Saint Joseph Cafasso

Life story

Joseph Cafasso was born on 15 January 1811 at Castelnuovo d'Asti, the same village as Saint John Bosco, the third of four children. He completed secondary school and two years of philosophy at the college of Chieri and then entered the seminary. He was ordained a priest in 1833, and four months later entered the Convitto Ecclesiastico of Saint Francis of Assisi in Turin.

The Convitto was a residence for young priests, mostly from the countryside, who learned there to hear confessions and to preach. They were formed in the spirituality of Saint Ignatius and the moral theology of Saint Alphonsus Liguori. Cafasso stayed there for the rest of his priestly life, teaching moral theology and later serving as rector, succeeding Luigi Guala in 1848. He spent many hours a day in the confessional and was sought out by bishops, clergy, religious, lay people and the poor.

He also served the prisoners of Turin, where conditions were inhumane, for more than twenty years. According to Pope Benedict XVI's audience, he accompanied 57 condemned men to the scaffold after hearing their confessions and giving them Communion. He was called the “priest of the gallows.”

He was also spiritual guide to Saint John Bosco. He died on 23 June 1860 in Turin, aged forty-nine. Pope Pius XII canonized him on 22 June 1947 and declared him patron of Italian prisons and prisoners on 9 April 1948.

Works and witness

• Ordained in 1833 and entered the Convitto Ecclesiastico in Turin
• Taught moral theology and was rector of the Convitto from 1848
• Served prisoners for more than twenty years and accompanied 57 condemned men to the scaffold
• Was spiritual guide to Saint John Bosco
• Canonized on 22 June 1947

Patron of

Italian prisons and prisoners (declared by Pius XII on 9 April 1948)

Saints from the same country

Saint Agnes, Saint Lawrence, Saint Cecilia, Saint Sebastian

References

• Vatican, General Audience of Benedict XVI, 30 June 2010: Saint Joseph Cafasso

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.