“In her voyage across the ocean of this world, the Church is like a great ship being pounded by the waves of life’s different stresses. Our duty is not to abandon ship but to keep her on her course. Let us stand fast in what is right and prepare our souls for trial.”

Winfrid was born in Wessex, England around 675 to a respected and prosperous family. Against his father’s wishes, he convinced his parents to send him to a Benedictine monastery for education because he admired the monks who had visited their home. He later taught at the school, becoming renowned, and entered priesthood at the age of 30.

Beginning in 716, he made 2 attempts on his own, with no authority, to evangelize the Frisian Saxons but was embarrassingly thwarted by their king Radbod, who had declared war on Christians, destroying churches and monasteries.

He journeyed to Rome and convinced Pope Gregory II to entrust him with a mission to the pagans east of the Rhine. The Pope changed his name to Boniface after a martyr of that same name.

Radbod had died and Boniface returned to Frisia to assist with the missionaries but they were of little help. He knew he could not do it alone, admitted to his previous errors, and sought training from the expert, Willibrord. Later, Boniface was asked to be his successor but instead felt a pull to Germany, and journeyed to Hesse, where he had to start from scratch. It had never been evangelized.

He appealed to the Pope again and was consecrated as a missionary bishop. Conditions at the mission worsened. Even though the people were attracted to Christianity, they held onto their old religion and superstitions. In an act of power, he called the tribes together. He took an axe to a large old tree that they considered sacred, and it split and fell to the ground in the shape of a cross.

He endured many tribulations and challenges, but nuns and monks responded to his call for help enthusiastically for many years. He continued to appeal to Rome, which helped him, and forged a much stronger bond between Rome and Europe.

He established many Benedictine monasteries.

At the age of 73, at a time when most are retired and seeking rest, he journeyed on a new mission. His camp was attacked by an enemy band and Boniface convinced all of his companions to not fight, to trust in God, and welcome death for the faith. All were martyred.

He is often referred to as the Apostle of Germany for his role in the Christianization of that country. He set the church in Germany on a firm course of undeviating piety and irreproachable conduct.

He is is the patron saint of brewers, World Youth Day, and Fulda, Germany.

His feast day is June 5.

For God’s Glory.