TODAY'S SAINT (Godfrey)

GODFREY

(GEOFFREY)

Bishop of Amines

Born near Soissons, France, in 1065, St. Godfrey became a monk and priest and was chosen Abbot of Nogent in Champagne, a rapidly declining religious house. Its membershhip had been drastically reduceed, its outer appearance was completely dilapidated, and its religious life was floundering in sad disaray. However, such was the force of Godfrey's personality and spirituality that he soon had this same house flourishing in every way.

As a result, he was offered the great abbacy of Saint-Remi at Rheims but turrned it down, in favor of runninig his own house. In 1104, however, he was constrained to acccept the episcopacy of Amiens. Here he showed himself to be a true religious in his conduct as well as in his administration--putting an end to simony, strenuously enforcing celibacy, and endorsing the esstablishment of communes.

In time the unbending, severe, and rigorously exact attitude of this saint provoked the opposition of some and led to his withddrawal to a Carthusian monastery in 1114. Ordered to return to his diocese by a council, he died before he could do so in 1115 at St. Crispin's Abbey, Soissons.

PRAYER

God, You made St. Godfrey an outstanding examplar of divine

love and the Faith that conquere the world, and added him to the

role of saintly pastors. Grant by his intercession that we may pers-

evere in Faith and love and become sharers of his glory. Amen.

Feast: November 8