- Apr 7, 2004
- 23,587
- 1,245
- 44
- Faith
- Anglican
- Marital Status
- Single
- Politics
- US-Others
Today is the Feast of St. Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, d. 1089.
St. Lanfranc, orphaned at an early age, became educated in the liberals arts and returned that gift by becoming an educator himself in France and Normandy, even becoming the Master of the Cathedral School in Avranches.
However, God had other ideas, and he entered into the monastic life in Bec Abby. There, he would continue to teach, and many of his students would become great teaches and defenders of the faith. He specialized in the fields of theology and logic, and used them to defend the doctrine of the Real Presence. He would later become the Prior of Bec Abby and then the Abbot of St. Stephen's in Caen.
Nearly Pope himself, Lanfranc declined the possibility and instead ascended to the Primacy of England as Archbishop of Canterbury, using his new position to defend the independence of the English Church from Rome. He also heard the confession of Earl Waltheof, which allowed him to quash the conspiracy to murder King William the Conqueror, and in returned begged that Waltheof's life be sparred for his repetant heart.
St. Lanfranc is best remembered for his great scholastic achievements and his defense of orthodoxy in many regional synods and the power of reconciliation and the power of mercy. He is an excellent example of how God can inspire even lowly orphans to great richness of faith and piety. Among Anglicans, he is also especially remembered as a defender of the Anglican Church.
St. Lanfranc, orphaned at an early age, became educated in the liberals arts and returned that gift by becoming an educator himself in France and Normandy, even becoming the Master of the Cathedral School in Avranches.
However, God had other ideas, and he entered into the monastic life in Bec Abby. There, he would continue to teach, and many of his students would become great teaches and defenders of the faith. He specialized in the fields of theology and logic, and used them to defend the doctrine of the Real Presence. He would later become the Prior of Bec Abby and then the Abbot of St. Stephen's in Caen.
Nearly Pope himself, Lanfranc declined the possibility and instead ascended to the Primacy of England as Archbishop of Canterbury, using his new position to defend the independence of the English Church from Rome. He also heard the confession of Earl Waltheof, which allowed him to quash the conspiracy to murder King William the Conqueror, and in returned begged that Waltheof's life be sparred for his repetant heart.
St. Lanfranc is best remembered for his great scholastic achievements and his defense of orthodoxy in many regional synods and the power of reconciliation and the power of mercy. He is an excellent example of how God can inspire even lowly orphans to great richness of faith and piety. Among Anglicans, he is also especially remembered as a defender of the Anglican Church.
