Thought for the Day – 25 August – The memorial of St Joseph Calasanz (1557-1648) Founder
St Joseph Calasanz followed the inner indications of God in his heart. Besides the service of the school, he was open to help at any time, especially when circumstances were adverse. For example, when the river Tiber was over flooded, there he was saving lives.
In 1601, King Philip III sent a messenger to share the good news that he had granted Joseph a canonry in Seville, one of the most important and beautiful cities in Spain. But he declined the offer, and said NO, with this words: “I have found the definitive to serve God doing good to these little ones and I will never leave it for anything in the world.”
Calasanz had burned the boats of his first dreams and ambitions and he never again went back to his native land. He remained in Rome giving education to poor children, for the rest of his life. Much of his strength came from his great devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. He signed his letters – ‘Joseph of the Mother of God’. A clear and powerful sign that his congregation and his person, were placed under the loving
protection of the Mother of Jesus Christ, God‐with‐us. Saint Joseph Calasanz, wanted that all meetings and gatherings finished with this beautiful prayer:
“We fly to thy patronage, oh Holy Mother of God,
Despise not our petitions in all our necessities,
But from all kind of dangers always deliver us
Oh, ever blessed Virgin Mary.”
Calasanz gave an order to build a sanctuary dedicated to the Mother of God in Frascati, where the Piarists had the first foundation outside Rome, in 1616. He brought the image of our Lady personally. It consists in an icon of Mary, crowned as Queen, holding tenderly her Son Jesus. Joseph urged his sons to pray constantly to Mary, for her patronage and protection is the stronghold of those loved by God.
He was a humble and simple person, ready to abase himself and do whatever necessary for love of the little ones: he swept the classrooms, prepared the ink in the inkwells, had prepared the fountain pens, went to the streets begging for alms for the schools, washed the dishes took care of the order and discipline of the schools, and he liked to visit the students –above all little ones‐ in the classrooms. Besides he accompanied them back home after the school period. For Calasanz, a Piarist plays the role of the guardian angel we all have from the moment of our conception and birth.
This was Saint Joseph Calasanz: without evading the sweetness of heart he remained persistent in his inner convictions in favour of the needy, for whom he became their voice, a sheer opportunity to improve themselves through the exceptional gift of the
education for all, beginning by the least and the last, the poorest among the poor. He never lost hope that one day his religious order would be restored and poor children would be served through it throughout the world.
The Piarist Fathers, are a beautiful reality today, through which the Risen Lord is proclaimed alive, following the footsteps of their Holy Founder. To be a Piarist is a way to a joyful holiness, ministering generously to children and young people, especially the poorest. The Piarists do not seek honours and privileges, their life is simple and they prepare themselves to be good educators and evangelisers, according to the present circumstances of our time.
Today they are present in 35 different countries. They are about 1400 religious, distributed in 250 communities. Though their most natural ambience is the school, they also give importance to missions, to non‐formal education, youth groups, parishes, small Christian communities, development programs, Calasanzian Fraternities, schools of Christian leadership, etc. All this in communion with the Church, for they are her children. They ask you all to lean on our Mother, to run to her, to ask and pray for humility that you too may serve all who are in need of your love!