With just a few days to go before his feast day, September 18, 2022, a new book has been published on St. Joseph of Cupertino, written by Corrado GALIGNANO and entitled, “Come Cardellino in Gabbia” [Like a Goldfinch in a Cage]. It is part of the Culture and History Series published by the Editrice Salentina Publishing House.
A book launch will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2022, at 7 p.m., in the Bishop’s Hall at the Shrine of Santa Maria della Grottella in Cupertino, Italy. The book makes a long journey, from the 17th century to the present day, in search of sources that reveal and document, for the first time, and in a systematic way, the “real scene” in which the “little spiritual songs” attributed to Friar Joseph of Cupertino are set.
The saint’s songs are certainly not literary works. Moreover, Joseph knew this well; he was aware of his limitations, being a “boccaperta” [someone with his mouth hanging open] and a “man without letters.” His little spiritual songs are just simple, straightforward prayers, which flowed from his heart. They would arise when he was intoxicated with God, the Virgin Mary and the saints. He would tremble within and, often by instinct, compose his verses to which he frequently added melodies, turning them into songs. The songs were very humble expressions of love, which like quiet and silent streams, were filled with joy and flowed into the great river of his holiness.
The author, Corrado GALIGNANO (brother of author Friar Eugenio GALIGNANO) is a former school administrator and Professor of Literature specializing in Theory and Technique of Cinema at the College of Social Communications (University of Milan). He has written for the magazine Letture and the catalogue Schedario cinematografico; he has written specialized articles in several Italian national newspapers and magazines, such as L’Osservatore Romano, La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno; Miles Immaculatae, Milizia Mariana, and, from 1967 to 2002, he wrote for Il Santo dei Voli, a bimonthly magazine featuring religious news and current affairs in the Province of St. Nicholas and St. Angelo in Italy (Puglia). He edited Creatore, Creatura – San Giuseppe da Copertino, Cantore della Natività del Signore, Turin 2002 and San Giuseppe da Copertino, Cantore del Mistero della Redenzione del Signore, Padua 2003. Finally, one should mention he has been collaborating with the Italian daily newspaper Avvenire since 2002.
The editorial staff
