ST GAETANO ERRICO, PRIEST AND FOUNDER

ST GAETANO ERRICO, PRIEST AND FOUNDER - 29 OCTOBER

SAINT GAETANO ERRICO, PRIEST AND FOUNDER

Gaetano Errico was born October 19, 1791 to devout and hardworking parents whose income was modest but sufficient for him to study for the priesthood in Naples. Because of charity, Gaetano, as a student, still made time to help caring for the sick in hospital and to assist his father at his warehouse. He became a teacher after his ordination and later a parish priest.

While Fr Gaetano Errico was on retreat in Pagani, God revealed to him that a new congregation must be founded in honour of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Fr Errico already possessed within himself a most abiding devotion to the Sacred Hearts. Now he became even more ardent in sharing this love through all his apostolic and missionary activity.

The love of the Sacred Hearts urged him to seek sinners and bring them back to God, to give of himself tirelessly and unendingly. With a burning drive within his heart, he especially searched out the most vulnerable, those in danger, the sick, the abandoned and shunned and the spiritually bereft. He wanted everyone to feel the touch of the loving Father who was ever ready to forgive and slow to anger.

He gained approval for his congregation Missionari dei Sacri Cuori di Gesù e Maria and its statutes on March 14, 1836 and in October of that year opened a novitiate with eight novices.He sought papal approval in May 1838. On June 30, the Congregation of Bishops and Regulars issued the decree.

In order to strengthen his Congregation, he sought royal approval which was granted on May 13, 1840.

In April 1846, the Congregation by now had grown, the number of its members had increased and new houses had been opened in southern Italy. On August 7, 1846, Blessed Pius IX issued the Apostolic Brief of Approbation. Fr Errico was unanimously elected Superior General.

Fr Errico was truly a man of God, a man with a mission, a man on fire with an unquenchable love of Jesus and Mary. The first secret of his holiness was prayer. Ever on his knees, his small room in the house in Secondigliano bears the indentations on the floor where, kneeling, he found refuge and strength.

Penance further sustained his holiness. He fasted continuously, often only taking bread and water in order to give his share of food to the poor. Self-flagellation was part of his penance, offered humbly for the many sins that wounded the Heart of Jesus. He was never too tired to travel on, preaching, hearing confessions, encouraging the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ. His comfort and caring presence reminded all of the love of God the Father, leading many in the small towns and villages to call him a saint.

Fr Errico died on October 29, 1860 at the age of 69.

His last testament to his missionaries was: Love one another and be very observant of our Rules.

In December 1876, Pope Leo XIII declared him Venerable and Pope Paul VI declared the heroism of his virtues with an apostolic decree on October 4, 1974. Pope John Paul II, on April 24, 2001, signed the Decree of Beatification after approving a miracle attributed to the sole intercession of Ven. Gaetano Errico. On April 14, 2002 Pope John Paul II proclaimed him Blessed. On July 6, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI signed the decree approving the miracle for canonization, and on October 12, 2008 Gaetano Errico was canonized.

Sources:

https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/2008/ns_lit_doc_20081012_errico_en.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaetano_Errico

PRAYER:

Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Gaetano may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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