They pray to the saint for their necessities, and give thanks for the food they eat, and for the work they have, or hope to obtain.  It is not only the women who come on pilgrimage, but men also, young and old.  Why is this man Cajetan so famous, and what has he to say to people of the 21st Century?

Cajetan was born in Vicenza, near Venice in 1480.  He was born into a wealthy family and from a young age he was aware of the great divide between rich and poor.  He studied Law in Padua, and later renounced all his wealth and privilege to follow Christ, the friend of the poor.  Together with other young people he founded The Company of Divine Love.  They visited the poorer areas of the city, the hospitals and prisons, bringing hope, friendship, and the Word of God to the people who were suffering.  At the age of 36 he was ordained a priest.  While he was praying to the Blessed Virgin he had a vision in which she held out the Child Jesus to him, and he held Him in his arms.  As a result of this, Cajetan is always depicted carrying the child Jesus in his arms.

When his mother died in 1520 Cajetan ministered to the people of Venice.  There he experienced the struggle of the poor to live in a city of plenty.  He worked among the dockers and saw the hardship of their lives.  With the help of some wealthy women in Venice he founded a hospital for those who were suffering from incurable diseases.  He also founded an orphanage for the children of these men and women,

In Rome he founded a Congregation of priests known as Teatines.  Following the example of the early Christians, they lived as a community and depended solely on the Providence of God.  They lived among the poor and their desire was to live the Gospel message in its fullness.  Their faith was tested when a plague broke out.  Many people died and others fled the city. Cajetan and his Religious Community ministered to the sick and dying.   When the plague abated it was followed by famine.  Cajetan and his companions worked constantly to procure food for the people, even baking the bread themselves.  When things improved he started a Printing Press and a bank to help people in their need.

In Naples Cajetan prayed for a young man whose leg was to be amputated.  His prayer was answered and the young man made a complete recovery.  As a result of this miracle, many people  who are ill pray to the saint for health.  He often mediated for peace between warring factions.  He is a model for our war-stricken world today where many innocent people die or suffer unimaginable pain as a result of war.  At the age of 67 Cajetan died in Naples while interceding for peace.

Here in Argentina the saint is always depicted carrying a sheaf of corn.  There is an ancient tradition which recounts that when Buenos Aires was just a village, a farmer entered the little chapel there to pray to St. Cajetan.  He was desperate- his fields were dry, there was nothing to harvest, and his family was hungry.  Before leaving the chapel, he placed a sheaf of corn in the saint’s hand as a reminder of his request.  When he arrived back home he found an abundant crop of ripe corn, ready for harvesting.  As a result of this Cayetan is the saint of work, and bread.(Pan y Trabajo).

August the 7th, the Feast of Saint Cayetan has been described as “the day in which the poor speak”.   They tell us that they exist, and have something to say to society from their life-experience. They tell us:

 WE must have faith.  One has to continue praying and doing.  God’s  Providence is evident in their lives, and He will never abandon us.

We must have hope.  This is an active hope which is shown as the people queue for hours, often in inclement weather, to pray to the saint.

We must practice  charity in our daily lives .  The pilgrims bring food and clothing to share with brothers and sisters  who are in need. The little they have is shared with others, and they remind us that God rewards the cheerful giver.

Cajetan made a preferential option for the poor, and in his lifetime he was a living proof of the presence of the Resurrected Christ among the poor,  He defended their rights, and gave them the dignity which is their due.  Have we as Christians made much progress in this area?

We pray to Christ, that we, like St. Cajetan will open our hearts and our ears, to hear what our brothers and sisters have to say to us each day, and that together we will work for the Kingdom of God here on earth.
Saint Cajetan, pray for us.

Sr Eileen Airey, OP