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As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
October 1480 – August 7, 1547
Patron Saint of the unemployed, job seekers, and workers
St. Cajetan devoted his life to spiritually renewing the Church through holiness, active charity, and total trust in God’s Providence. As priest and founder, he called clergy and laity to deeper faith and greater care for the most vulnerable.
Born in Vicenza, Italy, in 1480, Cajetan received a strong education and later studied law at the University of Padua. He earned doctoral degrees in civil and canon law and eHe encouraged priests to live disciplined and humble lives devoted to serving others.ventually moved to Rome, where he served as a diplomat for Pope Julius II. Despite the prestige of his position, he desired a more prayerful and charitable life centered on service to Christ.
After the pope’s death, Cajetan withdrew from court life and was ordained a priest in 1516. He became deeply involved in compassionate charitable works. He founded several hospitals for the incurably sick and the poor throughout Italy. He also joined groups promoting clergy reform, improving priestly formation, and revitalizing faith among laypeople. He believed the example of holy priests could bring spiritual renewal to the Church.
In 1524, Cajetan co-founded the Congregation of Clerics Regular, later known as the Theatines, together with Bishop Gian Pietro Carafa, who would later become Pope Paul IV, and others. The Theatines sought to restore integrity and discipline among priests through prayer, simplicity, and apostolic service. Relying entirely on Divine Providence for support, the Theatines sought alms to care for the sick and poor.
Cajetan lived during a period of war, corruption, and religious upheaval. During the Sack of Rome in 1527, he was imprisoned and tortured by invading soldiers. After his release, he continued his charitable works and encouraged reform within the Church. He also helped establish charitable lending institutions that assisted the poor and protected them from exploitative moneylenders.
St. Cajetan died in Naples on August 7, 1547. Canonized in 1671, he is remembered for his Counter-Reformation efforts that laid spiritual groundwork for the wider reforms of the Council of Trent.
The Congregation of Clerics Regular, commonly called the Theatines, was established with several core purposes. These included clerical reform among diocesan priests, spiritual renewal of faith, combating the influence of Lutheranism, and providing compassionate charitable works for the sick, the dying, and the poor. Cajetan and his companions believed priests should live simply, preach faithfully, care for those in need, and serve as examples of holiness. The Theatines emphasized prayer, pastoral work, and complete trust in Divine Providence. Their efforts became part of the broader Catholic reform movement that later developed during the Counter-Reformation.
Usury is the act of lending money at an interest rate considered illegal or unreasonably high, especially when targeting impoverished populations. Cajetan cared deeply for the poor and sought practical solutions to economic hardship. He was concerned about the spiritual and material needs of the most vulnerable. He founded a charitable service to protect the poor from predatory loan sharks. During his time, people in extreme poverty fell victim to ruthless moneylenders, trapping them in inescapable cycles of debt. Cajetan co-founded a charitable pawn institution called the Monte di Pietà (which later became a bank). This organization provided small, interest-free loans to the poor using donated funds, offering a lifeline in challenging times that kept them from falling into usury traps.
Cajetan lived during a period of major crisis in the Church, marked by corruption, political conflict, and the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation. Rather than focusing primarily on criticism, he sought reform through holiness, prayer, and faithful ministry. Through the founding of the Theatines and his example of charity and simplicity, he helped inspire the broader Catholic renewal movement that strengthened the Church in the 16th century. St. Cajetan’s reforms were instrumental in paving the way for the work of the Council of Trent. By founding the Theatines in 1524, he pioneered a model of faithful and virtuous priests focused on pastoral care and assisting the poor. His grassroots efforts supported the council’s later sweeping reforms on standards for clergy behavior, seminary education, and Catholic liturgical life, which brought spiritual renewal to the Church and revitalized the Faith.
Filled with beautiful images and quotes, this free eBook will encourage you to run to Our Lady and call upon her to guide you in the path of holiness. Use the form to let us know where we can send you the eBook The Pondering Heart of Mary.
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