Saint Gaetano Catanoso (February 14, 1879 - April 4, 1963) was an Italian parish priest canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... April 4 is the 94th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (95th in leap years). ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... A parish is a type of administrative subdivision. ... Roman Catholic priests in traditional clerical clothing. ... This article discusses the process of declaring saints. ... Pope Benedict XVI (Latin: , born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on April 16, 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria, Germany) is the 265th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, and Sovereign of Vatican City State. ...

Born to a prosperous and generous family in Chorio, a small village outside of Reggio Calabria in the Aspromonte. Gaetano was one of eight children. He was ordained on September 20, 1902 and served as a parish priest his entire career. His first parish was in the remote hill village of Pentidattilo, where he served from 1904 until 1921. Extremely passionate about emulating the life of Christ in his service to the poor, Padre Catanoso would hike or ride on donkey to distant, surrounding mountain villages to bring the gospel and hope to isolated people in desperate circumstances. To help him in this cause, he founded an order of nuns -- the Veronican Sisters of the Holy Face in 1934. Location within Italy Map of Italy showing Reggio Calabria in the south Reggio Calabria (officially Reggio di Calabria, Rìggiu in calabrian dialect, Righi in Greek-Calabrian), is the largest and the oldest city in Calabria, Italy. ... Aspromonte is a mountain close by Reggio, overlooking the Strait of Messina, near which Garibaldi was defeated and captured in 1862 in the Battle of Aspromonte. ... September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The nuns were mostly young women from poor families who were inspired by Padre Gaetano's humility, devotion and mission. Together, they established elementary schools and homes for the elderly in tiny places like San Lorenzo, Roccaforte and Chorio to educate children and care for the old and sick. The goal was to combat ignornace and the Mafia through education and the word of God. Padre Catanoso also founded the Poor Clerics to encourage priestly vocations. He was transferred to Santa Maria de la Candelaria in Reggio, Calabria in 1921. San Lorenzo is Italian and Spanish for Saint Lawrence. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Reggio is the name of two Italian towns: Reggio Emilia, in the North, sometimes called Reggio nell Emilia or, in ancient times, Reggio di Lombardia or Reggio di Modena Reggio Calabria, in the South (also called Reggio di Calabria) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other... Calabria, formerly Brutium, is a region in southern Italy which occupies the toe of the Italian peninsula south of Naples. ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

There he revived Marian and Eucharistic devotions, improved catechesis, and worked for observance of liturgical feasts. Worked for cooperation among local priests to provide missions by preaching and hearing confessions in each others parishes. Spiritual director for several religious institutions, a prison, hospital and seminary for decades. Through all of this service, he was also devoted to the Catanoso family of Chorio and Reggio, serving as a spiritual mentor and trusted counselor. Blessed Virgin Mary A traditional Catholic picture sometimes displayed in homes. ...

In return, the Catanoso family through the generations has supported his mission and his nuns with generous donations of funds and services. The Catanoso family continues this devotion to the late priest's church and nuns to this day. Padre Gaetano's mission has also spread to the Phillipines and Tanzania. His rise to sainthood, which began in 1979, was remarkably rapid, just 26 years from start to finish. Most causes for sainthood take many decades or even centuries. On May 4, 1997 Pope John Paul II beatified him and on October 23, 2005 Pope Benedict XVI canonized him. Two healing miracles have been reseached, verified and attributed to him by the Vatican. May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: ), born Karol Józef Wojtyła [1] (May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005) reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pope Benedict XVI (Latin: , born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on April 16, 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria, Germany) is the 265th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, and Sovereign of Vatican City State. ...

External links

• Synod press release