I learned about Padre Pio through a lady named Judy Hayes. Judy shared with me some of the incidents of St. Pio’s life. She told me that she had received a miracle by praying to him. From that time forward I have had a great devotion to Padre Pio. When Judy learned that she had cancer, it was already in stage four and had spread to her bones. She went to a religious articles store to get a novena to pray for healing. While there, she noticed a holy card of Padre Pio. It seemed to be calling to her. Judy bought the Padre Pio prayer card and began to pray to him for his intercession. She prayed that she might be healed of cancer. Shortly after that, she had a health crisis and had to go to the hospital for several months. While in the hospital, Judy overheard the nurse talking to the other nurses. The nurse said, “Judy’s condition is so bad that she will die tonight. I have already prepared her death certificate. It needs to be given to the doctor for his signature.” What the nurse did not know was that Judy was praying to St. Pio for healing. She is alive today and cancer-free. I thank God for St. Pio and for the help I have received from him in my own life.

– Kathleen Lusk