Saint of April 1: San Hugo de Grenoble. Catholic Santoral

The first day of April, the Catholic Church reminds San Hugo de Grenoble (France), also known as San Hugo de Châteauneuf, who was first canon of the city of Valence, and then bishop of Grenoble for more than half a century, between 1080 and 1132.

San Hugo was a fervent defender of the Gregorian reform, a man with a strong inclination to monastic life, but whose love to the Church, the mystical body of Christ, led him to pastoral service, which he dedicated himself hard. Hugo de Châteauneuf was canonized in 1134 by Pope Innocent II.

Called to serve and not to be served

Hugo was born in Valence (France) in 1052. He was still secular was appointed canon of his hometown at the age of 28. His intense piety and good theological formation had won the fame of prudent man, bound to God’s affairs.

For this reason, Valence’s bishop invited him to accompany him to the 1080 Avignon Council. That year, he would be elected Bishop without even being a priest.

The saint would soon obtain the dispensers and receive the sacred order in extraordinary period. At the same time, Hugo was experiencing the uncertainty of not feeling worthy of the position, and came to make some attempt to avoid finishing bishop, but his vocation of service made him accept the order.

The Delegate of the Supreme Pontiff had managed to convince him and he ordered him. Then he took him to Rome so that Pope Gregory VII was ordered by Bishop.

Bishop ‘by force’, pastor for love

Hugo’s fate as a pastor would be Grenoble, the city to which he would consecrate the next 50 years of his life, until the day God called him to his presence. When assuming the episcopal headquarters, he found that the situation of his diocese was disastrous and therefore was responsible for implementing the Gregorian reform.

The parishioner was abandoned in most cases and there was little instruction. Meanwhile, the clergy was wrapped in a series of corruptions such as simony; and the properties of the Church were disputed by weeds fell from the nobility, entrusting into ecclesial issues.

On the other hand, some of their priests practiced the concubinage and were a reason for scandal. Immense pain were these things in his heart, pain that remained alive for many years and that increased by the hostility of certain presbyters and the circles of power that supported them.

In the following years, thanks to the efforts for the reform of their diocese, the fruit began to be given. Even so, he came to present his resignation by up to five opportunities, before five different pontiffs. San Hugo had reasons for such orders, but it was also undeniable that the desire to devote himself to study and prayer remained intact inside.

However, he was able to maintain a continuous bond with monacal life -he found even the foundation of the order of the Cartujos -while his heart burned more and more love for those that God had entrusted to him.

The oblivion of the assets of this world

For the poor of Grenoble it came to sell until their carriage, their horses and their mules, in order to help them with the money obtained. With San Hugo there was no sumptuousness or superfluous things. The goods were free gifts from God and they belonged. After running out of the means to mobilize he dedicated himself to touring his diocese on foot, parish in parish, church by church, people by people.

In the stage before his death he lost his memory, and many believed that it was a kind of relief that God granted him to leave so much fatigue behind. Although he no longer recognized his relatives or his friends, he kept the smile and could devote himself to his spiritual activities. The only thing he remembered were the Psalms, the Avemaría and the Lord’s. His last days were full of those prayers.

San Hugo died with almost 80 years, on April 1, 1132. Pope Innocent II declared him holy two years after his death.

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