FELICE da CANTALICE, saint. — Capuchin lay brother of the Roman province, born at Cantalice (Rieti) in 1515; he worked as a farmer until the age of 30, made his religious profession in 1545, and died in Rome on 8 May 1587.
From 1547–48 until his death he served as the questor of the Convent of S. Niccolò dei Porci (now S. Croce dei Lucchesi), at the foot of the Quirinal. In continual prayer and penance, humble and joyful, he exercised the apostolate of spiritual exhortation and assistance to the sick and the poor, for whom he begged, especially in times of famine; he invited children and young people to sing devotional lauds with him, some of them composed by himself. He was called «frate Deo gratias» because of his customary greeting and Christian optimism. S. Filippo held him very dear and with him devised scenes of holy simplicity and correction for the spectators in the street. S. Carlo Borromeo, high prelates, and nobles sought his conversation. Together with S. Filippo Neri, he was the most original and popular personality in Rome (Pastor). He was canonized by Clement XI on 22 May 1712 (but the bull was promulgated only on 4 June 1724 by Benedict XIII). Feast day: 18 May.