San José de Cupertino

The Diocese of Sololá–Chimaltenango shared the life story of St. Joseph of Cupertino, an Italian man born in 1603 to poor parents. After his father, a carpenter, lost their home due to unpaid debts, Joseph was born in a small shed.

Joseph initially struggled to enter religious life. He was denied entry to the Franciscan order and was later expelled from the Capuchins after eight months because his extreme distractibility caused him to fail at his assigned tasks. After being rejected by a wealthy relative, he returned to poverty until his mother convinced a Franciscan relative to let him work as a messenger in a convent.

While working in the stables, Joseph demonstrated great skill in his duties. His humility, kindness, and devotion to prayer earned him the respect of the religious community. In 1625, the friars of the community voted unanimously to admit him.