ST BALDA, ABBESS - 9 DECEMBER

 

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN DECEMBER

Saints celebrated on the 9th of December

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

ST BALDA, ABBESS

Saint Balda was an Abbess of the monastery Jouarre (Jutrum) in the diocese of Meaux. She was an aunt of St Theodechilde and St Agilberta.

OBEDIENCE AND HUMILITY

Under Abbess St Agilberta our Saint performed the most perfect obedience as the humble handmaid of Christ, neglecting all earthly pleasures. 

SHE HAD TO TAKE OVER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMUNITY

Following the death St Agilberta, although very old, she had to take over the leadership of the community as the third abbess of this monastery, and died in the year 700. 

(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858)