August 21st honor Pope St. Pius X
Pope Saint Pius X was born Giuseppe Sarto in 1835. He was affectionately nicknamed “Bepi” by his family – a modest but happy and faithful Catholic family in Italy. He was one of nine children raised on a farm in Italy near Venice. His father Giovanni Sarto was a mailman and his mother Margarita, a seamstress.
He was only 11 years old, when he told his family he wanted to be a priest. His parish priest helped the family send him to a Catholic high school, where at 15 he graduated first in his class.
He was ordained in 1858. He was a popular young priest considered as reverent, loving, genuine, and inspiring.
In 1903 he was elected pope at the age of 68, taking the name Pius X. Even as pope, he taught catechism classes in the Vatican courtyard for children each week. He never lost sight of his calling. He loved his faith and wanted others to fall in love with Jesus. He knew children are the future of the Church. Through his actions he prioritized Catholic instruction and Catholic education as important as celebrating the sacraments and serving others as a disciple of Christ.
As pope he also emphasized that the Sacrament of Holy Communion was a way to be closest to God. He enacted a law that allowed children as young as seven to receive First Communion and encouraged everyone to receive the Eucharist daily.
He believed no one ever stops learning and our religious education must be perpetual even as adults.
While he humbly accepted the grandeur of papal traditions out of respect for the Church, as pontiff he chose simplicity over pageantry.
Before his passing in 1914 he said, “I was born poor and I will die poor.”
