St. John of the Cross

"O you souls who wish to go on with so much safety and consolation, if you knew how pleasing to God is suffering, and how much it helps in acquiring other good things, you would never seek consolation in anything; but you would rather look upon it as a great happiness to bear the Cross of the Lord." -Saint John of the Cross

Born in poverty at at Fontiveros, Spain, John (1542-1591) cared for the sick and the poor in a hospital Medina. He became a lay Carmelite brother at age 21, and was ordained at the age of 25. Saint Teresa of Avila persuaded him to reform the Carmelite order, and he took the name John of the Cross. He later became the master of novices, spiritual director and confessor at Saint Teresa's convent. Some of his brothers did not approve of his reform, and he was ordered to go back to Medina. John refused and was imprisoned at Toledo, Spain. After nine months of staying there, he escaped. He later became a great contemplative and spiritual writer, and wrote the book, Dark Night of the Soul, a book of poems.

He was beatified on the 25th of January in the year 1675, by Pope Clement X
and canonized on the 27th of December, 1726, by Pope Benedict XIII