Casalanzio, Josef De

Casalanzio, Josef de a Spanish priest and philanthropist, was born in 1556 at Peralta, in Aragon. He went to Rome, where, seeing many vicious children, he became inspired with the thought of founding an institution for their instruction, which, pope Paul V, in 1617, sanctioned as the "Pauline Congregation," and the members of which have been known since 1621 as "Regular Clerks of the Pious Schools." That religious order, suppressed by pope Innocent X, and established again by Clement IX, soon had a large number of colleges in Spain, Italy, Hungary, and Poland. Casalanzio in renouncing the world, took the name of Brother Joseph of the Mother of God. He died at Rome. Aug. 25,1648, and was beatified by Benedict XIV, and canonized by Clement XIII. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Géneralé, s.v.