The next Padre Pio Devotions will be held on the coming Tuesday evening, May 14th. at 7:30pm and Padre Pio’s Healing Glove will be available for blessings on the night.
The ‘petitions box’ will be brought to the altar in the course of the devotions and chief celebrant Fr. Mossie Brick will bless its contents and pray for all whose troubles made it into the box.
Fr. Brick stresses that the petitions remain strictly private and secretive as the confession box.
Though he may read out some, it’s on a non identifiable first name only basis and the contents are securely destroyed afterwards.
Kerry Hurling Goalie’s Bravery
The ‘Witness’ which has become one of the outstanding features of the monthly devotions, will be delivered on this occasion by former Lixnaw and Kerry hurling goalie, Martin Stackpoole.
Martin will talk about his addiction to gambling and the mental health issues associated with the widespread practice.
The extent to which this seriously impacting ailment has come to light in recent years is all down to the bravery of people like Martin Stackpoole.
They have bared their souls and revealed the depths of darkness to which they descended in the grip of their addiction.
Confronting a Faceless Foe
Standing in goals in hurling and keeping everything coming at you from all sides at bay takes no small measure of courage but Martin Stackpoole had to find more of the same in confronting a faceless foe which had a stranglehold on him in his private life.
Martin will tell his story which turns personal tragedy into hope for others and he will emphasise the fact that help is available and reaching out for that help is by far the preferred option.
Sick of Being Sick
“I just had to get to a place where I was done. I was sick of being sick. I was broken from it mentally, emotionally, physically at times. I wanted out of life, really,” he said..
“I couldn’t see myself not gambling. It just had a stranglehold of me. It was in control. I was not in control and my life was unmanageable. I just got the courage one day to ask for help,” said Martin in an interview that was carried in local and national newspapers last September.
Martin was pencilled in to deliver his message at the first night of the 2024 devotions last January but a family bereavement forced its postponement until now.
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