St. John Leonardi

"Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in Heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy."
- St. John Leonardi (1541 - 1609)

Today is the feast day of St. John Leonardi. He was born in Diecimo, Italy in 1541. At Lucca, he became a pharmacist's assistant, studied to be a priest, and was ordained in 1572. He created an association of secular priests, which was approved by the Bishop of Lucca and Pope Gregory XIII in 1583 despite opposition, along with the help of St. Philip Neri and St. Joseph Calasanctius. The congregation was approved officially in 1595 by Pope Clement VIII, who further asked St. John to reform the monks at Vallombrosa and Monte Vergine. He died from the plague in Rome while treating the sick on October 9 in 1609, and was canonized in 1938 by Pope Pius XI and is the patron saint of pharmacists. 

St. John Leonardi, pray for us!

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Picture of and Information About St. John Leonardi Taken From:

http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=359