Abbot (d. 593)
His life
+ Lomer (or Laudomarus) was born to a poor family in Neuville-la-Mare, France, and worked as a shepherd near Chartres.
+ After being ordained a priest, he was named treasurer of the cathedral chapter of Chartres, but later became a hermit. It is related in an early account of his life that “savage wild beasts” obeyed his commands.
+ As his reputation for holiness spread, a group of disciples gathered around him, laying the foundation for a new monastic community at Corbion (near Chartres, France). Lomer served as the community’s first abbot.
+ Saint Lomer died in 593.
For reflection
“The greatest among you must be your servant.”—Matthew 23:11
Spiritual Bonus
On this day we also remember Venerable Frederic Baraga. Born to a noble family in Slovenia, Frederic was ordained a priest in 1823. In 1830, he answered a plea from the bishop of Cincinnati for priests to serve in the missions of America and he served the Ottawa and Ojibway peoples of Michigan and Wisconsin, compsoing catechisms, prayer books, and dictionaries for benefit of the Native Americans. Known as the “Snowshoe Priest,” Baraga travelled hundreds of miles on foot, even in winter, to serve his people. In 1853, he was appointed first bishop of the diocese of Sault Sainte Marie (now Marquette), Michigan. Bishop Baraga worked tirelessly to promote priestly vocations and raise funds for his mission-diocese. His letters to the Society of the Propagation of the Faith inspired many Europeans, including Saint John Neumann, to become missionaries to the United States. Bishop Frederic Baraga died on January 19, 1868, and was declared Venerable in 2012.
Prayer
Grant us, O Lord, that amid the uncertainties of this world we may cling with all our heart to the things of heaven, for through the Abbot blessed Lomer you have given us a model of evangelical perfection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from The Roman Missal: Common of Holy Men and Women—For an Abbot)
Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.
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