A Derry woman who made a miraculous recovery from a brain haemorrhage after being blessed with the mitt of Padre Pio, has received Holy Communion from Pope Benedict XVI in San Giovanni.
27 years ago Ann Mulrine collapsed while she was pregnant with twins. At the time doctors told her husband Sean that his wife had suffered a brain haemorrhage and she had no more than half an hour to live.
Faced with the prospect of losing his w
ife and his two unborn children, Sean was advised to sign forms which would allow medics to keep his wife alive by ventilator until the boys reached 38 weeks. However the power of prayer was about to step in.
Despite doctors telling Sean his wife was clinically dead he continued to hope as he sat by her beside in the Royal Hospital saying the rosary.
"One night I looked up the corridor and I saw this figure coming around the corner and I ran towards it and said: 'Excuse me, you're looking for me.'
"I had never met the man in my life, I didn't know who the man was; don't ask me why I said that. He said: 'I'm looking for a man called Mulrine.' I said: 'That's me.' The man's name was Michael Murray and he and his wife ran the Padre Pio Centre for Northern Ireland.
"He said: 'I got a phone call about half-an-hour ago from a lady who said for me to take the glove of Padre Pio to Sean and Ann Mulrine in the Royal Hospital.'"
The brown mitt was one that Padre Pio had over the bandages on the stigmata on his hands.
The glove was placed on Ann's head. Despite all the tubes, she moved her hand and brought the glove to her face, blessing herself three times,
Doctors were astonished, and the next day Ann opened her eyes and began to talk. She was taken off the ventilator and a week later her sons were born in Derry
Sean and Ann were so transformed by what had happened they began their Padre Pio prayer group and now run the Padre Pio Centre for Northern Ireland, which is affiliated to the monastery at San Giovanni Rotondo.
However they don't make a fuss about what happened - they simply say Ann's recovery was a grace given by God through the intercession of Padre Pio.
The couple have runs numerous trips to San Giovanni in the last three decades and recently visited to view of body of St Pio, which has been exhumed.
Last week the couple were invited to a special Mass in San Giovanni celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI and Ann was invited to receive communion from His Holiness, because of her dedication to St Pio..
"Ann was very nervous, but she told me it was the experience of a lifetime," said Sean. "Later when we attended a reception we saw him leave on the Popemobile."
Ann also met Pope John Paul II at the canonisation of Padre Pio when she presented him with a gift.
The couple's Padre Pio group are planning a final trip to San Giovanni and Sorrento on August 28 for seven days. This will be the last opportunity to venerate the exhumed remains of St Pio as new arrangements are to be put in place after his feast day on September 23.
For more information on the trip please contact Sean on 71265926.
