TODAY'S SAINTS (Blessed Bertrand of Garrigues

BLESSED BERTRANND OF GARRIGUES

Priest

Born at Garrigues in the Comtat Venaisin, France, in the latter part of the 12th century, Blesed Bertrand was educated by the Cistercian nuns and learned by first-hand experience of the dangers posed by the Albigensian heresy flourishing at the time. Accordingly, he became a priest and joined a Cistercian group that was ling zealously in the Midi to counteract the evil effecteed by the heretics.

However, in 1208, the Cistercian Iegate was assassinated and the crusade of Simnon de Montfort was let loose, leaving bertrand without a peaceful means by which to keep coombating the heresy. Shortly afterward, he met St, Dominic who was doing this very thing--combating the heresy by prayer, fasting and preaching. In 1215, Bertrand was one of six preachers who formed the nucleus for the Ordrer of Preachers begun by St. Dominic, and became one of his close companions.

Appointed prior provincial of Provence, one of the eight provinces of the Dominican Order, he spent the last nine years of his active life preaching the Faith indefatigably throughout southern France, and founded the great Priory of Marseille. After his death, it was written that by his watchings, fasting, and other penances, he succeeded in imitating his beloved Father so closely as to invite the words: " The ddisciple is like thfe master; there goes the nimage of St. Dominic.

Feast: September 6

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