Today January 23

Today is the feast of St. Joseph Cafasso, (1811 - 1860). If yesterday we focused on abortion (being the 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision), today we can focus on another aspect of being pro-life: anti-capital punishment. We may note that St. Joseph Cafasso did not work to end capital punishment but he believed with his whole heart and soul in repentance and even obtained from God the grace of converting every single prisoner on death row that he ministered to. Some of the prisoners themselves were skeptical. One particularly hardened criminal who had been convicted of a horrible crime voiced his doubt and St. Joseph asserted: "I believe it is certain [for you to be saved], for who is it that will be able to take you out of my hands? Even if you were in the vestibule of hell, and if there remained outside but one hair of your head, that would be sufficient for me to drag you from the claws of the devil and transport you to heaven." Strong words, those.

He decided to be a priest at age 15. He'd always been "aware of God" and devout, and once he made up his mind to do something, that was it. He made such progress in theology and virtue, his fellow seminarians marveled. He was like a breath of fresh air -- both then and later, in fact, all through his life. People cheered up when they saw him; he lifted burdens from their shoulders; he even touched the hearts of the suicidal. Many of them would, miraculously, be filled with joy and some would even offer up their tremendous sufferings as reparation for their sins. That may have been due to his great witness -- he not only commiserated with them, he preached the truth to them -- unvarnished. He did not shy away from the words and concepts of "sin" and "hell" and "penance." And he was not "all talk," either. He himself did major penance for his sins and made sure to be available every day for several hours in the confessional, though he was in poor health all his life. He preached, said Mass, gave missions, led retreats, spiritually directed boys (thus his relationship with Don Bosco, who was always trying to get him to relax -- "Our rest will be in heaven," St. Joseph would reply) and always attended the prisoners, especially those doomed to die. And in those days, capital punishment was by hanging. Grim.

Though he was small and frail, he never feared even the biggest and baddest of them all. He was always ready with a friendly ear, a smile, a needed item, and to hear their confessions. They weren't always ready to go, though. Once after a week preparing the men, he was confronted with a huge room full of prisoners all with cold feet. No one would go to confession. His solution? Well, maybe you've heard -- you find the biggest, meanest guy and go right up to him and challenge him. Joseph did; he grabbed the guy by his beard and told him he wouldn't let go til he heard his confession.
"I don't want to go," the man said flatly.
"But you will not escape from me," St. Joseph said.
"I'm not prepared."
"I will prepare you."
The big guy allowed himself to be led to a quiet corner and there he confessed. He went back to the others and swore he had never been happier in his whole life. He got all the others to go, too. And in fact, in St. Joseph's whole life he never lost a single soul.

As soon as he heard about a conviction leading to execution, he hurried to the man's side -- even staying with him all night. Sentences were very swiftly carried out in those days, so often he'd only have a few days. He'd offer Mass, give the man Holy Communion, and spend a long time with him in thanksgiving. He'd laugh and cry with the other prisoners as well. He truly loved them, and I think they sensed that. What a great lesson for us! Even the worst, the most hardened, the most hateful are still God's children, our brothers. There's always hope for repentance and conversion. Praise God.

He welcomed anyone, big or small, to his office to talk. He always seemed to have time for people, time to visit families, time to visit the hospital, even time to write. He left enough papers to have been made into several books. And he welcomed the youth. He made a huge impression on the young John Bosco. But at the end, he made a sign for everyone to leave him alone -- he wanted to talk to God and His Blessed Mother. He died on June 23 at the age of 49, having accomplished more in his short life than many do in half again or twice as many years. St. Joseph Cafasso, pray for us.