The Life of St. Joseph of Cupertino

St. Joseph of Cupertino

We all know that life is not always easy; but persistence and faith help to turn things around. Let us take a look at St. Joseph of Cupertino who faced many difficulties in life but never allowed his faith in God to waver. We celebrate his feast day on September 18th.

Born in the southeastern Italian town of Copertino in 1603, Joseph had problems learning and interacting with others. He often forgot what he had to do and also displayed a tendency of snapping at people with anger. But Joseph’s love for God was powerful. One day at school when Joseph was eight years old he had his first vision.

A statue of St. Joseph of Cupertino in Copertino, Italy

Joseph’s mother was quite poor; his father had passed away before Joseph was even born. The man therefore needed to support himself. So when he was a teenager he began apprenticing with a cobbler. Knowing that God intended him to do something else, Joseph attempted to join the Conventual Franciscans when he was 17 years old. His lack of a proper education however prevented him from entering the Order. The Capuchin friars took Joseph on as a lay-friar, but ended up expelling him after some time.

Facing an uncertain future, Joseph eventually found work as a stable hand at a Conventual Franciscan friary not far from Copertino. While working there his character changed. He became more loving, thoughtful, and penitent. In 1628 he was ordained a priest.

Cupertino

Throughout the rest of his life, Joseph of Cupertino continued to steadfastly love God. When anyone within his earshot uttered the words “God” or “Jesus”, Joseph would automatically start meditating, as if in a trance. Joseph’s strong faith even caused him to levitate. In order to keep life at his friary calm, Joseph’s superiors asked him to stay in his room at say Mass there. His enemies even reported on him to the Inquisition. But Joseph’s love for God never eased. And the Inquisition could not build a case against him.

Joseph of Cupertino died in a town called Osimo (Italy) on September 18, 1663. He is buried there. One hundred and four years later, Pope Clement XII canonized him.

(Sources of all related images on webpage and homepage: www.wikipedia.org and www.comune.copertino.le.it.)