February 8

Jerome was born in 1486, the son of a noble family of Venice, Italy. He

was a good soldier and was put in command of a fortress high in the

mountains. While defending this post from an invasion by some troops of

Maximilian I, he was taken prisoner and thrown into a dungeon. Chained in

that miserable prison, he began to regret the careless way he had been

living. He was sorry that he had thought so little about God. He was

sorry for wasting several years in immoral living. Jerome promised the

Blessed Mother that he would change his life if she would help him. His

prayers were answered and he escaped to safety. It is said that Jerome,

with grateful heart, went straight to a church. He hung his prison chains

in front of Mary's altar.

The young man eventually became a priest. He was devoted to works of

charity. His special concern was for the many homeless orphan children he

found in the streets. He rented a house for them, and gave them clothes

and food. He instructed them in the truths of the faith.

St. Jerome started a religious congregation of men called the Company of

the Servants of the Poor. They would care for the poor, especially

orphans, and would teach youth. He did all he could for the peasants,

too. He would work with them in the fields. St. Jerome would talk to

them of God's goodness while he worked by their side. He died while

caring for plague victims in 1537. He was proclaimed a saint by Pope

Benedict XIV in 1767.

St. Jerome Emiliani was a gift to the people of his time and to all the

Church. By totally turning his life around, he became an image of the

love of God. He gave hope to those who were poor and abandoned. In 1928,

Pope Pius XI named him the patron saint of orphans and homeless children.

We can ask St. Jerome Emiliani to help us see the importance of being a

good example. We can ask him to help us recognize the opportunities we

have to witness to our love for Jesus, Mary and our Catholic faith.