Mary's Castle Library

THE CATHOLIC FEAST 

DATE: APRIL 17 

FEAST NAME:

SAINT STEPHEN HARDING

 

BORN: 1050, Sherborne, United Kingdom

DIED:1134  

HIS LIFE PROFILE 

Saint Stephen was a young Englishman who lived in the twelfth century. He was a good student who liked to learn. Stephen was especially interested in literature. He was serious about life and prayed daily. 

 

Once Stephen and his friend set out on foot as pilgrims for Rome. When they returned, Stephen joined a very poor and holy group of monks. These men prayed, fasted and worked hard. That was their way of showing their love for God. Stephen noticed how happy they were. Their abbot was another saint, Saint Robert.

 

For a while, Stephen served God joyfully with them. After a while, Saint Robert, Stephen and twenty other monks received permission to start a new monastery. They built it themselves in a wilderness in France called Citeaux. 

There they lived a life of work and great poverty because they wanted to imitate the poverty of Jesus. They also kept strict silence. The monks of this new monastery were called Cistercians.

 

When Stephen became the abbot of the monastery, he had many troubles. His monks had only a little food. Then over half of them became sick and died. It looked as though the community would come to an end. The monks needed new, young members to continue their life. Stephen prayed with faith. And his prayer was rewarded. 

 

God sent thirty young men who wanted to join the monks. They arrived at the monastery gate all together. Their leader, Bernard, was to become a great saint, too. 

[We celebrate Saint Bernard’s feast day on August 20.] 

It was a wonderful day for Abbot Stephen and his monks!

 

Stephen Harding spent the last few years of his life writing a book of rules for the monks. He also trained Bernard to take his place. He died in 1134.

 

PRAYER

Glorious Saint Stephen Harding, help me to be disciplined and single-minded in doing God’s work. Amen. 

 

SAINT STEPHEN HARDING, 

PRAY FOR US. 

AMEN!