Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Patron Saint of Unemployed People

I was doing some research for something else in my Patron Saints card catalog and came across the Patron Saint if Unemployed People/Job Seekers. His name is St. Cajetan. WHY hasn't he had more press during these difficult times? Why has he not made magazine covers?

Not too clear on WHY he is the the Patron Saint of the Unemployed even though he founded a bank to help the poor, etc. I was hoping for something more direct like he was laid off from shepherding or worked at the dole office in Venice back in the day.

Oh well. Soon I will start praying no matter what his story is.



St. Cajetan

Memorial

7 August

Profile

Born to the Venetian nobility. Caytanao studied law in Padua, and was offered governing posts, but turned them down for a religious vocation. Ordained at age 36. In 1522, Cajetan founded a hospital in Venice, Italy for victims of incurable illness. Cajetan was aware of the need of reformation in the Church, and felt called to enter a religous community to serve the sick and poor. On 3 May 1524, with three others, including John Peter Caraffa who later became Pope Paul IV, he formed the Congregation of Clerks Regular (Theatines) at Rome, Italy with the mission of fostering the Church’s mission and reviving the spirit and zeal of the clergy. Founded a bank to help the poor and offer an alternative to usurers (loan sharks); it later became the Bank of Naples. Known for a gentle game he played with parishioners where he would bet prayers, rosaries or devotional candles on whether he would perform some service for them; he always did, and they always had to “pay” by saying the prayers.

Born

* October 1480 at Vicenza, Italy as Gaetano dei Conti di Tiene

Died

* 1547 at Naples, Italy of natural causes

Beatified

* 8 October 1629 by Pope Urban VIII

Canonized

* 12 April 1671 by Pope Clement X

Patronage

* job seekers
* unemployed people

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