Memorial of Saints (June 19)

St. Romuald was the founder of the Camaldolese Order. He entered a monastery patterned after Cluny, but left to live a solitary life under the direction of a hermit near Venice. He then made extensive studies of the Desert Fathers, and discovered a pathway to holiness through solitude. Romuald founded a monastery at Camaldoli, in Tuscany, Italy. This religious foundation was then to develop into a religious order known as the Monk Hermits of Camaldoli - also known as the Camaldolese (died ca. 1027 A.D.).

St. Juliana Falconieri was the niece of one of the founders of the Servite Order. Her family wanted her to get married but she instead decided to become a Servite tertiary. When Juliana's mother died in 1304 A.D., she led a group of women who dedicated themselves to prayer and charitable works. This group developed until St. Juliana became religious superior and found it necessary to draw a religious rule for their community. This rule was approved 120 years later by Pope Martin V (died ca. 1341 A.D.).

Sts. Gervase and Protase were twin brothers. Just as their parents suffered martyrdom, so did the two brothers suffer martyrdom during the persecution of Christians in the first century. Gervase was beaten to death with a lead-tipped whip, while Protase was beheaded. These two brothers are considered the first martyrs of Milan, Italy (died ca. 1st century A.D.).

St. Deodatus became bishop of Nevers in ca. 655 A.D. After several years, he resigned from his position to become a hermit at Vosges. At Vosges, he was then driven out by the inhabitants. So he had to flee to an island near Strasbourg. When political tensions died down, Deodatus was able to return to Vosges. He settled here again and founded the Jointures monastery - becoming its abbot and spending his last years there (died ca. 679 A.D.).

St. Boniface of Querfurt studied at Magdeburg. After working in the court of Emperor Otto III, he became a Camaldolese monk in ca. 1000 A.D. Living only a year with the Camaldolese community, he left and joined a monastery founded by Emperor Otto III at Pereum. Five of the monks of this monastery were martyred. St. Boniface then decided to leave and be a missionary to Germany. Boniface lived an active missionary life - preaching also to the Magyars, the Pechenegs, and the Prussians. On February 14, together with 18 companions, St. Boniface was killed in a massacre near Braunsberg, Poland (died ca. 1009 A.D.).

St. Romuald and the Camaldolese Order of Monk Hermits

Introduction

Although the monastic spirit of the Benedictines became popular in the early Middle Ages, new forms of monasticism arose in abundance among both clergy and lay faithful. As the monks of the Benedictine Order triumphed the ideal "ora et labora", the new forms of monastic and ascetical life made their ideal of life the "vita apostolica" of poverty and voluntary renunciation. One of those religious founders who followed this new form of monasticism was St. Romuald (or Romwald).

Conversion after a "wild youth"

Romuald was of the noble Onesti family of Ravenna, Italy. He lived a "wild youth", probably influenced by his father, Sergius, who had killed a relative in a duel over a piece of land. To expiate for his father's killing and atone for the crime, Romuald retired at twenty years of age to San Apollinare Monastery at Classe (a monastery under the central authority of Cluny in France), and became a monk around the year 972 A.D. This monastery followed the rule of St. Benedict.

In search of "austerity"

After three years at the Classe monastery, Romuald left in search of a more austere life. He went to the woods near Venice, and placed himself under the spiritual direction of the hermit, Marinus. Romuald lived a solitary life for about 10 years. He returned home to assist his father, who also became a monk, but was having doubts on this vocation.

Abbot of San Apollinare

In 998 A.D., Otto III appointed Romuald as abbot of the monastery at Classe. Romuald however resigned after more than a year, to live again as a hermit - this time at Pereum (Pereum became an important center for the training of clergy for the Slavonic missions). Romuald wandered through northern Italy, on the heights of the Apennines, seeking God in solitude and prayer.

Discovery of a new vocation

Romuald also obtained a mandate from the Pope to carry out a mission to the Magyars in Hungary. He however became ill and was forced to return to Italy. He then studied more on the Desert Fathers and discovered a vocation and path to holiness through solitude. He founded a monastery at Fonte Avellana (refounded by St. Peter Damian) and another at Camaldoli, Tuscany in 1023 A.D. (the name Camaldoli is derived from Campus Maldoli).

The Camaldolese Order

The founding at Camaldoli covered a fifteen-year span. After St. Romuald's death, the community developed into the Camaldolese Order (Monk Hermits of Camaldoli). St. Romuald did not leave a written Rule for the Order. This Camaldolese Order (which began as five hermitages built by St. Romuald) combined the cenobitic (community) and eremitical (hermit) life following the rule of St. Benedict (with some modifications).

Contribution to Benedictine monasticism

The spiritual legacy of St. Romuald was to provide a place for the eremitical life within the framework of the Rule of St. Benedict. The Camaldolese hermits would have liturgical worship and meals together, but would then live independently of one another - going to each one's own cell. This Camaldolese spirit is the one that influenced St. Bruno, who would later on draw a spiritual framework for the Carthusian Order.

Summary and conclusion

One biographer reports of St. Romuald as wanting to inspire many to his sense of contrition and "to change the world into nothing but a hermitage". St. Romuald's search for God in solitude and prayer is well-expressed in art, where he is shown in the white robe of the Camaldolese Order with his finger to his lips, requesting silence.

The Church celebrates the feast of St. Romuald every June 19

11th Sunday of the Year (A)

"Beg the harvest Master to send out laborers to gather his harvest"

This Sunday's gospel describes how Jesus names and calls the 12 who will be His apostles. When Jesus had to make important decisions, the gospel says that He goes out to a quiet place to pray. This is what He did when He called the 12 who will be His apostles. Jesus saw the need for followers to work in the harvesting of souls for the Kingdom of God.

"Beg the harvest Master to send out laborers to gather his harvest". This may have been the content of Jesus' prayer when praying to the Father for help to choose men to bring about the kingdom of God. Jesus chose 12 simple people - mostly fishermen. He chose them not because of any superior quality. Rather, He chose them by the qualities of mind and heart that they potentially have. These are the minds and hearts which He would form according to the mind and heart of God.

All Catholic faithful are called to be "laborers to gather Jesus' harvest". Jesus has already sown the gospel and every generation of Catholics since the apostles are entasked by baptismal consecration to witness to God's love in word and deed. Today, it is imperative that all undertake this task because St. John Paul II has described this present era as an era with "darkness". He instituted the Light Mysteries of the rosary to show that what this present era needs more than ever the Light of Christ. All Catholics can bear the light of Christ in their being if each one believes and does what Jesus asks with respect to each one's state of life. That is all that is necessary. Faith and works of charity and kindness and justice and generosity and service: in the parish, in the family, at work, or in all these. If all Catholics keep to the spirit of the Gospel and are wary and careful not to follow what is evil in the spirit of the flesh and the world, then everyone will do their part to labor for the harvest of the Kingdom. We can always pray to receive the light of Christ in the Eucharistic celebration and to bring that light to others also.