St. Robert of Molesmes
Today we celebrate the feast day of St. Robert. St. Robert was a Benedictine abbot, reformer and he was also the founder of the abbey of Citeaux, France. The abbey of Citeaux, France is the the motherhouse of the great monastic order of the Cistercians.
St. Robert was born during the year 1029 to noble parents who lived in Champagne, France. St. Robert was a native of Troyes.
At the young age of fifteen, St. Robert decided to enter the Benedictine Abbey of Moutier la Celle, which was located near Troyes, France, where he became prior and also abbot of Saint Michael de Tonnere during the year 1068.
St. Robert attempted to introduce many new reforms to the community, however, he was met with a lot of resistance which led to his retirement during the year 1071 and he returned to Moutier la Celle.
Right after, a group of hermits in the forest of Collan decided to get St. Robert to become their new head.
St. Robert first declined and decided not to become head. However, the monks were persistent and continued to attempt to get him as head. After they had received papal approval for their community, they made St. Robert accept.
During the year 1074, St. Robert moved all the hermits into the monastery the he established at Molesmes. During the course of a few years, Molesmes grew in size and wealth, and with the prosperity came laxity of discipline. St. Robert tried without success to resist, due to this failure it led to St. Robert’s resignation, and went back to the hermitage at Or.
However St. Robert was later recalled, and St. Robert remained only until the year 1098. During that year St. Robert made the decision and he stepped down once more in the face of obdurate resistance by the monks to reinstate full monastic rigor.
After gaining the permission needed, St. Robert left with twenty one monks and decided to create a new community at Citeaux on March 21, 1098. It was named by St. Robert the Novum Monasterium, Citeaux and it was established with the very influential and helpful aid from Eudes II, who was the duke of Burgundy, and it soon received a lot fame due to it’s spirituality.
Much chastened, a lot of the monks of Molesmes had petitioned to have St. Robert return to them. They wanted St. Robert to be their abbot once again, St. Robert turned the Molesmes into a leading center for reform, while Citeaux had become the heart of the Cistercian order.
St. Robert later died as abbot of Molesmes; and it was later extended into to the Universal Church.
St. Robert died during the year 1111 and his feast day is celebrated on April 29.
Prayer to St. Robert:
St. Robert intercede that we may be able to live a life of full devotion and service to God. St. Robert help us to seek to do God’s will regardless of how much money we may have or how hard it may be. St. Robert help us to do God’s will and treat everyone with love and kindness.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord and Mary our mother in Heaven.
Amen
St. Robert pray for us
St. Joseph pray for us
May we continue to strengthen our journey to sainthood and keep others in our prayers.
Link to St. Catherine of Siena, who also celebrates her feast day today: St. Catherine of Siena (wixsite.com)
Works cited:
Information (read from, not taken):
Catholic Online. “St. Robert of Molesmes.” St. Robert of Molesmes - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online. Accessed 29 April 2021.
Images:
Saint. Robert of Molesmes. April 29, 2021.
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