Still speaking to us today

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

	St. Rabanus Maurus When: 776-856 Where: Germany What: Schoolmaster, abbot, archbishop Feast: Feb. 4

Saints can sometimes seem hard to relate to. We might wonder, for example, what we could have in common with someone who lived 1,200 years ago.

In the case of St. Rabanus Maurus (or Raban Maur), the answer is quite a bit. He could well be the patron of workaholics, people who change careers, poets and musicians, among others. That's not bad for a 9th century monk and archbishop.

Rabanus was probably born at Mainz, Germany, though some say he could have born in Ireland or Scotland. He attended school in Germany at Fulda, the chief monastery founded by St. Boniface.

Rabanus also studied under St. Alcuin, a disciple of St. Bede and an advisor to the Emperor Charlemagne. Alcuin gave him the nickname Maurus, in honor of St. Benedict's favorite monk.

Rabanus was said to be a quick student with a passion for learning. He specialized in the early Church Fathers (writing summaries of their works), the Bible and liturgy, and was part of the Carolingian (named for Charlemagne) renewal in these areas. To study the Bible, he learned Greek, Hebrew and Syriac.

In 799, Rabanus was ordained a deacon and was named master of the school at Fulda. He was ordained to the priesthood in 815 and seven years later was elected abbot. As abbot he finished construction of the monastery's buildings and founded several churches and monasteries.

But that's only part of what he did. He also wrote a martyrology of saints and several biblical commentaries based primarily on the teachings of the Church Fathers, particularly Origen. He also was in high demand as an expert at church synods and councils, in addition to overseeing the monks under his care.

Finally, in about 842, he retired. But his work was far from over. In 847, at age 71, Rabanus was named Archbishop of Mainz. He quickly showed that he had no interest in idling away his remaining years.

Instead, Rabanus required the priests to strictly follow church laws, leading some to plot to kill him. He persevered, calling synods that demanded all Christians follow church laws and condemning a heresy spawned by a monk from the area.

Rabanus went around the diocese with a team of priests teaching, preaching and administering the sacraments. During a famine, he fed 300 people a day from his house. He continued writing and leading the diocese until his death.

And his poetry? That is how most Catholics know him - as the author of the hymn "Veni Creator Spiritus" (Come, Creator Spirit), a Pentecost favorite.

Despite living centuries ago, Rabanus still speaks to us today.