St. Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury (19 September): Butler's Lives of the Saints

About this sermon

On September 19, the Church honors St. Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury—an Eastern-born monk who helped unite, educate, and reform the Catholic Church in England. After the death of Archbishop Deusdedit, Pope Vitalian selected Theodore, a learned Greek monk then 66 years old, for the See of Canterbury. Accompanied by Abbot Adrian and St. Benedict Biscop, Theodore journeyed across Europe and arrived in England in 669. As archbishop, Theodore visited the English churches, corrected abuses, strengthened ecclesiastical discipline, ordained bishops, regulated divine worship, promoted the Roman celebration of Easter, and spread Gregorian chant. Together with Adrian, he established the celebrated school at Canterbury, where Scripture, theology, Latin, Greek, astronomy, poetry, and the calculation of Easter were taught. Theodore convened councils to preserve Catholic doctrine, condemned heresies concerning the Incarnation, and worked to unify the English hierarchy. When war erupted between Northumbria and Mercia, his authority and spiritual counsel helped reconcile the rival kingdoms. Late in life, Theodore humbly sought reconciliation with St. Wilfrid and labored to repair the injustice committed against him. After serving as Archbishop of Canterbury for 22 years, Theodore died in 690 at approximately 88 years of age. St. Theodore of Canterbury, pray for us! Source: Butler’s Lives of the Saints by Fr. Alban Butler. 00:00 Introduction 00:17 England seeks a new Archbishop of Canterbury 00:31 The mission to Rome ends in tragedy 00:39 Pope Vitalian considers Abbot Adrian 01:02 Adrian declines but agrees to assist 01:18 Seeking a worthy candidate 01:34 Theodore of Tarsus is chosen 01:49 Preparing Theodore for the Latin episcopate 02:06 Consecration and journey toward England 02:37 Theodore studies England’s pastoral needs 03:12 Arrival at Canterbury in 669 03:20 Adrian is detained in France 03:43 Theodore begins his national visitation 03:57 Roman discipline and Gregorian chant 04:14 Bishops, St. Wilfrid and St. Chad 04:48 Theodore unites the English Church 04:57 The great school of Canterbury 05:21 A flourishing Christian England 05:38 Theodore establishes schools throughout the country 06:04 The national council and its canons 06:19 Christian marriage and ecclesiastical order 06:48 Appeals to the Church’s canonical tradition 07:04 Defending the mystery of the Incarnation 07:21 Reorganization of the English dioceses 07:38 Theodore intervenes to end a war 08:18 Peace established between two kingdoms 08:27 Theodore’s penitential discipline 08:53 Reconciliation with St. Wilfrid 09:35 Theodore’s death and lasting legacy https://sensusfidelium.com/the-lives-of-the-fathers-martyrs-and-other-principal-saints/september/st-theodore-archbishop-of-canterbury/ Get Butler's Lives of the Saints here: https://loretopublications.idevaffiliate.com/idevaffiliate.php?id=102&url=1 #SaintTheodore #LivesOfTheSaints #CatholicSaints #FeastDay #CatholicFaith #ChurchHistory #ArchbishopOfCanterbury #SaintOfTheDay #GregorianChant #CatholicYouTube #CatholicTradition #ChristianHistory 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 ✝️ 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/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴