November 21st - St. Albert of Louvain
Trudie
(also known as Albert of Brabant)
Born at Mont César, Louvain, in 1166; died November 24, 1192; cultus confirmed
1613. Albert, son of Duke Godfrey III of Brabant and his wife Margaret of
Limburg, was raised for a life in the Church in a castle on what is now called
Mont-César. At age 12 he was made a canon of Liège, but renounced his benefice
when he came of age. At age 21, Albert attached himself as a knight to the
entourage of his enemy Count Baldwin V of Brabant. When the papal legate
preached the crusade in Liège a few months later, Albert took up the cross, and
at the same time took up his canonry again. He never participated in the
crusade, instead the subdeacon was quickly promoted to archdeacon, then provost.
In 1191 (age 25), Albert was overwhelmingly chosen bishop of Liège by the
chapter over another archdeacon, Albert of Rethel, who was cousin to Baldwin and
the uncle of Empress Constance. His election was opposed by Emperor Henry VI who
favored his wife's uncle. When the cause was heard at Worms, the emperor gave
the see to Lothaire, provost of Bonn, whom he had just made imperial chancellor
in return for 3,000 marks.
In order to appeal to Rome, Saint Albert had to travel circuitously and covertly
under the guise of a servant so as to avoid interception by the emperor's men.
Following Pope Celestine III's confirmation of the election, Albert returned to
Liège, but found Lothaire already intruded in the see and that Archbishop Bruno
of Cologne was unwilling to incur the wrath of the emperor by consecrating
Albert. Meanwhile the pope had made arrangements for Archbishop William of
Rheims to ordain and consecrate Albert. This was accomplished at Rheims on
September 29, 1192.
When war appeared immanent between the emperor and Albert's uncle over his
consecration, the saint opted to remain in exile rather than precipitate a war.
Still the emperor was not satisfied. He forced the submission of Albert's
clerical supporters before leaving Liège for Maestricht to hatch another plot
against the lawful bishop. Just 10 weeks after his consecration, Saint Albert
was murdered by three German knights as he was making a visit to the abbey of
Saint-Remi outside the walls of Rheims. He was buried with honor in the
cathedral (Benedictines, Walsh).
In art Saint Albert is depicted as a bishop with a knife in his head or with
three swords on the ground before him. (He is easily confused with Thomas a
Becket (of Canterbury), whose martyrdom was similar.) Sometimes he is shown as
an enthroned cardinal holding a palm, three swords before him, or as a cardinal
protecting the Archduke Albert (Roeder).
From:
http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/1121.shtml
Saint Quote:
"Hail, holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair,
chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth
the glory of God. Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to
God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field,
flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother
without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your
most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of motherhood, to our Lord
and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer
the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor"
- (adapted from a homily by St. Germanus on the Presentation of the Mother of
God).
Bible Quote:
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and
whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if
you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you
with true riches?" (Luke 16:10-11)
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The Wound in the Shoulder:
It is related in the annals of Clairvaux that St. Bernard asked Our Lord
which was His greatest unrecorded suffering and that Our Lord answered, "I
had on my shoulder while I bore My cross on the Way of Sorrows a grievous
wound which was more painful than the others which is not recorded by men.
Honor this wound with devotion, and I will grant thee whatsoever thou dost
ask through its virtue and merit, and in return to all who venerate this
wound I will remit to them all their venial sins and will no longer
remember their mortal sins.
O most loving Jesus, meek lamb of God, I a miserable sinner, salute and
worship the most sacred wound of Thy shoulder. Alone thou didst bear Thy
heavy cross which so tore Thy flesh and laid bare Thy bones as to inflict
on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound on Thy Blessed Body.
I adore Thee, O Jesus, Most Sorrowful, I praise and glorify Thee and give
Thee thanks for this most secret painful wound, beseeching Thee by the
merit and pain of Thy heavy cross to be merciful to me a sinner and to
forgive me my mortal and venial sins and to lead me on towards heaven along
the Way of the Cross. Amen.
Imprimatur:
THOMAS D. BEAVEN,
Bishop of Springfield
Three Our Father's and three Hail Mary's