Thursday, January 7, 1998
Thursday January 7:
Weekday in the Days of Christmas and
Feast of Saint Raymond of Penyafort, Priest and Religious White vestments
First Reading: 1 John 4: 19-21; 5: 1-4
Psalms: Psalm 72: 1-2, 14-15, 17
Gospel Reading: Luke 4: 14-22
Feast of Saint Raymond of Penyafort, Priest and Religious
Born at Penyafort in Catalonia, Spain in 1175, Saint Raymond was a scholarly genius, evident by the fact
he was teaching philosophy in Barcelona at the early age of 20. By the time he was 35 he had resigned to
study law at Bologna, Italy where he acquired a doctorate in 1216. Two years later Bishop Berengarius of
Barcelona, proud of Raymond's achievements, made him an archdeacon which led to Raymond's vocation
as a Dominican. The ensuing years brought fame to Raymond for his preaching throughout Spain as he
addressed both Moors and Christians who had been freed from Moorish slavery, an endeavor Raymond
played a pivotal role in from preaching the Spanish crusade which ultimately freed the Spanish slaves.
Along with Saint Peter Nolasco, Raymond cofounded the Mercedarians in 1223, which was a lay order
called the Order of Our Lady of Ransom and whose specific purpose was to raise money to ransom the
Christian slaves. Raymond was St. Peter Nolasco's spiritual director. Raymond became spiritual confessor
to Pope Gregory IX in 1230. It was there in Rome where Raymond was assigned the task of collecting and codifying papal decrees. His massive work, released in 1150, became the cornerstone for canon law. It
was also during this time that he was appointed papal penitentiary which led to his writing Summa casuum
and which would have an influential effect on the penial system throughout Europe during the middle ages.
In 1235 Raymond was consecrated Archbishop of Tarragona, Spain. It was a position he did not want for he
wanted to be with the people and felt as bishop he could not dedicate time to preaching or studies. He
became very ill a year later and requested the Holy Father to rescind his appointment as bishop so he could
return to his beloved Spain where, after recuperating, resumed his preaching duties. Three years later he
was named Master General of the Dominican Order. In this position he wrote a revision of the Dominican
constitution, one that would stand until 1924 and then, at the age of 65, resigned his position with the
Dominicans. Though it was the end of his official titles with the Dominicans it was not the end of his
ministry for he would go on to preach for 35 more years, living to the ripe old age of 99, passing into God's
embrace on January 6, 1275 in Barcelona, just shy of becoming a centarian. In those final years Raymond
not only founded friaries in Tunis and Murcia, introduced the study of Arabic and Hebrew in Dominican
circles to better understand Sacred Scripture and to preach to the non-Christians of the mideast during the
Crusades, but also assisted in establishing the Inquisition in Catalonia, Spain. Raymond was canonized in
1601 by Pope Clement VIII.
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