Feast: November 15
Title: Bishop, Doctor of the Church, and Universal Doctor
Patron of: Scientists, Philosophers, Natural Sciences, Medical Technicians
Early Life and Formation
Saint Albert the Great was born circa 1200 in Lauingen, a town in the Duchy of Swabia (modern-day Germany), into a noble family. From his youth, he displayed an insatiable thirst for knowledge, but it was coupled with a remarkable humility and piety. He studied at the University of Padua, where he encountered the Dominican Order, newly founded by Saint Dominic only a few decades prior.
Under the preaching and influence of Blessed Jordan of Saxony, Albert entered the Order of Preachers (Dominicans), consecrating his intellectual gifts to the service of Christ and His Church.
Teacher of Aquinas and Master of Sacred and Natural Sciences
After taking the Dominican habit, Albert pursued advanced studies in theology and philosophy in Cologne and later at the University of Paris. His learning spanned not only Sacred Theology, but also logic, metaphysics, physics, astronomy, botany, chemistry, and mineralogy, among other fields. So vast and profound was his learning that he would later be given the title “Doctor Universalis” — the Universal Doctor.
He became the teacher of Saint Thomas Aquinas, whom he quickly recognized as a soul of extraordinary sanctity and intellect. It was Albert who defended the young Thomas when he was mocked for his silence and corpulence, prophetically stating: “We call him the Dumb Ox, but the bellowing of this ox will be heard through the whole world.”
Episcopacy and Service to the Church
Albert held various teaching positions in Cologne, Paris, and other major cities of Christendom. In 1260, Pope Alexander IV appointed him Bishop of Regensburg. Though he served only briefly due to his desire for a more contemplative and academic life, he reformed the diocese, promoting clerical discipline and the pastoral care of souls.
After resigning the episcopacy, Albert returned to teaching and writing. He was frequently called upon to settle theological disputes, attend councils, and mediate between warring Christian princes. Despite his brilliance, he lived with great simplicity and austerity, often traveling on foot to avoid unnecessary display of honor or wealth.
Defender of the Faith
In his later years, Albert devoted himself to defending the theology of his former student, Saint Thomas Aquinas, especially against those who opposed the integration of Aristotelian philosophy into Christian theology. Albert’s fidelity to the truth and the harmony of faith and reason marked him as one of the greatest minds of the Middle Ages.
He wrote prolifically — over thirty-eight volumes, covering nearly every area of human knowledge. Among his greatest theological works are commentaries on the Sentences of Peter Lombard, as well as extensive biblical commentaries and treatises on natural sciences. His works always sought to illuminate the truths of the Catholic Faith, showing that all true knowledge ultimately leads to God.
Holy Death and Legacy
Saint Albert died in 1280 in Cologne, having spent his last years in prayer, teaching, and defending the legacy of Aquinas. His relics are venerated at St. Andreas Church in Cologne.
He was beatified in 1622 by Pope Gregory XV and canonized and declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI in 1931. His title, Doctor Universalis, remains a testament to the breadth of his intellect and the holiness of his life.
✠ Spiritual Legacy
Saint Albert the Great stands as a luminous example of how the pursuit of natural knowledge, far from being at odds with divine faith, can serve as a ladder toward the contemplation of God’s wisdom in creation. His integration of Aristotelian philosophy with Christian doctrine laid the intellectual groundwork for the great Scholastic synthesis of the High Middle Ages.
In an age when science and faith are often falsely portrayed as enemies, Saint Albert teaches us that reason is the handmaid of theology, and all truth, whether discovered through nature or revealed in Scripture, comes from the same divine source.
✠ Prayer to Saint Albert the Great
O God, who didst adorn Thy Bishop and Doctor, Saint Albert, with wonderful knowledge and holiness, grant, we beseech Thee, that by his intercession, we may so use our reason to the glory of Thy name and the salvation of souls, that we may come to behold Thee in eternal light. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.