Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo

Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo, also known as Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo, was born on May 3, 1786, in Bra, Cuneo, Piedmont region, Italy. He came from a middle-class family and displayed a strong sense of faith from a young age. After completing his studies at the seminary in Turin, Italy, Joseph was ordained a priest in 1811. Initially, Joseph treated his priesthood more as a career rather than a vocation. However, this perspective started to change one fateful night when he was called to the bedside of a poor, sick woman in labor. Despite her urgent need for medical attention, the woman had been turned away everywhere due to her inability to pay. Joseph stayed with her throughout her painful ordeal, offering spiritual solace and administering the sacraments. He baptized her newborn daughter, who tragically passed away alongside the mother. This traumatic event deeply affected Joseph and caused a significant shift in his understanding of his calling as a priest. In 1827, Joseph founded a small shelter in Turin for the sick and homeless. Initially renting a room, he filled it with beds and sought assistance from both male and female volunteers. The demand for their services grew rapidly, and Joseph received support from the Brothers of Saint Vincent and the Vincentian Sisters. However, during a cholera outbreak in 1831, the local authorities closed down the hospice, fearing it was a source of the illness. Not discouraged by this setback, Giuseppe relocated his operation to the Valdocco area of Turin in 1832 and named the shelter the Little House of Divine Providence (Piccola Casa). Under Joseph's leadership, the Casa expanded significantly, becoming a complex that included asylums, orphanages, hospitals, schools, workshops, chapels, almshouses, and various programs to aid the poor, sick, and needy. The entire community relied almost entirely on alms and Joseph's unwavering trust in Providence. He refused offers of state assistance, yet the Casa never lacked for anything. Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo founded fourteen communities to serve the residents of the Little House of Divine Providence. These communities included the Daughters of Compassion, Daughters of the Good Shepherd, Hermits of the Holy Rosary, and Priests of the Holy Trinity. Even until a few days before his death, Joseph directed the operation of the Casa. He passed away on April 30, 1842, in Chieri, Turin, Italy, due to typhus. Joseph's legacy lived on as the Casa continued to serve thousands of people daily, even after his death. Today, the institution remains a testament to his faith and dedication to the most vulnerable in society. Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo's tireless work and selflessness were recognized by Pope Leo XIII, who proclaimed his heroic virtues on February 10, 1901. Pope Benedict XV beatified him on April 29, 1917, and Pope Pius XI later canonized him on March 19, 1934. Although Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo does not have a specific patronage, his life and work continue to inspire Christian charity and devotion. His feast day is celebrated on April 30, with some calendars also recognizing it on April 29. Saint Joseph Benedict Cottolengo's dedication to the care of the poor and his unwavering trust in Divine Providence make him a model of selflessness and faith for the Catholic faithful.