October 23rd is the Optional Memorial of Saint John of Capistrano (1386-1456), priest. John was born at Capistrano, Italy, the son of a former German knight who had come to Italy the court of Louis I, King of Naples. John studied law at the University of Perugia and became a lawyer in the courts of Naples. The king of Naples appointed him as governor of Perugia. When war broke out with a neighboring town in 1416, John was sent as ambassador to obtain peace, but he was thrown him in prison. During this time in despair he turned to God and the direction of his life changed. Though he had been newly married, he and his young wife had never consummated their marriage, so when he was released from prison, they were released from their marriage vows. He started studying theology in Pergia, together with fellow student St. James of the Marches, under the Franciscan St. Bernardine of Siena. Both John and James later entered the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor at Perugia on October 4, 1416. Friar John assumed rigorous asceticism or self-denial in an attempt to draw closer to God by growing in virtue. He defended the ideal of strict observance and return to the Rule and the lifestyle of the Franciscan Order and of orthodoxy, right doctrine following the example set by Fr. Bernardine, who also inspired him to begin the devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus and His Mother Mary. In 1420 Friar John began preaching with great effectiveness in numerous cities. After his ordination to priesthood he traveled throughout northern and central Europe - in German Italy, Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Poland, and Russia preaching penance. The largest churches could not hold the crowds, so he preached in the public squares--in Italy, he preached to a crowd of 126,000. Also, Fr. John was so successful in his preaching that after one of his sermons more than 100 young university students entered the Franciscan Order. In addition to preaching, Father John wrote tracts against every kind of heresy. While he was evangelizing, he also assisted Fr. Bernardine of Siena in the reform of the Franciscan Order to live a more rigorous discipline in the Franciscan communities. He established numerous communities of Franciscan renewal, known as the Observant Friars Minor. Because both Fr. John and Fr. Bernadine strongly emphasized devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus they were accused of heresy and called to Rome to answer the charges. Fr. John was sent to speak to the Commission of Cardinals appointed to judge the accusations and they were acquitted. The Ottoman Empire, after conquering Constantinople in 1453, threatened Europe. Pope Callistus III commissioned John, 70 years old, to preach a Crusade against the invading Turks to recruit troops. With little response from Bavaria and Austria, John gathered enough troops from Hungary to join in Christian forces in the battle of Belgrade against the Turks in 1456. Though old and frail, Fr. John led his own into battle, which earned him the name the Soldier Priest. Fr. John held high the banner with the monogram of the name of Jesus, drawn by Fr. Bernardine of Siena as he led and urged the 4,000 crusaders to invoke the Name of Jesus. The city was saved and the enemy withdrew, as St. John had seen would happen in a previous vision. Thus, the victory of the Christians over the Turks was attributed to the zeal and prayers of Fr. John. The feast of the Transfiguration, August 6th, was instituted to commemorate the event. Although Fr. John survived the battle, he fell victim 3 months later to the bubonic plague, which flourished in the unsanitary conditions among armies. He died October 23, 1456 in Ilok, Croatia. John died at the age of 70, leaving behind 19 volumes of his writings and more than 700 letters. He was beatified in 1694, and canonized in 1724. Among the Friars Minor St. John of Capistrano, St. Bernardine of Siena , St. James of the Marche, and Blessed Albert Berdini of Sarteano, are considered the four great pillars of the Observant reform. St. John of Capistrano is patron saint of military chaplains and jurists. One of the 21 California Missions is named after this Franciscan priest, Mission San Juan Capistrano founded in 1776 as the 7th Mission by Blessed Junipero Serra. Let us pray, O God, who raised up Saint John of Capistrano to comfort Your faithful people in tribulation, place us, we pray, under Your safe protection and keep Your Church in everlasting peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. From the treatise Mirror of the Clergy by Saint John of Capistrano, priest The lives of good clerics bring light and serenity Those who are called to the table of the Lord must glow with the brightness that comes from the good example of a praiseworthy and blameless life. They must completely remove from their lives the filth and uncleanness of vice. Their upright lives must make them like the salt of the earth for themselves and for the rest of mankind. The brightness of their wisdom must make them like the light of the world that brings light to others. They must learn from their eminent teacher, Jesus Christ, what he declared not only to his apostles and disciples, but also to all the priests and clerics who were to succeed them, when he said: You are the salt of the earth. But what if salt goes flat? How can you restore its flavor? Then it is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Truly the unclean, immoral cleric is trampled underfoot like worthless manure. He is saturated with the filth of vice and entangled in the chains of sin. In this condition he must be considered worthless both to himself and to others. As Gregory says: “When a man’s life is frowned upon, it follows that his preaching will be despised.” Presbyters who are born leaders deserve to be doubly honored, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. It is indeed a double task that worthy priests perform, that is to say, it is both exterior and interior, both temporal and spiritual, and, finally, both a passing task and an eternal one. Even though they dwell on earth and are bound by the same necessities of nature along with all mortal creatures, at the same time they are engaged in earnest communication with the angels in heaven, so that they may be pleasing to their king and learn how to serve him. Therefore, just as the sun rises over the world in God’s heaven, so clerics must let their light shine before men so that they may see their good deeds and give praise to their heavenly Father. You are the light of the world. Now a light does not illumine itself, but instead it diffuses its rays and shines all around upon everything that comes into its view. So it must be with the glowing lives of upright and holy clerics. By the brightness of their holiness they must bring light and serenity to all who gaze upon them. They have been placed here to care for others. Their own lives should be an example to others, showing how they must live in the house of the Lord.
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 14:02:42 +0000
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