Felix of Cantalica
Encyclopedia
St. Felix of Cantalice, O.F.M. Cap., was born to peasant
parents in Cantalice
, Italy
. As a boy he worked hard as a farm laborer and shepherd, and, in 1543, became a Capuchin
lay brother
at the Citta Ducale Monastery
in Anticoli Corrado
.
It is said that he was well noted for his piety. In 1547 he was sent to Rome
as questor
and spent his remaining 38 years aiding the sick and the poor. In Rome, Felix preached in the street, rebuked corrupt politicians and officials, and exhorted young men to stop leading dissolute lives. He also composed simple teaching canticles, and arranged for children to gather in groups to sing them as a way to teach them catechism
. Felix was revered by all and was a companion of St. Philip Neri. He helped to revise St. Charles Borromeo's rules for his order of Oblates
.
St. Felix was buried in Rome at Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini
. He was beatified
on 1 October 1625 by Pope Urban VIII
and canonized
on 22 May 1712 by Pope Clement XI
. His feast day is May 18.
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
parents in Cantalice
Cantalice
Cantalice is a comune in the Province of Rieti in the Italian region Latium, located about 70 km northeast of Rome and about 8 km northeast of Rieti.-External links:*...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. As a boy he worked hard as a farm laborer and shepherd, and, in 1543, became a Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
lay brother
Lay brother
In the most common usage, lay brothers are those members of Catholic religious orders, particularly of monastic orders, occupied primarily with manual labour and with the secular affairs of a monastery or friary, in contrast to the choir monks of the same monastery who are devoted mainly to the...
at the Citta Ducale Monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in Anticoli Corrado
Anticoli Corrado
Anticoli Corrado is a comune in the Province of Rome in the Italian region Latium, located about 40 km northeast of Rome...
.
It is said that he was well noted for his piety. In 1547 he was sent to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
as questor
Questor
The term Questor may refer to:*Questor Thews, a character in the Magic Kingdom of Landover series of books by Terry Brooks.*An alternate spelling of Quaestor, an ancient Roman official...
and spent his remaining 38 years aiding the sick and the poor. In Rome, Felix preached in the street, rebuked corrupt politicians and officials, and exhorted young men to stop leading dissolute lives. He also composed simple teaching canticles, and arranged for children to gather in groups to sing them as a way to teach them catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
. Felix was revered by all and was a companion of St. Philip Neri. He helped to revise St. Charles Borromeo's rules for his order of Oblates
Oblate (religion)
An oblate in Christian monasticism is a person who is specifically dedicated to God or to God's service. Currently, oblate has two meanings:...
.
St. Felix was buried in Rome at Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini
Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini
Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, or Our Lady of the Conception of the Capuchins, is a church in Rome, Italy, commissioned by Pope Urban VIII, whose brother, Antonio Barberini, was a Capuchin friar...
. He was beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
on 1 October 1625 by Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII
Pope Urban VIII , born Maffeo Barberini, was pope from 1623 to 1644. He was the last pope to expand the papal territory by force of arms, and was a prominent patron of the arts and reformer of Church missions...
and canonized
Canonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
on 22 May 1712 by Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI , born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was Pope from 1700 until his death in 1721.-Early life:...
. His feast day is May 18.