Raffaelina
It is clear that where there was one Saint in the making, there was the opportunity for two.
I have been reflecting on the experience of Saint Padre Pio and Saint Raffaelina. Saint Raffaelina was adopted as a spiritual child of Saint Padre Pio and though she was twenty year’s his senior, she received spiritual instruction from him during her life and to the point of her death.
Saint Padre Pio experienced terrible spiritual darkness during his life. The experience of his soul was so terrible that it was likened to the darkness of Hell… This was a similar spiritual darkness experienced by Saint Raffaelina. And because they spiritual experience was so similar, Saint Padre Pio passed on the words and teachings of his own spiritual father, Benedetto, to Saint Raffaelina. You see, though Saint Raffaelina appeared as a wealthy noblewoman, she was a Third Order Franciscan religious, and she was one of the only souls who Saint Padre Pio saw in Heaven (without a stay in Purgatory) after her death.
Saint Raffaelina offered herself for Saint Padre Pio’s special intention – to be allowed to return to monastic life and to be a confessor. As such she soon developed a tumour on her breast and she offered the suffering and her death from breast cancer for this intention of her spiritual father.
The grace that she was able to merit for Saint Padre Pio allowed him to settle in San Giovanni Rotondo and hear over a million confessions during his life there.
The two exchanged letters during their life and these letters can be studied as a source of great information about the extent of their spiritual life.
I have been reflecting on the relationship between these two Saints. You see, it is clear that where there was one Saint in the making, there was the opportunity for two. Where Saint Padre Pio was growing spiritually, he was able to bring Saint Raffaelina on the journey with him. And the two were able to devote themselves to love of God and encourage each other in their vocations.
And I have been reflecting on that today as I have been reflecting on how we are able to please Our Blessed Lord. Saint Padre Pio reflected that the period of spiritual dryness was the period where God was preparing his soul for the demands that God would later place upon it. It was that period in the desert that allowed the Saint to prepare for eternity.
And I have been reflecting on that today. You see, it sometimes appears that life is too hard. Sometimes, the cross that I am asked to bear is too heavy. And yet, if I could have the trust of Saint Padre Pio in the demands that my Beloved placed on me, then I would easily be able to aspire to Heaven in the same way that he did. And if I would be able to do that, then maybe – just maybe – I could receive the Grace to be a GREAT Saint as he was and bring others to Heaven with me as he did…
Maybe…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
Comments