Joseph Calasanctius

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Saint Joseph Calasanctius
The Last Communion of St. Joseph of Calasanz, by Goya
Born	1556, Calasanz, Peralta de la Sal, Aragon
Died	25 August 1648, Rome
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	7 August 1748
Canonized	16 July 1767 by Pope Clement XIII
Major shrine	San Pantaleone
Feast	27 August
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Saint Joseph Calasanctius (September 11, 1556 - 25 August 1648), also known as Joseph Calasanz or Calasanz, or as he was called in religion Josephus a Matre Dei was the founder of the Piarists.

1 Biography
2 Veneration
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Biography

Calasanctius was born at the castle of Calasanz near Peralta de la Sal, Aragon, in what is now Spain. His parents, Don Pedro Calasanza and Donna Maria Gaston, gave him, the youngest of five children, a good education at home and then at the school of Peralta. After his classical studies at Estadilla he took up philosophy and jurisprudence at Lerida and merited the degree of Doctor of Laws, and then with honours completed his theological course at Valencia and Alcalá de Henares.

His mother and brother having died, Don Pedro wanted Joseph to marry and perpetuate the family. But a sickness in 1582 soon brought Joseph to the brink of the grave. On his recovery he was ordained priest on 17 December 1583, by Hugo Ambrosio de Moncada, Bishop of Urgel.

Joseph began his labours as priest in the Diocese of Albarracín, where Bishop dela Figuera appointed him his theologian and confessor, synodal examiner and procurator, and when the bishop was transferred to Lerida his theologian followed him to the new diocese.

In 1586 dela Figuera was sent as Apostolic visitator to the Abbey of Montserrat and Joseph accompanied him as secretary. The bishop died the following year and Joseph left, though urgently requested to remain. He hurried to Calasanz only to be present at the death of his father. He was then called by his Bishop of Urgel to act as vicar-general for the district of Tremp.

In 1592 he embarked for Rome, where he found a protector in Cardinal Marcoantonio Colonna who chose him as his theologian and instructor to his nephew. Rome offered a splendid field for works of charity, especially for the instruction of neglected and homeless children, many of whom had lost their parents. Joseph joined a Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and gathered the boys and girls from the streets and brought them to school. The teachers, being poorly paid, refused to accept the additional labour without remuneration.

The pastor of S. Dorotea, Anthony Brendani, offered him two rooms and promised assistance in teaching, and when two other priests promised similar help, Calasanctius, in November, 1597, opened the first public free school in Europe.

Pope Clement VIII gave an annual contribution and many others shared in the good work, so that in a short time Joseph had about a thousand children under his charge. In 1602 he rented a house at Sant'Andrea della Valle and commenced a community life with his assistants and laid the foundation of the Order of the Pious Schools or Piarist.

Much envy and opposition arose against him and his new institute, but all were overcome in time. In 1612 the school was transferred to the Torres palace adjoining San Pantaleone. Here Joseph spent the remaining years of his life in his chosen calling. He lived as a faithful son of the church, a true friend of forsaken children.

He died on 25 August, 1648, in Rome.