St. Joseph Cafasso: Teacher and Formator of Priests. Large crowds of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday 30 June for Benedict XVI's general audience. As he announced last Wednesday …More
St. Joseph Cafasso: Teacher and Formator of Priests.
Large crowds of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday 30 June for Benedict XVI's general audience. As he announced last Wednesday when greeting the Italian faithful, the Holy Father wanted to dedicate today's catechesis to St. Joseph Cafasso. A Piedmontese priest, June 23 was the 150th anniversary of his death. The Pope stressed that St. Joseph Cafasso had the gift of being a teacher and a formator of priests: "There were three principal virtues of Cafasso as a teacher," recalled St. John Bosco, who had him as a spiritual director for 25 years. "His calmness, foresight and prudence." The Pope also highlighted the particular attention St Giuseppe Cafasso gave to prisoners. He added:
"His secret was simple: be a man of God, in the small actions of everyday, those that can point to the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls. He loved the Lord totally, was animated by a firmly rooted faith supported by deep and prolonged prayer, living a true charity toward all. He knew moral theology, but also knew people's situations and their hearts, taking burdens upon himself as the good shepherd."
Large crowds of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday 30 June for Benedict XVI's general audience. As he announced last Wednesday when greeting the Italian faithful, the Holy Father wanted to dedicate today's catechesis to St. Joseph Cafasso. A Piedmontese priest, June 23 was the 150th anniversary of his death. The Pope stressed that St. Joseph Cafasso had the gift of being a teacher and a formator of priests: "There were three principal virtues of Cafasso as a teacher," recalled St. John Bosco, who had him as a spiritual director for 25 years. "His calmness, foresight and prudence." The Pope also highlighted the particular attention St Giuseppe Cafasso gave to prisoners. He added:
"His secret was simple: be a man of God, in the small actions of everyday, those that can point to the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls. He loved the Lord totally, was animated by a firmly rooted faith supported by deep and prolonged prayer, living a true charity toward all. He knew moral theology, but also knew people's situations and their hearts, taking burdens upon himself as the good shepherd."