An Augustinian friar and priest, he devoted his life in Tolentino to preaching, hearing confessions, and visiting the sick. He is especially remembered for his prayers for the souls in purgatory and for sharing bread with the poor.
Life
Saint Nicholas of Tolentino was born around 1245 in Sant'Angelo in Pontano in central Italy. He entered the Augustinian friars as a young man and was ordained a priest, and after serving in several friaries he ministered in Tolentino for about thirty years.
He preached in the streets, heard confessions and cared for the poor, the sick and prisoners. He was especially devoted to praying for the souls in purgatory, and he is said to have given blessed bread to the sick while praying for their healing. He was a priest who joined strict self-denial with warm love. He died in Tolentino in 1305 and in 1446 became the first Augustinian to be canonized.
Spirituality
Saint Nicholas of Tolentino's spirituality is a love for both the living and the dead. Alongside caring for poor neighbors, he saw praying for those who had died as an important part of a priest's mission. His prayer and self-denial were a lived expression of the communion of saints.
Reflection
Saint Nicholas prayed earnestly for the souls in purgatory. Why not recall today the names of family members and benefactors who have died, and offer a prayer or a Mass for them?