ST AUBERT, BISHOP - 13 DECEMBER

SAINT AUBERT, BISHOP OF ARRAS AND CAMBRAI, CONFESSOR

This great prelate was one of the greatest ornaments of the seventh age, and eminent promoters of learning and piety in the Gallican Church.

HE WAS PIOUS FROM A VERY YOUNG AGE

His youth, that most precious season of life, he dedicated to God by the mortification and the absolute conquest of sensual appetites; he was careful to employ all his time usefully, and was a great proficient in sacred learning.

Having with great zeal served the Church for many years, he was consecrated bishop of Arras and Cambray [Cambrai] on March 24, 633.

BISHOP OF ARRAS AND CAMBRAY

Though solitude, in which he conversed in heaven, and consulted God on his own necessities, and those of his people, was his delight, yet he knew what he owed to others; his door was always open to persons of all ranks and conditions, and he was ever ready to afford every one all comfort and assistance, spiritual and corporal, especially the poor, the sick, and distressed.

HE HELPED EVERYONE

With extraordinary watchfulness and sagacity he discovered the roots of the disorders which reigned among the people: his prudence and zeal applied the remedies, and all the obstacles he met with, he surmounted by his courage and constancy. His instructions, supported by the wonderful example of his own life, had incredible success in reforming the manners of his numerous flock.

HIS GOOD EXAMPLE

It was the first part of his care to train up a virtuous clergy, and to qualify them for their sacred functions by learning and good habits: ignorance, especially in those who are the teachers of others, being a most fatal enemy to virtue, and a rooted and experienced piety being necessary in all youth, that when they attain manhood and are exposed to the dangers of public life in a corrupt world, they may be able to resist the influence of vice and bad example.

HE INDUCED MANY PERSONS TO RENOUNCE THE WORLD

St Aubert converted to God innumerable sinners, and induced many persons of quality of both sexes, to renounce the world.

The great King Dagobert often resorted to the saint to be instructed by him in the means of securing to himself an eternal kingdom. He listened to him with respect and attention, always rejoiced exceedingly in his heavenly conversation, and received from it the greatest comfort and edification. Out of respect for him he bestowed on his church of our Lady the royal estate and manor of Oneng.

ST LANDELIN WAS CONVERTED BY HIS PRAYERS

Saint Landelin was drawn by St Aubert’s tears and prayers from apostasy from a religious state, and from a most abandoned course of life into which he fell, at the head of a troop of licentious soldiers, or rather robbers: and in expiation of his crimes, he founded four monasteries, Lobes on the Sambre in Haynault, in 653.

HE FOUNDED THE ABBEYS OF ANE, ST GUISLAIN'S, AND KRESPIN

In 686, leaving St Ursmar abbot of Lobes, he founded the abbeys of Ane, St Guislain’s, and Krespin, near Valenciennes, in which last he died.

St Aubert gave his benediction to St Guislain, and blessed his cell on the river Hannau or Haine, (which gave name to the province,) in the place which since bears his name, but was then called Ursdung or Ursidonc, i. e. Bear’s Kennel.

The blessed Count Vincent, called in the world Madelgare, his wife the blessed Waldetrude, and her sister St Aldegundes received the religious habit from the hands of St Aubert, and the latter founded the monastery of Maubeuge, the former that of Mons.

HE BUILT MANY CHURCHES

Our saint built himself many churches, and some monasteries, as Hautmont, in 652. The translation of the relics of St Vedast at Arras, was performed by him in 666, to a church at that time without the walls of the city, and St Aubert laid there the foundation of the great monastery which still flourishes.

It was soon after most munificently endowed by King Thierry or Theoderic III. who, dying in 691, after a reign of twenty-one years, was buried in this monastery with his second wife, Doda, where their monuments are seen to this day.

RELIGION AND SACRED LEARNING FLOURISHED EXCEEDINGLY

By St Aubert’s zeal, religion and sacred learning flourished exceedingly in all Haynault and Flanders. Having worthily sustained the burden of the episcopal charge for the space of thirty-six years, he died in 669, and was buried in St Peter’s church, now a famous abbey of regular canons in Cambray, which bears his name, founded in 1066, by St Lietbert, bishop of Cambray, who also founded the Benedictine abbey of St Sepulchre in Cambray, and died on June 23, 1076. St Aubert’s shrine is the richest treasure of this magnificent church and abbey.

His festival was kept from the time of his death, on December 13, as appears from the most ancient calendars of that and neighbouring churches.

(From Fr Butler's Lives of the Saints)

ST VALENTINE, BISHOP OF RHAETIA - 7 JANUARY

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY Saints celebrated on the 7th of January WELCOME! SAINT VALENTINE, BISHOP OF RHAETIA Saint Valentine (Valentinus) is the patron saint of the diocese of Passau. The Proprium of Passau relates his life story as follows: Saint Valentine came from the seashore and arrived at Batava, today's Passau. Here he wanted to proclaim the gospel to the inhabitants, who were ignorant of the true worship of God, and therefore went to Rome to obtain the necessary authority from the Pope for this undertaking. Upon his return, he invested much time and effort to gain those lost souls for Christ, as the Pope expected him to. Valentine himself thirsted for their salvation, incessantly preaching the Divine word to them. After some considerable time, however, Valentine realised that all the seed he had sown fell on rocky ground. Thus he travelled again to Rome with the request to be sent to another place that had fertile soil. The Pope received him graciously, consecra...

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