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Bl. Rogelio de Todi. Priest. Disciple of Saint Francisco, the First Order.
Benedict XIV approved his cult on 24 April 1751. First Poor Clare with public cult was not Santa Clara, but Bl. Felipa Mareri, who died in 1236, when Santa Clara still
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lived in San Damiano in Assisi. To the name and the life of Bl. Felipa is bound the life and the figure of Bl. Roger of Todi, that knew Saint Francisco personally and was one of its first followers along with Bernardine of Quintaval, Gil, Leo, Wild.
San Francisco used to say: a true lesser brother is the one than has the faith of Br. Bernardine, the simplicity and the purity of Fr. Leo, the benignancy of Fr. Angelo, the pleasant presence of Fr. Maseo, the patience of Fr. Junípero, the request of Fr. Lúcido and the charity of Fr. Roger.
By his choice, together with the most fervent desire to be a missionary, he was sent by Saint Francisco to Spain to found the Franciscan Order there. He erected convents, he welcomed monks who knew to form in the seraphic spirit and he organized them like a religious Province. When he had fulfilled his office of organizer, he returned to Italy. Saint Francisco trusted the spiritual direction to him of the monastery of the Clares founded by Bl. Felipa Mareri. This woman of exceptional and almost amazing life had tempered in the solitude of her vocation of penitent and guide of other penitent women. With the wise advice of the Franciscan Roger, the community of Felipa Mareri, that had in the beginning had an irregular character, not defined well, the same one was exemplarily in the Rule of the Second Order, that Saint Francisco had dictated for Santa Clara and her ladies and that it already produced abundant spiritual fruits. Felipa Mareri leagued together with affectionate devotion to the Franciscan of Todi, under whose direction the community, progressed so clearly in the perfection. When the blessed woman of Rieti was near the death, she requested to be comforted by Roger of Todi. In the funeral mass he invoked her as he invokes the saints. Roger survived his spiritual daughter only a few days. He returned to Todi, where his life gave good example of sanctity. He often meditated in the birth of Jesus, who often appeared to him in boy form and had the joy to hold him lovingly in his arms. A quadriplegic woman was able to walk after having received his blessing. Another woman affected with madness, that was uncontrolled with shouts and disturbed actions, was cured by the contact of his hand.
On 5 January 1237 he was called by God to the eternal prize the faithful and good servant. Gregorio IX, who knew him personally, granted the title to him of Blessed.
God of mercy,
you gave us Blessed Roger to proclaim the riches of Christ,
By the help of his prayers
may we grow in knowledge of you,
be eager to do good,
and learn to walk before you
by living the truth of the gospel.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.