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Scott #1830 Issued: September 9, 2023 Perforation: 14 x 13 ¼ Value: € 1.25 The stamp shown above was issued by Vatican City in 2023 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Saint John Calabria, who was born on October 8, 1873. Saint John Calabria came from a poor family of nine. When he was nine-years-old, his father passed away and, at twelve-years-old, he had to quit school to work to support the family. At the same time, the rector of San Lorenzo, Fr. Pietro Scapini, was instructing the young boy privately for the admission examination into the seminary. He passed the exam but seminary training was interrupted by a required two-year stint of military service. While in the military, he knew that he had a calling. He ministered a number of soldiers back to the faith and founded an association to care for the convalescent poor. Returning from the military, he completed his seminary studies and was ordained a priest in 1901. Early in his priesthood, he had a calling to minister to poor youth. Obviously, his personal experiences gave him this calling. He was a light of hope for the young, and was referred to as the “Father of the Poor”. He set up shelters for poor and homeless children. He then founded two religious congregations: the Poor Servants of Divine Providence (1907) and The Poor Women Servants of the Divine Providence (1910). They expanded the congregation’s mission to all poor and elderly in need. The congregations established hospitals and institutes to help the sick and the elderly. The mission of the congregations was: “To prove to the world that Divine Providence exists, that God is not a stranger, but that He is a Father, He thinks of us, on condition that we think of Him and our part which is that of seeking first and foremost the Kingdom of God and His justice.”Throughout World War II, the congregation helped many Jewish families by providing them with shelter and protection. Today, the Divine Providence brothers and sisters live in communities in Italy, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Angola, Colombia, the Philippines, Russia, Romania and India. Saint John Calabria was also involved in ecumenical work and was in frequent communications with C. S. Lewis, an Anglican, and others from different denominations. C. S. Lewis and Father Calabria wrote to each other in Latin. Lutheran Pastor Sune Wiman of Esklstuna (Switzerland), in a letter (Lettera Postulatoria) to Pope Paul VI, asked that Father Calabria, his venerable friend, be glorified in the Roman Catholic Church. Because of his heroic virtues of faith, compassion to the poor, simplicity, his belief in Divine Providence, and humility, Saint John Calabria was canonized by Pope John Paul II on April 18, 1999. His feast day is celebrated on December 4th, the anniversary of his death in 1954. Reference: |
