St. Cajetan
In 1523, the Church was in sad shape. People could not get the spiritual nourishment they needed from the large numbers of uneducated and even immoral priests who took their money but returned nothing. When good priests and laypeople turned to the hierarchy for help, they found leaders at best apathetic and indifferent to their concerns.
How should a good Catholic respond to this situation? We all known how Luther and others responded -- by splitting away from the Catholic Church when their pleas went unheard.
Cajetan took a different route. Just as concerned as Luther was about what he observed in the Church, he went to Rome in 1523 -- not to talk to the pope or the hierarchy but to consult with members of a confraternity called the Oratory of the Divine Love. When he had first come to Rome many years before, he had felt called to some unknown great work there. A few years later he returned to his hometown of Vicenza -- his great work seemingly unrealized. He had however studied for the priesthood and been ordained and helped re-establish a faded confraternity whose aims were promoting God's glory and the welfare of souls.
In the years he had been gone from Rome, he had founded another Oratory in his home town and Verona where he had promoted spiritual life and care for the poor and sick not only with words but with his heroic example. He told his brothers, "In this oratory we try to serve God by worship; in our hospital we may say that we actually find him." But none of the horrors he saw in the hospitals of the incurables depressed him as much as the wickedness he saw everywhere he looked.
In his former confraternity, he found other clergy who felt the way he did. They didn't want to split off from the Church, they wanted to restore it. So they decided to form an order based on the lives of the apostles in the hopes that these lives would inspire them and others to live holy lives devoted to Jesus. In order to accomplish this they would focus on moral lives, sacred studies, preaching and pastoral care, helping the sick, and other solid foundations of pastoral life. This new order was known as Theatines Clerks Regular because it was an order of the regular clergy and because a bishop known as Theatensis was their first superior general (although Cajetan is considered the founder).
Not surprisingly, they didn't find thousands of formerly greedy and licentious priests flocking to their door. But Cajetan and the others persevered even in the face of open opposition from laity and clergy who didn't want to reform. It was his holy example that converted many as well as his preaching.
Worn out by the troubles he saw in his Church and his home, Cajetan fell ill. When doctors tried to get him to rest on a softer bed then the boards he slept on, Cajetan answered, "My savior died on a cross. Let me died on wood at least." He died on August 7, 1547.
In His FootstepsDo you have concerns about the Church or about certain people in power in the Church? Have you ever thought of leaving the Church because of these concerns? What positive steps could you take instead of splitting from the Church to help promote holiness and love of God and others?
Prayer:Saint Cajetan, when we see things that trouble us in our Church, help us to continue to love her. Guide us to the positive steps we need to take to work within the Church for renewal. Help us to be examples of holiness to all. Amen
Copyright 1996-2000 by Terry Matz. All Rights Reserved.
Previous Saint
< St. Cajus
Next Saint
St. Cajetan >
Rate This Saint
1 - 20 of 53 Comments
Leave a Comment
Previous Saint
< St. Cajus
Next Saint
St. Cajetan >
Find Saints
Catholic Online offers the largest searchable database of Catholic Saints on the internet.
| Browse Saints by Alphabet |
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
| Patron Saints by Alphabet |
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
Videos
St. Francis of Assisi 78,693 views View Video
Padre Pio 47,161 views View Video
Black Saints Vol I 30,440 views View Video
Black Saints Vol II 27,018 views View Video
Most Popular
There's the problem! Americans are out of touch with scientific consensus on climate change Read More
Editorial: Is the Scandal Ridden Obama Administration Becoming a House of Cards? Read More
Sex In Uniform: Why the Increase in Sexual Assaults in the Military? Read More
Bill Donohue, Catholic League, Disclose Fight with the IRS, Demonstrate Courage Read More
Has the Internal Revenue Service become 'Domestic Terrorists'? Read More
Daily Readings
Reading 1, Sirach 2:1-11
My child, if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for ... Read More
Psalm, Psalms 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
Put your trust in Yahweh and do right, make your home in the ... Read More
Gospel, Mark 9:30-37
After leaving that place they made their way through Galilee; ... Read More
Saint of the Day
St. Eugene de Mazenod
May 21: Eugene de Mazenod was born on August 1, 1782, at Aix-en-Provence ... Read More
Latest Videos
Human Respect - 2 Pillars #33 View Video
Catholic Mass from the Church of Ste. Genevieve (5/19/13) View Video
'Salve Virginale'- Gregorian Chant;'Fontgombault Abbey' HD View Video
'Salve Virginale'- Gregorian Chant;'Fontgombault Abbey' HD View Video
'Beata viscera Mariae'- Byrd-polyphony (HD) View Video
Marketplace
Dancing with God Through the Evening of Life Read More
The Pope’s Cologne
The Pope’s Cologne - Private formula of Pope Pius IX …historic, ... Read More
Thank you St. Cajetan for interceding in my job search. After saying the Novena, I received a phone interview for a very good job, and I have been invited in for a more formal interview. I am required to write an essay and present for this interview so I have started the Novena again. This time I am asking for others to find work/dignity, and for guidance as I move through the interview process. I will not keep your work a secret! Thank you for hope.
Dear St. Cajetan,
Thank you for interceding on my behalf to receive a job offer today from the company I was most interested in! I was only 3 days into the 9-day novena (with 3 'Our Fathers', 3 'Hail Marys' , and 3 'Glory Bes'), I got the call today and am so excited. Thank you so much! I am forever grateful.
THANK YOU LORD
Dear St Cajetan and St Joseph I thank you for interceding to god on my behalf .
I have got my offer letter and I am waiting for the joining letter.
I thank god for giving me this wonderful job in a good company.
After praying this prayer i got 4 interviews from 4 top companies its all because of gods blessings and i got an offer letter from 1 good company all because of gods grace.
I request all unemployed to keep praying and wait for the good news without loosing hope and not be discouraged by what others say as as others might discourage and make you feel sad but TRUST IN LORD ALWAYS GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS!!!
Saint Cajetan, please help my daughter find a job for after she graduates from college.
She is in the process right now, sending applications out, but as yet she has no offers.
I have been praying the novena for at least 2 months now for her. Please intercede for her and find her the right job for her abilities.
Thank you.
Dear St Cajetan and St Joseph
Pls intercede to god on my behalf to get the job the best job that I was praying for such a long time . I have faith in god and i am waiting for the good news. Pls pray for me. I am waiting to get the job and I am praying and trusting in God. Pls pray for me all who read this.
Thank you St. Cajetano. Through your intercessions, I just got a temporary short term job. Please continue your intercession so that this temporary job will be a full time regular job. BA
Dear St Cajetan and St Joseph ,my interview is over and it went well .I thank you for interceding to god on my behalf and thank god for this wonderful interview.
i am waiting for a good news and offer letter . I am sure god will hear my prayers. Please keep praying for me St Cajetan and St Joseph to get this job .
Pls pray for me all who read this.
Dear St. Cajetan,
I seek your intercession that I get the job that I interviewed for last February 19th, 2013. The job is a perfect match to my skills and interests, and I know I will do well and put to good use my God-given gifts. I know I did well in the interview and I am now just waiting for the confirmation that I aced the position. I want to start working again, and be of help to my family. Thank you, and I am also praying for the others who need gainful and meaningful employment. In Jesus's name I pray.
Dear St Cajetan and St Joseph
Please intercede to god on my behalf for a good job as I have been unemployed for almost a year now. But I still trust that god will give me a job. I have an important interview on this tuesday . Please pray that I will get the job. I will be ever grateful to you and I promise to give 10% of my salary to charity. Pls pray for me all who read this.
Where can I find the novena and 3 days prayer?
Please intercede for me, St. Cajetan, that I will win a little money in the lottery or find a job soon. i am sure Our Lord jesus is frowning on me right now, so I ask that you whisper in His ear that I am only trying to survive without a job, and please help me do the interviews wonderfully so that I get a job soon. Please forgive me and help me, grant this through Our Lord Jesus christ. Amen.
Please amalgamate the two entries you have about St Cajetan.
I prayed a nine day novena to St. Cajetan along with 3 prayers each of Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be to help me find employment after being unemployed for so long. After first day of prayer (the following morning) I received a phone call for an interview. Today I got a call offering me the job. Thank you St. Cajetan for hearing and answering my prayer.
I was praying a 9 day novena to St Cajetan to help me overcome my financial problems as I had been struggling on a part time job that used to be full time and after six days of the novena I received a call from my line manager telling me that I could return to full time on afixed term contract for 1 year. Thank you so much St Cajetan and i will continue to pray to you for my job to become permenant.
Dear St Cajetan, I humbly ask that you guide me to the right avenues for online income. I have to stay at home to take care of my aged mother who is a heart patient and going out to work everyday is not feasible. My husband also is getting older and will soon not have a job. Please let my income resources bring me income so that I can go forwards and help others as well. Thank you so much.
Today I finished my 9 day novena to St. Cajetan. I also had my interview today and I feel like it went well. I thank u St Cajetan for interceding for me to The Lord Jesus Christ. My prayers are with all of u seeking employment and looking to advance your career.
God bless u all
I competed the 4th day of my novena to St. Cajetan today as I am looking to advance my career in education. I am also keeping all those seeking employment and those looking to advance in their career in my prayers. May St. Cajetan intercede for us to our lord jesus christ and assist us in our time of need.
I am praying for all of you.
God bless you all.
I just got from a Basilica where I lit a series of candles. 2 candles were in front of the St Jude statue. 1 was for my career advancement. 1 was for everyone that is looking for work.
I also lit a third candle in front of the Mother Mary statue for my career advancement.
God bless u all. My prayers and candles are with you all
I competed the third day of my novena to St. Cajetan today as I am looking to advance my career in education. I am also keeping all those seeking employment and those looking to advance in their career in my prayers. May St. Cajetan intercede for us and assist us in our time of need.
I am praying for all of you.
God bless you all.
I competed the second day of my novena to St. Cajetan today as I am looking to advance my career in education. I am also keeping all those seeking employment and those looking to advance in their career in my prayers. May St. Cajetan intercede for us and assist us in our time of need.
God bless you all.