San Juan Capistrano -CA Mission

 

St. John of Capistrano/San Juan Capistrano

1368-1456

October 23

John’s period in history didn’t lack excitement. The Great Western Schism, the Hundred Years’ War and the fall of Constantinople all occurred in his lifetime.

            John studied law at the University of Perugia and became a lawyer in Naples. Appointed governor of Perugia before he was 30, John brought peace and justice to that region. As governor he was once thrown into prison during a civil war. There he reexamined his life and decided to become a Franciscan, which he did in 1416.

            He and James of the March (November 28) studied theology under Bernardine of Siena (May 20). After his ordination in 1425, he began a very successful preaching career in Italy. Large crowds heard him praise the beauty of God’s ways and expose the ugliness of sin. So great was John’s impact that cities petitioned the pope to send John to them. His nickname, “The Apostle of Europe,” was well deserved.

            Pope Eugene IV was especially grateful for John’s wise advice. When the schismatic Council of Basel elected an anti-pope, John worked vigorously against popular support for that choice. The Church sent John to northern Italy to counter heretical groups there and he went to Bohemia to reconcile the Hussites.

            John was a very significant influence within the Order. Because of his preaching many young men joined the friars. By 1443 he held the highest post among the Observant friars in Italy. John declined the bishopric of Aquila and later of Rieti.

            At the direction of Pope Callistus III, John preached a crusade to save western Europe from the Turks, who were advancing from recently-conquered (1453) Constantinople, last outpost of the decimated Byzantine Empire.  The Christians won a decisive victory at Belgrade in 1456. Worn out from that crusade, John died in Hungary on October 23, 1456. He was canonized in 1690.

QUOTE: John‘s tomb in Villach, Hungary, bears this inscription: “This tomb holds John, by birth of Capistrano, a man worthy of all praise, defender and promoter of the faith, guardian of the Church, zealous protector of his Order, an ornament to all the world, lover of truth and justice, mirror of life, surest guide in doctrine; praised by countless tongues, he reigns blessed in heaven.”

COMMENT: In John of Capistrano, Jesus found a very energetic man. No hardship was too great, no self-sacrifice was too costly if John could show more people the wisdom of God’s ways and the folly of sin. John used his talents tirelessly for the spread of the gospel. Perhaps his example can help us to find energy we have not previously tapped.

from McCloskey, Patrick. Franciscan Saint of the Day. St. Anthony Messenger Press, 1981.