May 4th - St. Godehard of Hildesheim
Traudel
May 4th - St. Godehard of Hildesheim, OSB B (RM)
(also known as Gothard, Gotthard)
Born at Reichersdorf, Bavaria, Germany, c. 960; died at Hildesheim, May, 4,
1038; canonized by Innocent II in 1131. Godehard was educated by the canons
of Nieder-Altaich Abbey, who employed his father. Archbishop Frederick of
Salzburg took him to Rome and made him a provost when he was 19. Godehard
was ordained, and became a monk at Nieder-Altaich in 990 when the Rule of
Saint Benedict was reintroduced there with the help of the prelates of
Salzburg, Passau, and Regensburg.
When, in 996, Godehard became abbot, Duke Henry of Bavaria attended his
installation. Under his direction the house kept such a good religious
discipline that the emperor, Saint Henry II, entrusted him with the reform
of several other monasteries, including those of Tegernsee (Freising),
Hersfeld (Thuringia), and Kremsmünster (Passau). He successfully
accomplished the reforms while retaining the direction of Nieder-Altaich
through a deputy during his long absences. In the course of 23 years,
Godehard formed nine abbots for various houses.
After Saint Bernward died in 1022, Godehard was made bishop of Hildesheim at
the nomination of Emperor Henry. He carried his reforming activities into
the diocese with the vigor of a young man, although he was over 60. He
showed particular care for the cathedral school but not neglecting the
enforcement of clerical discipline nor his pastoral duties.
Because the relief of the poor was always one of his greatest concerns, he
founded a large home for the poor at Saint Moritz near Hildesheim. Godehard
had a great love of the truly needy, but he looked less favorably on
able-bodied professional tramps; he called them "peripatetics," and would
allow them to stay for only two or three days in the hospice.
The pass and railway tunnel from Switzerland into Italy takes its name from
the Saint Godehard, in whose honor the neighboring hospice for travellers
and its chapel were dedicated. The girdle made for him by the Empress Saint
Cunegund is venerated as a relic (Attwater, Benedictines, Coulson, Delaney,
Husenbeth, Walsh).
In art, Saint Godehard hangs his cloak on a sunbeam. Pictures of him may
include him holding Hildesheim Cathedral; raising two shrouded corpses from
the grave; or with a dragon at his feet (Roeder). He is venerated in
Switzerland and is invoked against gallstones (Roeder). Many places in
Germany have him as patron and several bear his name (Husenbeth).
Bible Quote
18 And Jesus coming, spoke to them, saying: All power is given to me in
heaven and in earth. 19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing
them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and
behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.
(Matthew 28:18-20)
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Martyrology
Today is the Feast of glorious Saint Monica. She converted her pagan
husband, and then by unceasing prayer she brought to conversion her son
Augustine. Saint Augustine would go on to be one of the most influential
Doctors of the Faith in the history of Christendom.
At the copper mines near Phūnon in Palestine, the birthday of Blessed
Silvanus of Gaza, bishop. In the persecution of Diocletian, by command of
Galerius Maximian, he was crowned with martyrdom, together with many of his
clergy.
At Jerusalem, St. Cyriacus, bishop who, when he visited the holy places, was
there slain by Julian the Apostate.
At Camerino (in Italy), St. Porphyrius, priest and martyr. In the reign of
the Emperor Decius and the governorship of Antiochus, he converted many to
the faith, among whom was Venandus; for this reason he was beheaded.
Likewise in the mines of Phūnon, thirty-nine holy martyrs, who were
condemned to the mines. After being burnt with hot irons and suffering other
torments, they were beheaded together.
At Lorch in Austria, St. Florian, martyr. In the reign of the Emperor
Diocletian, and at the command of the governor Aquilinus, he was cast into
the river Enns with a stone tied to his neck.
At Cologne, St. Paulinus, martyr.
At Tarsus in Cilicia, St. Pelagia, virgin and martyr. She was roasted to
death in a red-hot brazen bull and thus gained martyrdom.
At Nicomedia, the birthday of St. Antonia, martyr. She was tortured with
various sufferings to an exceptional degree; among them, she was suspended
(from a beam) by one arm for three days. She was kept in prison for two
years, and finally, under the governor Priscillian, was burned to death for
her profession of faith.
At Milan, St. Venerius, bishop, whose virtues St. John Chrysostom recorded
in an epistle written to him.
In the district of Perigueux, St. Sacerdos, Bishop of Limoges.
At Hildesheim in Saxony, St. Godehard, bishop and confessor, who was ranked
among the saints by Innocent II.
At Auxerre, St. Curcodomus, deacon.
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A prayer to the Holy Trinity:
Omnipotence of the Father, help my frailty and save me
from the depths of misery. Wisdom of the Son, direct all
my thoughts, words and deeds. Love of the Holy Ghost,
be Thou the source of all the operations of my mind, that
they may ever be conformed to the Divine good
pleasure.
Traditional indulgence of 500 days. Imprimatur: Francis
Cardinal Spellman, Archbishop of New York, May 30,
1951.