Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
First published in the April 15, 2022 Bulletin of St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, Delray Beach, FL
It is rare for a day on the calendar to not have a saint of the day, but some of the saints are more familiar than others. In this column, will celebrate saints with upcoming feast days. Our goal is to both inform and entertain you, while introducing you to those who have gone before us, who can help us in our personal journey to sainthood.
One particular class of saints is those named as Doctors of the Church. In its 2,000 year history, the Church has named only 37 saints as Doctors of the Church. This title recognizes that the particular saint has made a significant contribution to theology or doctrine through their research, study, or writing. One of these is St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153). He was one of the major leaders in the revitalization of Benedictine monasticism, particularly within the Cistercian Order. His recognition as a Doctor of the Church stems from his writings, particularly his teachings on Mariology (that is, the doctrines regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary), particularly those regarding her perpetual virginity and her role as Mediatrix. He also developed a theology of sacred space and music. You may be familiar with an English translation of his poem "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded,” often sung during Lent. He championed lectio divina and contemplation for his monks, which are good tools for us today in our busy lives to help us grow in holiness.
On May 24, 1953, Pope Pius XII issued the encyclical Doctor Mellifluus commemorating Bernard of Clairvaux. That title refers to Bernard’s teachings, drawn from Sacred Scripture and the early Church Fathers, as being “as sweet as honey.” Thomas Merton, writing about that encyclical states "The importance of this encyclical lies above all in its practicality. Pope Pius XII makes use of the doctrine of St. Bernard to bring the highest spiritual perfection within reach of all Christians, whether they be living in the cloister or in the world." (Merton, Last of the Fathers). As Pius states in the encyclical, Bernard taught that "God wants to be loved by men rather than feared and honored," and touched upon his great reverence for the name of Jesus.” (You can read the full Encyclical at the Vatican’s website.)
Other feast days this week include:
August 15 The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
August 16 St. Stephen of Hungary
August 19 St. John Eudes
You might make it a family project to learn about one (or more) of these feasts and saints, and discuss them at the dinner table. Some good online sources are :
Butler’s Lives of the Saints (https://www.sacred-exts.com/chr/lots/index.htm);
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (https://www.usccb.org);
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org/saints/);
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