Friends at Court.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 16, 18 April 1901, Page 7

Friends at Court.

GLEANINGS FOR NEXT WEEK'S CALENDAR.

April 21, Sunday.— Second Sunday after Easter. St. Angelm, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church, „ 22, Monday. — Saints Soter and Caius, Popes and Martyrs. „ 2.'5, Tuesday.— St. George, Martyr. „ 24, Wednesday.— St. Fidelis of Sigmaringei), Martyr. „ 2.\ Thursday.— St. Mark, Evangelist. „ 20, TriiL*/. — Saint* Cktao aad Marcclliuus, Popes and Martyrs. „ 27, Saturday.-— St. Aucistahiuo 1,, Po^o and Confessor.

.ST. ANSELM, ARCHBISHOP Or CANTERBURY AND DOCTOR OK THE CHURCH. St. Anselm was an Italian of noble descent, and was born at Aosta in Piedmont A.n. 1033. Ilia pious mother sowed early in his heart the seeds of virtue, and at the age of 15 he had already determined to embrace the religious state. Being unable to obtain admittance into a monastery through the fear which v.as entertained of his father's displeasure, he gradually rell away from his first fervor, and began to form his life according to the maxims of the world. This relaxation of his early piety became to him a subject of deep compunction in his after life. On the death of his mother Anselm left home to pursue hia studies, first in the kingdom of Burgundy and afierwardß in Normandy, at the abbey of Bee, under the famous Lanfranc. Here ha assumed the monastic habit, and after a short time succeeded Lanfranc in the office of Prior, which he held for 15 years. During this period he composed several learned works, and by the fame of his erudition attracted to the monastery many students both from France and the neighboring kingdoms. Being chosen Abbot of Bee at the age of 45, Anselm found it neceFsary from time to time to cross over to England on business connected with the Abbey. On these occasions he was received with great honor by all ranks of the people, and with tender affection by Archbishop Lanfranc, his former master. William, the haughty Conqueror of England, treated him with a courtesy and affability very different from hia usual arrogance, and many of his nobles took the opportunity of consulting him on the important affairs of their souls. Upon the death of Lanfranc, the tyrant William Kufus, who had succeeded to his father's throne, seized upon the revenues of the See of Canterbury, declaring with an oath that as long as he lived no one should ever occupy the place of the deceased. Soon afterwards he fell seriously ill, and believing himself about to die promised to repair his injustices and do fitting penance for his Bins, As a pledge of his sincerity he nominated Anselm, who had been hastily summoned to his deathbed, to the vacant fee of Canterbury. The holy Abbot made all the opposition in his power, but the attendant bishops in the King's presence forced a pastoral staff into his handß, carried him to the church and sang the Te Deum for his election. He still continued, however, to decline the charge until the King had promised to make restitution of the lands belonging to the See, after which he was consecrated with great solemnity, being then 60 years of age. Tpon his recovery from his sickness William relapsed at once into his former crimes. His refusal to fill up the vacant benefices, of which he usurped the revenues, drew upon him the remonstrances of the Archbishop; but these served only to arouse the anger of the King, who now Fought to deprive him of his See, and had the audacity to propose to the Pope to depose him, offering him a bribe in case he would consent. Seeing no hope of the King's amendment, and being unwilling to remain a witness of the daily oppression of the Church, Anselm left England disguised in the garb of a pilgrim, and after visiting St. Hugh, the Abbot of Cluni, proceeded to Rome to lay his grievance at the feet of the Sovereign Pontiff. The Holy Father, having examined into his cause, assured him of his protection, and wrote at once in his behalf to the English monarch. Meanwhile our saint retired into a monastery in Calabria, where he devoted himself to the composition of a learned treatise on the sublime Mystery of the Incarnation. Upon the death of William Ituf us, which took place soon afterwards, Anselm returned to England, and was of great service to Henry I. in securing hia peaceful pettlement on the throne. It was not long, however, before he incurred the King's displeasure by resisting his iniquitous claim to invest the Bubjects of his choice with ecclesiastical benefices without canonical election, an abuse formally condemned at the late Synod at Rome. Finding it impossible to move the King's resolution, Anselm undertook a Beoond journey to Rome to lay his complaints before Paschal 11., who received him with kindness and excommunicated all those who accepted the investiture of Church benefices from the hands of laymen. At the same time he permitted the bishops and abbots, who were extensive landowners, to do homage to the King for their temporalities. Upon the submission of Henry tothe Papal decision Ansslm returned to England and resumed hia sacred duties. The la^t few years of the saint's life were spent in continual suffering owing to various painful infirmities, which he endured with cheerful resignation to the Divine Will. His end approaching, he caused himself to be laid on sackcloth and ashes, and having received the last rites of the Church he happily expired on April 21, A.D. 1101), in the 76th year of his age.