Day 108 -- Saint Peter Canisius

Saint Peter Canisius was a very busy person and he said "If you have too much to do, with God’s help you will find time to do it all."

Saint Peter was born in the Netherlands on May 8, 1521. His father died soon after Peter was born. He studied in Cologne by studying art, civil law, and theology. He was an excellent students and received a master's degree by age 19. He joined the Jesuits on May 8, 1543 (a birthday present to himself?). He helped to found the first Jesuit house in Cologne. He was ordained in 1546. He worked and traveled with Saint Ignatius of Loyola who was his spiritual director in Rome. He received a doctorate of theology in 1549. He began teaching and preaching and worked in hospitals and prisons. During Mass one day he received a vision from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and he then offered his work to the Sacred Heart. He lead the Counter-Reformation in Germany, Austria, Bohemia, and Switzerland and his work led to the return of Catholicism in Germany. His catechism went through 200 editions in his lifetime and was translates in 12 languages. He gave an address at the Council of Trent on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. He received a message from Saint Nicholas of Myra to stop travelling and he stayed in Fribourg, Switzerland. He taught, preached, and edited books and support the Catholic press and printers. He was friends with Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Charles Borromeo. He died on December 21, 1597 of natural causes. His relics are in the Church of Saint Michael at the Jesuit College in Fribourg. He was proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1925 by Pope Pius XI.