unless otherwise stated.
Saint Joseph Calasanctius.
Confessor.
Feast Day 27 August.
Double.
White Vestments.
English: Church of Saint Thomas, Zaragoza, Spain.
The Altarpiece is of San José de Calasanz (Saint Joseph Calasanctius. A painting by José Luzan. Dated 1767.
Español: Zaragoza - Iglesia de Santo Tomás o de
los Escolapios - Retablo de San José de Calasanz.
Pintura de José Luzán de 1767.
Photo: 26 December 2009.
Source: Own work.
Author: Ecelan
(Wikimedia Commons)
The Church, having just Celebrated The Feast of The Assumption, Venerates on this day a Saint who had a special Devotion to Our Lady.
Saint Joseph Calasanctius was born in Aragon, Spain, of a noble family, and, from his youth, showed his Charity towards children. While studying Theology at Valencia, he had to defend himself against the enticements of a powerful and noble lady, and made a Vow to enter into Holy Orders.
Having become a Priest, he was apprised by Divine Revelation that he was destined to teach and to train children, especially those of The Poor (Offertory).
He Founded, in consequence, The Order of The Poor Clerks Regular of The Pious Schools of The Mother of God (Collect) [Editor: Latin: Ordo Clericorum Regularium pauperum Matris Dei Scholarum Piarum, Sch. P. or S. P., or, in short, Piarists].
English: Logo of The Order of The Poor Clerks Regular of
The Pious Schools of The Mother of God. Or, The Piarists.
Español: Escudo de los Escolapios.
Photo: 28 November 2010.
Source: Own work.
Author: Dr Doofenshmirtz
(Wikimedia Commons)
Like Jesus, he let little children come to him (Communion) and taught them to fear God (Introit). Wherefore, the Gospel repeats the consoling words of The Master: “Whosoever shall receive one of these little ones in My name, receiveth Me.”
“What is there greater,” writes Saint John Chrysostom, “than to discipline minds, than to form tender youths to good habits? God has shown us that their Souls are worthy of such zeal and of such solicitude that, for them, He did not spare His Son.” [Lessons of The Third Nocturn at Matins.]
Saint Joseph Calasanctius (☩ 1648 aged ninety-two).
Mass: Veníte, fílii.
Saint Joseph Calasanctius (☩ 1648 aged ninety-two).
Mass: Veníte, fílii.
English: Saint David depicted in a Stained-Glass Window. Chapel of Saint Joseph Calasanctius,
Kyjov, Czech Republic.
Čeština:
Svatý David. Vitráž v kapli sv. Josefa Kalasanského
v Kyjově. Zhotovila firma Veselý a Verner,
malba oken chrámových, Praha - Karlín.
Photo: 1 June 2012.
Source: Own work.
Author: Radek Linner
(Wikimedia Commons)
Thank you, Zephyrinus, for this vignette of this much overlooked saint.
ReplyDeleteThe story of S. Joseph Calasanz’ life (d. 1648) is both harrowing and uplifting. There is no question of his holiness, his piety, and his sincere goodwill to educate poor children often without charging for their education.
Unfortunately, as some may know, his order was infiltrated (plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” or “the more things change, the more they stay the same: history repeating itself), by a cadre of men who decided they preferred to be wicked. The worst of the lot was a very clever devil, Fr. Stefano Cherubini, who was a sociopathic criminal with children, but from a family of very powerful nobles and attorneys who made him politically untouchable.
Cherubini craftily succeeded in outmaneuvering S. Joseph Calasanz, becoming first Visitor, then even superior general of the order, and effectively suspending the saint and was even in the act of preparing to expel him from the order he himself had founded. However, before Cherubini could do so, he came down with a terrible wasting disease that covered his body and died after a few months, according to the order’s own history (cf. Dr. Karen Liebreich’s book, “Fallen Order” [2005, Grove Press]: Liebreich is no friend of the Roman Catholic Faith, but nonetheless documents a difficult but instructive historic account). Everyone was shocked, but viewed it as a chastisement from God—as it was.
Before St Joseph passed away, he was fully reinstated to the order and he died at peace with God and man, as we all hope to do so someday. There remains a famous painting of him with his faithful followers, him receiving the Last Rites and Holy Communion by (of all artists, the usually dark and frightening Francisco Goya (“ The Last Communion of St Joseph of Calasanz,” 1819) -Comment by Dante P
We are most grateful to Dante P for this contribution to this Holy Saint.
DeleteZephyrinus was unaware of much contained therein.
Another example of how The Powers of Darkness work unceasingly to attack Christ's Church.
May Saint Joseph Calasanctius watch over us all and Pray for us.
Thank you, Zephyrinus, for reminding us of this wonderful, patient, kind man, the very epitome of Christ’s love, personified in this wonderful saint. -Comment by Dante P
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