St Albert the Great

St Albert

Albert, Roger Bacon, People (1) (2) (3), Mary, young men, Tomas Aquinas, Etienne Tempier

Back in the middle ages, there was a guy named Albert.  He was so smart, that even back in his day, people used to call him “Albert the Great”.  One of his buddies was a man named Roger Bacon.  Bacon was also very smart, and people called him “the wonderful teacher.”   Together, Albert the Great and Roger Bacon would conduct scientific experiments, long before most people even knew what science was! 

 (Scene Change!  Everyone but Albert leave)

One day while studying something, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him.  Mary said “Albert, that’s great that you want to be a scientist and a teacher, but you should really become a priest.”  Albert said “yeah, Ok!”  Then Mary disappeared.

(Young men and Thomas Aquinas enter)

Now known as Father Albert, he continued teaching university classes.  Several young men, including Tomas Aquinas, were his students.  Tomas Aquinas was a big fat guy that always had a stupid look on his face.  Because of that, the other students would call “the dumb ox”.  But it turned out that Thomas was one of the smartest guys in history!

When Thomas died, Albert was really sad.  

(Scene Change- Exit Thomas, enter Etienne Tempier and people)

A few years later, the Bishop of Paris, a guy named  Etienne Tempier, called a gathering, and said in his snooty Parisian accent “Science is very dangerous!  If you believe in the laws of physics and logic, you are putting a limit on God!  Some of the things Aquinas said are wrong, and nobody should believe them!  If you teach the stuff he taught, you should be kicked out of the Church!”

But Albert said “The stuff Thomas taught is what the Church teaches!  So stop being so silly!”

Other people accused Albert of being a wizard.  One person said “I heard Albert was doing experiments with things!  He must be doing magic!”  Another person said  “I heard that he found the philosophers stone, which turns other metals into gold! And he gave it to Thomas Aquinas!”  a third person said “He turned me into a newt!” And when everyone looked at him added “I got better.”

But one of Albert’s students said “He is doing science, and he has in doctorate in pretty much everything.   Science is a good thing… you should try it!”

So Albert kept doing his work.  He wrote books on logic, theology, botany, geography, astronomy, astrology, mineralogy, chemistry, zoology, physiology, phrenology… 38 volumes in all! Eventually everyone recognized that both he and Thomas Aquinas were geniuses.

St Albert the Great is a Doctor of the Church, and the Patron Saint of Scientists.

St Albert-  Pray for us!