St. John Joseph of the Cross (1654-1734)
Image Courtesy: Catholic Online
(Franciscan Media) John Joseph born into a noble family in Southern Italy on the Island of Ischia and from his earliest of years according to EWTN he was given to prayer and virtue.
At the age of 16, John Joseph entered the Order of the Franciscans in Naples and was one of the first to follow the reform movement of St. Peter Alcantara which had been instituted in Spain–Throughout his life he was given to the greatest austerity, fasting frequently, never drinking wine and only sleeping 3 hours a night.
With a reputation of holiness, this prompted John Joseph’s Superiors before he was even Ordained to be in charge of establishing a new community of Friars in 1674 at in Afilia and assisting in the construction–much against his will, John Joseph was Ordained into the Priesthood.
Obedience moved Fr. John Joseph to accept appointments as Guardian and later Provincial, his years of self-denial and charity enabled him to offer these attributes to the Friars with great benevolence–As Guardian, Fr. John Joseph always insisted upon performing the lowliest duties and was not above working in the kitchen, carrying wood or water to the Friars.
Fr. John Joseph passed away on this date in 1734 at the age of 80 he was Beatified in 1789 by Pope Pius IV and Canonized in 1839 by Pope Gregory XVI
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