Saints have lived in every moment and time of the Church. So often we think people who lived centuries ago have nothing in common with our world today. But struggles with poverty and social justice have also existed in every moment and time and people have worked to alleviate suffering and change systems throughout time. They can inspire us to do the same.

Saint Cajetan was born into nobility in Italy in the 15th century. Although he received law degrees, he later became an extremely devout priest who helped the sick and the poor.

In the early 1500’s St. Cajetan became disgusted by the immorality that he saw inside the Church and in the world. He believed the best way to make change was within the Church. He joined a brotherhood called the Oratory of the Divine Love, and he co-founded an order that would become known as the Theatines, that sought to live holy lives for Jesus by studying Scripture, leading moral lives, caring for people’s spiritual needs, and caring for the poor and the sick. Not only did he establish hospitals to treat people who were considered incurable, but he also founded a non-profit bank that gave no-interest loans to poor people to protect them from people who preyed on their financial instability with high-interest loans. Cajetan’s little organization ultimately became the Bank of Naples, with great changes in policy.

He is the patron saint of the unemployed, workers and job seekers.