As I’ve probably shared in a few earlier posts, I was raised in Catholic schools from an early age. From kindergarten through junior high, I spent 11 years in an educational environment run by the Ursuline Sisters. I then completed three years of senior high school at a Catholic institution under a foundation affiliated with the Carmelite Order. At the time, my parents weren’t particularly religious, though later in life they both embraced the Christian faith. I first joined a catechism class when I was 14, but after a few sessions, I decided to stop. While my father didn’t outright forbid it, his rather indifferent response made me hesitate and reconsider.
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Saint Anselm of Canterbury (c. 1033-1109), from the exterior of Canterbury Cathedral
Image by Karen Arnold, via World History Encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) |
Years went by and delayed by school, work, and other responsibilities, I eventually decided to attend a catechism class at my local parish, St. Matthew the Apostle. The program was quite rigorous, with weekly meetings that required commitment and consistency. Looking back, I can now proudly say that I didn’t miss a single session throughout the entire formation. After nearly a year of learning, reflection, and preparation with a dedicated team of catechists, I was finally baptized in the parish church. For my baptismal name, I chose Anselm, after St. Anselm of Canterbury, a name I had actually picked back when I first joined catechism as a teenager. The name Anselm itself carries the meaning “God’s protection” as derived from the Old Germanic elements “ans” (God) and “helm” (helmet or protection). While it may not be the most popular or commonly chosen name, something about it stayed with me over the years, giving it a personal meaning that made it feel just right. When I finally returned to it, the timing seemed to align in quiet, unexpected ways like a gentle affirmation I hadn’t realized I’d been waiting for.
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St Anselm of Canterbury as depicted in a stained glass window in Chester Cathedral, England, 1916
Image by Wolfgang Sauber via World History Encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) |
So, who was St. Anselm of Canterbury? Also known as Anselm of Aosta after his birthplace and Anselm of Bec after the monastery where he studied and taught, he was a prominent 11th-century figure in the Church. Anselm was a Benedictine monk, philosopher, and theologian, best known for his foundational contributions to scholasticism and his famous “ontological argument” for the existence of God. Born around 1033 AD in Aosta, Burgundy (in what is now Lombardy, Italy), Anselm came from noble lineage. His father, Gundulph, was a Lombard nobleman, while his mother, Ermenberge, was reportedly a granddaughter of the King of Burgundy. Raised under the devout guidance of his mother, Anselm expressed a desire to join a monastery at the age of fifteen. However, he was denied permission by his father, who envisioned a political career for him instead. Still, Anselm received an exceptional classical education, excelling especially in Latin and rhetoric—skills that would later define his intellectual legacy. |
The life of St Anselm 16 medallions in a stained-glass window in Quimper Cathedral, Brittany, France
Image by Thesupermat via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) |
At 27, Anselm entered the Benedictine monastery of Bec in Normandy to study under the renowned prior Lanfranc. When Lanfranc later transferred to a new abbey in Caen, the monks at Bec, though initially hesitant due to Anselm’s young age, elected him as their new prior. Fifteen years later, he became the abbot. Under Anselm’s leadership, Bec grew into a major intellectual and spiritual center, attracting students and monks from across Europe. During this time, Anselm authored two of his most influential theological works: Monologion and Proslogion, among many others. His reputation eventually rivaled and even surpassed that of his former teacher, Lanfranc. That teacher-student thread continued in an unexpected way. In 1093, during a visit to England to establish a new monastery in Chester, Anselm was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by King William II. The seat had been vacant since Lanfranc’s death in 1089. Initially reluctant to accept, Anselm eventually agreed, but only after negotiating several conditions: the return of Church lands seized by the crown, the king’s acceptance of papal authority (specifically that of Pope Urban II over Antipope Clement III), and freedom to offer spiritual counsel.
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Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, England where St. Anselm once led as an Archbishop
Image by Hans Musil via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) |
As archbishop, Anselm remained deeply committed to his monastic ideals—humility, prayer, intellectual discipline—and was a strong advocate for Church reform. His tenure coincided with the height of the Investiture Controversy, a major conflict across Europe over whether monarchs or the Pope held the authority to appoint bishops. Anselm’s insistence on ecclesiastical independence brought him into conflict with both King William II and his successor, Henry I, leading to two periods of exile. Despite these struggles, Anselm worked tirelessly to mediate between the English monarchy and the papacy. He sought compromise where possible without betraying the Church’s autonomy. His efforts helped lay the groundwork for a more defined relationship between church and state in England. During one of his exiles, he also authored another major theological treatise, Cur Deus Homo (“Why God Became Man”), exploring the purpose of the Incarnation.
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Commemorative Tomb of St. Anselm at Canterbury Cathedral made of Aosta marble
Image by Ealdgyth via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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Anselm, who was later honored as the Father of Scholasticism, died on Holy Wednesday, 21 April 1109, and was laid to rest at Canterbury Cathedral, where a chapel is now dedicated to his memory. The chapel features a modern stained-glass window of the saint and a dark marble altar crafted from Aosta marble, sourced from his birthplace in Italy. Although venerated as a saint for centuries in England and France, his canonization was officially confirmed by Pope Alexander VI in 1494. Later, in 1720, Pope Clement XI declared Anselm a Doctor of the Church, recognizing his enduring theological contributions. His feast day, celebrated on 21 April, is observed by both the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. Saint Anselm’s life and legacy continue to inspire not only theologians and philosophers, but also those who seek truth through reason and faith, reminding us that the search for understanding is itself an act of devotion. For me, choosing Anselm as my baptismal name wasn’t only about honoring a great thinker of the Church, but also about embracing the quiet conviction he embodied, a balance of intellect, perseverance, and humility that I hope to carry in my own journey of faith.
Saint Anselm of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury, Doctor of the Church
Religious Order Benedictine (Order of St. Benedict)
Patronage Philosophers, theologians, students
Feast Day 21 April
Born c. 1033 in Aosta, Lombardy, Italy
Died 21 April 1109 in Canterbury, Kent, England
Burial Site Canterbury Cathedral, in the Chapel of St. Anselm
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