March 26 + Saint Ludger

Ludger was born in the Netherlands about 742. His parents were wealthy Christian Frisians of noble descent. When he was 11 years old, he saw the English missionary Saint Boniface and this made such an impression on him that he became a disciple of Saint Gregory of Utrecht (a friend of Boniface). He later wrote the book A Life of Saint Gregory.

In 775, Ludger was sent to revive the work in Deventer in the Netherlands begun by Saint Lebuin (an Englishman and monk who died in 773). He restored the chapel and recovered Lebuin’s relics. But because of conflict between the Frisians and the Saxons, he withdrew and went to teach at Gregory school’s in Utrecht. He was ordained a priest in Cologne.

Driven out by the Saxons, Ludger went to Rome where he met with Pope Adrian I. He spent the next two years in Monte Cassino planning to found a Benedictine monastery of his own. Discerning that God’s will was for him to retire, for the next three years he did just that by going to Mount Cassino where he wore the habit and followed the rule of the Order, but did not make any religious vows. When Charlemagne conquered the Saxons and took back Friesland, Ludger returned and converted many Saxon pagans to the Catholic faith. Hildebald, Archbishop of Cologne, ordained him bishop of Mimigard, a city that later became known as Munster.

Ludger was a Scripture scholar and read to his disciples every day from the Bible. He was very pious, always wearing a hair shirt concealed under his clothing. He was generous to the poor, but held himself on a strict budget, never wasting his income and only allowing himself necessities. Tradition holds that Ludger cured the blindness of a singing poet which led to his conversion to the faith.

On Passion Sunday, 809, Ludger heard Mass at Coesfeld (one of the churches he had had built), then went to Billerbeck, where at nine o’clock he again preached, and said his last Mass. That evening he expired peacefully amidst his faithful followers.