February 19: Bl. Corrado of Piacenza

Born in Piacenza in 1290, he was of noble birth and for much of his early life, he pursued the entertainment and honors regular to his station in life.

One day, however, he accused an innocent man of a fire set by himself during a hunt. Because this wrongly accused man faced the death sentence, Corrado was moved with pity for him, and he admitted his responsibility.

After paying the damage he found himself in poverty. He and his wife sold their remaining possessions and gave the proceeds to the poor. They then decided to become religious and embraced the rule of Francis and Clare.

Thus Corrado became a Franciscan tertiary and retired to a hermitage. Then he decided to become a wandering pilgrim, and that is how he arrived on the island of Malta. From there he ventured to Noto Antica on the island of Syracuse. There he spent the next 30 years in his hermitage in prayer and service. Many miracles attributed to him. He died while he was in prayer, February 19, 1351. Though he is commonly given the title of saint, the Martyrologium Romanum describes him as “blessed.”