Blessed Bertrand

Feast Day: September 6 Born: 1195 :: Died: 1230 Bertrand was born in the diocese of Nimes in southern France. At that time France was troubled by religious wars and there was great confusion about the Church's teaching. But Bertrand's parents managed to live a peaceful life and they taught the true faith to their son. He lived a good and holy life, praying constantly even as a young person. He became a priest at a very early age and joined the missionaries to bring back to the Church the Albigenses who had no respect for authority or life, burned churches and convents and believed in false teachings. St. Dominic and Blessed Bertrand met as missionaries and became very close friends, traveling, praying and fasting together, offering sufferings for the good of others. Bertrand saw the holiness of St. Dominic, and the miracles he performed and told people about them. This was God's invitation for him to begin a very important ministry. When he was just 20 years old, he and five other men joined Dominic to form a new religious congregation, the Order of Preachers. They are also called "Dominicans". Blessed Bertrand was sent to Paris to start the order there. Then St. Dominic called asked Bertrand to go to Bologna and start the order there. Bertrand obeyed happily. Meanwhile, the Order of Preachers was growing. They preached the Gospel message in the towns and countryside. They wanted people to know and love Jesus. Bertrand was made the superior of the province in southern France. He lived a simple life and spent his days preaching and helping people grow closer to God. He died while giving a sermon to some at the convent of Notre Dame in 1230. Many miracles still take place when people pray to Blessed Bertrand.