Sep 18 – S Joseph of Cupertino

It’s the Feast of St. Joseph of Cupertino, 3rd Class, with the color of White. In this episode: the meditation: “Servile Works”, today’s news from the Church: “The Priory of Notre-Dame du Pointet Celebrates its 50th Anniversary”, a preview of this week’s episode of The SSPX Podcast: “Suffered, Crucified, Died, and was Buried”, and today’s thought from the Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

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Saint Joseph of Cupertino may have one of the strangest biographies in the entire calendar. He struggled in school, was considered absent-minded and clumsy, barely made it through his studies for the priesthood, and then became famous because he reportedly flew during prayer.

He was born in 1603 in Cupertino, southern Italy, into a poor family. Joseph had difficulty concentrating and learning, and even simple tasks seemed to go wrong. He tried joining religious communities and was dismissed because he wasn’t considered capable of handling the work.

Eventually, the Conventual Franciscans allowed him to work in their stables.

Joseph was good with animals.

And slowly, something changed. The friars noticed his humility, obedience, and remarkable life of prayer. They eventually allowed him to become a Franciscan and begin studying for the priesthood.

This created another problem.

Joseph was terrible at studying.

According to the famous story, he managed to learn one Gospel passage particularly well: “Blessed is the womb that bore thee.” When his examination for the diaconate arrived, the bishop happened to ask him about exactly that passage.

He passed.

Later, during the examination for priestly ordination, the candidates questioned before Joseph answered so well that the bishop simply passed the remaining men without examining them individually.

Joseph became a priest almost despite himself.

Then things got much stranger.

During Mass or intense prayer, Joseph would sometimes fall into ecstasy. Witnesses reported that he actually rose from the ground, sometimes remaining suspended for significant periods. These incidents became so frequent that crowds started coming specifically to watch him.

Imagine being his superior.

You’re trying to maintain a quiet Franciscan monastery, and one of your friars keeps levitating during Mass.

Church authorities investigated the reports carefully. Joseph was even questioned by the Roman Inquisition. Rather than being celebrated publicly, he was repeatedly moved and eventually ordered to avoid public ceremonies because the crowds had become so disruptive.

One particularly famous story says that when Joseph saw a statue of the Blessed Virgin being carried in procession, he suddenly flew toward it in ecstasy.

For obvious reasons, he eventually became the patron saint of aviators, pilots, and air travelers.

Students also adopted him as a patron, especially students facing examinations. Given the rather unusual way Joseph passed his own exams, that devotion makes perfect sense.

But underneath all the extraordinary stories was a remarkably humble man. Joseph never treated these experiences as achievements. In fact, they frequently embarrassed him. He preferred ordinary work, silence, and prayer.

He died in 1663 at Osimo, Italy, where his body remains venerated today in the Basilica of Saint Joseph of Cupertino.

Joseph’s life is a wonderful reminder that God does not necessarily choose the person with the best résumé.

Sometimes He chooses the friar who barely passed the exam.

And occasionally, apparently, He lets him fly.

Saint Joseph of Cupertino, patron of students, aviators, and everyone who has ever struggled through an exam, pray for us.

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The SSPX Podcast is produced by Angelus Press, which has as its mission the fortification of traditional Catholics so that they can defend the Faith, and reaching out to those who have not yet found Tradition.

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The main goal of the Society of Saint Pius X is to preserve the Catholic Faith in its fullness and purity, to teach its truths, and to diffuse its virtues, especially through the Roman Catholic priesthood.

Authentic spiritual life, the sacraments, and the traditional liturgy are its primary means of bringing this life of grace to souls.

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