When someone we love leaves this world, it’s not just a person who departs. A part of our history, our identity, and our heart also leaves. The absence is felt in the silence of the house, in the objects that remain still, in the memories that return unannounced. And with that pain come questions we don’t always know how to answer:

Where are they now? Can they see me? Do they still love me?

Padre Pio, one of the most mystical saints of the 20th century, dedicated much of his life to accompanying people who were suffering the loss of a loved one. And his answers were neither cold nor theoretical. They were words born from a profound spiritual experience and immense compassion for human suffering.

For him, death was not a disappearance, but a transformation.

Love does not d:ie when the body ceases to function.

Padre Pio taught that when a person leaves this world, they do not lose their consciousness or their feelings. On the contrary, the soul enters a clearer and deeper form of perception. He no longer sees with eyes, nor hears with ears, but he feels with an intensity we cannot imagine here.

He said that the bonds created with true love are not broken by d:ea:th. A mother remains a mother. A son remains a son. A husband continues to love his wife.

Love does not depend on the body. It belongs
to the soul.

That is why our loved ones can perceive when we remember them fondly, when we pronounce their name in a prayer, or when we are going through a difficult time. It is not that they observe us as if they were looking at a screen, but rather that they feel our inner state, our sadness, our hope, and our supplications.

Souls are not far away; they are spiritually united with us.

Padre Pio spoke of an invisible but powerful reality: a spiritual union between those who live on Earth, those who are purified after d:ea:th, and those who are already in the presence of God. This union is called the communion of saints.

Although we cannot see it, there is a spiritual bridge that connects hearts. Across that bridge flow prayers, love, forgiveness, and intercession.

Souls undergoing purification retain a profound love for their families. They remember every gesture of affection, every word, every embrace. And from that state, they understand many things they perhaps couldn’t see clearly in life.

They don’t suffer as we do, but they feel a loving longing for those they left behind.

They can perceive what is happening in their homes.

Padre Pio affirmed that souls can spiritually perceive what is happening in their families. When a child cries, when a mother prays, when someone goes through a trial, that inner movement reaches them like a light.

It is not a detailed vision, but a deep intuition. A feeling that allows them to know that someone needs help.

That is why, according to the saint, many souls asked for prayers. Not only for their own spiritual process, but also for the suffering of their relatives on Earth.

Prayer creates a bridge between two worlds.

One of Padre Pio’s most powerful messages was this:
Our prayers do reach their destination.

Every Mass offered, every Rosary, every word spoken from the heart for a deceased loved one is a real help. That spiritual energy accompanies the soul and strengthens it on its journey toward the light.

And when that soul reaches its fullness, it returns that love in the form of protection, inspiration, and spiritual support for those who prayed for it.

It is a circle of love that is not broken by d:ea:th.

The souls in heaven intercede for us.

When a loved one reaches the presence of God, they no longer live with fear, anguish, or human worry. Their gaze becomes serene, wise, and full of peace.

From that state, they can intercede for their family. They can inspire good thoughts, ward off invisible dangers, illuminate important decisions, and sustain us in difficult times.

Many people feel a sudden peace, an inner clarity, or an inexplicable protection. For Padre Pio, many of these experiences were signs of spiritual help from those already in the light.

Signs exist, but they shouldn’t be sought after.

Padre Pio was prudent. He said that God sometimes allows small signs to console us:
a peaceful sleep, a memory that appears with peace, a scent, an unexpected calm in the midst of pain.

They are not spectacles or apparitions. They are delicate gestures of mercy.

But he warned that they shouldn’t be obsessively sought after. When they arrive, they arrive as a gift. A true sign never generates fear or confusion; it always brings serenity.

Grief can be transformed into a spiritual path.

For Padre Pio, the pain of loss shouldn’t be denied, but transformed.
Crying is not weakness. It is a way to heal.

When a person transforms their sadness into prayer, charity, and faith, pain ceases to be a wound and becomes a bridge to God and to eternal reunion.

What souls most desire: peace, forgiveness, and faith.

According to the saint, souls desire that their families:

Live in peace

Reconcile

Let go of resentment

Cultivate faith

Practice charity

From eternity, they understand that nothing in this world is as valuable as love and unity.

De:ath is not an end, it is a return home.

Padre Pio taught that we were not created for Earth, but for Heaven.
Life here is a journey.

Dea:th is the door.

And those who loved us do not disappear. They accompany us in another way.

Advice and recommendations:

Pray for your deceased loved ones, even if you feel they are already at peace. Prayer is always a gift.

Offer Masses, good deeds, and loving thoughts for them.

Don’t anxiously search for signs. True connection is spiritual.

Forgive and ask for forgiveness. Nothing brings more peace to the soul than forgiveness.

Live with awareness and love. It’s the best way to honor those who have passed on.