Successful art career wasn't enough for this Franciscan saint

During the more than 20 years Pope John Paul has served as Bishop of Rome, he has canonized numerous saints. They have hailed from countries all over the world, but certainly his native Poland has been specially honored during his pontificate, just as Italians were singled out by his Italian predecessors.

Among those Pope John Paul has canonized is St. Albert Chmielowski, with whom he must share a special kinship.

Common areas shared by them include being: Polish patriots with artistic sensibilities, holy and outgoing, and concerned with the plight of the poor.

Plus, Pope John Paul wrote a play, Our God's Brother, about the life of St. Albert Chmielowski - making it the first time that a pope has canonized someone he wrote a play about.

St. Albert was born Adam Chmielowski on Aug. 20, 1845, at Igolomia in the Miechów district of southern Poland.

Eighteen years later, he took part in the failed uprisings against the Russian occupation. While he was in prison, Albert's left leg was amputated. Eventually, he was allowed to return to Poland, where he studied agriculture, before switching to art - and, for a year, engineering.

He was a successful artist, but 10 years after his first exhibition, Albert decided that he was called to religious life. However, within six months of joining the Jesuits, he suffered a nervous breakdown and left them to become a Franciscan tertiary.

As a third order or secular Franciscan, Albert worked first in the country before moving to Cracow in 1884. Gradually, he gave up his art in favor of helping the poor, particularly the homeless.

In 1887, he followed the example of Rafal Kalinowski, who had become a Carmelite friar. He adopted both the name Albert and a simple habit. A year later, he made vows before Card. Albin Dunajewski, the Archbishop of Cracow, who also had been active in the uprising against Russia.

Thus, he began the Albertine Brothers, who were followed after three years by the Albertine Sisters. Both congregations opened houses that still exist to help the poor and homeless.

Albert died on Christmas in 1916. His funeral was attended by the mayor, the bishop and large numbers of ordinary citizens.

In 1938, in honor of his contributions to his country, the president of Poland awarded Albert the country's highest honor - the Grand Ribbon of the Order of Poland Restituta.

Pope John Paul beatified Albert on June 22, 1983, during a visit to Poland. He canonized him on Nov. 12,1989. We celebrate his feast on June 17.

His life reminds us that, no matter how many things we do in life, our primary call is to serve Jesus in one another.

Source: Butler's Lives of the Saints