Saint John Joseph of the Cross (5 March): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

Today’s Saint of the Day for March 5 is St. John Joseph of the Cross (1654–1734), a humble Franciscan friar whose whole life was marked by silence, prayer, Marian devotion, and a burning love for the Cross. Born on the Feast of the Assumption (1654) on the island of Ischia (Kingdom of Naples), he showed early signs of holiness: modesty, obedience, fasting, and a deep horror of sin. Drawn to a more austere religious life, he entered the Alcantarine/Alcantarine Reform of the Franciscans, taking the name John Joseph of the Cross. As priest, confessor, novice master, and superior, he insisted on faithful observance—while personally embracing poverty, humility, and hiddenness. This reading (Butler / Fr. Alban) highlights his charity to the poor and sick, his extraordinary mortifications, and the remarkable graces reported in his life—along with a powerful closing meditation: no one escapes the Cross, and sanctity means embracing it in union with Christ. If you’re building a Catholic life with the saints, let this be your reminder: “Whoever walks always in God’s presence will never commit sin… and become a great saint.” 🙏 Ask St. John Joseph of the Cross to obtain for us: purity of heart, perseverance in prayer, humility, and love for Jesus Crucified. 0:00 March 5 — St. John Joseph of the Cross (1654–1734) 0:25 Birth on the Assumption at Ischia; early virtues and Marian devotion 1:19 Mortification, poverty of spirit, hatred of sin, charity to the poor 2:25 Discernment and call to religious life; novena to the Holy Ghost 2:50 Meets the Alcantarines; enters the novitiate in Naples 3:33 Receives the habit; takes the name “John Joseph of the Cross” 4:00 Priesthood, confessions, and learning “at the foot of the Cross” 4:23 Hermit-like solitude: chapel, hermitages, prayer and austerity 5:15 Master of novices; strict observance and love for Jesus and Mary 5:52 Guardian/superior: zeal with humility; formation of religious 7:05 Returns home: mother’s death; Christian grief and fortitude 9:11 Offices in the order; crisis in Italy; defends the Alcantarines 10:03 1702 decree preserves/establishes the order; governance and hardships 11:10 Virtues: Faith, hope, presence of God, zeal for doctrine 13:41 Charity: love of God and neighbor; care for poor, sick, even enemies 15:24 Religious virtues: obedience, poverty, chastity, humility 18:24 Severe penances; ecstasies and signs during prayer and Mass 20:42 Foreknowledge of death; final days after apoplexy 22:50 Friday, March 5: holy death gazing upon Our Lady 24:38 Closing exhortation: the Cross in every Christian life https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/march/st-john-joseph-of-the-cross/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 LBRY.tv --- https://lbry.tv/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 Brighteon - https://www.brighteon.com/channels/sensusfidelium ▶ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 ▶ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #SaintOfTheDay #Catholic #LivesOfTheSaints #StJohnJosephOfTheCross #CatholicSaints #Holy

Topics

• Jesus Christ