The Dialog, the official diocesan newspaper of Wilmington, Delaware, reports that the diocese interviewed Fr. Aurilia in September 2025 on its Catholic Forum radio show. With 300,000 views the episode is the most-watched video on the diocese’s YouTube channel.
“In the interview, Father Aurilia unveils a human aspect to Saint Padre Pio that one does not often experience,” said Bob Krebs, diocesean communications director and host of the Catholic Forum podcast/radio program. “I am sure that the warmth and charm of Father Aurilia also contributed to the immense popularity of the YouTube video.”
Fr. Aurilia also authored Dearest Soul: A Spiritual Journey with Padre Pio for which he compiled the saint’s letters to his spiritual directors and spiritual daughters.
The Dialog reported on some of Fr. Aurilia’s memories of St. Pio, such as the description of his stigmata wounds.
“They were ugly, bleeding,” the priest said. “And some days the stigmata were so visible that you could see through them. They were deep, round holes. They needed to be dressed three, four times a day.”
He also spoke about St. Pio’s ability to read minds. Once, Fr. Aurilia walked over to the saint’s room with a letter from a woman asking if her son would become a priest or a doctor. Before Fr. Aurilia entered the room, St. Pio called out that the boy would become a priest.
Fr. Aurilia spoke about how incredible St. Pio’s workload was, despite suffering from various health conditions.
“He would sometimes hear confessions for twelve hours straight,” he said. “People don’t realize how exhausting it is to hear confessions. If I hear confessions for an hour, I need a break. After two hours, I need a vacation.”
Fr. Aurilia said that St. Pio helped him embrace his vow of obedience, encouraging him to continue teaching despite his desire to work in ministry instead.
Fr. Aurilia’s wake and funeral will be held Jan. 20 at Sacred Heart Oratory in Wilmington with the wake from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and the funeral beginning at 10:30 a.m.