TODAY'S SAINT, ST. THIERRY (THEODORIC), ABBOT

JULY 1

ST. THIERRY (THEODORIC), ABBOT

Born near Rheims in the latter half of the 5th century, St. Thierry came from a decidedly disadvantaged background. His father Marquart lived by plunder and highway robbery, and his mother was little better, Accordingly, the child was removed frrom their care and educated under the example of St. Rheims, and when he grew up he became a deacon for the bishop. Though he was obbliged to marry by his relations, he persuaded his wife to waive her rights.

St. Remigius ordained him and commissioned him to erect a monastery on Mont d'Or near Rheims; he then named him Abbot and often visited him there. The devout and zealous monk became famous for the remarkable conversions that he effected by his powerfull preaching and fervent exhortations to repentance. Among these was that of his own father, who received the grace to forsake his wicked ways and died as a member of his son's monastey. Another concerned a house of ill-repute which was miraculously transformed into a convent of nuns.

However, the formost miracle attributed to the saint was the one he accomplished for the benefit of the King of Austrasia, Thierry I, eldest son of Clovis. Afflicted with ophthalmia and warned by the doctors that he would die unless they removed an eye, the King refused to have the operation out of fear of losing prestige with his warriors if he has only one eye. At this point St. Thierry was called in; going to the palace, he anointed the eyes of the King and cured both of them completely. Afterward, the King ofted visited the holy man until the latter's deathe on July 1, 533.

Paryer

Lord, amid the things of this world, let us

be wholeheartedly commiitted to heavenly

things in imitation of the example of evang-

elical perfection You have gaven us in St. Thi-

erry the Abbot. Amen.