Saint of the Day – 23 January – St Raymond of Peñafort OP (1175-1275) Confessor, “Father of Canon Law” Dominican Priest, Co-Founder of the Mercedarian Friars with St Peter Nolasco, Miracle-Worker – born on 1175 at Peñafort, Catalonia, Spain and died on 6 January 1275 at Barcelona, Spain of natural causes. Raymond compiled the Decretals of St Gregory IX (Reign 1227-1241), a collection of Canonical Laws which remained a major part of Church Law until the 1917 Code of Canon Law abrogated it. Patronages – Lawyers, Canon Lawyers, Medical Record Librarians, Barcelona, Spain, Navarre, Spain. Also known as – Ramon de Penyafort, Raymond of Rochefort. … of Penyafort, Raymund.
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St Raymond of Peñafort OP (1175-1275)
By Fr Francis Xavier Weninger SJ (1805-1888)
“Raymond, sprung from the noble race of Peñafort, was born at Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain, in the year 1175. Even in early childhood. his only delight was in prayer and study and, when but a mere youth, he was so advanced in learning, as to be deservedly appointed to instruct others. Subsequently, he devoted himself to Canon and Civil Law and soon excelled amongst the most celebrated Jurists of his time.
At Bologna he lectured publicly and gratuitously. At this time, Berengarius, Bishop of Barcelona, happening to pass through Bologna and hearing of Raymond’s wide-spread fame, persuaded him to return to his native land, where he first installed him as Canon, subsequently, however, as Provost. Nor did the Bishop hesitate to consult him in his most important affairs.
At the age of forty-four Raymond entered the Order of St Dominic, in which he soon acquired a great reputation for learning and piety. Pope Gregory IX, called him to Rome and chose him for his Spiritual Guide and Confessor, of which duties he acquitted himself with remarkable modesty and frankness. Observing that many poor people visited the Papal Palace, in whose fate no-one seemed to interest themself, Raymond imposed upon the Pope, as a penance, the duty of better providing for Christ’s poor. The Pope, who tells this anecdote himself, loved Raymond the more and valued him the more highly on this account, carefully regulating his manner of life, according to the instructions of the Saint.
As some reward for his many services, the Holy Father wished to appoint him to the Bishopric of Taragona but Raymond, steadfastly refused the proffered dignity, only begging to be dismissed from the Papal Court. In fact, his physicians had already decided that, if he wished to recover from a malady with which he was afflicted, he must seek his native air. Once more restored to his old home, he resumed his primitive fervour, in which he ever persevered. He wrote various instructions for the use of his neighbour, to whose eternal salvation he entirely devoted himself.
In the foundation of the Order for the Redemption of Captives, he took no little part; for he too, like St. Peter Nolasco, was admonished, in an apparition of Our Lady, to interest himself in its cause. He compiled Rules for those who wished to enter the Order, received St Peter as its first member, afterwards appointing him, with permission of the Holy See, its first General. In 1238, Raymond himself was elected the 3rd General but hastened, after three years, to resign, preferring the quiet of the cloister, devoted to prayer, the writing of edifying books and other such holy and useful occupations. He was looked upon by all, as a model of Christian perfection,but he excelled especially in a wonderful humility, an obliging condescension to the poor and a most childlike devotion to the Virgin Mother.
Many and remarkable are the miracles recorded of him but the following, which is the most known, may suffice here. James the First, King of Arragon, had chosen Raymond for his Confessor and desired him to favour him with his company on a journey to the Island of Majorca. But the King, incited by an unholy love for a certain woman, clandestinely conveyed her with him. Raymond had repeatedly and with holy zeal conjured the King to dismiss her and James had even promised to comply with the holy man’s request but upon their arrival at Majorca the Saint, soon perceiving that the King had broken his promise, went up to him and thus addressed him: “Your Majesty must either dismiss this person, or I shall be obliged to set sail for Barcelona to return to my cloister.” The King, growing angry at this reproof, gave strict orders that no-one should give passage to Raymond, should he wish to return to Spain. The holy man, unconscious of the intrigues of the King, hastened to the sea-coast, where a vessel lay ready to sail. He sought for admission in vain, the Officers showed him the Royal Mandate in Raymond’s regard.
Full of confidence in God, the Saint stepped upon a huge rock which stretched far into the sea. After making the Sign of the Cross, he spread his cloak upon the water and mounted the same, as if it were a seaworthy vessel. In vain did he press a fellow-Religious to join him, who had followed him to the coast but who now stood stupefied at this manner of sailing. Raymond did not allow himself to be shaken in his purpose by the fright of his companion but, placing his staff upright on his cloak and gathering up the folds in front in the manner of a sail, he glided off, to the most profound astonishment of all present! He arrived safely in Barcelona within six hours after his departure, the distance being 160 miles. In the presence of a large concourse of people, he stepped ashore, and, throwing his perfectly dry cloak over his shoulders, he hurried to his Monastery.
There, he lived for some time in great sanctity and, when he had almost reached his hundreth year, he slept quietly in the Lord, full of virtues and merits.” Below is St Raymon’d Tomb and Shrine in Barcelona Cathedral.
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