San Antonio parish hopes to become national shrine to St. Padre Pio

Published: 2004-08-03

SAN ANTONIO (CNS) -- The newest church in the San Antonio Archdiocese has taken the name of one of the newest saints as well -- St. Padre Pio of Pietralcina, who was canonized June 16, 2002. "We're here to get a fire started," said Father Pat Ragsdale at a meeting of the fund-raising committee for the new St. Padre Pio Catholic Church and Shrine in San Antonio. Archbishop Patrick F. Flores of San Antonio has designated it an archdiocesan shrine and parishioners hope to expand that to a national designation as well. More than $500,000 has already been raised toward a goal of $12 million for the first phase of the building project. Members of the newly formed parish had selected the name for their church while the saint was still Blessed Padre Pio; a dozen parishioners and Father Ragsdale attended the saint's canonization in Rome.

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