Walking with the Saints Podcast | Feast of St. Lawrence of Brindisi, Patron Saint of Brindisi | July 21
It seems unbelievable but it happened. Our sources tell us that in Italy, there was a custom to allow little boys to preach to the faithful during Christmas time, in memory of Jesus in the Temple when he was 12 years old. St. Lawrence, who had the gift of oratory was six when he was asked to give a homily in the cathedral of his town. His audience was deeply touched that many shed tears and were encouraged to
improve their Christian lives. In the succeeding years, while he was still a
young boy, he was always the one chosen to give the homily during the Christmas festivities. Lawrence or Lorenzo was born Giulio Cesare de Rossi on July 22, 1559 in Brindisi, Italy. He studied at the school of the Conventual Franciscan Friars in his town. Later he enrolled at the University of Padua to study philosophy and theology. In 1575, Giulio
Cesare joined the Capuchin Friars Minor at Verona, Italy and took the name Lawrence (Italian – Lorenzo.) He was ordained priest at the age of 23. When he was thirty-one years old, he was elected provincial superior of the Capuchin in Tuscany, and he held the same office for several monasteries of the Order. In 1596, he was given another big task by the
Capuchins in Rome. Lawrence established Capuchin monasteries in Germany and Austria, Vienna, Prague and Graz. When he founded the monastery in Prague, he was named “imperial chaplain” for the army of Roman Emperor Rudolph II to fight against the Ottoman Empire. He recruited the Duke of Mercoeur for help. In Hungary, he also led the Roman army against the Turks. It is said that in this battle he did not bring any weapon and held a Crucifix in his hands, but with his 18,000 Christian soldiers won miraculously against 80,000 Turks. This was the
Crucifix he held every time he had great works to do and when he would perform a miracle. To this day, this Crucifix is still being used by the Superior General of the Capuchin Order.
Lawrence mastered several languages, could write and speak them fluently besides Italian. Such languages are: Latin, French, Spanish, German, Bohemian, Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, and Syriac. His knowledge of Hebrew and Aramaic was God’s gift. Popes Gregory XIII and Clement VIII appointed him apostolic preacher to the Jews in Rome and they were convinced that Jesus Christ was the awaited Messiah. In 1602, he was elected vicar general of the Capuchin Friars, the highest position of the Order during that time. He was to be elected for the same position in 1605, but he declined and refused. He had the privilege to serve the Holy See by becoming the papal nuncio to Bavaria and
then to Spain. Lawrence was indeed a very busy person. He was a writer, a preacher, a superior, a missionary, an envoy, and a strong opponent of heretics. In 1618 he retired in a monastery. But the following year he was recalled to Rome as a special envoy to the King of Spain. After this mission, he died in Lisbon on July 22, 1619 on his 60th birthday.
Virtue: piety, penance, excellence, commitment, obedience, patience, integrity, humility
“St. Lawrence, pray for Catholics who are losing their faith in the midst of heretics.”
Reflection: How much do I know of the Catholic Catechism?
