St. Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury and Doctor of the Church

St. Anselm of Canterbury, Bishop and Doctor:
1033-1109 A.D.

Feast day, April 21

Birth and early life

St. Anselm of Canterbury was born to noble French parents in Aosta, northern Italy, ca. 1033 A.D. His parents were Gundolf and Ermenberga from an old Burgundian family. Deeply infuenced by his pious mother Ermenberga, Anselm asked that he be admitted to a monastery when he was 15 years of age. However, Gundolf, Anselm's father, was opposed to this desire of his son, and the abbot of the monastery, who was also well aware of that opposition, refused to admit Anselm. Unable to enter the monastery, Anselm lost interest in religion and began to lead the life of a carefree young nobleman.

Studies and entrance to the Bec Monastery

When Anselm's mother passed away, Anselm left home in 1056 A.D. to move to Burgundy, France, where he studied. He entered a school at Bec in Normandy, France in 1059 A.D. While at Bec, St. Anselm learned of his father's death and this left his soul torn between returning to Italy to manage the estates he inherited from his father, or entering a monastery - a youthful desire since he was fifteen. However, Archbishop Maurillus of Rouen advised Anselm to become a monk. Anselm acted upon the good counsel of the Archbishop and entered the Benedictine monastery at Bec. Anselm was 27 years of age when he entered. After three years in the Bec Monastery, the abbot Lanfranc was transferred to St. Stephen's in nearby Caen. Anselm was thus appointed prior of the Bec Monastery.

Elevation to the position of Archbishop of Canterbury


Anselm was named abbot of Bec in 1078 A.D., a position that required him to visit England and inspect the abbey property there. In 1092 A.D., the English clergy elected Anselm archbishop of Canterbury, a position that was left vacant since the death of Lafranc - who had been archbishop since 1070 A.D. At the time of Anselm's elevation to the position of archbishop, there was great strife between King William and the Church. The issue at hand was the Church's independence from the State. Because of this strife, St. Anselm was exiled several times. In exile, and unable to return to England, St. Anselm found a quiet retreat in a monastery in Italy. It was here that he resumed his writing (the Monologion, and then Proslogion). He completed his work Cur Deus Homo, in which he explained the wisdom, justice, and necessity of the Incarnation.

The Regional Council of Bari

St. Anselm attended the regional Council of Bari in 1098 A.D. He contributed well to the reconciliation between the Eastern and Western churches over the Filioque question: whether the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father only (as the Greek Church claimed), or whether the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father and the Son (as the Latin Church claimed). St. Anselm's discourse on this question helped the Church under Pope Urban II to resolve the issue. Aside from the Filioque question, the regional Council also denounced King William for simony, for persecuting Anselm, for oppression of the Church, and for personal depravity. Only entreaties from St. Anselm prevented the Pope from excommunicating the King. When King William passed away, he was succeeded by King Henry I. As with King William, the strife between Anselm and the English royal head, continued in the reign of King Henry I. This matter was again referred to the pope.

Preeminent theologian, "Father of Scholasticism" and Doctor of the Church

Though preoccupied for many years with defending the Church's right against the English kings, St. Anselm was also a preeminent theologian and has been called "the Father of Scholasticism". His Monologion speaks on the existence of God, and his Proslogion deduces God's existence from man's notion of a perfect being. Among his other writings are: De fide Trinitatis, De conceptu virginali, De veritate, Liber apologeticus pro insipiente, and many other letters, prayers, and meditations.

St. Anselm of Canterbury died on Wednesday of Holy Week, April 21, 1109 A.D., in his seventy-sixth year. He was buried in Canterbury Cathedral. In 1720 A.D., St. Anselm was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Clement XI. The Church celebrates his feast on April 21.

References of this article

• Dictionary of Saints, by John J. Delaney


• The Doctors of the Church vol 2, by John F. Fink


• A Year With the Saints, by Don Bosco Press, Inc.

Memorial of Saints (April 17)

St. Anicetus became Pope ca. 155 A.D. He actively opposed the Gnostic heresy and Marcionism. It was in his pontificate that a dispute arose between the Church of the West and the East regarding the liturgical date for Easter. St. Polycarp, a disciple of St. John, and who also became bishop of Smyrna, got involved in this dispute. This is one of the disputes between the churches of the West and the churches of the East that extended to the next centuries (died ca. 166 A.D.).

St. Elias was an aged priest of Cordova, in Spain. It was St. Eulogius who gives an eyewitness account of the story of St. Elias. According to Eulogius, Elias was executed for the faith together with two young men whom Elias was instructing in the faith - St. Isidore and St. Paul (died ca. 856 A.D.).

Blessed Mary Ann of Jesus Navarro dedicated her life to God under the spiritual direction of the Mercedarians. She was noted for her holy life because of her devotion to the Eucharist, and her works of mercy towards the poor. In 1614 A.D., she made her profession as a member of the Third Order of Mercy. Up to this date, her body remains incorrupt and has been miraculously preserved in Madrid, Spain (died ca. 1624 A.D.).

Blessed Clare of Pisa was betrothed at an early age. In the home of her future husband's parents, she assisted the poor and the sick within the neighborhood. When Clare's husband died during an epidemic, she refused a second marriage and decided to become a religious. She joined the Poor Clares and took the religious name, Clare (her real name was Theodora Gambacorti). Because of disputes in the family, she found herself instead in a Dominican convent. Eventually, since she wanted to live a spirit of reform, her father built a new convent for her, where she and her companions followed a stricter observance of the Dominican rule (died ca. 1419 A.D.).

St. Benedict Joseph Labre was rejected entrance by three different religious orders. So he decided to be a pilgrim in imitation of Christ, who had "nowhere to lay his head". Benedict visited all the major shrines of western Europe and spent his last years in Rome. He is the patron saint of wandering people and the homeless (died ca. 1783 A.D.).

St. Mappalicus was a resident of Carthage (now in present-day Tunisia). He was tortured and died a martyr for the Christian faith under the reign of Emperor Decius. Decius decreed that all persons must sacrifice to Rome's pagan gods. Mappalicus and seventeen other Christians refused to obey this decree. They were all put to death by various means at the same place and time (died ca. 250 A.D.).

St. Innocent of Tortona was arrested for being a Christian, but was able to escape to Rome. In Rome, he became a deacon and soon appointed bishop of Tortona in 322 A.D. St. Innocent was active in preaching the faith and in building churches during the twenty-eight years of his episcopate (died ca. 350 A.D.).

St. Donnan was an Irish disciple of St. Columba. Together with fifty-two companions, Donnan founded a monastery on the island of Eigg, Inner Hebrides. When bandits raided their monastery, they were all killed just after St. Donnan had finished saying the Mass on Easter (died ca. 618 A.D.).

St. Robert of Chaise-Dieu was ordained and became a canon at St. Julian's Church at Brioude. He spent several years in the monastery of Cluny when St. Odilo was abbot, and then went on a pilgrimage to Rome. When he returned, he became a hermit near Brioude. A knight named Stephen and other followers joined Robert. St. Robert then organized the community which grew to three hundred monks (died ca. 1067 A.D.).

St. Stephen Harding originally lived with a group of hermits near Molesmes. In 1094 A.D., together with others, Stephen obtained permission to leave Molesmes so that they can found the monastery at Citeaux. Stephen was subprior at the time, Alberic was prior, while Robert was abbot. Eventually, Stephen became abbot of Citeaux. After some time, because of a series of unfortunate events, the young community at Citeaux was in crisis. But in 1112 A.D., Bernard (St. Bernard of Clairvaux) entered the Citeaux monastery with a group of his relatives. From then on, St. Stephen Harding drew up the rule for the Cistercian Order (died ca. 1134 A.D.).

2nd Sunday of Easter (A)

(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From) years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)

April 27, 2014
Liturgical readings
Acts 2:42-47
Psalm 118
1 Peter 1:3-9
John 20:19-31

"Peace be with you."

Rereading the gospel will reveal that Jesus said 'Peace be with you' three times. In school, when teachers want to say something important to their students, they usually repeat it many times. This logic of repetition is followed also by the evangelists. And in this gospel passage of John, the theme of peace is emphasize through repetition. John also links the theme of peace with the Holy Spirit, the sacrament of Reconciliation, and with faith in the risen Lord (referring to St. Thomas the Apostles' statement of faith). After Jesus' followers were disturbed by the reality of His death, Jesus now conquers their fear and discouragement with the appearance of His Presence - a peace which only He can give.

That event in biblical times is now memorialized every 2nd Sunday of Easter. St. John Paul II instituted it as "Divine Mercy Sunday". This new practice has its source in the devotion promoted by St. Faustina Kowalska - the devotion to Jesus as the Divine Mercy. Rereading carefully the liturgical readings for this Sunday, the theme of mercy is found not only in the gospel, but also in the very text of Psalm 118 and in 1 Peter 1:3-9. These readings reveal that "He who in His great mercy, gave us new birth...a birth to an imperishable inheritance. This inheritance kept for us in heaven, the Lord will guard well if we persevere until the end.

The journey of the Lord to Calvary, His crucifixion, death and resurrection from the dead, gives the meaning to every Christian's life. The mystery reveals a God who is merciful and who brings peace. God sent Jesus to tell the world that death is not the end of all human existence. It is His Word and Sacrament that continues to bring hope - a hope that makes daily life vibrant, with moral courage and hearts filled with a joy that never fades. He gives meaning to every human suffering. Every instance we seek God, He shall gift us with His boundless mercy and peace - new life that has its ultimate destiny in everlasting life with Him.

Scripture quotes for reflection:
"Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, he who in his great mercy gave us new birth; a birth unto hope which draws its life from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter)