Saint John Cantius, Priest and Confessor
by VP
Posted on Sunday October 20, 2024 at 01:00AM in Saints
"St. John Cantius born at Kenty, a market-town in the diocese of Cracow, he was raised up by Providence to keep alight the torch of faith and the flame of Christian charity during the 15th century in Poland. He obtained all the academical degrees at the University of Cracow, where he taught for several years.
Ordained a priest, he offered every day the Holy Sacrifice to appease heavenly justice, for he was deeply afflicted by the offenses of men against God."
Source: Daily Missal with Vespers for Sundays and Feasts, by Rev. Fr. Gaspar Lefebvre, 1925
"He was born at Kenti in Poland, of a consular family, and of pious parents. From his very infancy he gave promise of great virtue by the sweetness of his temper, his innocence, and the seriousness of his behavior. After going through regular courses of philosophy and theology, he received the degree of doctor. In his lectures, he not only enlightened the minds of his hearers, but inflamed them with devotion, thus at the same time teaching and doing. He was eminent both for learning and piety; and frequently favored with the gift of miracles. Being ordained priest, he remitted nothing of his studies, while his desire of Christian perfection increased. Always grieving deeply to see God offended, he was solicitous to appease his divine majesty by daily offering up the holy sacrifice of the Mass, with many tears.
A fire having broken out in the town of Cracow, he announced that it would immediately cease; but that it was a chastisement for the sins of the people, and that if they did not amend their lives it would break out again, and make great devastation. Both events followed his predictions. Whatever time the saint could spare from his studies, while he taught in the university, he gave partly to benefit the souls of his neighbors, particularly by holy conferences,—but especially to prayer, in which he is recorded to have been favored with heavenly visions and communications. He was so devout to the Passion of our Savior, that he sometimes spent whole nights in meditating upon it. To avoid the honors intended for him, he absented himself more than once from the scene of his labors. With this view, he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, in the dress of a poor man, where, burning with the desire of martyrdom, he would even preach Christ crucified to the infidels. He also made four pilgrimages to Rome. In one of these journeys he was robbed, and being asked by the robbers, if he had any more money, he said he had not; but afterwards recollecting that he had some more sewed up in his cloak, he called after the robbers, and offered it to them. But they not only refused it, but restored what they had already taken from him.
He was severe to himself, and indulgent to others. He often parted with his own clothes and shoes for the relief of the poor. He slept but little, and lay upon the ground: and preserved the purity of his
soul by wearing rough sackcloth, by disciplines, and severe fasting.
After a holy preparation for death, and distributing all he had to the poor, he died in the year 1473, in the seventieth year of his age: and many miracles were wrought by his intercession." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother
Prayer to God to save the Church by Sanctifying His priests who have fallen away
O God, our Lord, we obey without delay
to Thy gracious invitation to pray. Encouraged by Thy desire, we worship
at your sacred feet, crying out to Thee for our guilty priests. Deign
to be reminded, Lord, that Thy priestly Body is Thy crown of
predilection, the splendor of Thy glory, the chosen part of Thy
heritage.
We implore Thee to arm Thyself with holy indignation
against Satan, who dared to plant the banner of sin in Thy own
sanctuary, and to chase him away in shame from Thy solemnly dedicated
domain.
What would it cost Thee, O Lord, to turn the most
hardened hearts into penitents? Only one simple glance at Peter was
enough to retrieve him from the abyss of a three times apostasy; would
it cost Thee more to touch and convert those who have had the misfortune
to imitate his weakness?
O Jesus, our King and Pontiff, we
beseech Thee on behalf of Mary, Thy Mother and ours, save the Church,
save Thy faithful, save Thy blessed honor, by saving priests! Amen.
Saint John Cantius, pray for our Bishop and priests!
