St. Radegonde, Queen of France (13 August) ~ Dom Prosper Guéranger

About this sermon

St. Radegonde was born a princess, taken captive after the destruction of Thuringia, and eventually raised to the dignity of Queen. Yet no earthly crown could satisfy a soul that desired Jesus Christ above all things. In this beautiful account from Dom Prosper Guéranger’s The Liturgical Year, we discover how suffering, exile, and loss became the path by which God drew St. Radegonde completely to Himself. After embracing the Catholic Faith, she devoted herself to prayer, fasting, penance, charity, and service to the poor. Though surrounded by the splendor of a royal court, her heart already belonged to Christ. Eventually leaving court life, Radegonde was consecrated to God by St. Medard and founded the monastery of the Holy Cross at Poitiers. There she cared especially for the sick, needy, and lepers, sought peace for France through prayer and sacrifice, and encouraged her religious daughters to study Sacred Scripture and seek the things of Heaven. Her devotion to the Holy Cross was especially profound. She obtained a relic of the True Cross, whose solemn reception was celebrated with hymns composed by Venantius Fortunatus. St. Radegonde died in 587, surrendering her soul to the heavenly Bridegroom whom she had loved above every earthly possession. Her life reminds us that earthly crowns pass away—but the soul that belongs completely to Christ possesses a kingdom that cannot be taken away. 🙏 St. Radegonde, Queen of France, pray for us. 📖 The Liturgical Year — Dom Prosper Guéranger 📅 Feast: August 13 00:00 – St. Radegonde, Queen of France 00:16 – The Conquest of Thuringia & a Royal Captive 00:41 – Tragedy, Exile & the Young Radegonde 01:21 – Discovering the Christian Faith 01:37 – Baptism and Her Burning Love for Christ 02:03 – Seeing Christ in the Poor and the Lepers 02:18 – A Queen Who Desired Heaven, Not a Throne 02:59 – St. Clotilde and the Christian Destiny of France 03:55 – Radegonde Takes Up the Spiritual Battle 04:12 – Forgiveness After Leaving the Royal Court 04:45 – Her Prayers for the Peace of France 05:33 – Fighting for Peace Through Prayer and Penance 05:50 – Her Love for the Nuns of Holy Cross 06:30 – The Supernatural Beauty of a Saint 06:46 – Venantius Fortunatus and St. Radegonde 07:03 – Her Longing for Heaven and the Holy Cross 07:26 – Teaching Her Sisters the Sacred Scriptures 08:17 – A Famine for Hearing the Word of the Lord 09:15 – The Death of St. Radegonde 09:46 – The Traditional Account of Her Life 10:16 – Conversion From Paganism to Christianity 10:33 – Radegonde Becomes Queen 10:50 – Prayer, Fasting and Charity at the Royal Court 11:15 – Leaving the Court for Christ 11:23 – St. Medard and the Sacred Veil 12:09 – Founding the Monastery at Poitiers 12:35 – Humility, Miracles and Service of the Poor 12:50 – Her Extraordinary Love for Lepers 13:07 – Severe Penance and Desire for Martyrdom 13:42 – The King Attempts to Bring Her Back 14:07 – Obtaining a Relic of the True Cross 14:28 – Venantius Fortunatus and the Hymns of the Cross 14:45 – Christ Consoles His Faithful Bride 15:24 – Death of St. Radegonde in 587 15:41 – Her Exile Is Over 16:21 – From Captivity to the Light of Christ 16:38 – A Queen for Christ 17:03 – St. Radegonde's Prayers for France 17:28 – Protect Poitiers and the Daughters of Holy Cross 17:45 – Teach Us to Seek Our Lord 18:00 – May All Christians Learn How to Love https://sensusfidelium.com/the-liturgical-year-dom-prosper-gueranger/august/august-13-st-radegonde-queen-of-france-dom-prosper-gueranger/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ 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/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 #DomProsperGueranger #TheLiturgicalYear #CatholicTradition #TraditionalCatholic #CatholicHistory #QueenOfFrance #SaintRadegund #HolyCross #TrueCross #CatholicChurch #CatholicSpirituality #CatholicDevotions #Catholicism #RomanCatholic #ChristianSaints