Talk to UsToday Catholics around the world are celebrating the memorial of St Wulstan. January is for many a time of reflection and renewed effort to better oneself by stopping smoking, drinking less, eating less, exercising more. So it’s only fitting that the patron saint of dieters and vegetarians is celebrated in January.
Wulstan was the only Anglo Saxon English Bishop to serve under William the Conqueror after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. He had served as the Bishop of Worcester since 1062 and was kept in his position by the new King. He was a man of self sacrifice, daily penance and ritual, he died at the age of 87 in 1095 while washing the feet of a dozen poor men in his cathedral, a task he performed every day.
He had studied and served Christ for his entire adult life, and when he died he had been a priest and bishop for nearly 60 years. He was fastidious in his work to improve the lives of his parishioners and the people of England in general. As the sole Anglo Saxon Bishop under the Normans he worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the people and arrest the draconian laws that the Normans were imposing on the indigenous population.
During his life he worked on many large scale building programs, mostly of cathedrals, priories and monasteries, some of which survive to this day including the cathedral at Worcester where a shrine to him stands to this day.
Even though Wulstan’s life pre dates the widespread use of Rosary Beads, his messages of love, ritual, sacrifice are still valid today, so when you’re tempted by that slice of chocolate cake or extra glass of red wine today why not think of St Wulstan and remember that January is the time of year when everyone is helping each other to improve their lives.