From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

=C2 (Also known as Anskar, Anschar, Anscharius, Scharies)

Born near Amiens, Picardy, France in 801; died in Bremen, Germany on
February 3, 865.=C2 With the coming of the barbarian after the death of Charlemagne, darkness fell upon Europe. From the forests and fjords of
the north, defying storm and danger, came a horde of pirate invaders,
prowling round the undefended coasts, sweeping up the broad estuaries,
and spreading havoc and fear. No town, however fair, no church,
however sacred, and no community, however strong, was immune from
their fury. Like a river of death the Vikings poured across Europe.

It's hard to believe that there would be an outbreak of missionary
activity at such a time, but in Europe's darkest hour there were those
who never faltered, and who set out to convert the pagan invader.
Saint Ansgar was such a man. As a young boy of a noble family he was
received at Corbie monastery in Picardy and educated under Saints
Abelard and Paschasius Radbert. Once professed, he was transferred to
New Corbie at Westphalia. He once said to a friend, "One miracle I
would, if worthy, ask the Lord to grant me; and that is, that by His
grace, he would make me a good man."

In France a call was made for a priest to go as a missionary to the
Danes, and Ansgar, a young monk, volunteered. His friends tried to
dissuade him, so dangerous was the mission. Nevertheless, when King
Harold, who had become a Christian during his exile, returned to
Denmark, Ansgar and another monk accompanied him. Equipped with tents
and books, these two monks set out in 826 and founded a school in
Denmark. Here Anskar's companion died, and he was obliged to move on
to Sweden alone when his success in missionary work led King Bjoern to
invite him to Sweden.

On the way, his boat was attacked by pirates and he lost all his
possessions, arriving destitute at a small Swedish village. After this unpromising start, he succeeded in forming the nucleus of a church=E2=80=94= the
first Christian church in Sweden=E2=80=94and penetrated inland, confronting
the heathen in their strongholds and converting the pagan chiefs.

Ansgar became the first archbishop of Hamburg, Germany, and abbot of
New Corbie in Westphalia c. 831. The Pope Gregory IV appointed him
legate to the Scandinavian countries and confided the Scandinavian
souls to his care. He evangelized there for the next 14 years,
building churches in Norway, Denmark, and northern Germany.

He saw his accomplishments obliterated when pagan Vikings invaded in
845, overran Scandinavia, and destroyed Hamburg. Thereafter, the
natives reverted to paganism. Ansgar was then appointed first
archbishop of Bremen around 848, but he was unable to establish
himself there for a time and Pope Nicholas I united that see with
Hamburg. Nicholas also gave him jurisdiction over Denmark, Norway, and
Sweden.

Ansgar returned to Denmark and Sweden in 854 to resume spreading the
Gospel. When he returned to Denmark he saw the church and school he
had built there destroyed before his eyes by an invading army.

His heart almost broke as he saw his work reduced to ashes. "The Lord
gave," he said, "and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of
the Lord." With a handful of followers he wandered through his ruined
diocese, but it was a grim and weary time. "Be assured, my dear
brother," said the primate of France, who had commissioned him to this
task, "that what we have striven to accomplish for the glory of Christ
will yet, by God's help, bring forth fruit."

Heartened by these words, and with unfailing courage, Anskar pursued
his Swedish mission. Though he had but four churches left and could
find no one willing to go in his place, he established new outposts
and consolidated his work.

King Olaf had cast a die to decide whether to allow the entrance of
Christians, an action that Ansgar mourned as callous and unbefitting.
He was encouraged, however, by a council of chiefs at which an aged
man spoke in his defense. "Those who bring to us this new faith," he
said, "by their voyage here have been exposed to many dangers. We see
our own deities failing us. Why reject a religion thus brought to our
very doors? Why not permit the servants of God to remain among us?
Listen to my counsel and reject not what is plainly for our
advantage."

As a result, Ansgar was free to preach the Christian faith, and though
he met with many setbacks, he continued his work until he died at the
age of 64 and was buried at Bremen. He was a great missionary, an indefatigable, outstanding preacher, renowned for his austerity,
holiness of life, and charity to the poor. He built schools and was a
great liberator of slaves captured by the Vikings. He converted King
Erik of the Jutland and was called the 'Apostle of the North.' Yet
Sweden reverted completely to paganism shortly after Ansgar's death.

Ansgar often wore a hairshirt, lived on bread and water when his
health permitted it, and added short personal prayers to each Psalm in
his psalter, thus contributing to a form of devotion that soon became widespread.

Miracles were said to have been worked by him. After Ansgar's death,
the work he had begun came to a stop and the area reverted to
paganism. Christianity did not begin to make headway in Scandinavia
until two centuries later with the work of Saint Sigfrid and others. A
Vita was written about Ansgar by his fellow missionary in Scandinavia,
Saint Rembert (Attwater, Attwater2, Benedictines, Bentley, Coulson,
Delaney, Encyclopedia, Farmer, Gill, Robinson, White).

Saint Ansgar is the patron of Denmark, Germany, and Iceland (White).
He is venerated in Old Corbie (Picardy) and New Corbie (Saxony) as
well as in Scandinavia (Roeder).


Saint Quote:
We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not
depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect.
Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus
alone.
--Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini

Bible Quote:
He will lead them to springs of life-giving water and God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes.=C2 (Revelation 7:17)


<><><><>
Saint Anthony, Model of Perfection

Dear St. Anthony, you took the words of Jesus seriously, "Be perfect,
even as your heavenly Father is perfect." The Church honors you as a
Christian hero, a man wholly dedicated to God's glory and the good of
the redeemed. St. Anthony, Model of Perfection, ask Jesus to
strengthen my good dispositions and to make me more like you, more
like Him. Obtain for me the other favors I need. (Name them.)

--- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
* Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)