A Lesson in Piety

Thanks to a housemate, Fr. Jim, I am now aware of a mistake I made in an earlier post over a photo I erroneously captioned as Blsd. Pius IX. And so, today we can have a "Lesson of Pio".

First, today it the feast of St. Pio di Pietrelcina, or Padre Pio as he is more commonly referred.

While it was indeed Blsd. Pius IX who established Casa Santa Maria as a house for U.S. seminarians, the painting that hangs in the Pio Nono Room (where our Italian class is held each morning) actually depicts St. Pius X. For my simple mind it was confusing to have a painting of the tenth Pius in the ninth Pius's room.

However, a much larger painting of Blsd. Pius IX hangs at the end of the refectory.

All of these details are important as I prepare to be a good host and tour guide for all the many, many visitors who just might pass through this way some day.