Passion appeared on his body, making him the first stigmatized Priest in the history of the Church. Countless numbers were attracted to his confessional and many more received his saintly and spiritual guidance through correspondence. His whole life was marked by long hours of prayer and continual austerity. His letters to his spiritual directors reveal the ineffable sufferings, physical and spiritual, which accompanied him all through his life. They also reveal his very deep union with God, his burning love for the Blessed Eucharist and our Blessed Lady. Worn out by over a half a century of intense suffering and constant apostolic activity in San Giovanni Rotondo, he was called to his heavenly reward on 23rd September, 1968.
The steps taken in the Process of Padre Pio’s Canonisation are the following: 20th March, 1983, the Diocesan Process was begun; 21st January 1990, the aforesaid Process was closed: Sunday 2nd May 1999, John Paul II declared Padre Pio Blessed: 16th June 2002, the same Pope declared Padre Pio Saint.
St. Pio of Pietrelcina website
The National Shrine of St. Pio
Retreat Notes Fr.Joseph Pius at Pantasaph
Talk by Fr. Joseph Pius at Walsingham
We also have St. Helen’s Prayer Group, which meets in the Parish Centre each Tuesday evening at 8 pm (following the Novena at 7.30 pm).