Saint Giraud of Fontenelle

The Saint was leading, in this retreat, a humble life, detached from the senses, united to God through praye r, when Gauthier the White, Count of Crépy, wished to replace the canons of Saint-Arnoul with regular clergy. Desiring to give these religious a leader who would guide them toward piety, more through his conduct than his words, Gauthier begged Herbert, abbot of the convent of Lagny, to send him Giraud, whose eminent virtues he knew; but the modest servant of Jesus Christ viewed this burden as beyond his strength, and it was difficult to obtain his consent: he only gave it upon the order of his superior, who made it a duty for him to obey the will of God.

The Blessed one did not delay in showing that the very voice of the Lord had called him to the directi on of the abbey of Sai nt-Arnoul: the wisdom that presided over the choice of the members with whom he formed this new community, and the manner in which he governed it, gave the highest idea of his prudence and his virtues. He led his brothers to the love and practice of religious perfection, through the sweet odor of Jesus Christ that exhaled from each of his actions: he recalled this divine Master by the goodness of his heart, the delicate purity of his morals, and the gentle firmness of his character. He had a tender compassion for sinners: often, he was seen shedding tears over their insensitivity and their resistance to grace. Such admirable conduct raised up faithful imitators for him: his monastery soon acquired such a renown for piety and obedience to the rule that Richard, Du ke of Normandy, begged the holy abbot to come and renew at Fontenelle the wonders he had wrought at Saint-Arnoul.

Count Gauthier consented with difficulty to Giraud's departure: he nevertheless yielded to the pressing solicitations of the Duke of Normandy, and even permitted several religious to accompany their leader. No sooner had this zealous reformer arr ived at Fo ntenelle than he attempted to revive the spir it of Saint Wan drille, the founder of this monastery. God blessed his efforts and rewarded his zeal. His words were so powerful, his examples had such great influence, that in a short time the community presented the most edifying spectacle: the bonds of discipline were tightened, the science of the divine Scriptures was restored to honor, and piety regained its empire. However, there was in this pious house a wretched religious who did not wish to renounce his guilty disorders; the demon used him to put an end to a work so useful to the glory of God: having inspired his jealous furies in the heart of this monster, the latter laid a murderous hand upon the

holy abbot, in the night of December 29 to 30, 1031. Thus died the famous reformer of Saint-Arnoul and Fontenelle, a victim of his zeal for the reform of monastic life. His sanctity was soon manifested by miracles, and his name was inscribed in the catalogue of the Blessed.

Excerpt from the Saints of Beauvais, by Abbé Sabatier.