SAINT OF THE MONTH

St. Enda

Not long after St. Patrick converted the Irish to Christianity, Enda was born. Early in life, Enda was a soldier but later he became a monk. Accounts differ on how Enda decided to become a man of God.

According to one story, Enda’s sister, Fanchea, the abbess and future saint, convinced Enda to marry. When his fiancee was discovered dead, however, Enda took her death as sign that he should dedicate his life to God. He then went to Rome and was ordained a priest. After a few years, Enda returned to Ireland, where he lived as a monk.

A more likely story is that after serving as a soldier, Enda decided he needed to lead a more spiritual life. So he entered St. Ninian’s monastery of Whithorn and started his monastic career.

After some time, Enda’s brother-in-law, Engus, king of Munster, gave Enda the island of Arra, where Enda founded Innismore and trained a great number of disciples who became widely known for their sanctity. The future saints Kieran and Brendan were among the many who were taught at Innismore. In fact, so many holy men and women were trained by Enda that the island of Arra was given the name “Arran of the Saints.”

Enda was the first to organize monastic life in Ireland. After Innismore, he later established a number of other monasteries in the Boyne Valley. His influence spread throughout Ireland, England and even Europe. Enda died around 530, and was buried in Innismore, where the remains of the monastic communities of his time can still be seen.

Feast day: March 21st

Founder of Monasticism in Ireland

Reference: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives

Centuries ago, Enda founded monasteries throughout Ireland and the monastic way of life flourishes today.

In 1948, Lanza delVasto, an Italian philosopher, who dressed and acted like a modern-day Noah, founded the Community of the Ark. Made up of families, the members work toward nonviolence and peace everywhere. Together the community:

• Fasted for 20 days to protest the use of torture during the Algerian War.

• Fasted for 40 days in Rome in 1963 to appeal to the Pope to issue a statement on the arms race. Pope John XXIII responded with the encyclical Pacem in Terris.

DelVasto stressed the positive aspects of nonviolence until his death in 1981. Rather than complain about the evils of the age, he invited people to work together for “peace, strength, and joy.”

Being a part of a community that shares your beliefs can strengthen your resolve. Take part in the activities organized by your parish and help your church’s voice to be heard.

SAINT OF THE MONTH

St. Gertrude of Nivelles

Gertrude was born around 626 in Brabant, which is now part of Belgium and the Netherlands. Her father, Pepin I, was a duke in the region and assisted several kings. Both he and his wife, Itta, were dedicated to the Church, and at an early age, showed the same religious commitment. When Gertrude was ten, a local noble wanted her to marry his son. Gertrude said she would never marry, since she planned to devote her life to Christ.

When Pepin died in 640, Itta founded a monastery in Nivelles, and Gertrude joined her in monastic life. Itta served as abbess for seven years, then turned the leadership over to Gertrude, who won the respect of her nuns and impressed visitors to Nivelles with her kindness.

Two of Gertrude’s visitors were brothers named Foillan and Ultan. They were Irish monks who later achieved sainthood. Gertrude and Itta gave the monks land in nearby Folle, where the brothers built a monastery. The two monks remained close to Gertrude, and Foillan stayed at Nivelles to instruct the nuns there.

In 652, Itta died and Gertrude began to spend more time in solitude, praying and studying the Bible. She also used her inheritance to build churches, monasteries, and hospices. In 659, as Gertrude’s health suffered, she asked Ultan what was in store for her. He told her that she would die the next day, March 17, during Mass - and she did. Almost immediately, Gertrude was venerated as a saint. Years later, nuns from Nivelles helped Gertrude’s sister, Begga, start a monastery in Ardenne. Begga also went on to become a saint.

Feast day: March 17th

Patroness of Gardeners, Travelers, Pilgrims and Others

Reference: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives

Gertrude graciously helped everyone who stopped at the monastery, so it is appropriate that she is the patroness of travelers. Tourists and travelers often find themselves facing problems on the road and find comfort in a friendly, helping hand.

In Los Angeles, Travelers Aid provides that kind of support. A non-profit organization founded more than 75 years ago, Travelers Aid helps stranded passengers at bus stations and airports. In recent years Travelers Aid has expanded its mission. The group services now include:

• Offering AIDS awareness and prevention programs at the Teen Canteen, a shelter for runaway youths.

• Providing crisis intervention and counseling for adults and families.

Aiding a stranger can be as simple as offering directions to someone who looks lost or as generous as inviting a foreign visitor over for a home-cooked meal. We are all pilgrims and travelers at one time or another, and the generosity you show will one day be repaid in kind.

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