THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT JOHN LEONARDI Feast Day: October 9
The founder of the Clerics Regular of the Mother of God, was born Giovanni Leonardi in the year 1541 in Diecimo, Lucca, Republic of Lucca. He was the youngest of seven children born to middle-class parents in Diecimo (now within the comune of Borgo a Mozzano) in the Republic of Lucca. From childhood, he sought solitude and wished to dedicate himself to prayer and meditation. At age 17, he began his ten-year study to become a certified pharmacist's assistant in Lucca.
He became a priest at the age of 32 in the year 1572, and was particularly involved in teaching catechism to the youth. His apostolic zeal attracted many young men to the priesthood. Two years later, he founded the Order of the Clerics Regular of the Mother of God, whose members were dedicated to missionary work.
He became interested in the reforms instituted by the Council of Trent, and he proposed a new congregation of secular priests to convert sinners and to restore Church discipline. In 1583, his association, which became known as the Lucca Fathers, was recognized by the Bishop of Lucca with the approval of Pope Gregory XIII. In 1595, his congregation was confirmed by Pope Clement VIII, and he assumed the religious name 'Giovanni of the Mother of God'. This foundation received approval from Pope Paul V on January 14, 1614. The pope, encouraged by the cardinal protector Giustiniani issued a papal decree approving the union of the Lucca Fathers with the Piarists of Saint Joseph Calasanz.
This union would last only until the beginning of 1617 when Paul V issued another decree constituting the Piarists as a separate congregation.
In 1603, he founded along with Cardinal J. Vivès, the seminary of the Propagation of the Faith for the philosophical and theological training of missionary priests. The final Rule of his institute was published in 1851.
John died on October 9, 1609 of influenza, which he contracted while ministering to his brothers suffering from the epidemic raging in Rome at the time. John was 68. He was venerated for his miracles and his religious fervor.
Beatified on November 10, 1861 by Pope Pius IX and canonized on April 17, 1938 by Pope Pius XI, his major shrine can be found at Santa Maria in Campitelli, located at Piazza di Campitelli in Rome.