St. Louis of Toulouse (1274-1297)
Image: Pax Et Bonum
(Franciscan Media) Born in Italy Nocera the son of Charles II of Anjou, King of Naples according to SQPN and Great-Nephew of Saint Louis IX (Feast Day: 25 August) and Saint Elizabeth of Hungary (Feast Day: 17 November) Louis at an early age exhibited early signs of attachment to prayer and compassion to those in need. As a child, he would take food from the castle to feed the poor.
When Louis was 14 yrs old, he along with two of his brothers were taken as hostages to the King of Aragon’s Court as part of a political deal involving their father. At the Court, Louis was tutored by the Franciscan Friars under which he made great progress both in his studies and spiritually — Like St.Francis of Assisi Louis developed a very special love for those afflicted with leprosy.
While still a hostage, Louis decided to renounce his royal title in favor of his brother Robert and was Ordained a Priest at the age of 23 — Very shortly thereafter Fr. Louis was appointed Bishop of Toulouse.
The Franciscan spirit pervaded Fr. Louis: “Jesus Christ is all my riches, He alone is sufficient for me,” Bishop Louis of Toulouse kept repeating.
Even as Bishop, Fr. Louis continued to wear the Franciscan Habit and sometimes would yet go out a beg for charity–Bishop Louis of Toulouse assigned a Friar to offer him correction, in public if necessary and the Friar always did his job.
Bishop Louis of Toulouse service to the Diocese was richly blessed, in no time he was considered a Saint — Bishop Louis of Toulouse set aside 75% of his income to feed the poor and maintain Churches, each day he would feed on average 25 poor people at his table.
On this date in 1297 at the age of 23, Bishop Louis of Toulouse fell asleep in the arms of the Lord Jesus Christ — In 1317 Bishop Louis of Toulouse was Canonized by Pope John XXII
- Publishers Note: Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa was the 5th California Mission founded in 1772 and named after St. Louis of Toulous by Fr. Junipero Serra who was Canonized by Pope Francis, during the Holy Father’s visit to the United States in September, 2015