Saint of the day for November 26: The story of San Colombano

Saint of the day for November 26
(543 - November 21, 615)

The history of San Colombano

Columban was the greatest of the Irish missionaries who worked on the European continent. As a young man who was very tormented by the temptations of the flesh, he sought the advice of a nun who had lived a life as a hermit for years. He saw her answer a call to leave the world. He first went to a monk on an island in Lough Erne, then to the great monastic teaching house in Bangor.

After many years of isolation and prayer, he went to Gaul with 12 fellow missionaries. They have gained widespread respect for the rigor of their discipline, their preaching and their commitment to charity and religious life in a time characterized by clerical laxity and civil strife. Colombano founded several monasteries in Europe which became centers of religion and culture.

Like all saints, he met with opposition. Eventually he had to appeal to the pope against the denunciations of the Frankish bishops, for the vindication of his orthodoxy and the approval of Irish customs. He berated the king for his licentious life, insisting that he marry. As this threatened the power of the Queen Mother, Columban was deported back to Ireland. His ship ran aground in a storm, and he continued his work in Europe, eventually arriving in Italy, where he found favor with the king of the Lombards. In recent years he founded the famous monastery of Bobbio, where he died. His writings include a treatise on penance and against Arianism, sermons, poetry and its monastic rule. The liturgical feast of San Colombano is November 23rd.

Reflection

Now that public sex license is becoming extreme, we need the Church's remembrance of a young man concerned about chastity like Colombano. And now that the comfort-conquered Western world is in tragic contrast to millions of starving people, we need the challenge to austerity and discipline of a group of Irish monks. They were too strict, let's say; they have gone too far. How far will we go?