(1556-1612) Eufranio Desiderio was the third of 8 children born to a wool merchant in Leonessa, Italy. His parents died when he was 12, and Eufranio was raised by his uncle. He joined the Capuchin Franciscans at 18, taking the name Joseph. He was sent to Constantinople to minister to Christian captives of the Ottoman Empire, where he sought an audience with the Sultan, was arrested, and hanged by hooks for three days. He survived the torture and returned to Italy, where he continued his life as a preacher and served the sick, poor, and pilgrims.
It is said that Joseph would walk into gang fights and brawls, crucifix in hand, preaching peace. He wasn’t afraid to insist on meeting with the Sultan to arrange for religious freedom, despite the cost it took on him. Do we keep the crucifix and our faith at the forefront when charging into confrontations? As we move through recovery, do we “continue to take personal inventory and when we are wrong promptly admit it” (Step 10)?
“Every Christian must be a living book wherein one can read the teaching of the gospel” (Saint Joseph of Leonessa).
Reflection by Brad Farmer