Today March 29

Today is the feast of St. Eustace. I was disappointed to learn this is NOT the fabulous St. Eustace, the Roman official converted while hunting,* whose feast day is instead Sept. 20th. No, this Eustace is a French monk, who died 625. He replaced the Irishman Columban as abbot of Luxeuil, and later of Bobbio (founded by Columban). Eustace was a born leader and fine administrator. The abbey grew to 600 souls, with outlying schools and auxiliary missions. Eustace himself was credited with restoring the sight of 2 blind girls (a Salaberga of Laon and a St. Fara). He was no one to mess with, however. When St. Columban was trashed in court and in the monastery itself, Eustace rose to defend him. To his chief critic he intoned: "If you persist in combating out institutions, I will not give you a year in which to answer for your conduct before God's tribunal." And so it happened. Within a year the critical monk had been hatcheted to death by a rebellious slave. Oh, my.

Eustace himself died, as noted, in 625, shortly after a trip to Bavaria, after having converted the Volsci tribe there.

Love,