Saint of the day for January 7: the story of San Raimondo de Peñafort

Saint of the day for January 7nd
(1175 - January 6, 1275)

The story of San Raimondo de Peñafort

Since Raymond lived to his XNUMXth year, he had the opportunity to do many things. As a member of the Spanish nobility, he had the resources and education to start life well.

At the age of 20 he was teaching philosophy. In his early thirties, he earned a doctorate in both canon law and civil law. At 41 he became a Dominican. Pope Gregory IX called him to Rome to work for him and to be his confessor. One of the things the pope asked him to do was to collect all the decrees of the popes and councils that had been made in 80 years from a similar collection by Gratian. Raymond has compiled five books called Decretals. Until the codification of canon law in 1917 they were considered one of the best organized collections of Church law.

Previously, Raymond had written a case book for confessors. It was called Summa de Casibus Poenitentiae. More than just a list of sins and penances, he discussed the pertinent Church doctrines and laws that pertained to the problem or case brought to the confessor.

At the age of 60, Raimondo was appointed archbishop of Tarragona, the capital of Aragon. He didn't like honor at all and ended up getting sick and resigning in two years.

He did not manage to enjoy his peace for long, however, because at the age of 63 he was elected by his fellow Dominican citizens as head of the entire Order, the successor of St. Dominic. Raimondo worked hard, visited all the Dominicans on foot, reorganized their constitutions and managed to pass a provision that allowed a commander general to resign. When the new constitutions were accepted, Raymond, then 65, resigned.

He still had 35 years to oppose the heresy and work for the conversion of the Moors in Spain. He convinced St. Thomas Aquinas to write his work Against the Gentiles.

In his XNUMXth year, the Lord let Raymond retire.

Reflection

Raymond was a lawyer, a canonist. Legalism can suck the life out of genuine religion if it becomes too much of a concern for the letter of the law to neglect the spirit and purpose of the law. The law can become an end in itself, so that the value the law intended to promote is neglected. But we must be careful not to go to the other extreme and see the law as useless or something to be considered lightly. Laws ideally establish those things that are in the best interest of all and ensure that the rights of all are safeguarded. From Raymond we can learn respect for the law as a means to serve the common good.

Saint Raymond of Peñafort is the patron saint of:

Lawyers