January 7

Saint Raymond of Penyafort

Optional memorial

Gathered the Church’s scattered laws into one book and guided confessors

Raymond was born in the late 1100s at his family’s castle of Penyafort, near Barcelona in Catalonia. He studied and then taught law at Bologna, Europe’s leading law school, before returning home. Around 1222 he joined the Dominicans, a young order of preaching friars, and wrote a handbook to help priests hearing confessions handle real people’s problems fairly.

In 1230 Pope Gregory IX called him to Rome to sort out centuries of scattered, often contradictory Church laws. Raymond’s collection, issued in 1234, stayed at the heart of Catholic church law until 1917. He turned down the post of archbishop of Tarragona, and in 1238 was elected head of the Dominicans. Two years later he resigned, saying he was too old, and then lived another thirty-five years.

Back in Barcelona he urged friars to learn Arabic and Hebrew so they could preach to and debate with Muslims and Jews. He died there in 1275, remembered for putting law at the service of justice and mercy.

He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8 · BSB

A prayer

God of justice and mercy, you gave your servant Raymond a clear mind and a humble heart, so that he used his learning to bring order and fairness to your Church. Teach us to seek what is right, to treat others with mercy, and to set aside honours for the sake of your work. Amen.