August 13
John Berchmans (1599–1621)
Jesuit religious
He was born in Diest, Belgium, into a very devout family.
Biography
At the age of 17 he entered the Society of Jesus, forging ambitious missionary projects: he wanted to go to China. He was a novice brimming with goodness and serenity, jovial and dutiful, although suffering greatly from the rigors of community life, which he called “my greatest penance.” Juan was in a hurry, as if he knew he had little time, because he said, “If I don't become a saint now that I'm young, I will never be one.” At the age of twenty-two he had a cold that degenerated into a serious illness, and in the middle of August, embracing the cross, the rosary and the book of the order, he died in the most edifying way. He was named “patron of youth”, along with Saint Louis Gonzaga and Saint Stanislaus of Kostka.
Practical advice
With the desire to sanctify everyday life, share time or goods with a person in need, such as someone who works and prays under the loving gaze of God.