A priest from Provence in France, he founded the Trinitarian Order to ransom Christians held captive. The order raised funds to free many prisoners, and he died in Rome.
Life
Saint John of Matha was born around 1160 in Provence, France. He studied theology in Paris and became a priest, and tradition says that around the time of his first Mass he recognized a call to free captives.
To ransom Christians captured and enslaved in the Mediterranean world, he founded the Order of the Most Holy Trinity (the Trinitarians), approved by Pope Innocent III in 1198. The order devoted part of its income to ransoming captives and set many free. Tradition names Saint Felix of Valois as co-founder, though this is uncertain. He died in Rome in 1213, and the Church remembers him on December 17.
Spirituality
John of Matha's spirituality expresses the love of the Triune God in acts of liberation. As Christ freed us from sin, he spent his life setting free those in chains. For him, praising God and freeing one's neighbor could not be separated.
Reflection
John of Matha gave his life to freeing captives. Can I pray for, or pay attention to, those suffering today from human trafficking or forced labor?