St Joseph Cafasso, considered a model priest, lived in the city of Turin, Italy, in the 19th century. He was given the nickname “the Priest of the Gallows” for his pastoral care of criminals, especially those condemned to death. He stood by their side as they were lead to the execution.
After his ordination, he went to Turin to attend one of the post-graduate courses at the Convitto Ecclesiastico (a resident institute for priests). He was then asked to teach there, and proved to be a brilliant lecturer. He aimed at making the young priests not only learned but saintly men and efficient ministers of the Gospel.
Fr Cafasso spent long hours in the confessional. His fame for learning and sanctity attracted great numbers of penitents there. Besides teaching, he found time for other forms of apostolate, the chief of which were teaching catechism to poor children, visiting the sick and the various prisons of the city.
Visiting the Prisoners
The prisons during Fr Cafasso’s time were gloomy places infested with vermin. The prisoners were free to communicate with each other and the worst of them had the greatest influence in the prison. It was among these outcasts of society that Fr Cafasso spent most of his free time. He visited each prison at least once a week, and some of them once a day. He returned home each night bringing with him the vermin of the prison, which he jokingly called “living silver and moving riches.”
Fr Leon Cruz SDB
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