Blessed Tommaso da Olera

Tommaso da Olera (1563 - 3 May 1631) - born Tommaso Acerbis was a Roman Catholic Italian friar of the Capuchins. Leading a life of humility and service, Acerbis, initially a shepherd with no formal education, joined the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin in Verona at the age of seventeen. He served in various convents, offering spiritual guidance to the sick and impoverished. Acerbis spoke out against the spread of Lutheranism, defending the Roman Catholic Church through his love for "the impassioned Christ". His influence extended to sponsoring convents and spiritually guiding notable individuals, including Bernardina Floriani and scientist Ippolito Guarinoni. Acerbis's devotion earned him papal veneration, with Pope John XXIII recognizing him as "a saint and a true master of the spirit". The beatification process, initiated in 1967, culminated in his proclamation as Venerable on 23 October 1987. A miracle further validated his cause, leading to beatification on 21 September 2013, presided over by Cardinal Angelo Amato on behalf of Pope Francis. Tommaso Acerbis was born in 1563 to poor parents and he worked as a shepherd as a child without ever having received proper schooling. He joined the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin on 12 September 1580 in Verona at the convent of Santa Croce di Cittadella where at the age of seventeen he learnt how to read and write. He made his solemn profession on 5 July 1584 and served in the convents in Verona (1605–12) and Vicenza (1612-17) as well as Rovereto (1617–18). He was later sent to Padua in 1618 as the convent's porter, while not long after in 1619 he was sent to a new province of the order in Austria at the request of the archduke Leopold V. Out of those convents he visited the sick people and also helped the poor. He often encouraged and championed a love of the faith to those who listened to him. When Lutheranism began to take root in the area he spoke out and also wrote in defense of the Roman Catholic Church.