Saint of the day: John Joseph of the Cross

St. John Joseph lived an ascetic life, even from a young age. He devoted himself to God through poverty and fasting. When he was 16, he joined the Franciscans in Naples, becoming the first Italian to follow the reform movement of St. Peter Alcantara. 

John Joseph was known for his holiness, which prompted his superiors to put him in charge of establishing a new friary, even before his ordination. He obediently accepted this appointment and others, like novice master, guardian, and finally provincial. He performed these roles with great charity and humility, insisting on working in the kitchen or carrying wood and water. 

When his provincial term was over, John Joseph dedicated himself to hearing confessions and practicing mortification. He was canonized in 1839, and is the patron saint of Ischilia, Italy, where he was born.