APRIL 25 - SAN PEDRO DE SAN JOSÉ breski1 Pedro Betancur Peter Betancur Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur Saint Francis of the Americas Memorial 25 April Profile Born a poor shepherd, Pedro devoted his …More
APRIL 25 - SAN PEDRO DE SAN JOSÉ
breski1
Pedro Betancur
Peter Betancur
Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur
Saint Francis of the Americas
Memorial
25 April
Profile
Born a poor shepherd, Pedro devoted his time with the flocks to prayer. At age thirty-one, he journeyed to Guatemala City in hopes of a job away from the sheep. Befriended by the Jesuits and Franciscans of the area, he enrolled in the Jesuit College of San Borgia in hopes of becoming a priest. However, with little background education he was unable to master the material, and withdrew. He then took private vows, and became a Franciscan tertiary, taking the name Peter of Saint Joseph.
Three years later he opened Our Lady of Bethlehem, a hospital for the convalescent poor. Soon after there was a shelter for the homeless, schools for the poor, and an oratory. Not to neglect the rich of Guatemala City, Pedro walked through their part of town, ringing a bell, begging support for the poor, and inviting the wealthy to repent. Other men were drawn to Pedro’s work, and they formed the foundation of the Bethlemite Congregation or Hospitalers Bethlemite, which earned papal approval after Pedro’s death. He is the first canonized Guatemalan native.
Pedro built chapels and shrines in the poor sections of the city, and promoted the ministry of intercessory prayer among those who had nothing except their time. He is sometimes credited with originating the Christmas Eve posadas procession in which people representing Mary and Joseph seek a night’s lodging from their neighbors. The custom soon spread to Mexico and other Central American countries. Legend says that petitioners need only tap gently on Peter’s stone tomb in order to have their prayers fulfilled. Stone tablets scratched with thank-you notes are often left on the tomb afterwards.
Born
16 May 1619 at Villaflores, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, Spain
Died
25 April 1667 at Guatemala City, Guatemala of natural causes
Venerated
25 July 1771 by Pope Clement XIV (decree of heroic virtues)
Beatified
22 June 1980 by Pope John Paul II
Canonized
30 July 2002 in Guatemala City, Guatemala by Pope John Paul II
Patronage
Bethlemite Congregations
Canary Islands
breski1
Pedro Betancur
Peter Betancur
Peter of Saint Joseph Betancur
Saint Francis of the Americas
Memorial
25 April
Profile
Born a poor shepherd, Pedro devoted his time with the flocks to prayer. At age thirty-one, he journeyed to Guatemala City in hopes of a job away from the sheep. Befriended by the Jesuits and Franciscans of the area, he enrolled in the Jesuit College of San Borgia in hopes of becoming a priest. However, with little background education he was unable to master the material, and withdrew. He then took private vows, and became a Franciscan tertiary, taking the name Peter of Saint Joseph.
Three years later he opened Our Lady of Bethlehem, a hospital for the convalescent poor. Soon after there was a shelter for the homeless, schools for the poor, and an oratory. Not to neglect the rich of Guatemala City, Pedro walked through their part of town, ringing a bell, begging support for the poor, and inviting the wealthy to repent. Other men were drawn to Pedro’s work, and they formed the foundation of the Bethlemite Congregation or Hospitalers Bethlemite, which earned papal approval after Pedro’s death. He is the first canonized Guatemalan native.
Pedro built chapels and shrines in the poor sections of the city, and promoted the ministry of intercessory prayer among those who had nothing except their time. He is sometimes credited with originating the Christmas Eve posadas procession in which people representing Mary and Joseph seek a night’s lodging from their neighbors. The custom soon spread to Mexico and other Central American countries. Legend says that petitioners need only tap gently on Peter’s stone tomb in order to have their prayers fulfilled. Stone tablets scratched with thank-you notes are often left on the tomb afterwards.
Born
16 May 1619 at Villaflores, Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, Spain
Died
25 April 1667 at Guatemala City, Guatemala of natural causes
Venerated
25 July 1771 by Pope Clement XIV (decree of heroic virtues)
Beatified
22 June 1980 by Pope John Paul II
Canonized
30 July 2002 in Guatemala City, Guatemala by Pope John Paul II
Patronage
Bethlemite Congregations
Canary Islands