In today's story we're going to see this young lady, Angela Morano.
And she was seeking Padre Pio's council for the rest of her life.
So let's see what happened in the story.
She had a number of suitors lined up for marriage.
Who was she going to choose?
What was Padre Pio able to advise in this situation?
Hello friends, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to our channel following Padre Pio.
And on this channel through a series of very short stories, we'd look at the life of our
great Saint Padre Pio.
Who was a Capuchin friar, a mystic, a tremendous miracle worker.
Do stay tuned to find out more about his life, and also to see what his intercession could
do for you.
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In the story today, there's a young lady called Angela Morano, and this is the year 1939.
And she was thinking seriously now about her future.
What was she going to do?
She had a number of suitors and marriage proposals, and she wanted to consult Padre Pio.
What was God's will in this situation?
What was her best way forward?
Now Angela had come to San Giovanni Rotondo, and she was staying in the only boarding house
which was close to the monastery.
She seemed to get on pretty well with the landlady, and she struck up a bit of a conversation
with her.
And then mentioned to the landlady, this is my predicament.
Who should I choose?
Do you think that Padre Pio would be able to help in this situation?
The landlady responded Padre Pio is certainly able to help, because he is in communion with
God.
And trust whatever he tells you, because he is enlightened by God himself.
So that was the landlady's advice.
Inspired by this, the following day Angela went to confession with Padre Pio.
And as she was finishing off her confession, she mentioned to Padre Pio that several men
have asked her, "Have asked for my hand in marriage."
She said, "I'm afraid to make this choice.
I would like you to advise me, which one will be the most suitable partner?"
So it sounds very reasonable to put it like that to Padre Pio to know God's will.
And Padre Pio's response was unexpected.
"I am not a fortune teller."
He said to her, very abrupt, not helpful.
And then he added pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance.
And with that, Padre Pio shut the little door in the confessional, and it was end of discussion.
Actually, Angela, she was quite sensitive and she was very hurt by these words of Padre
Pio.
And she was unable to hold back the tears.
So she now went back to the landlady in the boarding house and told her what had happened.
The landlady's advice, "Think nothing of it.
Sometimes he is brusque.
Just be persistent and you will get your answer."
And so I'm sure our Lord said something exactly along those lines in the gospel, how we must
be persistent in our prayers.
The next day, Angela did go back to church and once again she approached Padre Pio, and
once again things did not go well at all.
She was even more disappointed because now, time was running out.
She only had one more day to go, and then she had to return to her home in Calabria.
And so then on the final day, now Angela again stood before Padre Pio.
And this time things were totally different.
Padre Pio greeted her with a smile and said, "What do you want my daughter?"
And then she proceeded to pull out a sheet of paper, with a list of all the suitors on
it.
But before she could even read one word Padre Pio said to her, "Mr. Rispoli, he is the best
one for you, but you must be sure to let me meet him first."
How did he get the name Mr. Rispoli?
Because we'll see, the name wasn't even on the sheet of paper.
Angela now returned to Calabria, and then the months passed by.
Then finally Padre Pio's words began to materialize, because the family of Giovanni Rispoli, they
now contacted Angela's mother.
And they asked for permission for Giovanni to meet with Angela.
Now Giovanni was an attorney, and he had just returned recently from Africa.
He had been working in Africa, just recently returned to Italy.
Angela and him were introduced, and they got on fantastically well right from the beginning.
And then Angela proceeded to tell Giovanni about the story, what had transpired in a
meeting with Padre Pio.
And of course she wanted him, Giovanni, to meet with Padre Pio, just to make the trip
to San Giovanni Rotondo.
So just to please Angela, Giovanni agreed he was willing to make this trip, but internally
actually he was completely unenthusiastic.
What had happened is some years back, Giovanni had been a practicing Catholic and then tragedy
struck, his father had died.
And because of this, he was unable to reconcile this whole situation.
His faith had become very diminished, because the grief of this whole experience had just
overshadowed his whole life.
And so at this stage, Giovanni was actually just indifferent to religion.
Now in San Giovanni Rotondo, he did go to Padre Pio's Mass.
After Mass, he followed Padre Pio to the sacristy.
Padre Pio turned around at one point and said to him, "Giovanni, I see that you have finally,
that you have finally landed."
So how did he know Giovanni's name even?
And this shocked Giovanni, that Padre Pio knew his name.
And especially because he had only recently returned to Italian soil.
How did Padre Pio know he had just landed?
So confused, he simply did not respond.
"But isn't that your name, Giovanni?"
Padre Pio asked.
"Yes, that is my name."
He told Padre Pio that he had been away in Africa, and there he had learned of his father's
tragic passing.
"I just cannot resign myself to losing him.
I cannot get over the grief."
And Padre Pio's advice was, "Continue on the straight road, and you will see your father
again."
At these words, somehow peace was restored in Giovanni's heart.
Giovanni went on to tell Padre Pio how he had now been introduced to Angela.
And he was hoping to ask her for her hand in marriage.
Padre Pio replied that, "You two are made for each other, and I think you should marry
her."
Giovanni now objected, "but war is about to break out, and I might be called up at any
moment."
"The war will not touch you."
Padre Pio assured him.
And so Giovanni and Angela, they were married and this was 1940 now.
And soon after that Giovanni received notification, he had to report for military service.
So what had gone wrong?
Had Padre Pio been completely mistaken?
When he reported for duty, he was told actually another person has been substituted in your
place.
You are not required to serve.
The words of Padre Pio came to mind, "The war will not touch you."
And with that, his whole attitude towards Padre Pio changed.
And he started to have a lot of faith in Padre Pio's prophetic gifts.
Then several years later, now Angela visited Padre Pio again.
And this time she was concerned, because she said their marriage has not been blessed with
children.
"Do not worry."
Padre Pio showed her, "The children will come.
As a matter of fact, you can go and prepare the baby clothing now.
The first will be boys and the last will be girls."
And not long after that, Angela was now struck with this terrible pain.
She went to the doctor who advised her an operation is necessary.
So she went back to Padre Pio.
Who wanted to know about, "Why this talk of an operation?
You are expecting a baby."
At this news, both Angela and Giovanni, they were now elated.
"So what shall we name our baby?"
They asked.
"Well name the first whatever you want.
And the last you can name after me."
Padre Pio said.
In 1956, Angela and Giovanni's first daughter was born.
And then six years later, they last was born, a beautiful baby girl they named Pierre after
Padre Pio.
And then at one point, so this was six years later, Angela became ill.
So she asked a friend to please go and see Padre Pio, and to let him know that she was
unwell.
Padre Pio saw her and said, "I'm aware of Ms. Rispoli's illness, and I will take care
of it."
It's almost like Padre Pio had become her guardian angel.
He took care of them in a very special way.
And in a video coming soon, we're going to see how Padre Pio after Mass.
So his mess was very, very special.
It was unique after Mass, how did he make his Thanksgiving?
Let's have a look at that next time.
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