St. Albert Chmielowski

Feast Day: June 17
Canonized: November 12, 1989
Patron of painters, soldiers, travelers

Urged the wealthy never to forget the plight of the poor

Albert was born into a wealthy family in Poland, but kept his heart for the poor. Passionate about politics, at age 17 he took part in an 1863 uprising against Russian Czar Alexander II. A grenade thrown by a soldier killed Albert’s horse and left Albert with a severely injured leg. It was amputated, replaced by a wooden leg.

Years later, Albert became a well-known artist in Poland. Continually moved by the plight of the poor, he began volunteering at a homeless shelter. He sensed God calling him to religious life – to serve the underprivileged.

In 1887, he became Brother Albert of the Third Order of St. Francis. He served the destitute, and began living in their shelters with them. He founded his own community, the Servants of the Poor or Albertine Brothers, and a companion women’s congregation, the Albertine Sisters. He loved the writings of St. John of the Cross, and urged the wealthy never to overlook the troubles of the poor.

Albert died in 1916, and was later canonized by Pope John Paul II in a Krakow homeless shelter which Albert had founded. As a young priest, John Paul was inspired by Albert’s life-example, and even wrote a play about him, Our God’s Brother.