The school year has just begun, bringing apprehension for students and parents alike. More and more students complain that anxiety and stress prevent them from experiencing learning and school life peacefully. What can Saint Joseph of Copertino teach them? Let’s find out together.
A Most Humble Trust in God
Joseph Mary Desa was born on June 17, 1603, in Copertino (Lecce), in a stable in the town. His father made carts. Because of “his limited education” (he had been forced to leave school due to poverty and illness), he was rejected by some religious orders. Accepted by the Capuchins, he was dismissed after a year for “ineptitude.” Thanks to the intervention of his maternal uncle, he was accepted again as a tertiary and servant at the small convent of the “Grotella.” Joseph dreamed of becoming a priest but could barely read or write; despite a thousand difficulties, he made it to the examination for the diaconate. Here a miracle occurred: Joseph knew one Gospel passage in depth, and it was precisely the one the examining bishop asked him to comment on. A similar extraordinary event happened three years later, when he was to become a priest: the bishop questioned some of the candidates and, finding them particularly well prepared, extended admission to the priesthood to all the others. Thus, in 1628, Joseph was ordained a priest. His humility, however, remained intact: aware of his limited education, he did not disdain the simplest manual tasks and nicknamed himself “Brother Donkey.”
The Saint of Flight
When one thinks of Saint Joseph of Copertino, one immediately associates him with levitation, that is, the ability to fly with both mind and body: in fact, he receives the gift of infused knowledge and experiences moments of ecstasy with levitations. Over time, the ecstasies become increasingly frequent, especially when he pronounces the names of Jesus and Mary. These episodes do not escape the Inquisition of Naples, which summons him for questioning: right in front of the judges, Joseph levitates and is therefore cleared of every accusation, but confined to isolation.
He then moves from one friary to another - Rome, Assisi, Pietrarubbia, Fossombrone - until he reaches Osimo (Ancona). He arrives here in 1656 and remains here until his death, always leading a humble life in the service of others and in conversation with God: «This is what must be done,» he explains to a fellow friar, «leave the world, continue in prayer, and prepare the “little grotto” of our heart to offer Jesus Christ our intellect, memory, and will.» He dies on 18 September 1663, at the age of 60.
Saint Joseph teaches us to trust in God, the good Father, who never denies his children what they need. May students, in addition to their personal commitment, naturally learn this trusting reliance on God.
Below we share the students' prayer to Saint Joseph of Copertino:
Saint Joseph of Copertino, friend of students and patron of those taking exams, I come to implore your help. You know from personal experience how much anxiety accompanies the effort of studying (for exams) and how easily one can fall into intellectual confusion and discouragement.
You who were miraculously assisted by God in your studies and examinations for admission to Holy Orders, ask the Lord to give light to my mind and strength to my will. You who experienced so tangibly the maternal help of Our Lady, Mother of Hope, pray to her for me, so that I may easily overcome all difficulties in my studies and examinations. Amen.
What memories do you have associated with this saint? Write them in the comments.
