John was born in the year 1419, at Sahagún in the Province of Leon. He was the oldest of the seven children of Juan González del Castrillo and Sancha Martínez, a wealthy family of the city.
He received his early education from the monks of the Royal Monastery of St. Benedict. John was introduced to Alfonso de Cartagena, the Bishop of Burgos, who was impressed by the bright, high-spirited boy. Cartagena had him educated at his own residence, ordained him a priest in the year 1445, and made him a canon at the Cathedral of Burgos.
Possessing many responsible positions simultaneously caused him many qualms of conscience, as it was contrary to Church law. He soon resigned from all, retaining only that of the Chapel of St. Agatha in a poor neighbourhood of the city. He began to lead a life of strict poverty and mortification.
When his bishop died in 1456, John resigned as chaplain to pursue further study of theology and canon law at the University of Salamanca. During this time he exercised the ministry at the chapel of the College of St. Bartholomew. As a preacher, he drew large crowds and he devoted himself to pastoral care. Owing to illness, he was obliged to undergo an operation for the removal of kidney stones. He vowed that if his life were spared, he would become a Religious.
Upon his recovery in the year 1463, John applied for admission to the Order of Hermits of St. Augustine, at the Monastery of St. Peter and from that point on he was known simply as Brother John.
In his sermons, John did not hesitate to publicly criticize the abuses of the powerful and the frequent public scandals of the upper classes. Soon, he made many enemies. Some women of Salamanca, embittered by the saint's strong sermon against extravagance in dress, openly insulted him in the streets and pelted him with stones.
By mid-1479 John's health began to fail and he died at the monastery on 11 June 1479. His remains were buried in the Old Cathedral, Salamanca.
Other Saints of the Day
1. Saint Amphion
2. Saint Chirstian
3. Saint Gerebald
4. Saint Odulf
5. Saint Olympius
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