Saint Felix 16th Century, he was an Italian Capuchin Friar

Saint Felix of Cantalice was born on May 18, 1515, and he died on May 18, 1587, his birthday. Saint Felix was an Italian Capuchin friar of the 16th century. He was canonised by Pope Clement XI in 1712, and he was the first Capuchin friar to be named a saint. That is significant. He worked as a shepherd and farmhand until he was twenty-eight. Typical of many saints of the time, he did menial labor. His task as a Capuchin was to collect for the poor. Saint Felix was very successful at this. Do you think he wins some sort of prize for being the first Capuchin friar to be named a saint?

Saint Felix of Cantalice Biography

Saint Felix was the third of four sons in his family. They were poor farmers. At about the age of ten, he was hired out first as a shepherd, and he later worked as a farm hand. This manual labor served him well. Until he was twenty-eight, he worked as both a farm laborer and shepherd. He developed the habit of praying while he worked. One day, while plowing a field, something spooked the oxen, and he fell. He was trampled, the plow passing over his body. However, he arose uninjured, and in gratitude immediately entered a Capuchin monastery.

Saint Felix entered the newly founded Capuchin friars as a lay brother in 1543. He was well noted for his piety. In 1547, he was sent to Rome, where he spent his remaining forty years begging alms to help in the friars’ work of aiding the sick and the poor.

In Rome, Saint Felix became a familiar sight, wandering barefoot through the streets, with a sack slung over his shoulders, knocking on doors to seek donations. His superiors directed him to help the needy, especially widows with many children. In a wonderful turn of charity, his begging sack was said to be as bottomless as his heart.

Saint Felix blessed all benefactors and all those he met with a humble “Deo Gratias!” (thanks be to God!). He was known as “Brother Deo Gratias.” He was so successful in his work that during the famine of 1580, the political leader of Rome asked the Capuchins if they would ‘lend’ Felix to them so he could collect food and provisions for the entire city. The Capuchins agreed.

Saint Felix preached in the street, and he rebuked corrupt politicians and officials. He also composed simple teaching canticles for children to teach them the catechism. He was plain-spoken and a good friend of St. Philip Neri and an acquaintance of Charles Borromeo. He developed a reputation as a healer.

As he got older, a superior directed him to wear sandals instead of going barefoot among the poor in bare feet. Saint Felix died in Rome in 1587 on his 72nd birthday and was buried in the crypt of the Church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini.

Saint Felix of Cantalice Veneration

Saint Felix of Cantalice was beatified on October 1, 1625, by Pope Urban VIII and canonized on May 22, 1712, by Pope Clement XI. His Bull of Canonization, Rationi Congruit, was published by Pope Benedict XIII on 4 June 1724. His feast day is celebrated on the Calendar of Saints of the Franciscans on May 18.

A titular church in Rome was erected in his honor, San Felice da Cantalice a Centocelle. In 19th-century Poland, the Felician Sisters, a religious congregation of Franciscan Sisters of the Third Order Regular, adopted him as their patron saint. The Franciscan Sisters of the Third Order Regular were founded to care for the poor.+

Saint Felix is usually represented in art as holding in his arms the Infant Jesus. Because of a vision he is said to have had, when the Virgin appeared to him and placed Jesus in his arms. Pope John Paul II observed that Felix is “shown bearing the Infant Jesus in his arms because in bearing the burdens of the needy, he had carried in his arms the poor Christ himself.”

Conclusion

Saint Felix of Cantalice was a simple man. He dedicated himself to helping the poor. He would walk around, barefoot, with a sack, to beg alms. A lot of saints collected alms for the poor, but he may have been the best at it. Giving alms is one way (along with fasting and prayer) that Catholics show their devotion to God.