Beneath Mary’s Mantle: St. Louis Bertrand (1526 - 1581)
St. Dominic once had a dream in which he saw all the saints of the Order safely beneath the mantle of Mary, Protectress of the Order of Preachers. In this blog series, we’ll introduce our beloved Dominican Saints, learn about their lives and work, and come to see how they still inspire and pass on their gifts to today’s faithful.
Patron of Dominican novitiates and formation personnel; various regions of Latin America
Born: Jan 1, 1526 in Valencia, Spain
Died: October 9, 1581 in Valencia, Spain
Feast Day: October 9
Luis Bertrán (whose name is now commonly anglicized as Louis Bertrand) was born on New Year’s Day in 1526. From a young age, Louis had a deep desire to be a missionary and to join the Dominican Order. As a teenager, too young to become a Dominican without his parents’ permission (which they emphatically would not give), Louis did anything he could to pursue his dream. He maintained a life of regular prayer and daily Mass attendance, served the poor and sick, and tended the grounds of the local Dominicans. He even made a (very short-lived) attempt to run away from home at age 15 to become a missionary! Finally, at 19, Louis was old enough to join the Dominicans, and was received in the convent of his native Valencia. Just two years after his solemn profession, Louis was ordained a priest. Remarkably, he was made novice master just a few years after that, which speaks to his holiness and wisdom even as a young priest. In fact, he filled the position of novice master so capably that the Order now celebrates him as patron of Dominican novitiates and formation personnel!
After several years, his childhood dream of becoming a missionary was realized. Louis was sent to an area known as New Granada in Latin America. Over the next seven years, he brought about the conversion of tens of thousands of people, tirelessly ministering all over Colombia, Venezuela, the West Indies, and possibly even parts of Florida. Louis had no prior knowledge of the languages spoken in these regions but did not despair—he prayed for and received the gift of tongues, miraculously allowing him to communicate with the native inhabitants. He cared deeply for his flock, and ministered heroically to both their spiritual and temporal welfare. (This did not endear him to all, however, and his life was targeted more than once. In one such instance, a man pointed a gun at him, but the unfazed missionary simply made the Sign of the Cross, and the gun is said to have transformed into a crucifix!) Louis returned to Spain after seven years. He was once again assigned as novice master, and he continued to serve the Dominican Order faithfully until his death in 1581. He was canonized by Pope Clement X on April 12, 1671.
St. Louis Bertrand’s life leaves us much to marvel at, from the miracles worked in Latin America to the enduring legacy he left as novice master. We must remind ourselves that these remarkable accomplishments were not of St. Louis’ own design: they came from God, and he simply continued to say “yes.” Even when the details of God’s plans weren’t clear (such as how he would preach in Latin America without speaking the language), St. Louis Bertrand nevertheless pursued God’s will with confidence and trust. Likewise, in our lives of faith, we too are given opportunities to demonstrate our confidence in God. While many of us aren’t at St. Louis Bertrand-sized levels of trust yet, we can strengthen this virtue with regular practice, like an athlete builds strength by working out consistently over time. These opportunities arise more often in unremarkable ways (like tithing a little more or building a daily prayer routine) than in big, flashy ones (like becoming a foreign missionary)! Take a prayerful look at your life and ask the Holy Spirit to show you where He wishes you to go a little further. Through small, repeated acts of faith, our trust in God will grow. Let us ask St. Louis Bertrand to intercede for us that we may imitate his wholehearted discipleship and trust in God.
St. Louis Bertrand, pray for us!
