St. Bernard of Clairvaux (20 August): a Monk of All Traits

About this sermon

Celebrate the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Abbot, Confessor, Doctor of the Church, and one of the most influential Catholic figures of the Middle Ages. Born in 1090, Bernard entered the monastery at Cîteaux and famously persuaded 30 relatives who came to stop him from becoming a monk to join him instead. He later founded Clairvaux, helped spread the Cistercian reform across Europe, advised popes and rulers, defended Church unity, and taught that every fruitful exterior work must be preceded by prayer. In this talk, discover St. Bernard’s role in restoring Lectio Divina, his teaching on spiritual direction, his writings and miracles, his devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Salve Regina tradition, his connection with the Knights Templar, and his preaching of the Second Crusade. The video also reflects on Bernard’s opposition to anti-Jewish violence during the Crusading era, emphasizing persuasion, reason, and charity rather than coercion. Above all, St. Bernard reminds us why Catholics should know the saints: their lives teach us holiness, Church history, courage, charity, and how God can transform the world through faithful men and women. St. Bernard of Clairvaux, pray for us. 0:36 St. Bernard of Clairvaux — Doctor of the Church 0:42 Bernard’s Childhood & Education 0:57 Entering the Monastery at Age 20 1:06 His Family Tries to Stop Him 1:13 Bernard Converts 30 Relatives Instead 1:27 Why He Was Called the “Honey-Tongued Doctor” 1:42 The State of Religious Life in Medieval Europe 1:50 Bernard Joins Cîteaux 1:59 The Birth of the Cistercian Reform 2:07 Founding a New Monastery 2:15 From the Bitter Valley to Clairvaux 2:33 The Rise of Clairvaux Abbey 2:41 Hundreds of Monasteries Across Europe 2:57 Bernard Advises Church & State 3:13 The Crisis of Two Rival Popes 3:21 Bernard Supports Pope Innocent II 3:38 Confronting Princes and Kings 3:52 Pope Eugene III & Bernard’s Spiritual Teaching 4:09 Prayer Must Come Before Action 4:41 Restoring Lectio Divina 4:50 St. Bernard on Spiritual Direction 4:57 Defending the Catholic Faith 5:15 Converting Opponents Through Gentleness 5:39 Miracles of St. Bernard 5:55 The Famous Miracle of the Flies 6:13 His Books, Letters & Sermons 6:21 Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of Christ 6:29 Church Music & Architecture 6:38 St. Bernard’s Love for the Virgin Mary 7:18 A Loving Relationship With God & the Saints 7:32 Mary: Star of the Sea & Intercessor 7:48 The Salve Regina Tradition 8:02 St. Bernard & the Knights Templar 8:41 Preaching the Second Crusade 9:05 The Failure of the Second Crusade 9:20 Bernard Is Blamed for the Crusade 9:43 His Final Years at Clairvaux 9:50 Death of St. Bernard — August 20, 1153 9:59 Why Catholics Should Know the Saints 10:23 How Medieval Monks Transformed Europe 11:09 Bernard Opposes Anti-Jewish Violence 11:33 Reason, Charity & Conversion — Not Force 12:03 The Saints as Our Spiritual Family 12:33 Following Their Example 12:41 St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Pray for Us Please remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ SUPPORT THE MISSION 🙏 Donate https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📰 Read on Substack https://sensusfidelium.substack.com/ ──────────────────── 📺 WATCH & READ 📺 Sensus Fidelium App https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 👕 Official Merchandise https://sensusfidelium.com/merchandise/ ──────────────────── 🤝 PARTNER WITH US 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ──────────────────── 🌎 CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ✝️ Trusted Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #StBernardOfClairvaux #CatholicSaints #DoctorOfTheChurch #SaintOfTheDay #CatholicHistory #Cistercians #LectioDivina #BlessedVirginMary #MarianDevotion #KnightsTemplar #SecondCrusade #CatholicFaith #CatholicChurch #ChurchHistory #Catholicism