St. John Cantius
Feast day: Dec. 23
“Fight all false opinions, but let your weapons be patience, sweetness and love. Roughness is bad for your own soul and spoils the best cause.”
These are the words of St. John Cantius, a Polish priest and professor of theology known for his piety, humility and compassion as well as his learning. Also called St. John of Kanty, he was born in 1390 in this Polish town not far from the birthplace of Pope St. John Paul II, who had a strong devotion to him.
St. John Cantius studied at the University of Krakow and earned a doctorate in philosophy before being ordained as a priest three years later. Immediately after ordination, he was assigned to teach formation classes for young novices, and he soon became grounded in the writings and spirituality of St. Augustine. At the university, he taught philosophy, theology and sacred Scripture; he was also interested in physics and helped develop the French philosopher Jean Buridan’s theory of “impetus,” which anticipated the work of Galileo and Newton.
With such success, he became an object of envy at the university, where some of his colleagues were jealous of how well he got along with his students. Falsely accused of wrongdoing, St. John Cantius was removed from his teaching post and sent to a small, remote parish. The unfamiliar new assignment terrified him, but he worked hard and patiently with his parishioners. When his name was cleared and he was allowed to return to the University of Krakow eight years later, they mourned his departure, following him out of town for several miles, weeping and begging him to stay.
St. John Cantius held a teaching post at the University of Krakow for the rest of his long life. A brilliant scholar who was also a very holy man, he became well known in the city for his generosity to the poor. He had a special concern for poor students, trying to care for their spiritual and physical as well as their academic needs. He kept only the money and clothes he needed to support himself, and he slept on the floor instead of a bed. He ate small meals and no meat.
Although hard on himself, he was patient and kind to his students, who loved him in return. He urged them to practice moderation in controversy, and to discourage gossip by himself and others in his household, he posted the following words in Latin in his room: “Guard against causing trouble and slandering others, for it is difficult to right the evil done.”
Although the Hussite heresy and schism were growing in neighboring territories, St. John Cantius taught orthodox doctrine free from error at the University of Krakow. Like many other scholars, he spent many hours of his free time hand-copying manuscripts of the holy Scriptures, theological tracts and other scholarly works. Only 26 volumes have survived to our time, but their more than 18,000 pages exemplify his hard work.
He made several pilgrimages on foot to Rome and one to the Holy Land, where he hoped to be martyred by the Turks. Warned that carrying luggage such distances would hurt his health, St. John Cantius remarked that the Desert Fathers lived long lives in harsh conditions with nothing but the presence of God.
In 1473, aware that death was near, St. John Cantius distributed to the poor what clothes and other belongings he had left. He died on Christmas Eve at the age of 83. Canonized in 1767, he is the patron saint of Poland and Lithuania.
Pope St. John Paul II, a philosopher himself and fellow graduate of the University of Krakow, drew great inspiration from visiting the gravesite of St. John Cantius. During his 1997 pilgrimage to Poland, he prayed again at the saint’s tomb and noted that the life of St. John Cantius shows us what emerges when “knowledge and wisdom seek a covenant with holiness.”
Reflection
Dear Jesus, help me to grow in love and patience with your people even when my knowledge of affairs may be beyond theirs. May I never forget that everyone has a gift to be shared with all in compassion and forgiveness.
Prayer
Grant, we pray, almighty God,
that by the example of the Priest Saint John of Kanty
we may advance in the knowledge of holy things
and, by showing compassion to all,
may gain forgiveness in your sight.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
