May 7: The Flying Monk

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is May 7th, and our story is The Flying Monk. On May 7th, 1945, German General Alfred Jodl's unconditional surrender of Nazi forces brought an end to seven long years of fighting in Europe. For the Allied nations, the day was an occasion for rejoicing. For a small group of American airmen, it was also an occasion to investigate the odd happenings at San Giovanni Rotondo.

Beginning in 1944, the airmen's squadron had repeatedly attempted to bomb the Italian city, where a large cache of German supplies was allegedly stockpiled. But on every bombing run, something went wrong. Their planes refused to release the bombs, or their targeting equipment malfunctioned and the bombs hit the nearby forest instead.

For the problems, the airmen blamed one person, the Flying Monk. The Flying Monk was the name the airmen gave to the mysterious bearded figure who appeared in the sky every time they flew near San Giovanni Rotondo. Sometimes, they just saw his face in the clouds. Other times, the monk appeared as if he were standing in the sky.

Usually, his arms were raised, like he was issuing a warning or granting a blessing. Either way, dozens of American airmen and at least one commanding officer saw the monk, and as soon as the war in the European theater ended, they headed back to the scene of the events, wanting to know if the monk was who some believed him to be, the holy Capuchin friar of the city's Our Lady of Grace monastery, Padre Pio.

Sure enough, when the men arrived, they recognized the future saint as their flying monk. As one witness present at the meeting recalled, Padre Pio greeted the airmen with a friendly, So you are the ones who wanted to kill us all.

After his greeting, the Americans knelt and received his blessing. At least one conversion is said to have come from the encounter, perhaps more. Regardless, when they returned to America, the San Giovanni Rotondo they left behind was a city whole and intact, all thanks to the Flying Monk.

Padre Pio's life calls us to recognize the presence of God in daily events, to trust in divine providence, and to cultivate holiness in ways that might quietly affect others. Like Padre Pio, our dedication and prayer may ripple outward, often beyond what we can see.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, May 8th, for another story of faith and courage in America.