St. Anselm

Their story

Anselm was born around 1033 in Aosta, in the mountains of northern Italy. His mother was devout, but his father was harsh, and after his mother died, Anselm left home as a young man and wandered through France. He was drawn to the Benedictine abbey of Bec in Normandy, where a famous teacher named Lanfranc taught, and in 1060 he became a monk there. He later served as prior and then abbot. At Bec, Anselm became one of the greatest thinkers of the Middle Ages. He described theology as "faith seeking understanding": we begin with faith, and then use our minds to understand more deeply what we believe. He wrote famous works on the existence of God, describing Him as "that than which nothing greater can be thought," and on why God became man. He was also a gentle and loving guide to his monks, and his prayers and letters are still treasured. In 1093, much against his wishes, Anselm was made archbishop of Canterbury in England. The story is told that the bishops had to force the bishop's staff into his hand. As archbishop he defended the freedom of the Church against two English kings who wanted to control it, and he was sent into exile twice. He died in Canterbury on April 21, 1109, and was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1720.