Who was Saint Norbert?
Saint Norbert of Xanten was born around the year 1080 in what is now Germany. As a young man, Norbert enjoyed a comfortable and privileged life and did not always put his faith at the centre of the way he lived.
His life changed dramatically after he was caught in a violent storm. According to tradition, a bolt of lightning struck the ground close to him and threw him from his horse. This experience caused Norbert to think deeply about his life and his relationship with God.
Norbert decided that he wanted to live differently. He became a priest and devoted his life to following Jesus, serving others and sharing the Gospel.
A life devoted to God
Norbert became known as a powerful preacher. He travelled widely, encouraging people to turn towards God and to live lives of peace, faith and service.
In 1121, Saint Norbert founded a religious community at Prémontré in France. His followers became known as the Premonstratensians, or Norbertines. They sought to live together in prayer, community and service to others.
Norbert later became Archbishop of Magdeburg. He continued to work for renewal within the Church and encouraged Christians to live out their faith sincerely and courageously.
Saint Norbert died on 6 June 1134, and the Church celebrates his feast day each year on 6 June.
What can Saint Norbert teach us?
Saint Norbert lived almost 900 years ago, but his example still has much to teach us.
🌱 We can change and grow
Norbert realised that he needed to change the direction of his life. He reminds us that we can learn from our mistakes, make better choices and become the people God calls us to be.
🙏 We can put God at the centre
Prayer and the Eucharist became central to Norbert’s life. He reminds us to make time for God and to recognise Jesus as the centre of our school community.
❤️ We can serve others
Norbert chose to leave behind a comfortable life in order to serve God and other people. He challenges us to notice the needs of others and use our gifts to help them.
🕊️ We can be peacemakers
Norbert worked to reconcile people who were divided. His example reminds us to forgive, to listen to one another and to build peaceful relationships.
⭐ We can have courage
Norbert was prepared to stand up for what he believed was right, even when doing so was difficult. He encourages us to have the courage to live according to our faith and values.
Saint Norbert and our school
As the patron saint of our school, Saint Norbert is much more than a name above our door. His example helps us to understand the kind of community we want Saint Norbert’s to be.
Our mission is: “To live, love and learn in the footprints of Jesus.”
Saint Norbert did exactly this. He changed his life so that he could follow Jesus more closely. He lived his faith courageously, showed his love through service to others and continued to learn what God was calling him to become.
Like Saint Norbert, we want every member of our school family to:
- Live with courage, faith and integrity.
- Love God, one another and those who need our help.
- Learn from our experiences so that we continue to grow.
- Serve others generously.
- Bring peace wherever there is disagreement or division.
When we try to do these things, we follow Saint Norbert’s example and, most importantly, we follow in the footprints of Jesus.
