Today April 21

Today is the feast of St. Anselm (1033 - 1109). A Frenchman, he is now best known for his service as bishop and doctor of the Church in England. He began in France, getting his spiritual education throughout that venerable country, and eventually made it to the wonderful monastery of Bec in Normandy, where he settled, wrote his illustrious Monologium (on the proof of the existence of God), his Proslogium (his meditations on the attributes of God), and his Apology (sort of a spiritual autobiography), and from which, as its (eventual) Abbot, he toured parts of England, at that time part of Normandy. In England he attracted the attention of both William the Conqueror (who amended his life somewhat, due entirely to Anselm's influence) and Lanfranc, archbishop of Canterbury, who chose him as successor. He was quite modern, even progressive, in his views on education, on slavery and on cruelty to animals, among other things. He governed wisely and well, despite opposition from the mercenary King William Rufus who tried (unsuccessfully) to depose him. He fought with Rufus' successor, Henry I, who wanted the right to appoint his own bishops. Anselm won in the end, but it was a long, hard fight and at the end, Anselm was an old man. He died peacefully in Canterbury on this date in 1108. St. Anselm, pray for us.