St. Stephen Harding
The saint of the day for April 14 is St. Stephen Harding, who is regarded as the founder of the Cistercian monasteries. The son of an English noble, Stephen was born at Sherborne in Dorsetshire, England, about the middle of the eleventh century. He consecrated himself to the monastic life in the Abbey of Sherbonne in Dorsetshire, where he received his early education. He later studied in Paris and Rome, where he pursued a brilliant education in humanities, philosophy and theology. After studying in Paris and Rome, while on pilgrimage, he visited the monastery of Molesmes. Impressed by its leaders, Robert of Molesmes and Alberic (who were later canonized), Stephen joined the community. A few years later, Stephen, along with four other monks, the abbot and prior, requested permission to leave Molesmes to find a more spiritual way of life. They established a more austere monastery in Citeaux. Eventually, Robert was recalled to Molesme (1099), Alberic died (1110), and S...