St. Bruno-------October 6
6th of October
I enjoyed learning about Blessed Raymond yesterday. Thought I would tell story about Saint Bruno today then and see if he is as interesting to know.
I am not thinking of much to tell about me. and feel like just zoning out on an Inspector Morse episode.
AM Monday waking up with radio as usual. Readings and christian commentary on the news. Now though, looking carefully at my to-do list and hoping to move forward on it. A lovely pile of reminder papers on my desk.
**Story****
I should be doing other things, so, I will give you the story of St. Bruno of Cologne as I figured it out. He was another administrator, behind the scenes person, and prefered a solitary contemplative life.
Bruno of Cologne (c. 1030 – 6 October 1101), the founder of the Carthusian Order, personally founded the order's first two communities. Because of the "customs" involved within Carthusian practice, Bruno was never officially canonised. Bruno is the patron of Calabria and has often been illustrated holding and contemplating a skull. The skull is interpreted as symbolising the transience or short lived, nature of all earthly life.
I enjoyed learning about Blessed Raymond yesterday. Thought I would tell story about Saint Bruno today then and see if he is as interesting to know.
I am not thinking of much to tell about me. and feel like just zoning out on an Inspector Morse episode.
AM Monday waking up with radio as usual. Readings and christian commentary on the news. Now though, looking carefully at my to-do list and hoping to move forward on it. A lovely pile of reminder papers on my desk.
**Story****
I should be doing other things, so, I will give you the story of St. Bruno of Cologne as I figured it out. He was another administrator, behind the scenes person, and prefered a solitary contemplative life.
Bruno of Cologne (c. 1030 – 6 October 1101), the founder of the Carthusian Order, personally founded the order's first two communities. Because of the "customs" involved within Carthusian practice, Bruno was never officially canonised. Bruno is the patron of Calabria and has often been illustrated holding and contemplating a skull. The skull is interpreted as symbolising the transience or short lived, nature of all earthly life.
Like many saints, tradition holds that Saint Bruno was born into an aristocratic family. He was sent away to school, growing up and becoming a priest in Reims.He returned home to Cologne for a year, then in 1056 his Bishop recalled him to Reims. He became the head of the episcopal school, which at the time included the direction of the public schools. He was essentially a superintendant of the diocese educational district. During his tenure, 1057 to 1075, the schools he maintained a good reputation. Bruno left this office in 1075 when he was appointed administrator or chancellor of the entire Diocese of Reims.
He felt called to a monastic life and with a few companions established a hermitage in the primitive valley of Chartreuse.The site built is modest, a few log cabins opening towards a gallery walkways to shelter them somewhat from the elements when they go to into community areas - church, refectory, and chapter room. Bruno was able to follow this pleasant solitary life for six years until called to service in Rome. A former pupil of his, Eudes of Châtillon, had become pope as Urban II (1088). By 1090, the new pope felt he was in dire need of a competent and reliable adminstrator to help him.
Like many administrators and support people now, his influence on events remained hidden and confidential. He stayed in the private quarters with Urban II, and was part of many of his private meetings. He was an advisor, but kept mostly in the background, keeping out of the partisan rivalries of Rome and the curia. This was in the period of church history when Henry IV of France and the antipope were struggling to wrestle control of the church.
Bruno was in Italy for the remainder of his life, but stayed in Rome less than a year. He pleaded with the pope to be allowed to return to his monastic life. He even turned down the offer to become Archbishop of Reggio Calabria. Count Roger of Sicily and Calabria supported Bruno and his companions by granting them land to build the monastery now known as the Serra San Bruno Charterhouse.
I thought this sculpture interesting, he is recoiling from an angel trying to give him a bishop's hat.
He wrote several commentaries on the psalms and on St. Paul's epistles. He was never formally canonized because of the Carthusians' aversion to public honors but Pope Leo X granted the Carthusians permission to celebrate his feast in 1514. Pope Gregory XV included Bruno in the General Roman Calendar in 1623.
Quote:
“Members of those communities which are totally dedicated to contemplation give themselves to God alone in solitude and silence and through constant prayer and ready penance. No matter how urgent may be the needs of the active apostolate, such communities will always have a distinguished part to play in Christ's Mystical Body...” (Vatican II, Decree on the Renewal of Religious Life, 7).
He felt called to a monastic life and with a few companions established a hermitage in the primitive valley of Chartreuse.The site built is modest, a few log cabins opening towards a gallery walkways to shelter them somewhat from the elements when they go to into community areas - church, refectory, and chapter room. Bruno was able to follow this pleasant solitary life for six years until called to service in Rome. A former pupil of his, Eudes of Châtillon, had become pope as Urban II (1088). By 1090, the new pope felt he was in dire need of a competent and reliable adminstrator to help him.
Like many administrators and support people now, his influence on events remained hidden and confidential. He stayed in the private quarters with Urban II, and was part of many of his private meetings. He was an advisor, but kept mostly in the background, keeping out of the partisan rivalries of Rome and the curia. This was in the period of church history when Henry IV of France and the antipope were struggling to wrestle control of the church.
I thought this sculpture interesting, he is recoiling from an angel trying to give him a bishop's hat.
He wrote several commentaries on the psalms and on St. Paul's epistles. He was never formally canonized because of the Carthusians' aversion to public honors but Pope Leo X granted the Carthusians permission to celebrate his feast in 1514. Pope Gregory XV included Bruno in the General Roman Calendar in 1623.
Quote:
“Members of those communities which are totally dedicated to contemplation give themselves to God alone in solitude and silence and through constant prayer and ready penance. No matter how urgent may be the needs of the active apostolate, such communities will always have a distinguished part to play in Christ's Mystical Body...” (Vatican II, Decree on the Renewal of Religious Life, 7).
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