St. Albert the Great

Today is the feast of St. Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church. He was born in Swabia, Germany, around 1207. Blessed Jordan of Saxony inspired him to join the Order of Preachers in 1223.

A legend is told which demonstrates St. Albert’s love for the Blessed Virgin Mary. When he was a young Dominican, he was discouraged by the fact that his mind was not as brilliant as that of his highly gifted classmates. Albert ran away from his vocation, secretly placing a ladder on the wall to escape the religious house. Before leaving, he knelt down to pray one final Hail Mary. Our Lady then appeared to him and reproached him for not asking her for the knowledge he wanted. Thus, through his devotion to the Mother of God, St. Albert received the grace of knowledge and science.

St. Albert delved into many fields of science, including botany, chemistry, physics, geography, and meteorology. He taught at the University of Paris, where he mentored the great St. Thomas Aquinas. Thomas of Cantimpré, another student of his, relates the following: “I have seen and noted that almost every day for many years when Master Albert was regent of theology, he so devoted himself to prayer, day and night, that he recited the 150 Psalms of David every day.” Thus Albert teaches us that living a life of piety disposes the soul to the contemplation of sacred truth.

After serving briefly as the Bishop of Ratisbon, he resigned his office in favor of returning to the classroom.

St. Albert the Great is the patron of the novitiate house of the Province of St. Martin de Porres. Through his prayers, may our Dominican novices gain knowledge of God and deepen their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.