4 " Fsilh Today Supplement, Tim Message, CathoBc Diocese of Evanstdk, May 13. 1988
I I
WRAP
UP
A friend of
's creatures
By Janaan Manternach
NC News Service
uthbert loved horses
and dogs and every-
thing that lived and
moved. He liked to
feed the soaring
eagles and theplayful sea otters.
Cuthbert's friends told how as a
youth and young man he shared
his ff)od with his horse on long
journeys. He liked to be by himself
in the woods, listening to birds and
smelling wildflowers.
His parents died before he was 8.
The orphan spent long hours alone
in the fields caring for sheep.
When he was about 17, Cuthbert
decided to become a monk. His fel-
low monks at the monastery of
Melrose in Britain liked him immedi-
ately because he was so friendly.
A few years later a disease called
the yellow plague swept through
England and Scotland. Thousands
of people died including Cuthbert's
superior.
The monks elected Cuthbert to
take his place. The plague struck
Cuthbert down too, but he recov-
ered. He frequently rode his horse
to tle poorest, most remote villages
to care for the sick and dying.
Cuthbert found that many people
so feared the plague that they turned
to magic and superstition rather than
to God. So he taught them to trust
in God's goodness and to pray to
Jesus who suffered so much and to
Mary, Jesus' mother.
During the busy )'ears as prior,
Cuthbert began to long for more
time alone with God and nature.
He felt God calling him to live
alone as a hermit.
So the monks allowed him to
move to a deserted island called
Fame. Here Cuthbert felt close to
God. He loved to walk in the
woods and sit by the sea marveling
at God's beauty in nature.
Cuthbert felt an even closer bond
now with all living things.
Everything spoke to him of God's
presence and love.
But soon visitors began to row
to Farne to ask Cuthbert's advice
on how to live happier lives. So
many came that he built a small
guest house, dug a well and raised
barley to take care of his visitors.
People loved and admired
Cuthbert so much that they elected
him their bishop. He refused, want-
ing to be alone with God on the
beautiful island. But the king came
to persuade Cdtbbert to be bishop
of Lindisfarne.
As bishop, Cuthbert taught peo-
ple how much God loved them
and all living beings.
After two ycztr, hc sensed (iod
calling him back to' his hermit life
on Farne. Sensing that he would
not live much longer, he retired to
the island. There he died in peace
on March 20, 687, surrounded by
the woods and waters, the trees
and flowers and animals and birds
he loved so much.
St. Cuthbert remains a popular saint
in Britain.
(Ms, Manternach is the author of
catechetical works, Scripture stories
• and original stories for children.)
Connect
the dots
Draw a line from dot
to dot starting with
dot 1, then dot 2
and so on When
you reach dot 25,
you will have drawn
one of the beautiful
creatures that Cuth-
bert loved.
O'e"
O. " 0
"I ° 2
,o. I/ + #00IL
Project:
[] st. Cuthbert loved all God's living creatures• Draw a picture of the
monk on the Island of Fame by the sea. Draw some of Cuthbert's friends
too, perhaps the sea offers and his horse and a dog or two.
From the bookshelf
• Sometimes sisters and brothers act like they don't get along and
tease and make fun of each other. But deep down, I'others and sisters
mostly care about each other a lot. This Is true of Emily and her
brother, Monse, in the story Nobody's Fault by Patricla Hermes Tired
of her brother's teealno, Emily decidea to get even with Monse Know-
ing that he is afraid of snakes, she puts a dead snake in his bed. Then
Monse has a bad accident and she is sure it is her fault. How she
is helped to deal with the accident and her feelings about her brother
make a powerful story (Dell Publkhing Co., 1 Dag HammamkJold Plaza,
New York, N.Y. 10017. lg81. Paperback, $2.50.)
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