Monthly Commemoration Of St Cajetan

St Cajetan holding the Christ Child, Sta Catalina, Seville

 O Glorious St. Cajetan, shining model of virtue and ornament of the Priesthood, you rejected the corruption amongst the clergy of your time, your only concern being for the poor and abandoned who you brought to God through teaching them the prayers of the Holy Rosary and through devotion to the Saints. You were truly a spiritual shepherd, and all your concern was focused on the salvation of souls. But as well as caring for their souls, you also were concerned with the temporal necessities of your flock, seeking to lift them out of their poverty, not just by feeding them but also helping them gain a dignified living by work. Look upon us with pity, O glorious saint, we have many unemployed people in our midst and their families go hungry. We ask you to guide all who are looking for work, especially fathers and mothers. Amen

O Glorious St Cajetan, Father of Divine Providence, help all those who are unemployed, who search for employment and who fear for their jobs, lead them towards what they are looking for and pray for us all that we may be courageous in the face of adversity

In any suffering or pain we are never alone!

Loving Father, you who rejoices in both our work and our play, 

I come before You, unemployed, afraid, and shaken in my trust.

When I lose courage and hope while searching for work, be my rock of safety.

When I find it hard to believe in my talents, revive in me an appreciation of the gifts You have given to each of us.

When I begin to doubt my worth, help me to remember that I do not need to earn Your love. 

When our fears take hold and start to overwhelm us, let us find comfort in Your care for us and for those we love. 

Thank You for all those who continue to support and encourage us during this difficult time. 

May it bring us closer to one another and to You.

A Miracle of St Cajetan during the great plague of 1656

St Cajetan curing plague victims, 17th century print

This miracle obtained through the intercession of St Cajetan, was reported and sworn to in written testimony by the governor of the biggest hospital in Naples, Don Filippo di Dura, at the time of the great plague there in 1656.

"In the months of June and July we had more than 7,000 sick in the hospital with many more arriving at all hours. During these months the daily mortality rate was between 600-700 people and deprived of all aid in the midst of such a pestilence, we turned to God and Beato Gaetano (he was yet to be canonised) as our only hope of help, and as his feast grew nearer the mortality rates started dropping sharply.

In the morning of the 7th of August, we celebrated the feast of Beato Gaetano with a Mass accompanied by music and a general confession and communion and on that day not one death was reported whereas before many hundreds had perished daily. After this the plague receded and the city was soon liberated from its terrible grip."

The same miracle was reported from the Loreto hospital in Naples where similarly not one person died from plague on the feast of St Cajetan, and the whole area was soon after free of contagion.

VIVA SAN CAYETANO/HAIL TO YOU GLORIOUS ST CAJETAN!

A 19th century print of St Cajetan from Valencia, Spain

A 17th century Italian print of the death of St Cajetan,
from an account of his life and miracles

S Gaetano, Tutto Provvidenza

O glorioso San Gaetano,

Voi che pensando ai peccati del mondo,

ne provaste tanto dolore sino a morirne,

deh! impetratemi dal Signore il dolore delle mie colpe

e la grazia di non ricadervi mai più.

E poichè voi siete chiamato il Santo della Provvidenza,

il tesoriere delle grazie, il consolatore di ogni afflitto,

provvedetemi, assistetemi e consolatemi in ogni mia necessità.

Ma principalmente difendetemi dal peccato, 

affinchè vivendo sempre della divina amicizia,

possa un giorno venire a godere con voi nel cielo.

Ve lo chiedo per amore di Gesù e Maria.