St. Joseph Oriol

Priest, “Thaumaturgus of Barcelona”, b. at Barcelona, 23 November, 1650; d. there, 23 March, 1702. He studied in the University of Barcelona, receiving the degree of Doctor of Theology, 1 August, 1674. Ordained priest, 30 May, 1676, he visited Rome in 1686 and was granted a benefice in the church of Nuestra Señora del Pino, in Barcelona. His priestly life was remarkable for a spirit of penance, profound humility, and prudence in directing souls. Impelled by a desire of martyrdom, he went to Rome in April, 1698, to offer himself for the foreign missions, but, falling sick at Marseilles, he returned to Barcelona. God bestowed upon him prophetic and miraculous power. The dying, the blind, the deaf and dumb, the lame, and the paralytic, were instantly cured by him. He was beatified by Pius VII, 5 September, 1806, and canonized by Pius X, 20 May, 1909. His feast occurs on 23 March.