The Holy Man on the Mountain: Padre Pio and the Americans who Discovered Him [Paperback]

Frank Rega (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2004

"The Holy Man on the Mountain: Padre Pio and the Americans who Discovered Him." Read the true story of thousands of rugged American GIs who beat a path to an isolated hilltop friary in Italy during W.W. II. There they would meet Padre Pio, the twentieth century mystic and "flying monk" who lived there. They were among the first to bring back to America the astounding story of St. Pio, the "second St. Francis", who now has a world-wide following in the millions. A comprehensive biography of the saint is interwoven with the intriguing story of the Americans who sought out the "Holy Man on the Mountain," and made him known in this country. The author presents much previously unpublished material, gleaned from interviews with American GIs and others who met and knew Padre Pio. Other information from Italian sources, translated by the author, is available for the first time in English. Recently canonized, Padre Pio was the first Catholic priest to receive the stigmata, the wounds of Christ, which he carried for fifty years. By the time of his death in 1968 in Italy, he was world famous, and stories of his wonders and miracles are countless. St. Pio’s spiritual gifts included bilocation, reading souls and hearts, apparitions, battles with Satan, communication with angels and with souls in Purgatory, miracles and cures. During W.W.II, American soldiers crammed his mountain-top friary to see, hear and be near a living saint. Allied airplanes were unable to bomb his town because he appeared to the pilots in the clouds as a "flying monk" to stop them. Although a cloistered friar, he built one of the greatest hospitals in Europe, largely with American financial help.

The book contains the complete story of the "Flying Monk" miracle. Also includes chapters on people close to Padre Pio and/or who made him known in this country, such as American heiress Mary Pyle, Fr. Joseph Pius, Joe Peluso, Joe Peterson, William Carrigan, Mario Bruschi, Charles Mandina, Vera Calandra, and many others.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...important addition to the constantly expanding body of literature about St. Pio...concise, and very readable... enlightening and edifying" -- Rev. C. Bernard Ruffin, author of

From the Author

The second edition of this book is now being published by TAN Books and Publishers, and it has a new name, "Padre Pio and America." Look for it at amazon.com under its new name, or go to the tanbooks.com website.Thanks to everyone for making "The Holy Man on the Mountain" such a success that the expanded second edition with a larger publisher has been made possible.

Product Details

• Paperback: 376 pages
• Publisher: Aventine Press (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593302290
• ISBN-13: 978-1593302290
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #556,943 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

As devotee of Padre Pio and St. Francis of Assisi, Frank Rega has been a Third Order (Secular) Franciscan for over 25 years. His first book, Padre Pio and America, was published by TAN Books, as well as his second book, St. Francis of Assisi and the Conversion of the Muslims. He has also published books about the mystic Luisa Piccarreta, the Catholic President of Ecuador, Garcia Moreno, and many articles for Catholic periodicals. He is founder and moderator of a 425 member online international Padre Pio prayer and discussion group. He is also an active member in the Knights of Columbus. His web site is www.frankrega.com. A Henry Rutgers Scholar and Phi Beta Kappa at Rutgers University, Mr. Rega also studied at Yale University's Institute of Human Relations on a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship. Most recently he was employed by Compuware Corp. as a software engineer on projects for NASA and the Department of Homeland Security.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Padre Pio Book I Have Been Waiting For!, December 29, 2004

By 

Happy Loumin (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Holy Man on the Mountain: Padre Pio and the Americans who Discovered Him (Paperback)

Frank Rega has gathered in one book all the stories--many never before told--of the first Americans, especially GIs, who discovered Padre Pio early on, at a time when you could still get near him, speak to him, kiss his gloved hand. I met Padre Pio briefly two years before he died. By then the world had begun to make inroads into this long forgotten mountain, and because of his age and frailty, Pio was guarded by friars who protected him from the rushing waves of people (much as Jesus was surrounded by crowds). But it wasn't so during the war. Rega writes about the GIs--battered soldiers, exhausted fliers, engineers--who took the road that wound up the lonely, barren mountain to San Giovanni Rotondo, some in trucks and jeeps, some even walking, to find this rumor of a "holy man" they'd heard about at the airbases below. Prompted by faith or curiosity in the midst of battle (perhaps, I have always thought, spurred on to a secret mission they were completely unaware of), they found the holy man to be a conduit of miracles, a discerner of souls called "a saint." They found a stigmatist, who became known as "The Living Crucifix." And all of the GIs spoke of Pio's profound Holy Mass conveying a real presence. I'd read snippets in other Pio books about their awe, their standing in the back of the tiny, crowded 16th- century church, soldiers but also saints, in a way, answering the call for God and country. I had read of their visits to Mary Pyle, the first American to make her way up the mule path to Pio in 1923 (a great story recounted in detail in Rega's book), but I always longed to know more, more! What was it like during the war, when sacrifice was a daily thing? How did Pio inspire these men? Some even became priests! What did the GIs say to Padre Pio? And Pio to them? Well here it all is! And Rega does a sound, thorough, updated investigation of "The Flying Monk" mystery that haunts the legends of Padre Pio--Pio seen in the sky, stopping American bombers from unloading their unused bombs near San Giovanni Rotondo before returning to their base.
This is an unusual Pio book, putting the American and GI part of the Padre Pio story all together so we don't have to chase everywhere for the puzzle pieces to make the grand tapestry. The metaphor and meaning of this story is that we must search for Jesus, look for Our Savior, climb mountains, if necessary, to find him in ourselves.

And oh yes, that possible secret mission of the GIs, for which it seems they were a great instrument in a plan of God we can only guess at? To carry back Saint Pio to this land of faith--"the good America!" I loved this book!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Dad Would Have Been Proud, February 24, 2005

By 

T. P. (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Holy Man on the Mountain: Padre Pio and the Americans who Discovered Him (Paperback)

My father was one of the GIs talked about so many times in this book. His personal friendship with Padre Pio changed his life. Coming back from WWII, dad spent endless evenings showing his movies and slide shows about Padre Pio to church groups and anyone interested. It was a mission to him.

Dad always wanted to publish a book about his lifetime friendship with this holy man who is now a saint. Dad passed away without doing so, but some of his personal notes were used by Mr. Rega in this book... as were letters that he wrote to others concerning Padre Pio. As my mother and entire family is, dad would have been very pleased with Mr. Rega's book.

This is not merely a manuscript. It is an owner's manual for a soul. The stories within are enlightening, fascinating, encouraging and expertly handled by Mr. Rega's unique gift as a talented author. Not only is it well written, the content makes it almost impossible to put down before finishing.

This book is a "must" for anyone interested in Padre Pio.
Highly, highly recommended!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Message from the author, December 25, 2005

By 

Frank M. Rega (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Holy Man on the Mountain: Padre Pio and the Americans who Discovered Him (Paperback)

This book as been re-issued under a new title, "Padre Pio and America," with a new publisher, TAN Books. Look for it at amazon.com under its new name, or go to the tanbooks.com website. Thanks to everyone for making "The Holy Man on the Mountain" such a success that the expanded second edition with a larger publisher has been made possible. Frank Rega.