Day 22: St. Benedict Joseph Labre, Patron of the Homeless

Through the intercession of St. Benedict Joseph Labre may the Holy Spirit come upon those who are homeless and may we be able to see Jesus in the homeless around us!

Lived From 1748 to 1783
Hometown: France
Feast Day: April 17th

St. Benedict was born as the eldest of a very large family and was a very peaceful, meditative person.  His uncle, a parish priest taught him the ways of becoming a priest.  He wished to become a religious at the age of 16, but failed.  He would try to enter a monastery at least 3 more times, but he was either underage or did not have the academic requirements.  When he was 25 he decided to become a pilgrim and started traveling, with Rome as his destination, living off of whatever charity he could get and only owning a cloak, a cross, and a pair of beads.  His feet were partly covered but he still bore every type of weather.  He often traveled from shrine to shrine, begging for money or anything.  People often avoided him because of his bad odor and rugged appearance; he was glad for this.  He had created his own little monastery of isolation among the poor of the world.  He slept where he could, at one point finding a shelter in the Colosseum.  He was also known to share what little possessions he had with the other poor around him.  He died after dragging himself to a nearby church, very ill.  Some nearby residents picked him up and he died peacefully in their house.
For more information:

http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/STBEN.HTM