Father Pio Mandato is a Capuchin priest whose mother, Graziella DeNunzio Mandato, was a spiritual child of St. Padre Pio and wrote a memoir about him. Father Mandato was named after the saint and, like St. Pio, traces his roots back to the village of Pietrelcina in southern Italy. Father Mandato received his first Holy Communion from St. Padre Pio. His family migrated to America, and at 17 years old Father Mandato entered the Capuchins. He was ordained in 1985 and offered his first Mass at the same altar as St. Padre Pio. He became involved in hospital chaplaincy and developed a reputation for his devotion to the sick, like St. Pio.

In 1998, after serving for 13 years as a Capuchin, Father Mandato began to lead a life of prayer and solitude as a missionary hermit in the Diocese of Scranton. He now takes breaks from the eremitical life to preach and offer healing Masses for the sick. Father Pio Mandato will be hosting a weekend retreat at Christ the King/St. Anthony Parish in Burlington. A healing service with a relic of St. Pio will be held at St. Anthony on May 24, from 6-7:30 PM.

A retreat day at Christ the King on May 25 will include Mass, reconciliation, adoration, praying the rosary, relic veneration and blessing, and a talk by Father Pio Mandato. He will be co-celebrating weekend masses and blessing with the relic after.

— Christ the King/St. Anthony Parish, Burlington

SCHEDULE

Friday, May 24, 2024 • St. Anthony, Burlington 6 – 7:30 pm Introduction and Healing Service with Adoration and Confessions Saturday, May 25, 2024 • Christ the King, Burlington 9 – 9:30 am Mass — Celebration of St. Padre Pio, Blessing with the St. Pio relic 9:30 am Exposition 9:30 am – 12 pm Adoration, St. Pio Relic Veneration and Confessions with Father Mandato 12 – 12:30 pm Break (Adoration / Veneration continues) 12:30 – 1:30 pm Father Mandato talk and Blessing with the St. Pio relic 1:30 – 3:30 Adoration, St. Pio Relic Veneration, Confessions 3 pm Divine Mercy Chaplet 3:30 pm Benediction (Father Mandato) Saturday, May 25, 2024 • St. Anthony, Burlington 4:15 pm Mass Father Baker and Father Mandato, Blessing with the relic after Mass Sunday, May 26, 2024 • Christ the King, Burlington 9 am & 11 am Masses with Father Baker and Father Pio, Blessing with the relic after Mass

—Originally published in the May 4-10, 2024, edition of The Inland See