Jerome
was born in Venice in 1481. As a military commander who prided himself
on the strength of his army, he was not a man of God. Yet when he was
taken prisoner and thrown in a dungeon, the proud leader turned to God
and miraculously escaped his captors. After his conversion, Jerome
dedicated himself to Our Lady and the work of God, and was eventually
ordained to the priesthood in 1518.
At
that time, famine and plague were rampant in Northern Italy, and Jerome
devoted himself to caring for sick orphans, housing and teaching them
Catholicism. After contracting the plague and recovering, Jerome decided
to wholly devote himself to caring for others. In 1531, he established
multiple orphanages and a shelter for penitent prostitutes, and just a
year later, along with two other priests, a congregation for men. The
congregation, named The Clerks Regular of Somascha, mainly saw to the
care of orphans and the instruction of youths and young clerics.
In
1537, Jerome caught an infectious disease while caring for the sick,
and died on February 8. The Clerks Regular of Somascha still exist
today, and it is said Jerome Emiliani was the first to introduce the
idea of teaching catechism to children.
Monday, February 8, 2021
St. Jerome Emiliani
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