St. Francis of Paola
The saint of the day for April 2 is St. Francis of Paola. Francis was born in Paola in Calabria, Italy on March 27, 1416. His parents were remarkable for the holiness of their lives: they were childless for many years, but following prayers for the intercession of Saint Francis of Assisi, they had three children; Francis was the oldest. Francis suffered from a swelling which endangered the sight of one of his eyes. His parents again prayed for the intercession of St. Francis of Assisi, and made a vow that their son should pass an entire year in the "little habit" of St Francis in one of the convents of his order, a not uncommon practice in the Middle Ages. Francis was immediately cured. From his early years Francis showed signs of extraordinary sanctity. At the age of thirteen, he entered a convent of the Franciscan Order in order to fulfill the vow made by his parents. Here he glorified God by his love of prayer and mortification, his profound humility, and his pro...