joseph cardijn was born on 13 november 1882 in schaerbeek as the second of four children to henri hieronimus cardijn (1840–1903) and louise maria ester van daelen ( 1850–1923). his siblings were: jeanne (1881–1912), victor (1884–1908), and charles (1888–1975). he lived with his grandparents in halle until his parents quit their jobs as caretakers and his father (who was illiterate) started a business as a coal merchant while his mother opened a café. but he also lived with his grandparents because his mother's frail health meant she could not nurse him. he received his first communion in 1895. his mother would often gather her children to read scriptural stories to them such as creation or pentecost or fairy tales such as little red riding hood.