![Saint John Capistrano | Stained glass window in the Franciscan Monastery in Washington, DC. | photo by Lawrence OP](https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/SOD-1023-SaintJohnofCapistrano-790x480.jpg)
Posted on 10/23/2018 6:47:16 PM PDT by Salvation
It has been said the Christian saints are the worlds greatest optimists. Not blind to the existence and consequences of evil, they base their confidence on the power of Christs redemption. The power of conversion through Christ extends not only to sinful people but also to calamitous events.
Imagine being born in the 14th century. One-third of the population and nearly 40 percent of the clergy were wiped out by the bubonic plague. The Western Schism split the Church with two or three claimants to the Holy See at one time. England and France were at war. The city-states of Italy were constantly in conflict. No wonder that gloom dominated the spirit of the culture and the times.
John Capistrano was born in 1386. His education was thorough. His talents and success were great. When he was 26 he was made governor of Perugia. Imprisoned after a battle against the Malatestas, he resolved to change his way of life completely. At the age of 30 he entered the Franciscan novitiate and was ordained a priest four years later.
John’s preaching attracted great throngs at a time of religious apathy and confusion. He and 12 Franciscan brethren were received in the countries of central Europe as angels of God. They were instrumental in reviving a dying faith and devotion.
The Franciscan Order itself was in turmoil over the interpretation and observance of the Rule of St. Francis. Through Johns tireless efforts and his expertise in law, the heretical Fraticelli were suppressed and the Spirituals were freed from interference in their stricter observance.
John of Capistrano helped bring about a brief reunion with the Greek and Armenian Churches.
When the Turks captured Constantinople in 1453, John was commissioned to preach a crusade for the defense of Europe. Gaining little response in Bavaria and Austria, he decided to concentrate his efforts in Hungary. He led the army to Belgrade. Under the great General John Hunyadi, they gained an overwhelming victory, and the siege of Belgrade was lifted. Worn out by his superhuman efforts, Capistrano was an easy prey to an infection after the battle. He died on October 23, 1456.
John Hofer, a biographer of John Capistrano, recalls a Brussels organization named after the saint. Seeking to solve life problems in a fully Christian spirit, its motto was: Initiative, Organization, Activity. These three words characterized Johns life. He was not one to sit around. His deep Christian optimism drove him to battle problems at all levels with the confidence engendered by a deep faith in Christ.
Judges
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Saint of the Day Ping!
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, 10-17-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, 10-16-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa of Avila, 10-15-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Callistus I, 10-14-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher, 10-13-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, 10-12-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John XXIII, 10-11-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis Borgia, 10-10-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Denis and Companions, 10-09-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Leonardi, 10-08-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of the Rosary, 10-07-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bruno, 10-06-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska, 10-05-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis of Assisi, 10-04-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Theodora Guerin, 10-03-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Feast of the Guardian Angels, 10-02-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, 10-01-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Jerome, 09-30-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, 09-29-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Wenceslaus, 09-28-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Vincent de Paul, 09-27-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Wenceslaus, 09-28-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Pope Paul VI, 09-26-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Louis Martin and Zélie Guerin, 09-25-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John Henry Newman, 09-24-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, 09-23-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions, 09-22-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Matthew, 09-21-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang/Comp, 09-20-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Januarius, 09-19-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph of Cupertino, 09-18-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Robert Bellarmine, 09-17-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cornelius, 09-16-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of Sorrows, 09-15-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 09-14-18
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[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 09-12-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cyprian, 09-11-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Thomas of Villanova, 09-10-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Claver, 09-09-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 09-08-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, 09-07-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Claudio Granzotto, 09-06-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, 09-05-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose of Viterbo, 09-04-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory the Great, 09-03-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John Francis Burté and Companions, 09-02-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Giles, 09-01-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Jeanne Jugan, 08-30-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Martyrdom of John the Baptist, 08-29-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine of Hippo, 08-28-18
[Catholic Caucus] Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Monica, 08-27-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph Calasanz, 08-26-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis IX of France, 08-25-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bartholomew, 08-24-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose of Lima, 08-23-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Queenship of Mary, 08-22-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pius X, 08-21-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, 08-20-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Eudes, 08-19-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis of Toulouse, 08-18-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joan of the Cross, 08-17-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stephen of Hungary, 08-16-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, 08-15-18 [Catholic Caucus]
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, 08-14-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Pontian and Hippolytus, 08-13-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, 08-12-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Clare of Assisi, 08-11-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Lawrence, 08-10-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, 08-09-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Dominic, 08-08-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cajetan, 08-07-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Transfiguration of the Lord, 08-06-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Dedication of Saint Mary Major Basilica, 08-05-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Vianney, 08-04-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Julian Eymard, 08-03-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, 08-02-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, 08-01-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, 07-31-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Solanus Casey, 07-30-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Martha, 07-29-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Stanley Rother, 07-28-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Antonio Lucci, 07-27-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Joachim and Anne, 07-26-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint James the Apostle, 07-25-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Sharbel Makhluf, 07-24-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bridget of Sweden, 07-23-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Magdalene, 07-22-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, 07-21-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Apollinaris, 07-20-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary MacKillop, 07-19-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Camillus de Lellis, 07-18-18
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis Solano, 07-17-18
Day by Day -- Saint for All, 07-16-18, Our Lady of Mount Carmel [Catholic Caucus]
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-15-17, Saint Bonaventure
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, 07-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-13-17, Saint Henry
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-12-17, Saints John Jones and John Wall
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-11-17, Saint Benedict
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Veronica Giuliani, 07-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions, 07-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory Grassi and Companions, 07-08-17
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Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maria Goretti, 07-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anthony Zaccaria, 07-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, 07-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-03-17, Saint Thomas the Apostle
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-02-17, Saint Oliver Plunkett
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 07-01-17, Saint Junipero Serra
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-30-17, First Martyrs of the Church of Rome
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-29-17, Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Irenaeus, 06-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-27-17, Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-26-17, Saint Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-25-17, Blessed Jutta of Thuringia
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 06-24-17, The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Fisher, 06-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Thomas More, 06-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, 06-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Paulinus of Nola, 06-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Romuald, 06-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for all, Venerable Matt Talbot, 06-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph Cafasso, 06-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Francis Regis, 06-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Marguerite dYouville, 06-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Albert Chmielowski, 06-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anthony of Padua, 06-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Jolenta (Yolanda) of Poland, 06-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Barnabas, 06-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Joachima, 06-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ephrem, 06-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint William of York, 06-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Franz Jaegerstaetter, 06-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Norbert, 06-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Boniface, 06-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Angeline of Marsciano, 06-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Charles Lwanga and Companions, 06-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Marcellinus and Peter, 06-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Justin Martyr, 06-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 05-31-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joan of Arc, 05-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat, 05-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Venerable Pierre Toussaint, 05-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Augustine of Canterbury, 05-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Philip Neri, 05-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bede the Venerable, 05-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, 05-24-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gregory VII, 5-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All -- Saint Rita of Cascia, 05-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 05-21-17, Saint Cristóbal Magallanes and Companions
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernardine of Siena, 05-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Theophilus of Corte, 05-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. John I, 05-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Paschal Baylon, 05-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, 05-16-17, Saint Margaret of Cortona
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Isidore the Farmer, 05-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Matthias, 05-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Our Lady of Fatima, 05-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Nereus and Achilleus, 05-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ignatius of Laconi, 05-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Damien de Veuster of Molokai, 05-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John of Avila, 05-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter of Tarentaise, 05-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Rose Venerini, 05-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Marian and James, 05-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hilary of Arles, 05-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Michael Giedroyc, 05-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Philip and James, 05-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Athanasius, 05-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph the Worker, 05-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pius V, 04-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catherine of Siena, 04-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Chanel, 04-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort, 04-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Pedro de San José Betancur, 04-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mark, 04-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint George, 04-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Adalbert of Prague, 04-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Anselm, 04-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Conrad of Parzham, 04-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, 04-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed James Oldo, 04-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, 04-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Bernadette Soubirous, 04-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Caesar de Bus, 04-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Peter Gonzalez, 04-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Martin I, 04-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Teresa of Los Andes, 04-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stanislaus, 04-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Magdalen of Canossa, 04-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Casilda, 04-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Julie Billiart, 04-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Baptist de la Salle, 04-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Crescentia Hoess, 04-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Vincent Ferrer, 04-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Isidore of Seville, 04-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Benedict the African, 04-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Francis of Paola, 04-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Hugh of Grenoble, 04-01-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Stephen of Mar Saba, 03-31-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Peter Regalado, 03-30-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Ludovico of Casoria, 03-29-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catharine of Bologna, 03-28-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Lazarus, 03-27-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Catherine of Genoa, 03-26-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Annunciation of the Lord, 03-25-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero, 03-24-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo, 03-23-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Nicholas Owen, 03-22-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed John of Parma, 03-21-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Salvator of Horta, 03-20-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary, 03-19-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, 03-18-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Patrick, 03-17-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Clement Mary Hofbauer, 03-16-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Louise de Marillac, 03-15-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Maximilian, 03-14-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Leander of Seville, 03-13-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Blessed Angela Salawa, 03-12-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Ogilvie, 03-11-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Dominic Savio, 03-10-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Frances of Rome, 03-09-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. John of God, 03-08-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saints Perpetua and Felicity, 03-07-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Mary Ann of Jesus of Paredes, 03-06-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint John Joseph of the Cross, 03-05-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Casimir, 03-04-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, Saint Katharine Drexel, 03-03-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. Agnes of Bohemia, 03-02-17
Day by Day -- Saints for All, St. David of Wales, 03-01-17
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