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Joseph
was born in a garden shed to poverty-stricken parents in the
seventeenth century. His father died soon after his birth and
he grew into a chubby, dim-witted, pigeon-toed boy. To his mother’s
dismay he was nicknamed “Boccaperta”, the “Gaper,”
because of his tendency to let his mouth hang open. He failed
as a shoemakers apprentice, and became a stableboy at the local
Franciscan monastery. He was eventually accepted by the order,
and became renowned as the “Flying Friar” because
of his phenomenal ability to levitate. Testimonials of highly-placed
Church officials state that looking at a statue of Mary or listening
to a Christmas carol was enough to send Joseph flying. His prolonged
levitations, which occurred more than a hundred times, would
end with shrieks and gales of laughter. In fact, witnesses claim
to have seen the plump monk as he rode his fellow friars on
his back. Joseph also had the uncanny ability to detect sinners,
whose faces appeared black, and perverts, who would exude a
noxious odor. Although beloved by the people, he shamed Church
authorities concerned about the sensationalism surrounding his
considerable notoriety, and was, in essence, imprisoned. He
was canonized, despite his controversial levitations, for his
patience and the humility with which he endured the cruelty
of the Church. Joseph is also the patron of the air force and
pilots. His feast day is September 18. |
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St.
Joseph of Cupertino
Patron St. of
Astronauts |
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