About the Pio House

Faith

St. Padre Pio said "Today's society does not pray. That's why it's falling apart." The most important aspect of the Pio House is its roots in prayer and the Catholic faith. Our mission is to spread the faith through:

Bible studies
Retreats
Communal prayer
Encouraging spiritual direction
Frequenting the gift of the Eucharist

Service

St. Mother Teresa said "A life not lived for others is not a life." We become more ourselves and closer to Christ when we serve those around us. This is why we will have frequent opportunities and commitments to serve the community around us in:

Building up our Benque community and surrounding villages
Cooking meals for each other and our neighbors
Living out the corporal works of mercy

Fellowship

St. Maximillian Kolbe said "God sends us friends to be our firm support in the whirlpool of struggle. In the company of friends, we will find strength to attain our sublime ideal." Fellowship and community are a large aspect in formation and will greatly help those in the house and the community by:

Forming bonds and a brotherhood
Keeping each other accountable
Learning from one another
Having fun through sports, social events etc.

About Benque

Benque Viejo Del Carmen, Belize is a small town on the west side of Belize bordering Guatemala. The town has a population of 8,000 with plenty of various ethnic groups including Maya, Mestizo, Guatemalan, Chinese, and Creole as some of the leading ethnicities. English is the official language of the country but, because of its proximity to Guatemala, Spanish is still spoken predominantly throughout the town.

Crime and violence are not major issues within the town as the small town atmosphere stays dominant. With a lack of job opportunities in town, many travel to work in bigger towns nearby. There is a wide variety of economic status but the majority would be below the average. With cost of living being more affordable than other areas, many are able to find a way to make it work but of course this doesn't come without sacrifice.

There are many worse worse problems than material poverty in Benque. This brokenness is largely credited to a lack of fathers as; drugs, alcohol, abuse, and an utmost disrespect of women is common with men in town. With a lack of fathers, there is a decreased understanding of the importance of fatherhood and how to grow as a man in faith and virtue. This growing lack of fathers is a global problem and not just something in Benque, but hopefully the Pio House can spark a break in the chain in this town and beyond. As humans we are made for community, which is why "the Pio House" was formed. The Pio House is a place for young men of Benque who are striving to grow in faith and virtue and serve their community to live and grow together in an environment which reinforces these desires.

Through our way of life and our roots in the Catholic faith, service, and community and fellowship, the Pio house will be a place where young men can grow and excel in their intellectual, spiritual, and moral well-being and pursue the path to greatness. We truly believe that this modeled brotherhood of faith, service, and fellowship is key in the formation of young men. As iron sharpens iron, we hope that, in a world struggling not to be consumed by darkness, this sharpening of each other will carry on and be another source of light.

Why the "Pio House"?

The name "Pio House" was chosen because as the vision for the house was forming, a reoccurring saint that came up in prayer and discernment was St. Padre Pio. Because of this St. Padre Pio was asked to interceed for the dream of the house, a dream which came a reality after much prayer and work.

St. Padre Pio is one of the greatest saints of all time. He had an extremely devout prayer life; praying at least 15 rosaries daily and often hearing 10 hours of confession a day. He was known to be able to read peoples hearts and could even detect when someone was holding back a sin in confession. Because of this people would come from all over and wait in line for hours to have him hear their confession.

For 50 years St. Padre Pio bore the wounds of Christ as he was marked with the stigmata; the wounds of Christ given to those who share in Jesus' sacrificial love so much on earth that they get to physically share in his suffering. He is also known for waking up with scrapes and bruises because he would suffer physical attacks from the devil. He is a true example of our house motto; "pati Bene" or in english "suffer well".

St. Padre Pio is the patron saint of youth and adolescence. This is extremely fitting as many of the young men living in the Pio House are transitioning from their adolescence years and lifestyle to becoming men. We pray for St. Padre Pio's intersection often and continue to try to live by his example and do as he famously says; "Pray, hope, and don't worry!"

- St. Padre Pio,

Pray for us