St. Jerome Unit

  FEAST DAY: 30th September

Jerome was born in a Venetian family in Italy. At the age of 15, afterhis father’s death he entered the army. Twelve years later he was takenprisoner. While chained in his dungeon he came to a full realizationof the loose, worldly life he had been leading and solemnly promisedour lady to reform. He was miraculously escaped and studied forpriesthood. He cared for the poor and the sick. During the great plagueand famine of 1528, he took charge of Venetian hospital for incurables,organised a home for the many newly orphaned children and sold allhis furnishings to buy food. In 1532, he founded a religious society tocare for the orphans and sick people. He also undertook the educationof children and rural population in later years. He started one of theearliest institutions for penitent prostitutes. While attending the sick in1537, he caught an infectious disease and died on February 8th. He wascanonized in 1767.