St. Remaclus, Bishop of Maestricht (3 September): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

Saint Remaclus was a bishop, abbot, missionary, and monastic founder who willingly surrendered ecclesiastical authority to pursue a quieter life of prayer, penance, and Christian perfection. A native of Aquitaine, Remaclus left the royal court of King Clotaire and studied Sacred Scripture under Saint Sulpicius of Bourges. He was later appointed by Saint Eligius as the first abbot of the monastery and seminary founded at Solignac near Limoges in 631. Remaclus was subsequently called to govern the Abbey of Cugnon in the Duchy of Luxembourg. Before long, he was summoned to the court of King Sigebert III, who had succeeded his father, Dagobert I, as ruler of Austrasia. Sigebert relied upon Saint Remaclus when establishing the royal Abbey of Stavelot in the Ardennes. The king also founded the nearby Abbey of Malmedy and entrusted the direction of both monastic communities to Remaclus. Following the resignation of Saint Amand around 650, Remaclus was chosen as Bishop of Maastricht. He served his flock with humility and zeal, preaching the Gospel and generously assisting the poor. Despite the good accomplished through his episcopal ministry, Remaclus grew burdened by his many external responsibilities. Fearing that worldly administration might cause him to neglect his own soul, he obtained the consent of his clergy and King Childeric II to resign his see and retire to Stavelot in 662. His reputation for sanctity inspired noblemen and others to abandon worldly ambitions and embrace a penitential monastic life under his direction. Remaclus guided them along the narrow road of Christian perfection through both his teaching and personal example. Old age did not cause him to lessen his austerities. Instead, as he approached the end of his earthly course, he increased his spiritual fervor so that final sloth might not deprive him of the heavenly crown. During his final moments, Saint Remaclus exhorted his religious brethren to practice perfect self-denial, obedience, holy poverty, patience, diligent labor, meditation, prayer, profound humility, peace, and unity. Saint Remaclus died around 664 and was buried at Stavelot. His relics were preserved there, and the church rebuilt by Saint Poppo in 1040 was placed under his patronage. Portions of his relics were later given to Solignac, Paderborn, and Bamberg. May Saint Remaclus teach us that no office, honor, or responsibility is worth possessing if it causes us to neglect the salvation and sanctification of our souls. Saint Remaclus, pray for us! Source: The Lives of the Saints by Father Alban Butler 00:00 Saint Remaclus, Bishop of Maastricht 00:09 A holy pastor from Aquitaine 00:17 Studying Scripture under Saint Sulpicius 00:25 First abbot of Solignac 00:32 Governing the Abbey of Cugnon 00:41 Called to King Sigebert’s court 00:50 The Kingdom of Austrasia 00:57 Founding the Abbey of Stavelot 01:05 Stavelot in the Ardennes 01:13 The Abbey of Malmedy 01:20 Chosen Bishop of Maastricht 01:28 Preaching and serving the poor 01:36 Why Remaclus resigned his see 01:45 Retirement to Stavelot 01:52 Noblemen embrace monastic life 01:59 The narrow road of perfection 02:06 Increasing his austerities in old age 02:22 His final instructions to the monks 02:30 Prayer, humility, peace, and unity 02:38 The death and burial of Remaclus 02:46 The church rebuilt by Saint Poppo 02:53 The distribution of his relics https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/september/st-remaclus-bishop-of-maestricht/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 #SaintRemaclus #LivesOfTheSaints #CatholicSaints #FeastDay #CatholicChurch #ChristianHistory #SaintsOfTheChurch #ButlersLivesOfTheSaints #CatholicFaith #MonasticLife 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ 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/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴