St. Joseph Calasanz, one of the foremost figures in Catholic education, was born at Petralta de la Sal, Aragon, Spain, on September 11, 1556. He studied at the universities of Lérida and Valencia and then was ordained in 1583. Shortly thereafter, he was appointed vicar general of the Trempe Diocese. He subsequently resigned this post, and in 1592 he went to Rome, where he was tutor to the Colonna family and engaged in charitable works (helping in hospitals and teaching catechism). Being aware that the poor, under present circumstances, had no chance of ever becoming educated, he decided to do something for them. Thus, in November 1597, together with three other priests, he opened the first free school in Rome for poor children. Here the children would learn secular subjects as well as their catechism. There was no problem finding students for such a school, and the schools multiplied in number, not only in Rome but also in other Italian cities. In 1617, his community of teachers received recognition as a religious congregation; they called themselves Clerks Regular of the Pious Schools (more commonly known as Piarists). Too rapid a growth of the congregation created problems for the founder, and the congregation soon suffered from internal friction. A favorable solution was eventually had, but only after the founder’s death. St. Joseph Calasanz died in Rome on August 25, 1648, and was canonized by Pope Clement XIII in 1767. In 1948, Pope Pius XII declared him the patron of all Christian schools. St. Joseph Calasanz’s special vocation to be a teacher finds mention in the opening prayer of today’s Mass.
No comments:
Post a Comment