Apostleship of Prayer         Saints

St Anselm           April 21

Anselm was born in 1033 in Aosta in Piedmont.In his adolescence he wanted to join a monastery bu his father refused him permission. It was only after a further twelve years that he entered the monastery at Bec in Normandy. He gently and patiently taught the monks theology and philosophy.He travelled to England in 109s where he was, most unwillingly, elected to be the Archbishop of Canterbury. England's king, Rufus made his life difficult for he persistently refused to cooperate with Anselm's efforts to reform the Churdh in England. He also fought strenously for the freedom of the Church and was exiled twice for his efforts in this matter. His best known work is CurDeus Homo. Also he bequeathed to the philosophical world his proof for the existence of God, which has had a profound influence since.
He was also the first in the Church to oppose the slave trade and obtained from the governement the passage of a resolution forbiding the sale of human beings.
He died in 1109.

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