Capuchin church and monastery

In the monastery church of the Capuchins in Meersel-Dreef there is a statue of a saint of Padre Pio. Padre Pio was an Italian who died on September 23, 1968. Padre Pio was seen as a saint by many of his worshippers during his lifetime, although church authorities tried to prevent this. Many pilgrims visited Padre Pio and miracles were regularly reported. The priest could hear the confessions of the thousands of faithful from all over the world for hours or days, even in their own language. He was very strict during the hearing of confessions, and also in church he demanded respect from everyone, both in posture and in dress. Pope John XXIII was not enthusiastic about Francesco Forgione, he considered the wayward and mystical priest to be an impostor. After a long investigation, he was beatified in 1999 and canonized in 2002 under Pope John Paul II.

Dromos