A text that tells the story of the day that Padre Pio showed a woman the child she had aborted. The most curious thing is that, by God's design, the child would become a pope.

This is the story:

"To a woman who went to his confessional, Padre Pio said: - Close your eyes and tell me what you see. The lady obeyed, closed her eyes and said: - I see a huge square with a lot of people. Among the people, I see a procession that moves solemnly.

I see many priests, bishops and cardinals in court: they all precede a pope who is taking the throne. Yes, I precisely see a pope on the throne and a large crowd that acclaims this pope, very beautiful… But what does all this mean? Padre Pio replied: - The child you killed in your womb with abortion, in God's design, should become this pope. The poor woman screamed and fainted next to the confessional."

Although it was not possible to prove the authorship of the text, the story is of fundamental importance, as leads us to reflect on a common and cruel situation: the regret of many women who committed an abortion.

Another point that the text brings to light: how many people were cruelly killed in the womb and could change the history of humanity and the Church?

Furthermore, this fact serves to remind us of Padre Pio's position, which was always vehemently against abortion.

Padre Pio even denied absolution to a woman who had committed an abortion. The case is in the book Padre Pio's Jack of All Trades, by the friar Franciscan Pellegrino Funicelli. When asked about his rigor in the face of abortion, Padre Pio responded:

"The day people lose their horror of abortion will be the most terrible day for humanity. Abortion is not just homicide, it is also suicide.

Shouldn’t we have the courage to express our faith in the face of those who commit two crimes in one act?”

Yes, Padre Pio considered abortion suicide. And he explained:

"I would understand this suicide of the human race if, with the eye of reason, you saw the earth populated by old people and depopulated of children, burned like a desert. If you reflected like this, you would understand the double gravity of abortion: the mutilation of the lives of the parents as well. To these parents, I will scatter the ashes of their destroyed fetuses, to show their responsibilities and to deny them the possibility of appealing to one's own ignorance. An induced abortion cannot be taken with false considerations and false pity. It would be abominable hypocrisy. Those ashes need to be thrown in the faces of their murderous parents. If I don't leave them feeling guilty, I I will feel involved in your own crimes.”

To conclude, Padre Pio himself recognized his strictness regarding abortion:

"When I say words, perhaps a little strong, but fair and necessary to those who commit this crime, I am sure that I have obtained God's approval for my rigor."