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From : rich
Date : Thu Aug 02 2018 10:12:01

From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

August 3rd =E2=80=93 Saint Waltheof of Melrose
 (Also known as Waldef, Walden, Wallevus, Wal=C3=A8ne, Walthen)

Died August 3, c. 1160.

 Waltheof was the grandson of the Northumbrian patriot St Waldef, and
the 2nd son of Earl Simon of Huntingdon and Matilda (Maud), daughter
of Judith, the niece of William the Conqueror. During their childhood,
his elder brother Simon loved to build castles and play at soldiers,
but Waltheof's passion was to build churches and monasteries of wood
and stones. When grown up, Simon inherited his father's martial
disposition as well as his title; but Waltheof had a strong
inclination toward the religious life, and was mild and peace-loving.
When their father died, King Henry I gave their mother in marriage to
King Saint David of Scotland. Waltheof followed his mother to the
Scottish court, where he became an intimate friend of St Aelred, who
was master of the royal household at that time.

Soon Waltheof decided to enter religious life. He left Scotland, and,
about 1130, professed himself an Augustinian canon regular at Nostell,
near Pontefract in Yorkshire. He was soon chosen prior of the recently
founded Kirkham (1134) in the same country, and, realizing the
obligations he now had to work for the sanctification of others as
well as himself, he redoubled his austerity and regularity of
observance.

In 1140, Waltheof was chosen by the canons of York to succeed Thurstan
as archbishop, but King Stephen quashed the election because of
Waltheof's known Scottish sympathies.

Waltheof, impressed by the life and vigor of the Cistercian monks,
became anxious to join them. At first he tried to unite his community
en bloc with that of Rievaulx, but met with opposition. Naturally he
was encouraged by the advice of his friend Aelred, then abbot of
Rievaulx, and accordingly he took the habit at Wardon (Waldron) in
Bedfordshire.

Perhaps because one of his own traits was undaunted cheerfulness,
Waltheof found Cistercian life excessively severe. The canons also put
obstacles in his way. But he persevered as a Cistercian and moved to
Rievaulx, where Aelred had been elected abbot in 1148. Only four years
after profession, Waltheof was chosen abbot of Melrose in 1149,
recently founded on the banks of the Tweed by King David. He had
succeeded a man of ungovernable temper, so his sweetness must have
been a shock for his brothers. He won their love and respect through
humility, simplicity, and kindness. Like Saint Mayeul of Cluny, he
preferred to be damned for excessive mercy rather than for excessive
justice. With the help of King David, he also founded monasteries at
Cultram and Kinross.

Whenever he fell into the smallest failing by inadvertence, Waltheof
immediately made his confession, a practice of perfection which the
confessors found rather trying, as one of them admitted to Jordan, the
saint's biographer. In 1154 (or 1159), Waltheof was chosen archbishop
of Saint Andrew's; but he prevailed upon Aelred to oppose the election
and not to oblige him to accept it.

Upon his death, this saint of unbounded generosity to the poor was
buried in the chapter house at Melrose. In 1207, his body was found to
be incorrupt and was translated. When it was again translated in 1240,
it was corrupted. Waltheof was never formally canonized but a popular
cultus continued until the time of the Reformation.

Many miracles were recorded of Saint Waltheof during his lifetime. He
had Eucharistic visions of Christ in the form appropriate to the
feasts of Christmas, Passiontide, and Easter, and visions of heaven
and hell. He multiplied food and had the gift of healing
(Benedictines, Farmer, Walsh).

In art, Saint Waltheof is portrayed as a Cistercian kneeling by a
block of stone at sunrise. Sometimes he may be shown restoring sight
to a blind man (Roeder).

Under the Latin form "Walthenus", a long life, attributed to Joscelia,
or Jordan, a monk of Furness (c. mc), is printed in the Acta
Sanctonan, August, vol. i.  Though prolix, the narrative may be
considered fairly reliable.  See also T. 1). Hardy, Descriptive
Catalogue of MSS. (Rolls Series), vol. ii, p. 285.


Saint Quote:
Reading the holy Scriptures confers two benefits. It trains the mind
to understand them; it turns man's attention from the follies of the
world and leads him to the love of God.
-- Saint Isidore of  Seville

Bible Quote:
And you my flocks, the flocks of my pasture are men: and I am the Lord
your God, saith the Lord God.  (Ezekiel 34:31) DRB


<><><><>
Signs of Sorrow & Love

I kiss the wounds in Your sacred head,
with sorrow deep and true.
May every thought of mine this day
be an act of love for You.

I kiss the wounds in Your sacred hands,
with sorrow deep and true.
May every touch of my hands this day
be an act of love for You.

I kiss the wounds in Your sacred feet,
with sorrow deep and true.
May every step I take this day
be an act of love for You.

I kiss the wound in Your sacred side,
with sorrow deep and true.
May every beat of my heart this day
be an act of love for You. - Amen.
--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
 * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)

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