The Universal Doctor of the Universal Church: Saint Albert the Great

Albert the Great. Sounds like a "great" name, and yes, that pun is intended--it evens rhymes. Czech people have even felt the need to top it off by having "Albert" supermarkets and hypermarkets. Apparently being great is not enough nowadays--blame inflation. But Albert the Great was not selling food, as you very well know. Saint Albert is celebrated today, the 15th of November, and he is the patron saint of the natural sciences. Albertus Magnus is known as the Universal Doctor of the Universal Church. With such a title, it leaves very little doubt that he was not lacking in knowledge on multiple topics. He studied natural sciences (botany, geography, physiology, zoology…), philosophy, justice, law, and religion. He was a German member of the Dominican Order (order of preachers, abbreviated O.P) in the 13th century.  He is known for popularizing the works of Aristotle and commenting on nearly all of them. Saint Albert is widely recognized as being instrumental in the conservation and diffusion of Aristotle’s works. 

He also traveled a lot, spending time in his native Germany, in Italy, and in France where he studied and became the first German Dominican friar to receive a master's degree in theology and it was here where he would also one day become the teacher of one particularly important Thomas who is attributed with a greatness of his own...Saint Thomas Aquinas.

Saint Albert guides us to understand and see the compatibility of science and religion, a topic that so many in our society and culture seem to see as incompatible. He wrote, "For it is [the task] of natural science not simply to accept what we are told but to inquire into the causes of natural things." This is also a call to us in our Faith. We are not to simply accept what we are told, but to inquire.

So in the spirit of philosophy and the scientific method, let us question our faith today and where we are in our journey. What is difficult for your to accept in the Catholic Faith and where do you feel called to deeper understanding? If you could ask this "teacher of everything you need to know" one question, what would that be?

This might help. Transport yourself, in your mind, back to the 13th century and imagine finding him performing a chemistry or physics experiment in his 13th century lab surrounded by different plants and living things. He sees you, stops what he's doing, greets you and you, in turn, apologize for interrupting his work. As a teacher with a heart for those on a deeper quest for understanding, he takes a break and invites you to sit down. Who knows? You might be sitting in the seat that St. Thomas Aquinas once sat at! You collect your thoughts and ask that one question. What do you think he will advise you to do to find your answer? Maybe he'll tell you to pray about it, give you the theological answer you're searching for, or even possibly show you how Aristotle's works could support your understanding (your Christian understanding) of the world.

Or, in his humility, maybe St. Albert would lean towards you, look you in the eyes and tell you “The greater and more persistent your confidence in God, the more abundantly you will receive all that you ask.”

St. Albert the Great, pray for us!