May 28 William of Gellone b. 755 d. 812 c. 1066

Thommy and John

good morning
i love you

Memorial Day, 2007
and William of Gellone fits the bill to a t
[not only by his life, but, look at the year of his canonization.... :)
the year for another William.... :) ]]

a day to remember those who live, fought, and died for us
the american soldiers... our catholic saints
[the original purpose of memorial day included celebrating the eradication of slavery
what was the purpose of our saints, especially the martyrs, if not to free us from another kind of slavery?]

William of Gellone was the second count of Toulouse and the Duke of Aquitaine....
a member of the Court of Charlemagne ...
[Pippen, one of my favorite musicals (not to mention the story itself)
Ben Vereen, singing and dancing! i had to see it twice since an understudy did his role the first time]

William of Gellone was sent by Charlemagne against the Saracen invaders of Spain
and, William of Gellone defeated the Islam invaders at Orange
Throughout his military career he displayed exemplary chivalry
William of Gellone was honored as an ideal knight -
[though i doubt that was a sufficient credential for canonization]

with victory came a change of life for William of Gellone
in 804 he founded a Benedictine monastery [since called S. Guilhem le Desert, in his honor]
near and subject to the abbey under St Benedict of Aniane [it does matter into whose hands we place our lives]
in 806 Willilam of Gellone became a monk at 'his' monastery where he lived his remaining years

William of Gellone was also the subject of several medieval romances,
e.g., La Prised Orange and Aliseans....
imagine the heroism attributed to our namesake saint? :)
a man of the sword
a chivilrous knight in shing armour
a romantic hero
and
a saint dedicated to the promotion of the faith -
by sword, example, and monasticism....

so many lives within a lifetime
each dedicated to Lord and King
to be the best, because of that loyalty
love given and reciprocated....

et vous?

i love you,
dad