Father Pio will be a Saint. The Church is ready to proclaim Father Pio a Saint. It is not to be excluded that the Pope might decide to intervene personally and directly promote him to sainthood.
Precisely because of his devotion to Father Pio, the Pope may do without the normal canonization process reducing the time required for his proclamation as a saint. Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State, in fact took part in the celebrations for the fortieth anniversary of the inauguration of the San Giovanni Rotondo Hospital promoted by Father Pio and raised the hopes of all those who pray that Father Pio may be made a saint as soon as possible.
"Father Pio is a giant of sanctity," said Cardinal Sodano. "We wish to thank our Father who is in Heaven for having given rise in the Holy Church of God to a man of great faith, of that unshakable faith that moves mountains and creates gigantic good works in this century of struggles, fratricidal wars and egoism. God has given rise in the Italian Church, in this noble region of Puglia, to a giant of sanctity whose heroic virtues recall men of today to their vocation as God's created beings and sons of the Father who is in Heaven." No one had any doubt. Everyone interpreted the words of Cardinal Sodano as the most awaited and unhoped for of signals. It was the first time, in fact, that a cardinal, and one so close to the Pontiff, had spoken of the sanctity of Father Pio as something unquestionable, and which no longer had to be demonstrated by complicated procedures. In effect, a historical affirmation which immediately revived the hopes of those who are convinced that the Pope has already decided to make Father Pio a saint. And to do it as soon as possible. According to sources very close to the Vatican, John-Paul II has already reached this way of thinking and the eventful date could be very, very close.
Medugorje Magazine, Author unknown
IN OBEDIENCE In obedience to the Decree of Pope Urban VIII we declare that we do not attribute more than human faith to any extraordinary facts narrated in the above, nor do we anticipate the definitive judgment of the Church to which we intend to offer fullest submission. ________________________________________________________________________