The relic will be located near a statue of another Italian (in this case Italian-American) saint, Francis Xavier Cabrini, he said, and near frescoes depicting the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper.
“Everything was very providential, how it came about. Luciano was looking for somewhere in the very heart of the United States. And we are probably about a 40-minute drive from the geographic center of the United States,” Holdren noted.
“This will be sort of a new home for Padre Pio here in the heart of the United States. The parish, St. John’s Parish, is looking forward to the possibility of hosting pilgrims from all over,” Holdren said.
“I think Padre Pio is a huge draw due to his intercession, the many miracles that have taken place through his intercession, and the idea of having a first-class relic in a parish that’s very accessible right in the very heart of the United States … Padre Pio’s great devotion [was] to Christ himself. So if all of this leads to Christ, then that will be in the legacy of Padre Pio.”
The plans for the four other chapels are still in the works, Lamonarca said, but he said he hopes to have more details to share about those projects by the end of March.
Prayer intentions to be brought before the relic in the new Kansas chapel can be submitted on the parish website.
Jonah McKeown is a staff writer and podcast producer for Catholic News Agency. He holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has worked as a writer, as a producer for public radio, and as a videographer. He is based in St. Louis.
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