Category Archives: Benedictine Saints

Benedictine Saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Romuald, Feast Day June 19

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Romuald Public Domain Image
St. Romuald
Public Domain Image

 

 

 

St. Romuald was born at Ravenna, Italy in 951. His feast day is celebrated on June 19.

As a young man he pursued the pleasures of the world. However, at the age of 20, he witnessed a duel between his father and a relative over property. His father killed the relative. St. Romuald fled to a Benedictine monastery to do penance as if he had committed the crime himself.

St. Romuald became a monk at the Basilica of Saint Apollinare in Classe. Wanting a stricter order he founded several monasteries of his own. When faced with temptation he always turned to prayer. His rule states,

 “Sit in your cell as in paradise. Put the whole world behind you and forget it. Watch your thoughts like a good fisherman watching for fish. The path you must follow is in the Psalms – never leave it.”

St. Romuald spent 30 years founding monasteries. His father eventually followed him and became a monk. When he wavered he had the encouragement of his son.

St. Romuald died in the year 1027.

 

I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me.

God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to see before me.

God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me,

God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to be before me,

God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to secure me.

 

Quote of St. Patrick, Feast Day March 17

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.

Benedictine Saints, Martyr, Saint of the Day, Visionary

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Elizabeth of Schoenna, Feast Day June 18

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Elizabeth of Schoenna
St. Elizabeth of Schoenna

The feast day of St. Elizabeth of Schoenna is celebrated on June 18.

St. Elizabeth was born in 1129 in Bonn, Germany. She was raised in a monastery and at the age of twelve entered a Benedictine Monastery. She made her profession in 1147 and became superioress of the Benedictine Nuns in 1157.

Elizabeth often had visions and ecstasies which occurred on Holy Days and Sundays. She wrote down her visions and after her death in 1165, the material was published by her brother Egbert who was a priest. The church has not examined her work and has not given an opinion.

Although she has never been formally canonized her name has been entered in the Roman martyrology.

To be ignorant of the Scriptures is to be ignorant of Christ.

Quote of St. Jerome; Feast day September 30

 

June is the Month of the Sacred Heart.

 

Benedictine Saints, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Augustine of Canterbury, Feast Day May 27

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Augustine of Canterbury Public Domain Image
St. Augustine of Canterbury

The feast day of St. Augustine of Canterbury is celebrated on May 27.

St. Augustine was the prior of the Benedictine Monastery of St. Andrew in Rome. Pope Gregory decided he needed to send missionaries to England. Augustine and 30 monks were who he chose to send. The mission was to unite the Christians after the Saxon conquest of England.

The King of England listened with curiosity to what the missionaries had to say. On Pentecost Sunday in 597, King Ethelbert was baptized. He believed in religious freedom and did not make his new religion mandatory however many followed his example and were baptized. St. Augustine was not successful in uniting the Anglo-Saxon Christians with the original Briton Christians (Celtics). He followed Pope Gregory’s advice to purify rather than destroy pagan temples and customs. As much as possible pagan rites and festivals were changed into Christian feasts.

St. Augustine died eight years after arriving in England. He died on May 26.

God’s works are not regulated by our plans and wishes.

Quote of St. Vincent de Paul; Feast day September 27

 

May is the Month of Our Lady

Benedictine Saints, Faith, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Julian of Norwich, Feast Day May 8

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




Bl. Julian of Norwich Public Domain Image
Bl. Julian of Norwich

 

The feast day of Bl. Julian of Norwich is celebrated on May 8.

Very little is actually known about Julian of Norwich. It is believed her birth name is Julian and that she was born to a privileged family in Norwich in 1341. She lived as a recluse, probably as a Benedictine Nun.

At the age of 30, she became deathly ill. Near death she experienced visions of Christ. She wrote about her visions immediately in her book Revelation of Divine Love. The book has been translated into many languages.

Bl. Julian believed in God’s love and mercy. She believed sin brings someone to self knowledge which leads to acceptance of the role of God in their life. She believed the pain caused by sin is a reminder of the passion of Christ. Bl. Julian saw God as both Father and Mother which was controversial.  Bl. Julian always accepted the authority of the Church.

Bl. Julian of Norwich died in the year 1416.

 

He did not say:  You will not be assailed,  You will not be belabored,  You will not be disquieted,  but He said….”You will not be overcome.”

Quote of Bl. Julian of Norwich

 

May is the Month of Our Lady

Benedictine Saints, Doctor of the Church, Faith

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Anselm, Feast Day April 21

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Anselm
St. Anselm

 

The feast day of St. Anselm is celebrated on April 21.

St. Anselm was born in 1033 near Aosta . At the age of 15 Anselm wanted to enter a monastery but his father opposed the idea. For a time, he lost interest in religion, but at the age of 27 he finally entered the Monastery of Bec in Normandy. Fifteen years later he became the abbot of the Benedictine monastery.

In 1093 he became the Archbishop of Canterbury. England’s King William Rufus refused to cooperate with his efforts to reform the Church. When the king became very ill St. Anselm became his confessor. However, after he recovered his health matters worsened and St. Anselm went into exile until the death of the King in 1100. The successor, King Henry I, recalled Anselm. St. Anselm fearlessly disagreed with King Henry over the King’s insistence on investing England’s bishops. St. Anselm went into exile for three more years.

St. Anselm opposed the slave trade and worked for the poorest people. He persuaded the national council of Westminster to prohibit the sale of human beings. He was admired for his patience and his teaching ability.   St. Anselm published theological works. The most well known is Cur Deus Humo  (Why God became Man).

St. Anselm died in the year 1109. St. Anselm was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1720 by Pope Clement XI.

 

For I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand.  For this also I believe…that unless I believed,  I should not understand.

 

Quote of St. Anselm of Canterbury

 

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

Save

Benedictine Saints, Faith, Martyr, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Elphege, Feast Day April 19

Leave a comment
Follow Us @ Sacred Art and Quotes of the Saints




St. Elphege
St. Elphege

The feast day of St. Elphege is celebrated on April 19.

St. Elphege was born in 954 to a noble Saxon family. He became a Benedictine monk at Deerhurst Monastery in Gloucestershire, England. After several years he left to become a hermit at Bath where he became abbot. His rule was strict, requiring diligent prayer and service. In 984 he became the Bishop of Winchester. He worked tirelessly to help the poor trying to eliminate poverty in his diocese. In 1006, he was appointed archbishop of Canterbury.

Persecutions by the Danes were taking place at this time. When Canterbury was sacked and burned St. Elphege was taken captive. Because he refused to cooperate in there ransom demands they became angry and drunk. They pelted him with oxen bones and stones and then killed him with an axe in the year1012. As he died he prayed for his attackers.

 

Just look how these days, when “Alleluia” is ringing in our ears, our spirit soars!…If these days fill us with such tremendous joy, what will that day be like when we are told “Come, you blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom.” when all the saints are gathered together?

Quote of St. Augustine; Feast day August 28

 

April is the Month of the Eucharist.

Save