By CAROLE BRESLIN
The importance of parents in the life of each and every child cannot be denied. In fact, St. Francis Xavier, one of the first Jesuits, said, “Give me the child until he is seven and I will give you the man.”
Raising a child in holiness, teaching him the truths of the Catholic faith, and forming a proper conscience are primary duties of parents. St. Romuald, at the age of 20, exhibited such an upbringing.
Both of Romuald’s parents came from nobility. He was born around 950 to Sergius degli Onesti and his wife Traversara Traversari in Ravenna, northwestern Italy. As the son of a nobleman, and as with many other saints, he was a wild and rambunctious youth. He engaged in many typical worldly pursuits with his friends, much in the same way as did St. Francis of Assisi and St. Augustine of Hippo. He was proud, self-indulgent, and impetuous.
This lifestyle came to an abrupt end when he acted as a second to his father at the age of 20. During the 10th and 11th centuries it was common for disputes to be settled with duels. As a result of a quarrel with another man about property ownership, his father challenged that man to a duel, naming Romuald as his second.
Dutifully, Romuald accompanied his father to the place of doom. As the men prepared for their contest — whether by lance on horseback or by sword fighting — no one anticipated the long-lasting and life-changing effects of the outcome. Romuald’s father, Sergius, killed his opponent. Sergius won the duel, but in effect lost his son.
Shocked by the brutality of the duel, Romuald fled the scene, rushing to the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare in Classe. With the intention of making reparation for his father’s actions as well as for the minor part he played, Romuald decided to stay at the nearby monastery for forty days of fasting and prayer.
When the forty days came to an end, Romuald went through a period of troubling discernment, eventually deciding that he would become a monk at Sant’Apollinare. Although he was accepted and he fasted and prayed beyond normal standards, he lacked spiritual maturity.
Distressed that other monks did not fast and observe other practices as strictly as he did, Romuald would scold them in an effort to reform them. He lacked the gentle firmness necessary to lead others. His zealous corrections, his severity, and his harsh attitude made him many enemies in the monastery.
Both Romuald and his superiors recognized the turmoil he created. At Romuald’s request, the abbot granted permission for Romuald to leave Sant’Apollinare and move to Venice where Marinus, a hermit, lived.
Marinus lived far removed from humanity in isolation atop pinnacles. Romuald found the manner of Marinus’ fasting and prayer most attractive. He lived with Marinus for over ten years, learning this unique way of life from him.
As Romuald neared the age of 30, a series of events once again led to a change in his life, leading him to build a small hermitage in Cuxa, Catalonia. Pietro Orseolo, the doge of Venice (or duke — leader — of Venice), committed a crime to obtain his office in 978. Subsequently, he repented of the murder he had committed and sought spiritual direction.
Three holy men advised him to leave Venice and retire to the monastery in Cuxa, Catalonia, just north of the French and Spanish border. Guarinus, the abbot of San Miguel-de-Cuxa, Marinus, the hermit with whom Romuald had lived, and Romuald convinced the doge to abdicate his office.
Both Marinus and Romuald accompanied the doge to the Pyrenees Mountains, where the Benedictine monastery is located. With the doge settled in Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, Marinus and Romuald built a small hermitage nearby.
While in Cuxa, Romuald learned the rules and life of Iberian monasticism, characterized by wandering and traveling, and sponsored by royalty rather than by holy men. Romuald spent many hours studying in the monastery’s library and observing the Benedictine routine. Romuald and Marinus lived here for about ten years before returning to Italy.
In the meantime, Sergius, his father, had become a monk. When his father had misgivings and doubted that he had a vocation to monasticism, Romuald rushed to him and advised him to practice more severe discipline. When Sergius followed Romuald’s suggestions, his doubts were resolved.
For the next 30 years, Romuald traveled extensively in Italy, founding new monasteries as well as working to reform the existing ones. In addition he established hermitages for those seeking more isolation.
As his reputation for holiness increased and spread, the Holy Roman Emperor Otto III sought Romuald’s presence. He convinced Romuald to become the abbot of Sant’Apollinare in an effort to bring reform to the monastery.
Romuald agreed to return to the monastery, but once again, despite his improved manner, the residents resisted his authority. After only one year, Romuald threw his staff at the feet of the emperor and left the monastery to return to the eremitical life.
In 1012 Romuald came to the Diocese of Arezzo, about 150 miles north of Rome. Romuald received some land from Maldolus in the hills of Tuscany. Maldolus gave the land to Romuald because he had had a vision of monks in white garments ascending to Heaven. Maldolus believed it was God’s will that a monastery be built on the land.
Thus began the construction of the extensive Camaldoli monastery still in existence today. Romuald received permission from Tedald, the bishop of Arezzo, to build a monastery. Through the centuries many other buildings were added: a hospital, a laboratory to study the medicinal properties of herbs, a pharmacy, and a church.
Before he died, Romuald founded another monastery in Val di Castro. He lived for the rest of his life, dying in 1027. His feast day is celebrated on June 19.
Over his lifetime, Romuald studied three types of monasticism: 1) the method adopted by Marinus, 2) the method of the Benedictines, and 3) the method of Iberian monasticism. He blended these three types into his method which helped revive monastic life in Europe.
St. Peter Damian (1007-1072), another saint from Ravenna, wrote the first biography of St. Romuald. Although he was born before Romuald died, it is unlikely that he ever met his fellow citizen.
Dear St. Romuald, man of prayer and action, pray for us. Lead us to that quiet place where we set aside the things of this world, quieting the senses so that we may see and listen to God alone to discern His will for us. Amen.
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(Carole Breslin home-schooled her four daughters and served as treasurer of the Michigan Catholic Home Educators for eight years. For over ten years, she was national coordinator for the Marian Catechists, founded by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)
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