St. John of Matha (8 February): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

St. John of Matha (1169–1213) was a French priest, theologian, and founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, commonly known as the Trinitarians. His life was marked by extraordinary charity, heroic faith, and total devotion to the redemption of Christian captives suffering under Muslim slavery. Born to noble and deeply pious parents near Provence, John was dedicated to God from infancy. Though trained in noble arts such as riding and fencing, his heart belonged to prayer, mortification, and service to the poor. While studying in Paris, he devoted himself to works of mercy, regularly tending the sick in hospitals and giving generously to the needy. After being ordained a priest, St. John received a divine inspiration during his first Mass: to dedicate his life to ransoming Christian slaves. Seeing this work as one of the highest acts of charity—saving both body and soul—he withdrew into solitude and prayer with St. Felix of Valois, a holy hermit. Together, after fasting and prayer, they journeyed to Rome in 1197 to seek approval from Pope Innocent III, who recognized their mission as divinely inspired. In 1198, the Pope approved the founding of a new religious order dedicated entirely to the redemption of captives. The Trinitarians wore a white habit marked with a red and blue cross, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. St. John personally traveled to Morocco, Tunis, and Spain, redeeming hundreds of Christian slaves—often at great personal risk. On one voyage, enemies sabotaged his ship, tearing away its sails. Trusting completely in God, St. John raised cloaks as sails and prayed with a crucifix in hand, and God miraculously guided them safely to shore. He spent his final years preaching penance in Rome and strengthening the order he had founded. St. John of Matha died in 1213 at the age of 61, leaving behind a legacy of radical charity that continues in the Church today. 00:00 Introduction – Butler, February 8: St. John of Matha 00:23 Founder of the Trinitarian Order 00:25 Birth and noble upbringing 00:50 Charity to the poor and care for the sick 01:14 Retreat into solitude and prayer 01:30 Studies in Paris and ordination 02:08 Divine call during first Mass 02:33 Life with St. Felix of Valois 03:29 Journey to Rome and Pope Innocent III 04:15 Approval of the Trinitarian Order 04:29 Trinitarian habit and rule 05:37 Redemption of slaves in Morocco and Tunis 06:24 Miracle at sea with the crucifix 06:51 Growth of the order in France and Paris 07:09 Death of St. John of Matha (1213) 07:24 Trinitarian rule of poverty and penance 07:43 Reflection on charity and sacrifice https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/february/st-john-of-matha-founder-of-the-order-of-the-trinitarians/ 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 🔴 SpiritusTV - https://spiritustv.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 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 🔴 UGETube - https://videos.utahgunexchange.com/@Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 BrandNewTube - https://brandnewtube.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 GabTV - https://tv.gab.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 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" = 🔔 Please "Like" our videos so that Youtube shares it to others by clicking the "Like" thumbs-up under the video = 👍🏻 ▶ 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. #StJohnOfMatha #CatholicSaints #LivesOfTheSaints #Trinitarians #CatholicHistory #WorksOfMercy #TraditionalCatholic #SaintBiography #CatholicCharity #ChristianMartyrs #FaithAndSacrifice