Saint Bruno of Segni (d.1123)

Saint Bruno joined the Benedictines when he was a young man. He was appointed Bishop of Segni by Pope Saint Gregory VII. Saint Bruno was a great defender of orthodox Church wisdom and ardently fought against simony and lay investiture. However, Bruno shows us that nobody is perfect, even a saint. He made the mistake of stating that a priest who committed simony could not validly perform the Sacraments. Bruno was of course wrong, because even though simony was a serious offense, it did not undo a priest's ordination. He wished to return to life as a monk, but was called back to his diocese to serve the Lord by continuing to minister to the needs of his people. Bruno was appointed Vatican librarian and cardinal legate. His work on the Holy Eucharist was used for centuries. Saint Bruno is the patron saint of Segni, Italy.