St. Raymond of Penafort – The Sailing Saint

St. Raymond of Penafort was a Spanish Dominican friar, priest, and theologian who lived in the 13th century. He is particularly known for his work in the field of canon law, and is honored as the patron saint of canonists.

Raymond was born in the late 12th century in the Catalan region of Spain, and was educated at the University of Bologna, where he studied law. After completing his studies, he returned to Catalonia and began practicing law, but eventually felt a call to the religious life and joined the Dominican Order.

As a Dominican friar, Raymond devoted himself to the study of theology and canon law. He became an expert in these fields, and was appointed as a teacher of canon law at the University of Bologna. He also served as a papal chaplain and as a member of the papal curia, working on various legal and administrative matters for the Church.

One of Raymond’s greatest contributions was his role in the compilation of the “Decretals of Gregory IX” which is a collection of canon laws, which was issued by Pope Gregory IX in 1234. He also was an important figure in the development of the legal system of the Church.

Raymond’s work in canon law was not limited to just teaching and writing, but also included practical application of these laws. He established a judicial system for the Dominicans, who previously had not had any legal structure, He also served as a judge and arbitrator in a number of disputes, both within the Church and between secular authorities and the Church.

Raymond also had a strong devotion to the education of the laity and was known for his preaching and pastoral care. He was famous for his sermons, which were full of wisdom and were appreciated by people of different classes and backgrounds.

Raymond also had a great devotion to the Virgin Mary. He wrote a famous “Prayer to the Virgin” which is still widely used today by Catholics.

Raymond died in 1275 and was buried in the Dominican church in Barcelona. He was canonized by Pope Clement VIII in 1601, and is honored as a saint by the Catholic Church, his feast day is celebrated on January 7th.

The Life of St. Raymond of Penafort

When King James of Aragon went to visit the island of Majorca, newly liberated from the Mohammedans, he took along a Dominican friar, Raymond of Penafort. Raymond, then ninety years old, was the king’s confessor and also his adviser on matters of state. Raymond was happy to go along because he was interested in the progress of the Church on the island.

When the party reached Majorca, according to an old story, Raymond found that the king had a mistress in his retinue. The priest protested, and the king promised to dismiss the creature. She was not dismissed, and Raymond protested again. When the king still delayed Raymond asked permission to leave the island and return to Barcelona. The king not only refused but said he would put to death any seaman who attempted to take Raymond off the island.

 

The Saint Who Sailed on Water

The aged friar said to his Dominican companion: “God will show us a way.” He walked to the coast, spread his cloak on the water, tied one corner to a staff for a sail, made the sign of the cross, and then knelt on the cloak which bore him up. He invited his companion to follow, but the other friar’s faith was not strong enough for the test. Raymond pushed off on this strange craft and sailed swiftly across 180 miles of Mediterranean Sea to Barcelona. There was great astonishment in the port when Raymond came sailing in. He gathered up his cloak which was perfectly dry, threw it about his shoulder and walked to his monastery.

The Facts Behind the Legend of St. Raymond of Penafort

It is not possible to guarantee the accuracy of this story, but it has been widely believed, and a chapel and tower were erected in Barcelona to mark the spot where Raymond landed. Whether or not the story is true, it illustrates several important points about Raymond of Penafort: (1) He lived in Spain at a time when the Christians and Mohammedans were struggling for mastery; (2) Raymond was the trusted adviser of the king of Aragon as well as other kings and princes; (3) He put his duty toward God above all else; (4) He had unlimited confidence in the providence of God; (5) His willingness to make the difficult trip at the age of ninety shows the zeal of a true missionary.

 

Raymond had other outstanding qualities that are not illustrated by this story: humility, learning, wisdom, and charity. Raymond was born into a devout and noble family at the castle of Penafort near Barcelona in Aragon. Aragon was one of the Christian kingdoms on the Spanish peninsula. Raymond’s parents sent him to the Cathedral school in Barcelona.

 

 He made such progress in his studies that he was invited to become a member of the faculty when he was twenty. He was devoted to the intellectual progress of his students but he was even more concerned that they acquire a love of virtue. The students with whom he worked were among the well to do, but he never forgot the poor of Barcelona. He sought out the most needy and helped them to the limit of his resources. After he taught at Barcelona for fifteen years, Raymond decided to become a student once more. In 1210 he went to the University of Bologna, in Italy. After six years, he received a doctor’s degree and then became a member of the faculty.

 

St. Raymond  Dedicated His Life to the Poor

The Senate of Bologna voted him a sum of money each year for his services. He accepted the money and gave it to the poor. Berengarius, Bishop of Barcelona, visited Bologna in 1219. On all sides the bishop heard about the brilliant doctor, Raymond of Penafort. He also heard about the remarkable work of the newly founded Order of Preachers.

 

The bishop sought out Raymond and persuaded him to return to Barcelona to become a Canon of the Cathedral. He also sought out the founder of the Order of Preachers, Dominic Guzman (St. Dominic), who happened to be in Bologna at that time. Dominic agreed to send a group of friars to Barcelona. Raymond already had the education necessary for a priest, and so he was ordained by the bishop. Three years after his return to Aragon, he entered the Order of Preachers, or the Dominicans as they are commonly called today. He was forty-seven years old. The founder had died just eight months before.

 

St. Raymond the Great Confessor

When he received his habit Raymond asked his superior to impose a severe penance upon him so he might atone for the sins of his youth. To his surprise the provincial ordered him to write a collection of cases of conscience for the guidance of confessors and moralists. The assignment was a tribute to Raymond’s success as a confessor, and was the first work of its kind. Spain had been completely overrun by the Mohammedan Moors in the eighth century. By Raymond’s time Aragon, Castile, and a few other kingdoms had freed themselves, but most of the Spanish peninsula was still in Moorish hands. During the centuries of Mohammedan rule many Christians had become lax in their faith.

 

Saint Raymond and his Dominican brethren preached missions throughout those parts of Spain that were held by Christian princes. The results were remarkable. People were awakened to a new religious fervor.

 

Two centuries later, the Spanish people were to bring their faith to an immense section of the Western Hemisphere. Raymond was not content with strengthening the faith of the baptized Catholics: he also wished to convert the Moors. He persuaded the kings of Castile and Aragon to establish colleges where priests could learn the Arabic languages and thus be able to preach to the Moors. He also induced his superiors to include the Hebrew and Arabic languages in several Dominican houses.

 

Establishing the Mercedarians

Later, he himself was to work among the Moors. It is commonly said that Raymond was associated with St. Peter Nolasco in the foundation of the Mercedarians, or the Order of Our Lady of Mercy for the Ransoming of Captives. This, however, is subject of controversy. The purpose of the order was to ransom Christians who had been captured by the Mohammedans, a work which Raymond was very much interested.

 

Pope Gregory IX called Raymond to Rome in 1230 and took him for his confessor. The pope gave Raymond the task of codifying the scattered decrees of popes and councils. This took three years of hard work. When it was completed the pope declared that this work alone was to be considered authoritative. The pope appointed Raymond Bishop of Tarragona, in Aragon, but Raymond begged to be allowed to return to the seclusion of a Dominican monastery. The pope reluctantly consented. Raymond returned to his native country and a life largely given to contemplation, preaching, and hearing confessions. He was instrumental in making a great number of conversions. The king and the Holy See frequently called on him for special missions.

 

In 1238 Raymond was thunderstruck to learn that he had been elected Master General of the Dominicans. He wept and entreated but in the end accepted the office as an act of obedience.

 

While he was General, Raymond made the visitation of his order on foot. He instilled in his spiritual children a love of regularity, solitude, studiousness, and the work of the ministry. His most notable work was in clarifying the constitutions of the order and adding notes on doubtful passages.

 

St. Raymond Dedicated His Life to the Church

At a general chapter of the order, held in Paris in 1239, St. Raymond secured the adoption of a rule which would permit a superior to resign if he had a good reason. The very next year Raymond took advantage of the rule and resigned. The reason he gave was his age: he was now sixty-five years old. The Dominicans soon found that they did not care for the new rule, and it was changed, but Raymond was already out of office by this time.

 

Saint Raymond had said that he was too old to be General, but he had thirty-four years of work ahead of him. He threw himself with renewed energy into converting the Mohammedans. In 1236 when he was eighty-one years old, he wrote to his General that 10,000 former Mohammedans had been baptized. In order to help in the work of converting the Moors, Raymond requested his fellow Dominican, St. Thomas Aquinas, to write the now celebrated work, Summa Contra Gentiles.

 

When Raymond was ninety years old he accompanied King James Majorca. This energetic, zealous missionary priest lived to be almost a hundred years old. During his last illness he was visited by King Alphonsus of Castile who brought his family to receive a blessing The penitent King James of Aragon also came, accompanied by his court. Raymond received the last sacraments and died on the morning of January 6, 1275. The kings of Aragon and Castile, together with their households, came to his funeral. Many miracles took place at his tomb. Raymond of Penafort was canonized by Pope Clement VIII in 1601.

 

ANOTHER SAINT OF THE SAME NAME:

• St. Raymond Nonnatus, died 1240. Contemporary of Raymond of Pena fort and a member of the Mercedarian Order which, it is said, Penafort helped found. Feast Day: August 31.

Prayers to St. Raymond of Penafort

O God, You Who chose blessed Raymond to be a renowned minister of the sacrament of Penance, and miraculously brought him through the waves of the sea, grant that by his intercession we may produce good results from our penitence and reach the heaven of eternal salvation.

Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end.

Amen

 

---

 

O redeemer of captive slaves,
those enslaved to sin
and those enslaved
by the clutches of the world –
preach to us this day
the freedom found

under the Cross of Christ
and in the repentance of heart
blessed by the grace
upon the Church.
Teach us well
the path to Heaven,
which is wrought not in comfort and peace
but in struggle against sin,
in the laying down of our lives
before our persecutors.
Ransom us from wayward
thoughts and actions,
and from the snares
of the adversary
who waits for our misstep.
In Christ alone
may we find our rest.

Prayer to St. Raymond of Penafort

Dear St. Raymond of Penafort, you were known for your wisdom and your dedication to God. I turn to you today, asking for your intercession and guidance as I seek to grow in my own faith and deepen my relationship with the Lord.

Help me to live my life in a manner that brings glory to the Lord, and may I always be guided by His light. May I have the wisdom to make good choices, and the courage to follow the path that He has set before me. Amen.

A prayer for the Intercession of St. Raymond of Penafort

Dear St. Raymond of Penafort, I turn to you today in need of your intercession. You were known for your wisdom and your deep devotion to God, and I ask that you intercede for me and for all those in need of your help.

Please pray for those who are struggling in their faith, that they may find comfort and hope in their trials. Pray for those who are seeking a deeper relationship with God, that they may find what they are looking for. And pray for all of us, that we may grow in our faith and deepen our own relationships with the Lord. Amen.

A prayer for the Wisdom of St. Raymond of Penafort

Dear St. Raymond of Penafort, I ask for your wisdom today. Help me to make good choices, and to always be guided by the light of the Lord. May I have the courage to follow the path that He has set before me, and may I always seek to bring glory to His name.

And may I always be guided by your own example of wisdom and devotion to God. Help me to deepen my own faith, and to live my life in a manner that brings honor to His name. Amen.

Prayer to St. Raymond of Penafort

Dear St. Raymond of Penafort, you were known for your deep devotion to God, your unwavering faith, and your passion for serving others. I turn to you today, asking for your intercession and guidance as I seek to live my life in a manner that brings glory to the Lord.

May I be guided by your example, and may I always be filled with the love and compassion that you showed to all those you encountered. Please help me to deepen my own faith and to live a life that reflects my love for God. Amen.

A prayer for the Protection of St. Raymond of Penafort

Dear St. Raymond of Penafort, I pray for your protection today, that I may be guarded by your example and your deep devotion to God. Protect me from harm, both physical and spiritual, and keep me safe from all danger.

And may I always be guided by the light of the Lord, and live my life in a manner that brings glory to His name. Amen.

A prayer for the Intercession of St. Raymond of Penafort

Dear St. Raymond of Penafort, I turn to you today in need of your intercession. You were known for your unwavering faith and your passion for serving others, and I ask that you intercede for me and for all those in need of your help.

Please pray for those who are struggling in their faith, that they may find comfort and hope in their trials. Pray for those who are seeking a deeper relationship with God, that they may find what they are looking for. And pray for all of us, that we may grow in our faith and deepen our own relationships with the Lord. Amen.

St. Raymond of Penafort: Patron Saint of Canon Lawyers

St. Raymond of Penafort was a Spanish priest and theologian who lived in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He was known for his deep devotion to the Church and his contributions to the development of Canon Law.

Why is St. Raymond of Penafort the Patron Saint of Canon Lawyers?

St. Raymond of Penafort is the patron saint of canon lawyers because of his important contributions to the development of Canon Law, the legal system of the Catholic Church. He was a canon lawyer himself, and he is credited with compiling the first official collection of Canon Law in the Catholic Church, known as the “”Decretals of Gregory IX.”” This collection was used as the authoritative text for Canon Law for several centuries, and it remains an important source for the study of Canon Law today.

St. Raymond’s contributions to the development of Canon Law had a profound impact on the Catholic Church and helped to shape its legal system. Through his work, he helped to ensure that the Church’s laws and regulations were clear and consistent, and he worked to make the Church’s legal system more accessible and understandable to the faithful.

St. Raymond of Penafort’s Legacy

St. Raymond of Penafort’s legacy is one of deep devotion to the Church and to the development of its legal system. He is remembered as a champion of Canon Law and a dedicated scholar who worked tirelessly to ensure that the Church’s laws and regulations were clear and consistent. Through his example and his contributions to the development of Canon Law, St. Raymond of Penafort continues to inspire and encourage canon lawyers and all those who are dedicated to the Church’s legal system.” “

Reflection on the feast day of St. Raymond of Penafort

The feast day of St. Raymond of Penafort is January 23rd.

St. Raymond of Penafort was a Spanish Catholic priest and theologian who lived in the 13th century. He was a professor of law and the canon law at the University of Paris, and later became a Dominican friar. He is known for his work in collecting and organizing canon law and for his role in the organization of the Dominican Order. He is considered the patron saint of canonists, and his feast day is celebrated by the Catholic Church.

On his feast day, we can reflect on the importance of the study of canon law. St. Raymond of Penafort devoted himself to the study and organization of canon law, which is the system of laws and regulations that govern the Catholic Church. His work reminds us of the importance of understanding and following the laws and regulations that govern the Church. It is important for us to study canon law and to strive to understand and follow it.

St. Raymond of Penafort’s work as a professor also reminds us of the importance of education and knowledge. He was a professor of law and canon law, and his work helped to spread knowledge and understanding of these subjects. This is a reminder for us to continue to seek knowledge and understanding, especially in relation to our faith, so that we can deepen our understanding of the Church and our relationship with God.

St. Raymond of Penafort’s role in the organization of the Dominican Order also reminds us of the importance of community and fellowship. He played an important role in the organization of the Dominican Order, which is a religious community of friars. His work is an example of how we should strive to build and strengthen community and fellowship within the Church.

In conclusion, the feast day of St. Raymond of Penafort is an opportunity for us to reflect on the importance of the study of canon law, education and knowledge, and community and fellowship. Let us follow the example of St. Raymond of Penafort and strive to understand and follow the laws and regulations that govern the Church, to deepen our understanding of our faith, and to build and strengthen community and fellowship within the Church.

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Saints Similar to St. Raymond of Penafort

You may also be interested in reading the Biography of St. Peter Nolasco and the Biography of St. Peter the Apostle. St. Raymond of Penafort, like St. Peter Nolasco and St. Peter the Apostle, was a significant figure in the 13th century and had connections to the early Church and the redemption of captives. Next up: Biography of St. Rebecca

 

Also check out our handmade St. Raymond of Penafort Medal and St. Raymond of Penafort Rosary and St. Raymond of Penafort Rosary Bracelet .