FEBRUARY 21, 2017
9:45 AM ORDINARY FORM (ENGLISH) MASS
St. Peter Damian was born in 1007 AD in the town of Ravenna – the same town where our own parish patron saint, St. Apollinaris, was bishop ... only several hundred years later.
He study Theology and Canon (Church) Law, and did so well in school that by the age of 25, he was teaching in Universities in Europe. He chose, at the age of 28, to live as a Hermit – embracing a life of prayer and penance. He so excelled at this, that he was teaching other hermits how to persevere and live holy lives.
He lived through the reigns of 18 pope, many of whom asked him to assist in various reform movements to fight corruption in the Church.
At the age of 50, he was made a Cardinal and was a staunch reformer – dealing with many of the issues that plague the Church even in our own time. He worked endlessly against corruption and scandal.
He died in 1073 at the age of 66.
