St. Joseph of Cupertino
Feast Day: September 18
A young friar sits before the bishop for his final exam.
He is terrified.
He has always struggled in school.
He forgets things. He drops things. People call him “open mouth” because he so often stands staring into space.
The bishop calls the first few candidates.
They answer every question perfectly.
The bishop is so impressed that he decides the rest of the group must be just as ready.
He passes them all without another question.
Tradition holds that the nervous young friar walked out a priest without ever being asked a thing.
His name is Joseph of Cupertino, and students still ask for his prayers before every test.
St. Joseph of Cupertino, pray for us.
Who Was St. Joseph of Cupertino?
Joseph was born in 1603 in Copertino, a small town in southern Italy.
His father had died in debt, and tradition holds that Joseph was born in a shed because the family had lost their home.
He grew up poor and sickly.
He was slow at his lessons and clumsy at work.
He had a quick temper and a hard time keeping a job.
But he loved God, and he wanted to be a religious brother.
Rejected and Sent Home
The Conventual Franciscans turned him down.
The Capuchins took him in, then sent him away after about eight months because he kept breaking dishes and forgetting his duties.
He went home in disgrace.
Finally, a Franciscan friary near his town, La Grottella, took him on as a servant to care for the mule.
He worked so humbly and faithfully that the friars admitted him to the order.
With great difficulty, he studied for the priesthood.
He was ordained a priest in 1628.
The Flying Friar
Joseph is most famous for something no one could explain.
Many witnesses reported seeing him lifted off the ground in ecstasy during prayer and Mass.
These events were investigated and recorded in the process for his canonization.
They drew huge crowds.
Too huge.
Church authorities moved him from friary to friary to keep things quiet.
He spent much of his later life hidden away, unable to say public Mass.
He accepted it with obedience and joy.
Visions and wonders like these are never the point of holiness, and the Church never requires us to believe in any particular one.
What made Joseph a saint was his humility, his obedience, and his love for God.
His Death
Joseph died on September 18, 1663, at the friary in Osimo, Italy.
He was beatified in 1753 and canonized by Pope Clement XIII in 1767.
What St. Joseph of Cupertino Teaches Us
Joseph teaches us that God does not need us to be smart, smooth, or impressive.
He was the kid who could not keep up.
The one who got sent home.
God made him a saint anyway.
He also teaches us to do the work.
Joseph did not skip studying and hope for a miracle.
He studied hard, prayed hard, and trusted God with the rest.
Do your best, then give the rest to God.
When Is the Feast of St. Joseph of Cupertino?
St. Joseph of Cupertino’s feast is kept on September 18, the day he died.
He is not on the General Roman Calendar, but he is listed in the Roman Martyrology and is celebrated by the Franciscans on this day.
Patron Saint Of
St. Joseph of Cupertino is the patron saint of students and test takers.
Because of the stories of his flights, he is also honored as the patron of pilots and air travelers.
Looking for a saint for another need? See Patron Saints for Every Need.
A Prayer Inspired by St. Joseph of Cupertino
Lord Jesus Christ,
St. Joseph of Cupertino struggled to learn, and You made him a saint.
Through his prayers, help me study well and remember what I have learned.
Calm my nerves when I sit for my test.
Help me do my best,
and give me peace with the results.
St. Joseph of Cupertino, pray for us. Amen.
