(1480-1547) “The hunter of souls,” as he was known, was dedicated by his parents to the Blessed Virgin Mary as an infant. Cajetan studied canon and civil law, served as a jurist in the court of Pope Julius II, and became a priest at age 36. He served the poor and plague victims, spending his fortune building hospitals and founding a bank. To help reform the clergy during the period of the Protestant Reformation, Cajetan founded the Congregation of Clerks Regular, popularly known as the Theatines, named after a companion who was later elected Pope Paul IV. He also sought proper doctrine against the new heresies of Lutheranism and Calvinism in Italy.

Saint Cajetan always placed a concern for the poor and overlooked before everything else. In recovery, we seek to replace our selfishness with selflessness. We examine our over-indulged self-love, see where it went sideways, and try to live a new way of life (Steps 4-12). When have you experienced selflessness as life-giving for you? How does it help your recovery?

“Let us fear lest by deceiving ourselves in over-indulging our bodies, we become really cruel towards our souls” (Saint Cajetan).