February 24 | Blessed Thomas Maria Fusco

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories, because today, we are traveling back to the 19th century, to the sun-drenched, dusty roads of Italy.

Imagine this. You were born into a wealthy, noble family. You have everything. Status, money, a big house. But then, tragedy strikes. Not once, but twice. Before you are even old enough to really understand what's happening, the house goes quiet. Your parents are gone. Both of them. Dead.

Born in 1831 in Italy, Blessed Thomas Maria Fusco was the seventh of eight children. After his parents died, Thomas' uncle stepped in and took responsibility for his education and upbringing. Now, usually, when people go through something that traumatic, they either shut down, or they look for a way to make sense of the world.

For Thomas, the lightbulb moment, the moment that changed everything, happened in 1839. He was just a kid, about eight years old. That year, a huge event was happening in the church. Saint Alphonsus Liguori was being canonized. Little Thomas looked at the life of St. Alphonsus, and something clicked. He realized right then and there that he wanted to be a priest, and he didn't waste time. By 1847, he entered the seminary, and in 1855, he was ordained a priest. But Thomas wasn't satisfied with just being a normal priest.

He had a fire in him. He had a deep, intense devotion to the crucified Christ and the sorrowful mother, which makes sense, doesn't it? He knew what it was like to feel sorrow and loss from losing his parents, so he connected deeply with the suffering of Jesus and Mary.

As a priest, Thomas didn't just pray. He built things. He was an organizer. In 1862, he opened a school of moral theology right inside his own home. He wanted to train priests to be better confessors. He knew that when people came to confession, they needed priests who really understood right from wrong and how to guide people. That same year, 1862, he founded the Priestly Society of the Catholic Apostolate. And he didn't stop there. A decade later, in 1873, he founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity of the Most Precious Blood.

His schedule was absolutely packed. He dedicated himself to preaching retreats and missions. He was out there catechizing young people, teaching them the faith, and organizing prayer groups for both youth and adults at his parish. He wanted everyone to cultivate a devotion to the precious blood of Jesus. Thomas worked incredibly hard for the church until the very end. He died of liver disease at the age of 59 in 1891. In 2001, he was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II.

Blessed Thomas Maria Fusco didn't let the tragedy of his childhood stop him. He used his time to organize people and get them praying together. Today, organize one moment of prayer with a friend. It doesn't have to be weird or long. Just text a friend or turn to a sibling and say, Hey, can we say a quick prayer for blank?

Blessed Thomas knew that we are stronger when we pray together. So, be an organizer today. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.