Padre Pio and the media

St Pio of Pietrelcina died in 1968, before the computer and cell-phone-age, but he was aware that movies were very popular at his time, and mass-media was changing the world, as it actually has. In his book ‘Padre Pio: The True story,’ the author, Bernard Ruffin, says that Padre Pio rarely watched the TV they had in their convent, other than the funeral of Pope Pius XII and John XXIII. He didn’t really like TV because he knew the danger it was causing to many people. Certainly, his confessional was a witness to this. He used to say, ‘Whoever invented the refrigerator is going to heaven, but whoever invented Television, is going down under....’ His prophecy became so true as we see this happening in just about every family....’instead of talking among themselves, the members of each family spend the evening staring at the TV set.’ He didn’t like cinema either, and often compared it to the work of the devil. However, many films were made even about him and religious themes, and thanks to these, we can learn about his life and the lives of other saints.