Thursday
of the Fourteenth week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St. John Gualbert, Abbot (999-1073)
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commentary below or click here
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| Caldey Abbey, Abbot's Chapel, stainedglass Benedictine Founders. right, Saint John Gualbert, Vallombrosa |
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| Caldey - Stainglass 1922 |
SAINT JOHN GUALBERT
Abbot
(999-1073)
(999-1073)
St. John Gualbert was born at Florence, A. D. 999. Following the profession of
arms at that troubled period, he became involved in a blood-feud with a near
relative. One Good Friday, as he was riding into Florence accompanied by armed
men, he encountered his enemy in a place where neither could avoid the other.
John would have slain him; but his adversary, who was totally unprepared to
fight, fell upon his knees with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross,
and implored him, for the sake of Our Lord's holy Passion, to spare his life.
St. John said to his enemy, "I cannot refuse what you ask in Christ's
name. I grant you your life, and I give you my friendship. Pray that God may
forgive me my sin." Grace triumphed.
A humble and changed man, he entered the Church of St. Miniato, which was near;
and whilst he prayed, the figure of our crucified Lord, before which he was
kneeling, bowed its head toward him as if to ratify his pardon. Abandoning the
world, he gave himself up to prayer and penance in the Benedictine Order.
Later he was led to found the congregation called of Vallombrosa, from the
shady valley a few miles from Florence, where he established his first
monastery. Once the enemies of the Saint came to his convent of St. Salvi,
plundered it, and set fire to it, and having treated the monks with ignominy,
beat them and wounded them. St. John rejoiced. "Now," he said,
"you are true monks. Would that I myself had had the honor of being with you
when the soldiers came, that I might have had a share in the glory of your
crowns! "
He fought manfully against simony, and in many ways promoted the interest of
the Faith in Italy. After a life of great austerity, he died whilst the angels
were singing round his bed, July 11, 1073.
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| Caldey Light House |
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| Saint Romuald |
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| SPN Benedict |
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August 21: St Bernardo Tolomei, founder of the Olivettan Benedictines,
It is never to late to be
recognised as a saint, with Pope Benedict XVI formally canonising Bernardo
Tolomei (1272-1348), abbot and founder of the Congregation of the Blessed
Virgin of Monte Oliveto, in 2009. He was beatified by Urban VIII in
1634.
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