St. Pacificus of San Severino

St. Pacificus of San Severino – September 24th

When a little Italian boy named Charles Anthony was just five years old, his good parents both died, and he was given to the care of his uncle. This uncle was a cross, mean man and he treated Charles worse than a servant. Yet the boy took this hard treatment quietly and patiently. When he was seventeen, Charles entered a monastery and took the name of Pacificus, which means “peaceful.” After he became a priest, he was made a teacher, but his great desire was to become a preacher. How happy he was when his superior sent him on a preaching mission to many little towns and villages!

St. Pacificus was very popular with the good country folk because his talks were simple and sweet. Besides that, he had the marvelous gift of reading consciences! Once, he reminded a man in confession that he had been unkind to his mother and had kept impure thoughts in his mind. Everywhere the Saint went to preach and hear confessions, he did much good.

But when he had been preaching only about six years, Pacificus had to give it up because he became blind, deaf and crippled. He spent his time praying and doing penance in his monastery, helping others in any way he could. God was always very close to this humble Saint and He gave him the gift of prophecy. St. Pacificus foretold the great victory of the Christian armies over the Turks at Belgrade. He also said to a Bishop: “Your Excellency-Heaven! Heaven! And I will follow you soon!” About two weeks later, the bishop died, and not long after, just as he had said, St. Pacificus died, too. Many miracles took place at his grave.

St. Pacificus’ rule of life, for himself and for the others, was: “Do well, moment by moment.” Let us, too, make this our own rule of perfection.