St Gaetano Errico was a Roman Catholic priest and founder of The Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
He was born on October 19 1791 in Secondigliano, Naples, Italy, and died on October 29 1860 at the age of 69 in Secondigliano, Naples, Italy.
We celebrate his feast day on October 29 every year in the Catholic Church.
Saint Gaetano Errico is the Patron Saint of
- Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary
St Gaetano Errico Biography | |
---|---|
Date of Birth | October 19 1791 |
Place of Birth | Secondigliano, Naples, Italy |
Profession | Italian Roman Catholic priest |
Place of Work | Secondigliano, Naples, Italy |
Date of Death | October 29 1860 at the age of 69 |
Place of Death | Secondigliano, Naples, Italy |
Feast Day | October 29 |
Beatification | By Pope John Paul II on April 14 2002 at Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City |
Canonization | By Pope Benedict XVI on October 12 2008 at Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City |
Patron Saint of | Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary |
St Gaetano Errico Life History
Saint Gaetano Errico was the second of nine children born to Pasquale, a pasta factory manager, and Marie Marseglia Errico, who worked weaving plush.
Gaetano was a good and pious child and was always ready to help his father at work or his mother with his younger siblings.
He felt a call to the priesthood at age fourteen but was turned away by the Capuchins and Redemptorists due to his young age.
Gaetano Studied at a diocesan seminary in Naples, Italy from age sixteen, walking the five miles to class each day, and was ordained on September 23 1815 in Naples.
He became a school teacher for twenty years and a Parish priest at the church of Saint Cosmas and Damian.
Gaetano was known for his devotion to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and ministry to the sick, his self-imposed austerities, and his penances such as consuming only bread and water and self-flagellation. He made yearly retreats to the Redemptorist house in Pagani, Italy.
During his retreat in 1818, Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori appeared to him in a vision and told him that God wanted Gaetano to build a new church, and found a new religious congregation.
While Gaetano initially received strong support from the local people, it faded in the face of fund-raising and work, and it wasn’t until December 9 1830 that he dedicated and blessed the church of Our Lady of Sorrows at Secondigliano; it has since become one of Italy’s most popular pilgrimage sites.
Nearby, he built a small house for himself and a lay-brother who took care of the church; this was the beginning of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
The Missionaries received local approval on March 14 1836, approval by the Congregation of Bishops on June 30 1838, royal approval on May 13 1840, and papal approval by Blessed Pope Pius IX on August 7 1846. Gaetano served as the first Superior General.
As of 2015 The Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary had 27 houses in different countries with 141 religious and 90 priest members.
Death
St Gaetano Errico died of visceral fever in his hometown of Secondigliano on October 29 1860.
Beatification and Canonization
St Gaetano Errico’s beatification miracle occurred in southern Italy in January 1952 and involved a man with a perforated stomach wall.
Just before emergency surgery, his wife slipped a relic of Father Gaetano under his pillow, and together they prayed for his intercession.
His health began to improve immediately, and he was soon healed without medical intervention.
St Gaetano Errico was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 14 2002 at Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City and canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 12 2008 at Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City.
Saint Gaetano Errico Quote
Let us kindle the love of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in the hearts of all people
Other Catholic Saints whose Feast Days are in October
Related Links
Powered By SEO Experts
Follow @ReadingCatholic