Catholic Fire

September 18 is the feast day of St. Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663),  If you have watched the film "The Reluctant Saint", you know just how endearing this sweet Franciscan saint was and what strong humility he had. Joseph’s father was a poor carpenter who died prior to his birth. His mother, Francesca Panara, was unable to pay the debts, so the creditors evicted her from her home. She gave birth to Joseph in a stable at Cupertino, Italy. When Joseph was eight years old, he began receiving ecstatic visions that left him staring into space with his mouth wide open. Children made fun of him and called him "the gaper."  He was poorly educated and could scarcely read or write, which led others to think of him as stupid. In addition, his continual ecstasies made it difficult for him to concentrate on any task.  When he was seventeen, he decided he wanted to become a monk or friar. Joseph applied for admission to the Friars Minor Conventuals, but was rejected d...

September 18 is the feast day of St. Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663),  If you have watched the film "The Reluctant Saint" , you know just how endearing this sweet Franciscan saint was and what strong humility he had. Joseph’s father was a poor carpenter who died prior to his birth. His mother, Francesca Panara, was unable to pay the debts, so the creditors evicted her from her home. She gave birth to Joseph in a stable at Cupertino, Italy. When Joseph was eight years old, he began receiving ecstatic visions that left him staring into space with his mouth wide open. Children made fun of him and called him "the gaper."  He was poorly educated and could scarcely read or write, which led others to think of him as stupid. In addition, his continual ecstasies made it difficult for him to concentrate on any task.  When he was seventeen, he decided he wanted to become a monk or friar. Joseph applied for admission to the Friars Minor Conventuals, but was rejected d...

If you have watched the videotape or DVD "The Reluctant Saint", you know just how endearing this sweet Franciscan saint, St. Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663), was and what strong humility he had. First of all, he wasn't really wanted by his parents, then he was later rejected by religious communities. When he was seventeen he decided he wanted to become a monk or friar. However, the Franciscans wouldn't take him because, they said, he was too stupid. The Capuchins threw him out after eight months because he broke everything. Eventually a Franciscan convent near Cupertino and accepted him as an Oblate. He continued to pray and fast and perform all his tasks to perfection and and was eventually accepted as an equal by the community. He became a cleric at the age of 22. He was initially rejected for the priesthood due to his limited learning skills. He had to be tutored and drilled over and over by one of his peers (who found him unteachable) in his priestly studies in a...