Padre Pio was born in Italy in 1887 and was a priest and confessor. (“Padre” is “Father” in Italian.) He heard millions of confessions during his lifetime. Padre Pio had the gift of healing people and knowing what was in their hearts when they came to confession. He filled people’s hearts with peace and helped them to love God. By encouraging prayer and frequent confession, Padre Pio brought people back to God and the Catholic Church. He is the patron (September 23) of confessors.

Saints are real-life heroes of faith who inspire us by their virtues to become more like Christ. In the Saints and Me! series, these beautifully illustrated early-reader books tell the real stories of saints that come to life and connect with today’s children aged 4 to 9.