St. Simón de Rojas

  Posted on September 28, 2020  by admin  No comments

Born: 28 October 1552 Valladolid, Spain

Died: 29 September 1624 Madrid, Spain

Venerated: in Roman Catholic Church

Beatified: 19 March 1766 by Pope Clement XIII

Canonized: 3 July 1988, Vatican Basilica by Pope John Paul II

Feast: 28 September

A pious child, his first words, at age 14 months, were reported to be Ave Maria. From his youth and throughout his life he loved to visit Marian shrines. Joined the Trinitarians in Valladolid, Spain at age 12, and made his religious profession on 28 October 1572. He studied at the University of Salamanca from 1573 to 1579, and was ordained a priest in 1577. Taught philosophy and theology in Toleda, Spain from 1581 to 1587. 

From 1588 to 1624, he served as superior of several Trinitarian convents in Castile and Andalusia, and served three periods as Apostolic Visitor to the regions. 

His theological studies and contemplation of the mission and cooperating of the Blessed Virgin Mary led his to declare that he was a “slave” of Mary, and he founded the Congregation of the Slaves of the Most Sweet Name of Mary on 14 April 1612 for lay people who wanted to help lead people to God through devotion to Mary; the Congregation spread widely, included kings and princes, and helped to care for the poor. He caused the printing of thousands of images of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the caption “Ave Maria” and had them distributed inside and outside Spain. He made and distributed rosary crowns of 72 blue beads on white cord with symbols of the Assumption and of the Immaculate Conception; there was a tradition at the time Mary had lived to age 72. 

Chosen the tutor of the royal infants of Spain in 1619. Elected Trinitarian Provincial of Castile on 12 May 1621. Confessor of Queen Isabella of Bourbon on 1 January 1622. Though a member of the royal court, he lived in poverty, travelled on foot everywhere he went, and spent whatever he had for the care of the poor.