St. Peter of Tarentaise

St. Peter of Tarentaise - May 8th

The whole family of this young Frenchman followed him when he became Cistercian monks like him, and his mother and sister became Cistercian nuns. Peter was not quite thirty when he was made superior of a monastery, high up in the mountains. There he opened a shelter for sick people and for the many travelers crossing the mountains. His great joy was to wait on these guests himself.

Much against his desires, St. Peter was next made Archbishop of Tarentaise. He found his diocese in very bad condition, but he worked so hard for thirteen years that his people became fervent and good. Now, everyone loved and admired the Saint and called him a wonder-worker. Humble St. Peter decided he had better go back to being a monk and serve God hidden in a monastery. So one day, to their great sorrow, the people of Tarentaise learned that their beloved Archbishop had disappeared! It was a whole year before he was discovered in a monastery in Switzerland. There he was doing all the hard work as a poor brother. And no one in that monastery ever dreamed that the new brother was really the great Archbishop Peter!

Since it was God’s will, back went the Saint to his diocese, to the immense joy of his people. There he stayed the rest of his life, and spent himself for souls, especially for the poor. Twice in freezing weather, he took of his own habit and gave it to poor men, even though he could have frozen to death himself.

The Saints did their best to avoid being admired. Let us imitate by doing things only for God, not to win praise and admiration.