Today is the Feast of Saint Norbert of Xanten (c. 1080 – 6 June 1134), who was the Archbishop of Magdeburg in Germany and the founder of the Premonstratensian order, also known as the Norbertines.
But why should be be interested in Saint Norbert? Here's what popular Catholic author, Ana Braga-Henebry, has to say. Ana is a parishioner at Saint Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing. More significantly, her beloved daughter, Maria, is a cloistered Norbertine sister in California. Ana says:
Our daughter is a cloistered Norbertine in California. Because of her vocation, we have all come to know and love Saint Norbert, founder of the order, who lived 900 years ago. After a life of pleasure he underwent a Pauline conversion — complete with the fall from a horse — and spent the rest of his life preaching and serving God.
He lived in the area that makes up the border between Germany and France today. One interesting fact that the sisters like to say, unofficially, is that Saint Dominic was a Norbertine before the birth of the Dominican order.
Our family has been profoundly grateful for St. Norbert's intercession especially on the occasion of the birth of our special-needs grandson James who received his baptism in the NICU on Saint Norbert’s feast day.
Our daughter’s vocation is a tremendous spiritual gift from Saint Norbert, and her life as a religious sister has already borne so much spiritual fruit for our family and friends. We honor him in our home with a beautiful statue we acquired from the Sisters’ gift shop, and by observing his feast.
Saint Norbert, pray for us!
* Pictured above: Sister Maria Perpetua, O. Praem. of the Norbertine Canonesses of the Bethlehem Priory of St. Joseph, California, with her mother, Ana Braga-Henebry.