Saturday, February 9, Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
ST. GIROLAMO (JEROME) EMILIANI (Italy, 1481-1537)
Priest, Founder of the Somaschi Fathers, Patron Saint of Orphans and Abandoned Children
As a young man, Jerome served as a soldier for the city state of Venice, and was imprisoned
after being captured at a skirmish. In jail, he learned to pray, and upon his release, he
prepared for priesthood. After being ordained in 1518, he spent most of his time attending
to the poor and the sick, particularly orphans. When Venice was struck by plague and famine,
he sold all his possessions to care for the poor, and founded three orphanages, a shelter
for penitent prostitutes and a hospital. In 1532, he founded an order called Clerks Regular
of Somasca, after its first location in a city between Milan and Bergamo. The Somaschi
fathers dedicated themselves to caring for orphans and educating the poor. Jerome was
canonized in 1767. In 1928, Pius XI named him patron of orphans and abandoned children.
Readings for today's Mass: www.usccb.org/bible/readings/index.cfm
AT THE VATICAN TODAY
The Holy Father met with
- Ten Italian bishops from the Lazio region (Group 2) on ad limina visit.
- Members of the Sovereign Order of Malta which is celebrating its 900th anniversary, at St. Peter's Basilica.
Address in Italian.
In the afternoon, he met with
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops (weekly meeting)
The Vatican Press Office released the transcript of the Holy Father's
lectio divina to the seminarians of Rome
on Friday evening.