Saint Boniface, Apostle to the Germans

Saint Boniface, whose feast is today, is widely known as the “apostle to the Germans”. An Englishman of Devonshire, he was part of a great Anglo-Saxon missionary effort in the Saxon marches of the Frankish Empire in the early eighth century.

Since my former parish church of Holy Rosary was founded by German immigrants, a stained glass window of Saint Boniface shines down into the sanctuary. It’s located directly above where the altar servers sit.

In 717, Pope Gregory II named Boniface Bishop of the rather undefined and unorganized church in “Germania”. He spent the rest of his life preaching there, hobnobbing with the Carolingian rulers, and creating an administrative structure out of thin air.

In 732, Pope Gregory III named him Archbishop. From his seat at Mainz, he directed all missionary activity east of the Rhine, eventually erecting four additional dioceses. It was about this time that he chopped down the Donar Oak.

To show the heathens how utterly powerless were the gods in whom they placed their confidence, Boniface felled the oak sacred to the thunder-god Thor, at Geismar, near Fritzlar. He had a chapel built out of the wood and dedicated it to the prince of the Apostles. The heathens were astonished that no thunderbolt from the hand of Thor destroyed the offender, and many were converted.

Catholic Encyclopedia

On a mission to the Frisians in 754, he and his party were ambushed by bandits, and he died a martyr for the faith. An eye-witness reported that at the moment of death, Boniface held up a religious text as spiritual protection. The sword-pierced book now rests as a relic of the saint in Fulda Cathedral.

Unlike many early medieval missionaries, we actually know quite a bit about Boniface’s life, as several biographies were written of him within just a few decades of his death by people who knew him. In addition, we have a surviving trove of his writings, including sermons and letters.

Part of one of these may be found in today’s Office of Readings, and it remains as relevant now as it was more than a thousand years ago. Persevere!

In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course.

The ancient fathers showed us how we should carry out this duty: Clement, Cornelius and many others in the city of Rome, Cyprian at Carthage, Athanasius at Alexandria. They all lived under emperors who were pagans; they all steered Christ’s ship—or rather his most dear spouse, the Church. This they did by teaching and defending her, by their labors and sufferings, even to the shedding of blood.

I am terrified when I think of all this. Fear and trembling came upon me and the darkness of my sins almost covered me. I would gladly give up the task of guiding the Church which I have accepted if I could find such an action warranted by the example of the fathers or by holy Scripture.

Since this is the case, and since the truth can be assaulted but never defeated or falsified, with our tired mind let us turn to the words of Solomon: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own prudence. Think on him in all your ways, and he will guide your steps. In another place he says: The name of the Lord is an impregnable tower. The just man seeks refuge in it and he will be saved.

Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial. Let us wait upon God’s strengthening aid and say to him: O Lord, you have been our refuge in all generations.

Let us trust in him who has placed this burden upon us. What we ourselves cannot bear let us bear with the help of Christ. For he is all-powerful and he tells us: My yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Let us continue the fight on the day of the Lord. The days of anguish and of tribulation have overtaken us; if God so wills, let us die for the holy laws of our fathers, so that we may deserve to obtain an eternal inheritance with them.

Let us be neither dogs that do not bark nor silent onlookers nor paid servants who run away before the wolf. Instead let us be careful shepherds watching over Christ’s flock. Let us preach the whole of God’s plan to the powerful and to the humble, to rich and to poor, to men of every rank and age, as far as God gives us the strength, in season and out of season, as Saint Gregory writes in his book of Pastoral Instruction.

From a letter by Saint Boniface

So let us pray for the intercession of this powerful and wise saint.

May the Martyr Saint Boniface
be our advocate, O Lord,
that we may firmly hold the faith he taught
with his lips and sealed in his blood
and confidently profess it by our deeds.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Amen.