<p>Bruno, founder of the Carthusian Order, was born in Cologne, Germany, about the year 1030. He studied at Rheims and was invited back as Professor of Theology and Grammar. During his 18 years at Rheims he taught many eminent scholars, and was chancellor of the diocese. When the archbishop died in 1068, his replacement was highly unsuitable and the objections of Bruno and other canons were met with persecution which forced them to flee the city. Eventually that archbishop was deposed.</p>
<p>Clerical corruption left Bruno with the desire to live a contemplative life. In 1080 he gave up his riches and with six companions began to live as a hermit. In 1084, a bishop, once a student of his, granted them land high in the Chartreuse mountains. This was the beginning of the Carthusian Order and of the great abbey which is its motherhouse.</p>
<p>In recognition of his great learning, Bruno was called to Rome in 1090 to assist the pope, another former pupil. It was soon obvious that Bruno was not suited to court life and he was permitted to found a second monastery in Calabria, close enough to be available to the Holy See. He died there in 1101, leaving no rule, but a spirit of prayerful simplicity which lives on.</p>
<p><strong>Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher</strong></p>
<p>Marie-Rose (christened Eulalie) Durocher is the foundress of the congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Born in 1811 in St-Antoine, Quebec, Eulalie went to school in Montreal. Soon after her mother's death in 1829, Eulalie moved to Beloeil where her brother, the pastor, put her in charge of his household where she worked for 13 years.</p>
<p>The Oblates of Mary Immaculate had just arrived from France and, with their assistance, Eulalie established the first Canadian sodality for young women. She became the first Canadian postulant of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Marseilles. When the Oblates failed to recruit religious teachers from Marseilles, Bishop Bourget of Montreal invited Eulalie to found a new congregation dedicated to religious education, and in 1843 a small community of novices settled in Longueuil. In 1844 they were professed by the bishop, taking the name, habit and constitutions from the Marseilles community, with Marie-Rose as superior. Although their foundress died just six years later, the community had already begun to grow despite poverty and hardship and several schools had been established. Today the outreach of the congregation is world-wide and in 1982 Marie-Rose Durocher was beatified.<br /></p>
<p>©2011 <em>Living with Christ, </em>Novalis - Bayard Press Canada Inc., <strong>http://www.livingwithchrist.ca/</strong>. Reprinted with permission.</p>
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