St. Bruno (11th century) was the founder of the Carthusian Order of monks. Yet at first not a hermit at all, but rather a famous priest-teacher. He suffered much, in particular on account of his many talents and great knowledge.

HIS YOUTH
St. Bruno came from an ancient and honorable family. His parents wished him to receive an excellent education, especially in regards to virtue. Thus, they sent him study with learned priests and monks near his home in Köln, Germany. St. Anno, that city’s bishop, recognized Bruno’s extraordinary talent and sent him to study further at Rheims, the Catholic center of France.

Bruno excelled in all his studies and was a master poet, philosopher and theologian. Yet his piety, which had no equal, was cause for even greater admiration by all his contemporaries. He earned doctorates and then for eighteen years taught many priests and laity in the great Cathedral of Rheims. He was considered the greatest intellectual light of both Germany and France, with each country claiming him as their own.

PERSECUTION
In 1067, a priest by the name of Manasses acquired the See of Rheims by open simony (the grave sin of purchasing an ecclesiastic office). As chancellor of the diocese, Bruno gathered the leading canons in a council. They were joined by the pope’s legate who suspended Manasses for failing to appear before this ecclesial tribunal. Nevertheless, the haughty bishop sent soldiers to attack and plunder the homes of Bruno and the other canons. Burno and the others had to flee from their bishop in order to save their lives. Eventually once the matter was settled, Bruno was able to return, but not until after having suffered much.

MONASTIC HERMIT
Bruno did not take delight in the honors that had come to him. His heart began to long to be alone with Jesus, and soon he gave up his position – right when he was about to be chosen Archbishop of the great city of Rheims. St. Hugh of Grenoble gave Bruno and his six companions a hidden desert land called Chartreuse, where they might be able to serve God remote from worldly affairs and without burdening anyone. There in 1084, they built a church and little huts to live in. This was the beginning of the Carthusian Order. They were very happy there, working their fields, fasting and praying – hidden in God. They only ate once a day and alone in their cells like hermits (except on solemnities when two meals were allowed and one of them in common).It was strictly prohibited for other men or women to enter their lands, or to hunt, fish or forage within the 'desert of Chartreuse.'

SUFFERING OUT OF SERVICE TO THE POPE
After six years, however, Pope Urban II required a great sacrifice of Bruno. He asked him to go to Rome to be his advisor. It broke the Saint’s heart, but he obeyed, and left one of the monks in charge at Chartreuse. Once more he had to abandon the solitude he yearned for, sacrifice his own desires, and use his many talents to serve the Church. The worldliness of his tasks were a source of great sorrow and suffering from Bruno. Yet he served the pope well and finally the Holy Father allowed him to be a monk again, but nearer Rome. So with new disciples, he began all over again in Italy and the mountains of Calabria.

THE CARTHUSIAN ORDER
The Carthusian Order distinguished itself from others in the intensity of their mortifications and asceticism. They maintained the strictest vow of silence and live hermetical lives. Prayer and work are certainly pillars of this order, but St. Bruno taught them to always keep their gaze fixed upon eternity, and that this disposition should motivate all they do. The Carthusians are the only one of the ancient religious orders which never required reform of any kind

DEATH
God allowed a terrible illness to afflict him, and after many painful bed-ridden days he passed from this vale of tears into eternity (Sunday, 6 Oct 1101). When St. Bruno realized his death was imminent, he gathered his monks near his bed and made a public confession of his life. Then he made an ardent profession of faith, which his monks faithfully recorded word for word. In part, he professed: “I believe the sacraments which the Church believeth, and in particular that the bread and wine consecrated on the altar are the true Body of our Lord Jesus Christ; His true Flesh and His true Blood, which we receive for the remission of our sins, and in the hope of eternal life.”

God loves those who try to serve Him with joy. St. Bruno used to say, “Try, and you will see how sweet and rewarding it is to serve God with all love of your heart.”