St. Cajetan

St. Cajetan (October 1480 – 7 August 1547), born Gaetano dei Conti di Thiene at Vicenza, studied law at Padua and served in the Roman Curia before being ordained a priest. Zealous for the reform of a Church in need of renewal, he helped revive the Roman confraternity known as the Oratory of Divine Love and founded hospitals for the incurably sick, seeking to reform the clergy not by legislation alone but by living the apostolic life.

In 1524, with Gian Pietro Carafa (the future Pope Paul IV), he co-founded the Theatines, a congregation of Clerks Regular who bound themselves to strict poverty — relying wholly on divine providence rather than begging — and to the renewal of priestly holiness, preaching, and the sacraments. He promoted frequent Communion and devout reception of the Eucharist. His deep trust in God's providence made him, in popular devotion, a patron of workers and the unemployed and of those seeking work. He was canonized in 1671.