Galdinus was born about the year 1096 into the Della Salla family, of minor Milanese nobility.
He
lived in a tumultuous time for the Church in Italy with the Emperor
Frederick Barbarossa causing trouble. Opposed to the election of Pope
Alexander III in 1159, Barbarossa proceeded to rally a few dissident
cardinals that elected another Pope. When the people of Milan sided with
the legitimate Pope, the Emperor invaded.
Galdinus, who occupied
the post of chancellor and archdeacon under Hubert, the Archbishop of
Milan, was obliged to follow the prelate into exile.
In 1165
Galdinus was created Cardinal, and upon the death of Archbishop Hubert,
was consecrated his successor by Pope Alexander III himself. The new
prelate went about comforting his war-weary people and gathering his
dispersed flock. He also re-enforced discipline among his clergy who
had, during the troubled times, become lax.
Throwing himself
heart and soul into the new undertaking, Galdinus preached constantly,
not only healing the spiritual wounds caused by the schism but
clarifying the faith to those confused by the heretical doctrine of the
Cathars, then widely prevalent in the north of Italy. The Cathari, or
Albigensians, rejected the seven sacraments, had special hatred for the
Holy Eucharist and Matrimony, and believed that the physical world was
all evil. Among their bizarre beliefs was that women must be reborn as
men in order to achieve salvation.
On the last day of his life,
too weak to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the ardent
shepherd could not be kept from his pulpit. When the zealous preacher
came to the end of his discourse, he simply died at his post.
Sunday, April 18, 2021
St. Galdinus of Milan
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