If you saw Saint Joseph of Cupertino when he was a kid, you never would have guessed what a great saint he would become!
Often, Joseph would just wander around the neighborhood going nowhere in particular. His mouth would be hanging open as he wandered around. “Joseph! Close your mouth! You’re going to catch a fly that way!”
It seemed as if he was never paying attention: “Huh? What did you say? Can you say that again?”
To make matters worse, Joseph had a bad temper. Few people, if anyone, enjoyed being around him. Even his mother thought he was a nuisance!
When he grew older, Joseph decided to train as a shoemaker. He failed!
Joseph then decided to join the Franciscan order, but they would not take him. So he joined the Capuchins, another religious order.
That only lasted eight months before they sent him home.
“What? You’re back? Oh no! Well, help me with these dishes,” exclaimed his mom.
CRASH!!!!
“You dropped all those dishes? Joseph, how could you!” Joseph’s mother wanted him out of the house. She finally convinced the Franciscans to take Joseph as a servant. His job was to take care of the horses, one of the lowliest jobs.
The Holy Spirit must have been busy working on Joseph because gradually he began to change. He became more patient, more prayerful, and eventually was asked to join the Franciscan order. In fact, they asked him to train as a priest!
Studying for the priesthood was a VERY difficult task for him. School did not come easily. It was by chance that he actually passed the final exam to become a deacon. The priest giving him the test asked Joseph to answer the ONE question Joseph knew! He passed and soon was ordained a priest.
Joseph was a very humble priest and spent much time in prayer. The Holy Spirit worked numerous miracles through him. Often, Joseph even floated in the air when he was praying! Many people came to him for confession wanting his holy advice.
St. Joseph of Cupertino died on September 18, 1663 at the age of sixty from natural causes.
Feast day: September 18
Saint Joseph of Cupertino, pray for us!
Activity: Make a cootie catcher
Moms and Dads, Grandmas and Grandpas, you probably remember making cootie catchers as a kid. I had a lot of fun with these as a child. Share this fun paper-folding project with the children in your life. Then, have them go “catch flies” with their cootie catchers.
For a fun game with them…
Take a bunch of flies (in my house we use raisins) and toss them one at a time in the air and let your child try to catch them with the cootie catcher.