When I was going to college I occasionally drove between Bowling Green, Ohio and Ithaca, New York passing Olean, New York and Saint Bonaventure University. Later I became friends with a couple of students at that college and spent a few wild nights on campus. Now I will be moving to the Ventura, California also known as the City of San Buenaventura - Spanish for Saint Bonaventure. It seems like I keep running into the old Bonnie so I figure it's about time I learned something about this man...
- He's the patron saint of bowel disorders - no fucking joke, bowel disorders. How crappy is that!
- He was born in 1221 in Bagnorea, Italy and was originally named John.
- When John was four he became very ill and was miraculously healed by the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi.
- It is said that John was renamed Bonaventure because Francis of Assisi had a vision of John's future and exclaimed "O bouna ventura!" (Oh good fortune)
- After graduating from the University of Paris, Bonaventure taught theology at the University.
- While teaching, Bonaventura wrote a 4000 page book explaining the textbook he used. "Comments on the Sentences" is considered his finest work.
- Bonaventure in 1265 was selected by Pope Clement IV to become a bishop. Bonaventure refused the honor.
- After Clement died in 1272 , the Cardinals were deadlocked in deciding on a new Pope. They presented six candidates to Bonaventure and he picked out Theobald who then took the name Pope Gregory X.
- Gregory tried to name him a Cardinal but again he refused.
- Bonaventure's miracle came when he was lying on his death bed. He asked to receive Holy Communion despite not being able to keep any food down. The sacrament was brought into his room and it rose into the air and floated across the room and settled onto his heart and was absorbed into his body. Hence the patron saint of bowel disorders thing.
- He died on July 14th, 1274 less than a week following the miracle.
- He was canonized as a Saint in 1482 by Pope Sixtus IV
0 comments:
Post a Comment