Saint Joseph Calasanz

Biography

Saint Joseph Calasanz, also known as Joseph Calasanctius, Joseph of Our Lady, Joseph Calsanza, and José de Calasanz, was born on September 11, 1556, in his family's castle in Peralta, Barbastro, Aragon, Spain. He was the youngest of five children born to Don Pedro Calasanz and Donna Maria Gastonia. Sadly, his mother and one of his brothers passed away while he was still in school. Despite his father's wishes for him to become a soldier, marry, and continue the family, Joseph's life took a different turn after a near-fatal illness in 1582. This experience made him reevaluate his life and recognize a calling to the religious life. Subsequently, he studied at Estadilla, the University of Lereda, Valencia, and Alcala de Henares, obtaining degrees in canon law and theology. Joseph was ordained on December 17, 1583, and served as a parish priest in Albarracin. He also worked as the secretary and confessor to his bishop, as well as a synodal examiner and procurator. He played a significant role in reviving religious zeal among the laity and discipline among the clergy in a region of the Pyrenees. However, in 1587, both his bishop and his father passed away. Later, Joseph became the vicar-general of Trempe, Spain. In 1592, following a vision, he gave away a significant portion of his inheritance and renounced the rest. He then traveled to Rome, Italy, where he worked in the household of Cardinal Ascanio Colonna as a theological advisor and tutor to the cardinal's nephew. In 1595, Joseph selflessly assisted plague victims. During his time in Rome, Joseph became a member of the Confraternity for Christian Doctrine. He dedicated himself to helping poor children, many of whom were orphans or homeless, gain access to education. However, the existing teachers, who were already poorly paid, refused to teach the new students without a raise. Undeterred, in November 1597, Joseph and two fellow priests opened a small, free school for these underprivileged children. Their work received support from Pope Clement VIII, and later Pope Paul V, both of whom contributed to their cause. Soon, Joseph found himself supervising several teachers and welcoming hundreds of students. In 1602, due to the growth of their mission, Joseph and his colleagues moved to larger quarters and reorganized the teaching priests into a community. This community, known as Le Sciole Pie (Religious Schools) or the Piarists, also referred to as the Scolopii or the Order of Poor Clerks Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools, was recognized as a religious order in 1621, with Joseph acting as its superior. However, the Piarists encountered numerous obstacles. Joseph's friendship with the astronomer Galileo Galilei caused friction with some Church officials. Additionally, members of the ruling class expressed concerns that educating the poor would lead to social unrest. Other religious orders working with the poor feared being absorbed by the Piarists. Despite these challenges, the Piarists continued to receive papal support and carry out their commendable work. In his later years, Joseph faced the painful dissolution of his Order. He was accused of incompetence by Father Mario Sozzi, who was appointed as the new superior. After Sozzi's death in 1643, Father Cherubini succeeded him and pursued a similar destructive path. A papal commission thoroughly examined the accusations against Joseph and exonerated him in 1645, reinstating him as the superior of the Order. However, internal dissent persisted, and in 1646, Pope Innocent X dissolved the Order, placing the Piarist priests under the control of their local bishops. Nevertheless, eight years after Joseph's death on August 25, 1648, the Piarists were reorganized. They were officially restored as a religious order in 1669 and continue their important work to this day. Recognizing the significant contributions and holiness of Saint Joseph Calasanz, Pope Benedict XIV beatified him on August 18, 1748. Later, on July 16, 1767, Pope Clement XIII canonized him. Saint Joseph Calasanz is widely venerated as the patron saint of Catholic schools, colleges, the Congregation of Christian Workers of Saint Joseph Calasanz, schoolchildren, schools, schools for the poor, students, and universities. Pope Pius XII proclaimed him the patron saint of Catholic schools on August 13, 1948. His feast day is celebrated on August 25, though it was previously observed on August 27 and November 27 in the past. Saint Joseph Calasanz remains an inspiration for his tireless efforts to educate and care for the underprivileged, emphasizing the importance of education and providing opportunities for those in need.