“Send me your angel,” was a common direction St. Pio of Pietrelcina would give his spiritual children and the penitents who sought his guidance. For Padre Pio, this was not merely a vague, sentimental idea. He believed in and relied on angels throughout his ministry and had the gift of communicating with them.
This miraculous and active relationship wasn’t exclusive to his personal angel. Remarkably, the mystical saint also spoke with the guardian angels of his spiritual children. When one of his followers asked Padre Pio if he could truly talk to another person’s guardian angel, he responded, “What do you think? When you send him, he comes.”
As with so many of the miracles that surrounded Padre Pio, his interactions with guardian angels offer a window into the spiritual realm. With this view, we see that guardian angels are much more powerful than most of us imagine. Indeed, our guardian angels are lifelong spiritual companions who protect us, guide us, and intercede for us to join Our Lord in eternity.
Lifelong Friends
The relationship between Padre Pio and guardian angels began early, when he was still a young boy named Francesco. His guardian angel would make himself visible to young Francesco, taking on the appearance of another child. Later on, Padre Pio would call his angel “the companion of my infancy,” signifying his long closeness with his spiritual friend.
Reflecting on this childhood encounter, Padre Pio’s assistant and caregiver, Fr. Eusebio, said: “He had a heavenly friend who gladdened his boyhood and made him long for Heaven.” Fr. Eusebio continues: “This connection will grow constantly as the years go by and as the Padre moves closer towards that sanctity to which God has called him.”
Our Lord has given each of us a guardian angel, but it’s not something we truly consider in our daily lives. Padre Pio’s life shows us that our guardian angels are not passive observers, but consistent life-long companions and friends. And as angels, our guardians can do far greater things that are beyond our understanding.
Heavenly Messengers
When he encountered those who lived away from his monastery, Padre Pio would tell them: “Do not move if you have something to tell me, but send me your angel! He does not pay for any train tickets.” This reflected that Padre Pio could see and hear from other guardian angels, not just his own.
In Send Me Your Guardian Angel, Fr. Alessio Parente relates a wondrous story about one of Padre Pio’s spiritual children, an Englishman named Cecil. Cecil was visiting Italy when he was seriously injured in a car crash. A mutual friend of Cecil and Padre Pio rushed to the post office to send a telegram to the friar, requesting prayer for Cecil. To the man’s surprise, there was already a telegram from Padre Pio waiting at the post office, relaying the priest’s assurance of prayers for Cecil.
Months later, Cecil was healed enough to travel to see Padre Pio and thank him for his prayers. Cecil asked how the saint knew about the accident and sent a telegram so quickly, to which Padre Pio humorously replied, “Do you think the angels go as slowly as the planes?” Through the ministry of guardian angels, Padre Pio saw that one of his spiritual children was in danger and interceded for him.
Odile Haumonte’s book, Encounters with Angels, relates another harrowing experience concerning guardian angels. A bus full of pilgrims was traveling to San Giovanni Rotondo to see Padre Pio when they found themselves in the midst of a violent storm. Remembering the saint’s advice, the pilgrims began praying and asked Padre Pio’s guardian angel to also ask for prayers from the friar.
Miraculously, the storm abated, and the pilgrims safely arrived in San Giovanni Rotondo. Padre Pio met the bus and, before they could say anything, he said, “My children, you woke me up last night. I had to pray for you.” This was just one of many stories that people would tell of Padre Pio’s encounters with guardian angels.
The word angel is often translated as “messenger,” especially when God is sending a message to humanity. But their role as messengers is so much deeper. As we see in the above stories, angels could carry messages to Padre Pio, and he would send his own angel to others. Profoundly, the angels also help to intercede for us and carry prayers to God.
Advising his spiritual children to rely on the intercession of guardian angels to grow in holiness, Padre Pio wrote:
This heavenly spirit guides and protects us like a friend, a brother. But it is very consoling to know that this angel prays unceasingly for us, and offers God all of our good actions, our thoughts, and our desires, if they are pure.
“Send Me Your Angel”
Padre Pio was known for the many instances of miraculous and mystical phenomena that surrounded his life. For me, though, his ability to speak with angels is among the most awe-inspiring gifts possessed by the mystical saint.
Padre Pio’s life and work show that angels are not merely theological notions or sentimental feel-good ideas. The angels are real, and we all have one watching over us. When we feel alone or like we are so far from God and His Kingdom, we ought to remind ourselves of this important truth. “Nobody is alone!” Padre Pio declared, “There is a guardian angel for every person.”
Most of us will never be blessed with Padre Pio’s mystical gifts, but we don’t need them to cultivate a friendship with our guardian angel. Whenever you feel alone, require immediate prayers, or have concerns for a loved one, don’t be afraid to lean on your guardian angel. Take Padre Pio’s advice and send your angel, knowing that he is praying for you and watching over you day and night.
Image from Wikimedia Commons
