Padre Pio shrine should send pilgrims home as ‘instruments of mercy,’ cardinal says

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David urged pilgrims at the newly declared international Shrine of Saint Padre Pio in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, to carry God's mercy back to their communities. During a Mass on September 23, 2026, marking the shrine's elevation to international status, the bishop of Kalookan said visitors should not only seek mercy but also become instruments of it for others.

David, who serves as vice president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, said the new designation should encourage pilgrims to follow the spirituality of Padre Pio through prayer, intercession, reconciliation, and compassion for those with physical, emotional, or spiritual wounds. He noted that the Italian Capuchin priest, who bore the stigmata for approximately 50 years, used confession to help people acknowledge their sins and repent while discovering God's mercy.