In this video, we take a look at the spiritual journey of Mary Pyle, who was
born into a wealthy American Protestant family, but died as Catholic in San Giovanni, Rotondo.
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comments. I believe, in time, I will get better at narrating these wonderful stories of Padre Pio.
Finally, I wish you a happy New Year under the protection of our Lady and Padre Pio.
God bless. Now, to our story. Mary Pyle was the daughter of a wealthy New York soap industrialist,
popularly known as the Soap King. She was a beautiful girl, tall, blonde, intelligent, and
very polite. The name given to her by her family was Adalia, but she later changed it to Mary.
From an early age, she displayed an extraordinary gift for languages, a talent that would serve
her well for the rest of her life. She was financially secure, so she spent her time
traveling the world. But it seemed that nothing could fulfill the spiritual emptiness she felt,
which Protestantism in which she was baptized could not fulfill. She just received her
doctorate in pedagogy when she became aware of a different method of children's education, which
would soon gain admirers all over the world. Its creator was the Italian woman Maria Montessori
of whom she soon became admirer, friend, and, finally, assistant. In her company, Ms. Pyle
traveled to different countries and lived in many European cities. Knowing French, English, German,
Spanish, and Italian well, she served as an interpreter in all the countries they traveled to.
During her travels, Mary had the opportunity to study the Catholic religion to which
she felt drawn, captivated above all by the devotion to the Eucharist and to the Virgin.
After genuine preparation in 1918 in Barcelona, she received baptism in the Catholic Church. As
a sign of her conversion, she decided to change her name from Adalia, as she was called, to Mary,
Maria. Unfortunately, the news echoed as a betrayal of her family's traditional beliefs. So,
the family disinherited her from the part to which she was entitled. This, however,
did not shake her spiritual search, but rather deepened the need for a good mentor.
To this intention, she says, "I have started a novena to our Lady of Pompeii. I, then, left
with Maria Montessori for Rome, where I went daily to the church of Jess, asking the virgin to help
me find a holy guide for my soul." It was in the year 1920 when the news of Padre Pio's stigmata
reached Mary. She was interested in meeting him, but as she put it, "Out of mere curiosity." It
took her three years to finally come to meet him. At this time, she was 35 years old.
The meeting, however, was a disappointment. "What do you want?" Padre Pio asked. "I came
out of curiosity," she answered. But Padre Pio said nothing. At the end of the day, she thought
to herself, "This is a poor friar. How could he help me resolve my problems and anxieties?"
Weeks later on the beautiful island of Capri where Mary usually spent her summer, she had a dream.
She sees herself in a wagon seated to the left of Maria Montessori, who held the reins. The road is
rough, and the atmosphere is cold with snow and rain. Suddenly, the scene changes, and she finds
herself on the right of a friar who drives a wagon. She recognizes the driver. It's Padre
Pio. The horse runs fast uphill. The night is calm and seductively pleasant. The clear sky seems to
be illuminated by white light. The road leads to a building, which she identifies as the Church of
our Lady of Grace. The priest stops the wagon and says, "We have arrived." It was on October 4th,
1932, that she returned to San Giovanni Rotondo. Padre Pio, having just seen her in the church,
approached her and whispered, "Blessed are those who sit on the right. We have arrived."
"I fell to my knees," she said, "and only managed to mumble, 'father.'"
"Upon my head, he placed a stigmatized hand adding, "Daughter, no more traveling. Stay here."
So, she stayed. San Giovanni Rotondo recalls Clarice Bruno was, at the time, a rustic place
far from the world and the pride of the most essential elements, roads, lighting, water,
et cetera. She went up there heroically well prepared with five foreign languages,
a good musical background, and a great love for singing. With many years of preparation in the
best private universities in America, with a good knowledge of the Montessori educational system,
well-traveled and accustomed in childhood to all kinds of stewardships. Mary Pyle immediately began
to build her home. She became a sister of the Third Order of St. Francis. Instead of elegant
outfits, she now wore the Franciscan habit. Fluent in five languages, she became one of Padre Pio's
most efficient secretaries, communicating with people far and wide across the globe.
She once told a close friend that Padre Pio knew the contents of every letter before it was opened.
In her house, she hosted countless pilgrims. In her relatively large living room, she taught the
poor and illiterate women how to read and write. She also spent time with the younger generations
teaching them about the Catholic faith playing games and singing songs. It should be mentioned
that Mary's mother came to visit her in later years and restored Mary's inheritance. Her
mother and Padre Pio actually became friends. In a short time, Mary became a beloved figure among
the locals. She was so kind that even Padre Pio s parents spent their last years in her house.
However, her greatest achievement was the financing and construction of the Capuchin
Church and Covenant in Pietrelcina, Padre Pio's birthplace. Mary Pyle reached old age,
dying just months before her spiritual mentor to whom she gladly devoted her whole life.
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