St. Ignatius of Laconi

St. Ignatius of Laconi

St. Ignatius of Laconi was born to a family of poor farmers in Laconi, Italy on December 17, 1701. Around the age of seventeen, he grew very ill to the point where he promised he would become a Franciscan if he became healed. After his malady disappeared, his father convinced him to wait. A few years after that, he almost died when he lost control of his horse until strangely it stopped and trotted on peacefully. This was a sign to Ignatius that this was divine intervention from God that saved him. Immediately following he fulfilled his promise of joining the Franciscans.

As a Franciscan brother, he did not stand out. Fifteen years of life went past while he worked in the weaving shed. After that, for forty years he became part of the order that was responsible for asking the people for donations for upkeep of the friars. It was during this time that people started growing attached to him. Ignatius comforted the sick and gave happiness towards the lonely. He was able to convert many men and offered terrific advice to those in sin. The people were so attached that they would wait for his visits.

This did not mean that there were always good days. Some people would reject him by slamming the door on him. Sometimes the weather was bad. There were miles of road to walk through everyday too. Through all this turmoil he persevered. However, there was one house that he would always skip. It was the house of a rich moneylender who made the poor return more money than they had. When this man told Ignatius's superior about this, the superior tasked him to go to the moneylender's house. He did not speak but followed. When he returned with a bag of food, God performed a miracle. The bag, when it was emptied, let loose blood dripping out. "This is the blood of the poor," Ignatius said. This led to all the friars to pray for the conversion of this moneylender's soul.

Ignatius died on the on May 11, 1781 at the age of 80. Pope Pius XII  canonized him as a saint in the year 1951.