St. Francis di Girolamo
A boundless zeal for the conversion of sinners and a tender love for the poor, the sick and the oppressed were the outstanding characteristics of St. Francis Di Girolamo, the eloquent Jesuit missionary, who is referred to as the "Apostle of Naples". Francis was born near Taranto, Italy in 1642, the oldest of 11 children. After he had made his first Communion, at the age of 12, he was received into a house of secular priests in the neighborhood who lived a community life. The priests were aware of his intellectual ability and educated him and gave him responsibilities. They promoted him from being left in charge of the church to teaching catechism to receiving the tonsure when he was barely 16. In 1666, at the age of 24, he became an ordained priest. For four years, Francis taught in the Jesuit Collegio dei Nobili. He then joined the Society of Jesus at age 28. After successfully completing a difficult year in the novitiate, his superiors sent him to help the celebrated preach...