Padre Pio on the necessity of the Catholic faith, on the necessity of works with faith, and on other religions and sects

The Athanasian Creed: “Whoever wishes to be saved, needs above all to hold the Catholic faith; unless each one preserves this whole and inviolate, he will without a doubt perish in eternity.”

 The Profession of Faith of the Council of Trent: “This faith of the Catholic Church, without which no one can be saved, which I now freely profess and truly hold.” 

Pope Eugene IV, Council of Florence, “Cantate Domino,” 1441, ex cathedra: “The Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that all those who are outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans but also Jews or heretics and schismatics, cannot share in eternal life and will go into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels, unless they are joined to the Church before the end of their lives; that the unity of this ecclesiastical body is of such importance that only those who abide in it do the Church’s sacraments contribute to salvation and do fasts, almsgiving and other works of piety and practices of the Christian militia productive of eternal rewards; and that nobody can be saved, no matter how much he has given away in alms and even if he has shed blood in the name of Christ, unless he has preserved in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.”

 John 3:5: “Jesus answered: Amen, amen, I say to thee, unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

 Mark 16:16: “He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not, shall be condemned.”

 Matthew 18:17: “And if he will not hear them: tell the church.  And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican.”

 Matthew 16:18: “…thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.  And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.”

 1^st Timothy 3:15: “…the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

 James 2:24: “…Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only?”

 Apocalypse 20:12: “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing in presence of the throne, and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged by those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  And the sea gave up the dead that were in it: and death and hell gave up their dead that were in them: and they were judged every one according to their works.  And hell and death were cast into the pool of fire.  This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the pool of fire.

 Apocalypse 22:12: “Behold, I come quickly: and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to his works.

The letters from Padre Pio clearly prove that he didn’t respect false religions and that he held firmly to the dogma that it is necessary for salvation to be a Catholic.

Here’s what Monsignor George Pogany (who personally knew Padre Pio) said about Padre Pio’s view of other religions. “…Padre Pio insisted that the Catholic faith was the only religion founded by Jesus Christ.  He accepted everyone as a man, but he was convinced that other religions were founded by different men, as by Luther, as by Calvin, or by Zwingli …”[1] 

Padre Pio, Letter, January 27, 1918: “…the Church; this dear and sweet dove, which alone can lay the eggs, giving birth to the little doves of the Bridegroom.  Continually thank God that you are a daughter of the Church…”[2]

Speaking about mankind’s sins, Padre Pio said: “He (Jesus) sees all the ugliness and the malice of creatures in committing them.  He knows to what extent these sins offend and outrage the Majesty of God.  He sees all the infamies, immodesties, blasphemies which proceed from the lips of creatures accompanied by the malice of their hearts, of those hearts and those lips which were created to bring forth hymns of praise and benediction to the Creator.  He sees the sacrileges with which priests and faithful defile themselves, not caring about those Sacraments instituted for our salvation as necessary means for it; now, instead, made an occasion of sin and damnation of souls.”[3]

A blind man named Pietruccio asked Padre Pio what a person has to do to save his soul.  Padre Pio answered: “It is enough if you keep the commandments of God and of the Church.”[4]

Padre Pio was once heard to say about a kind doctor, “What a pity he is a Jew.”[5]

In a letter on April 7, 1913, Padre Pio said: “How many wretched brothers of ours respond to Jesus’ love by casting themselves with open arms into the infamous sect of Freemasonry!”[6]

During Padre Pio’s days, various non-Catholic sects were active trying to convert Italian people.  One of these sects opened a kindergarten near Padre Pio.  Padre Pio knew that the children were being exposed to criticism of the Catholic faith.  Padre Pio was very angry; he said to the superior: “Do something quickly!  Go in my name to the archbishop and get permission to open a kindergarten right near theirs…”  A kindergarten was started, and shortly after the sect had to close their kindergarten and move out.[7] Padre Pio fought evil not only with prayer, but also with action.