HISTORY AND FACTS ABOUT BLESSED BERTRAND
Feast Day September 6th
Bertrand
lived in the last half of the twelfth and first part of the thirteenth
centuries. His country, France, was troubled by religious wars. There was great
confusion about Church teaching. Bertrand's parents managed to live a peaceful
life and they taught the true faith to their son. In 1200, the Cistercian
monasteries were attacked by an army led by Raymond of Toulouse. He believed in
a heresy called Albigensianism. He attacked people who did not believe as he
did. He especially persecuted the Cistercian monks. They were trying very hard
to help people know about the true Catholic faith. Bertrand became a Cistercian
and a priest. Around 1208, he met St. Dominic. This was God's invitation to him
to begin a very important ministry. He was one of the six men who joined
Dominic in 1215 to form a new religious congregation, the Order of Preachers.
They are often called "Dominicans" after their founder. Blessed
Bertrand was sent to Paris to start the order there. After a short while, St.
Dominic called for Friar Bertrand to go to Bologna to establish the order
there. Bertrand obeyed happily. Meanwhile, the Order of Preachers was growing.
They preached the Gospel message in the towns and countryside. They wanted
people to know and love their Catholic faith. In 1219, Blessed Bertrand
accompanied St. Dominic on a trip to Paris. He loved and admired St. Dominic
very much. The Dominicans had a big meeting in 1221, called a General Chapter.
Bertrand was there. The order was divided into eight provinces so that the
religious and their ministries could be more effective. Bertrand was made the
superior or provincial of southern France. He spent the rest of his life
preaching and helping people grow closer to God. He died in 1230 and was
proclaimed "blessed" by Pope Leo X111 in 1881. When we wonder about
what we will do with our lives, we can ask Blessed Bertrand to help us become
aware of God's plan for us.
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