St. Padre Pio, one of the most beloved saints in the Catholic Church, is frequently quoted as saying that the Rosary was his “weapon.” Was St. Padre Pio advocating for violence against other human beings?
In the biography Padre Pio: The True Story by C. Bernard Ruffin, the author explains that, “the Rosary was his ‘habitual prayer’ and his ‘weapon’ against the powers of hell.”
Padre Pio prayed the Rosary every day and did so out of a love for the Blessed Mother. He also loved every human person and desired that they all would reach the eternal shores of Heaven. However, he also firmly believed in the words of St. Paul to the Ephesians.
His fight was not against political opponents or anti-Catholic individuals. Padre Pio clearly prayed the Rosary as a “weapon” against the “evil spirits” in the world, who are “prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
Padre Pio was not advocating for a physical crusade, where the Rosary would be used as a weapon, nor did he desire the death of his opponents. He simply believed there is a spiritual war going on in the world, invisible to the eye, and the Rosary is one of the most effective weapons against demonic forces.
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For us at St. Mary’s there’s a wonderful documentary on the Rosary you can watch at Formed.org. “The Rosary: A Prayer of Miracles” presents many current events, social upheavals, and contemporary lives in light of this great prayer. You can watch the trailer below.
