Padre Pio, who was so affable and pleasant in his relations with people, could become severe and inflexible when the honor of God was at stake,
especially in church. The whispering of the faithful would be authoritatively cut off by
the Father, who would openly glare at anyone who failed to maintain a prayerful posture... If someone remained standing, even if it was because there were no places left in the pews, he would peremptorily invite him to kneel in order to participate worthily in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Not even an inattentive choirboy would be spared: "My child, if you want to go to hell, you don't need my signature. The post-war fashions fell under the same censure:
Padre Pio, seated in his open confessional, all year round would ascertain that the women and girls who confessed to him were wearing skirts not too short. He would even cause tears to be shed when someone who had been waiting in line for hours would be turned away because of an offending hemline ... Then some kind souls would step forward and offer help. In a corner, they would unsew the hem, or else lend the penitent a coat. Finally, sometimes the Father would allow the humiliated penitent to go to confession.
One day his spiritual director reproached him for his harsh conduct. He
replied: "I could obey you, but each time it is Jesus who tells me how I am to deal with people." His severe manner, then, was inspired from above,
uniquely for the honor of God and the salvation of souls.
Women who satisfy their vanity in their dress can never put on the life of Jesus Christ; moreover they even lose the ornaments of their soul as soon as this idol enters into their heart.
And let no one reproach him for lack of charity: "I beg you not to criticize me
by invoking charity, because the greatest Charity is to deliver souls held fast
by Satan in order to win them over to Christ."
One wonders what he would say about this generation, and the Heresy that is rampant throughout the Church today?
