15th November, St Albert the Great, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church

St Albert the Great, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church

Born in Swabia, Albert entered the Order of St Dominic, at the earnest entreaty and through the ardent prayers of blessed Jourdan of Saxony. He taught philosophy and theology at the Universities of Paris and Cologne. St Thomas Aquinas was one of his students. Made bishop of Ratisbon, he defended the church against the errors of Guillaume de Saint-Amour, and died at Cologne in 1280. He was canonized and proclaimed Doctor of the Church in 1931.

In medio Ecclesiae aperuit os ejus: et implevit eum Dominus spiritu sapientiae et intellectus: stolam gloriae induit eum. * Bonum est confiteri Domino: et psallere nomini tuo, Altissime.
In the midst of the Church the Lord opened his mouth: and He filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding: He clothed him with a robe of glory. * It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to Thy name, O most high.

(Ecclus. 15:5 and Psalm 91:2 from the Introit of Mass)

O God, who didst make blessed Albert, Thy bishop and doctor, great in subordinating human wisdom to divine faith: grant us, we beseech Thee, to follow the footsteps of his doctrine that in heaven we may enjoy perfect light.
(Collect)



From the Catholic encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01264a.htm